How do you ensure or work to continuously increase plant safety? One sure way is in the appropriate design of emergency relief systems (ERS). ERS are needed for processes where a thermal hazard exists. A thermal runaway reaction can be an unacceptable over-pressurization of the system that could result in a dangerous situation. Do you have a turnkey approach through a combination of testing and analysis, to check and address your ERS?
Your arsenal should include:
Chemical Testing
- Tests should be performed to characterize the runaway reaction under the upset conditions of interest.
- Are your temperature and pressure data measured and scaled to the process vessel?
- Are you armed with state of the art tools such as Vent Sizing Package 2TM (VSP2) and Advanced Reactive System Screening ToolTM (ARSST)?
Process Simulation
- Have you evaluated the required vent size? Tools such as Practical Emergency Vent Sizing Software (PrEVent) are necessary.
- The design of the existing or new ERS should be analyzed with commercial transient analysis codes for its performance in handling the effluent.
- Depressurization of transient fluid forces should be computed by tracking momentum flux, thrust and pressure waves.
Structural Design
- The ERS design should be evaluated in a structural analysis code.
- Pipe support design should be evaluated and reviewed.
- Dynamic stress analysis of the ERS should be conducted.
- Code compliance should be verified against specific requirements, e.g. ASME B31.3, EN-13480, and others.
Additional Considerations
- Effluent handling (quench tank, knockout drum) evaluations.
- Dispersion modeling - can be a very important and often overlooked component to the ERS program.
For more ideas, questions or discussion on a comprehensive Emergency Relief System Design Plan, please contact us.
