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Instrument Air Failure

Instrument Air Failure

Instrument Air Failure

(OP)
Is it normal to assume that the instrument air supply fails during a fire case and all valves revert to their 'fail' position?

RE: Instrument Air Failure

This is a typcial relief scenario. You assume all valves fail in their normal fail safe position EXCEPT for one, and that is the one that will fail in the position such as to give you the greatest relieving rate.

RE: Instrument Air Failure

Assume a few different issues.  One is the instrument air failure per individual user.  This should be most common.

Also assume a system wide loss of air.  However in this case assume that it is dropping in pressure instead of a change from 90 psig to zero.  To accommodate the latter you want some pressure transmitters on the shutdown system (yes triple transmitters would be my suggestion) that are inputs to the Safety Instrumented System.  Provide a trip setting that is higher than the pressure that shutdown valve actuators may randomly begin closing.  One objective would be an orderly plant shutdown rather than individual items going closed on their own.  If you have spring opposed piston shutdown valves the actuators were selected based upon the valve torque, perhaps at a minimum pressure such as 80 psig and perhaps with another 25% safety factor.  Different design criteria exist - along with a lack of a shutdown valve actuator design criteria.

RE: Instrument Air Failure

do you use flexible hoses or tubing for the instrumentation?

i think it is most reasonable to assume fail positions for anything within the immediate fire zone of the vessel.

same thing could be said for the conduit for the controls.  i would assume that you will lose all "communication" with your controls, etc.

ask yourself what impact does that have on your flow requirements?

RE: Instrument Air Failure

not sure what you mean in regards to assuming how a valve fails.

your failure positions are governed by a study of your process and the mechanical equipment, air supply failure is but one of thefactors.

RE: Instrument Air Failure

You must assume you can lose air and power to all control and shutdown systems.

I've always designed for fail safe, whether open or closed.  Then during the PHA that design is verified.  I've worked with some pipeline companies that have fail to supply the customer not safe, I disagree.

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