×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Premature Failure of Rupture Disc

Premature Failure of Rupture Disc

Premature Failure of Rupture Disc

(OP)
We have Rupture Disc + PSV combination installed on many equipment in our petrochemical facility.


However, experience is not good, many RDs are failing prematurely without overpressurization or overheating above the specs. As a result, PSVs are beingg kept in closed condition to avoid fouling.  

What could be the possible reaosn of premature failure in RDs? we have checked PMI of 01 RD that conformed its material as SS316 which is as per specs.  

RE: Premature Failure of Rupture Disc

A few things come to mind

1. Operating too close to the set pressure.
2. Pipe line pulsations
3. Corrosion. (even small amounts of corrosion can adversely affect a RD)
4. Improper burst tolerance range on disc.  http://www.iceweb.com.au/Technical/rupture_disk_specification.htm

When you say PSV's are being keep in closed psotion, what do you mean? If they are gaged shut somehow, you have created a very dangerous situation.  

RE: Premature Failure of Rupture Disc

dear ak1965,
this arrangement is commomly used in the industry. I am tempted to assume there is a design flaw. I recommend you to search for profesional help. The situation could easily get very dangerous. Eng-tips is a great place to search for information but probably not ideal in your case.

rgs

RE: Premature Failure of Rupture Disc

you are dealing with materials selection

if suitable materials cannot be identified, then you may need to consider purging/flushing to protect the disc or consider redesign of the process

 

RE: Premature Failure of Rupture Disc

This will sound silly but I have seen it before.  Make sure they installed in the correct orientation, confirm the direction with the manufacturer.

RE: Premature Failure of Rupture Disc

We have lots of these installations, many of which fail as yours have, and on investigation it usually found that they are doing their job- i.e. they buckle on overpressure. The two most frequent causes are blocked in thermal expansion, or small pressure transients (spikes) from valve opening or pulsations.

How do you vent between the RD and the PSV?
How do you detect a rupture disk failure?
What sort of pressure are these set at?

Rupture discs cause all sorts of problems- detection, frequent replacement, cost, drips from the excess flow check, etc. If the fluid is not as corrosive or fouling as the original design supposed, you should consider doing away with the RD and redesign the relief valve to have contact with the process.

best wishes,
sshep  

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources