Calculation of Relief Rate Due to External Heat Input for Dense Phase Fluids

This example illustrates how the relief rate is determined for the volumetric expansion of a vapor, dense-phase
fluid, or liquid due to external heat input such as fire.

General Material Balance

In general, computing the relief rate requires a material and heat balance of the streams entering and leaving the
protected equipment. The primary balance is written as a volumetric balance, facilitating the concept and
application. Two familiar examples of the balance are provided.

Relief load (ft3/hr) = Fluid(s) Expansion + Gas Vaporized – Liquid Vaporized + Fluid Into Vessel – Fluid Out of Vessel

Includes volume increase Represents Represents the Represents Represents

due to expansion of vapor the volume decrease in volume the fluid the fluid
and liquid in vessel. of gas that is due to the liquid flowing into flowing out
Often neglected except in formed from vaporized. Usually the vessel. of the vessel.
all liquids systems. vaporization. neglected except in Often Often
cases with similar neglected for neglected for
gas-liquid densities. fire cases. fire cases.

Example: Relief Rate for Fluid Expansion without Liquid Vaporization

Fluid expansion is applicable for vapors, dense-phase fluids, and liquids in a completely filled vessel. The relief
rate is a function of the heat input plus the change in fluid enthalpy and density over time. There is no liquid
vaporization. In many situations flows into and out of the vessel are neglected. The following equation is a
rigorous representation of the volumetric relief rate. The fluid density is (lb/ft3), enthalpy H (but/lb), and
steady state vessel heat input is Q (btu/hour). The subscripts refer to successive increments.

Relief Rate (ft3/hour) = (1/ 1 - 1/ 2) Q / (H1 - H2 ) (1)

Example: Relief Rate for Fluid with Liquid Vaporization (single component)
When a liquid is boiling, the relief rate is typically determined from the vaporization rate, neglecting fluid
expansion and flows into and out of the vessel. The following equation is strictly only appropriate for fluids
where the sensible heat part of the latent heat of vaporization is small as for single-component fluids. The fluid
density is (lb/ft3), enthalpy H (but/lb), and steady state vessel heat input is Q (btu/hour). The subscripts refer
to vapor and liquid.

Relief Rate (ft3/hour) = (1/ V - 1/ L) Q / (HV - HL ) (2)

Example of Dense Phase Fluid Expansion Due to External Heat Input

Problem Description
A vessel filled with hydrocarbon (molecular weight 166 lb/mole) is subject to external steady-state heat input.
The vessel has been pressurized to
the relieving pressure of 485 psig Since the pressure is above the critical point, the fluid is a “dense-phase” or
(500 psia), which is above the fluid “super-critical” fluid. A super-critical fluid does not have a distinct vapor or
critical pressure (470 psia and 760 liquid phase and is considered one continuous high-density compressible
°F). As more heat is added, the phase. Refinery hydro-processing processes are examples where hydrogen is
fluid expands and must be relieved. contacted with distillates. The determination of the phase envelope (an option
The relief rate is the rate that the in commercial simulators) is helpful in identifying the dense-phase region.
volume increases at constant
relieving pressure.

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Determining the Heat Input and the Temperature when the Relief Valve Opens
In this example, the steady-state heat input (Q) to the vessel is assumed to be 1,300,000 btu/hr. Although the
determination of the heat input is not part of this example, the heat input may be estimated using various
methods, including rigorous heat transfer calculations using fire radiation fluxes. The heat input may be either
steady or dynamic, depending on the
situation.
Phase Envelope and Fluid Expansion Path at Constant Pressure of
500 psia
Additionally, it is assumed the fluid is at
600
750 F when the relief valve is at the full Fluid expansion path at constant pressure of 500
relieving pressure of 485 psig (500 psia). 500

Similarly this determination is not part of 400

this example, but one typical estimate is to Phase Envelope
300
simulate the pressurization of the fluid at a
constant volume process, presuming the 200
fluid is contained in a vessel with no flow
100
in or out. The fluid is usually considered
pressurized from the normal operation to 0
450 500 550 600 650 700 750 800 850
the relieving conditions.
Temperature (F)

Calculating the Relief Rate

The relief rate is the rate that the volume increases at the constant pressure due to heat input. The first step in
calculating the volume increase is to perform a series of flashes at constant pressure of 500 psia and different
temperatures to determine the physical properties of enthalpy and density, which are the only properties
required.
The starting point, the first flash, is done at 500 psia and a temperature of 750 F. The enthalpy and
density is obtained from this flash.
The second flash point has been selected as 50 F higher than the first flash point. Any convenient
temperature increment may be selected. The temperature increase with enthalpy and density changes,
are due to the heat input.

The relief rate is expressed by the following equations, where the conversion from volumetric-flow to mass-flow
is calculated using the average density. The heat input rate is that for the vessel during the time period between
points.
Relief Rate (ft3/hour) = (1/ 1 - 1/ 2 ) x Q / (H1 - H2 ) (3)
Relief Rate (lb/hour) = Average Density (lb/ft3) x Relief Rate (ft3/hour) (4)
= ( 1 + 2) / 2 x (1/ 1 - 1/ 2 ) x Q / (H1 - H2 )

Where fluid density is (lb/ft3), enthalpy H (btu/lb), and steady state vessel heat input is Q (btu/hour). The
following table lists the data from the flashes and the arithmetic results from the calculations.

Conclusion – the Maximum Relief Rate

The relief load will be based on the relief rate along a constant pressure path. The maximum relief rate is
10,375 lb/hr at a relieving temperature 815°F and this maximum is typically chosen as the relief valve sizing
basis. Although the maximum mass flow rate maybe different than the maximum volumetric flow rate due to
the density differences, the largest relief size will be at the maximum mass flow since the relief area is a
function of mass flux (btu/hr-ft2). Because the maximum relieving rate occurs at considerable higher
temperature than the initial temperature, for this case the initial starting temperature is not crucial in determining
the relief valve sizing basis.

Calculating the Relief Valve Orifice Size

Although the orifice size is not part of this example, it may be calculated rigorously using the method of
numerically integrating the Bernoulli equation as illustrated in API-RP 520.

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 Data from Simulation
500 psia

Flash Fluid Vessel Density Enthalpy Average Relief Relief

Point Temperature Heat Input (at point) (at point) Density Load Load
°
F Btu / Hour Lb / Ft^3 Btu /Lb Lb / Ft^3 Ft^3 / Hour Lb / Hr
(flash input) (calc input) (flash output) (flash output) (calculate) (calculate (calculate
Eq 2) Eq 3)
1 750 21.7 440
755 1,300,000 21.2 287 6,102
2 760 20.8 449
765 1,300,000 20.3 331 6,731
3 770 19.8 458
775 1,300,000 19.3 386 7,450
4 780 18.8 468
785 1,300,000 18.2 454 8,268
5 790 17.6 478
795 1,300,000 17.0 537 9,153
6 800 16.4 488
805 1,300,000 15.8 628 9,935
7 810 15.2 498
815 1,300,000 14.6 711 10,375
8 820 14.0 508
825 1,300,000 13.5 765 10,295
9 830 12.9 518
635 1,300,000 12.5 786 9,798
10 840 12.0 528
845 1,300,000 11.6 779 9,061
11 850 11.3 537

Relief Rate (lb/hr) as Fluid Expands at Constant Pressure of 500 psia

12,000
Relief Rate
(lb/hr)
10,000

8,000 Relief Rate

(ft3/hr) x10

6,000
Enthalpy -
Average
4,000 (btu/lb) x10

Density -
2,000 Average
(btu/f t3) x100
0
755 765 775 785 795 805 815 825 835 845
Relief Temperature (F)

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