rupture disc failure analysis

It was built, and is maintained, by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory with funding from the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office. The lessons learned are 1) that a burst disk that is properly designed into a hydrogen system will provide protection from over-pressurization, and 2) that refueling operations must be conducted carefully by attentive operators. This isnt a good solution, though, as it is born of faulty assumptions regarding the reported values. The following items form a good starting point for data collection: Actual normal and maximum operating pressure, Actual normal and maximum operating temperature, Discharge to atmosphere, pressure relief valve or header, Rupture-disc performance history in this location, Photos of rupture disc, holder, installation, Signs of abnormal operation: for example, pin-hole opening, partial opening, slippage and corrosion products. Possess longer cycle life and generated stresses are compressive. There is no one, right answer regarding replacement frequency, but common considerations include the following: Severity: What is the severity of the service the rupture disc is subjected to? Has it been prone to premature fatigue type failures? This is the rupture disks minimum cross-sectional area needed to meet the required flow. Rupture disc has been one of the most effective equipment to prevent overpressure from explosion for the pressure equipment. Sizing rupture disk vent line systems for high-velocity gas flows On the other hand, a thick membrane might deflect very little over a relatively large pressure range, creating an accuracy issue when the differences in pressure are small. Sensors provide these data to control systems. Once full, you have to close the vent and fill tap before heating the tank. In most cases, the disc actually has operated as intended to relieve an overpressure event but the available data arent good enough for us to see that such an event occurred. Most systems will round the value to the nearest significant number to prevent false interpretations.. If the valve activated, this means, at minimum, that the valve reached its set pressure. This issue can usually be resolved with strategic placement of piping supports. The system then heats the oatmeal for 20 minutes and finally drains the oatmeal into a bowl. So, lets quickly review some key facts about the sensor, sampling and resolution, and data reporting. Heavy corrosion of the rupture disc holder can result (Figure 2). The reality is that were not good at anticipating all the possible scenarios that can cause a control system failure. (PDF) Investigation of Failure Mechanisms in Ceramic - ResearchGate Such devices frequently can be installed with little or no support structure. The key lesson learned was that the vent stack design should be re-evaluated. It is a one-time-use device that is either destroyed or permanently deformed in response to over pressurization and then must be replaced. Lets look at a relatively simple process like preparing oatmeal in an automatic pressure cooker. The rupture toleranceat thespecified disc temperature shall not exceed 2 psi for marked pressures up to and including 40 psiand 5% for marked burst pressures above 40 psi. A factor Kr that represents the velocity head loss due to the rupture disc device is determined experimentally in flow laboratories by the manufacturer for their line of products and is certified per ASME Section VIII, Division 13. The HPRD high pressure rupture discs can be used for pressures up to 5000 bar and temperatures up to 400C. A rupture disk is normally actuated thermally or mechanically. Copyright 2012-2013 Inspection-for-Industry.Com, Rupture Disc Mill test reports for body and trim, Rupture Disc Checking of Characteristics (Effective Pressure, Disc Diameter ), Rupture Disc Performance including set pressure test, Rupture Disc Final visual / Dimension Inspection, Rupture Disc Documentation review prior to release(Final activity of Technical Inspection). While rupture disc manufacturers would like to recommend replacement of every rupture disc every year, that is not a realistic expectation. Investigation on the degradation and opening behavior of knife blade burst disks, J. Im going to use a MILSPEC 50 caliber ammo can for charging and storing LiPo batteries. Three basic methodologies are followed for sizing rupture disc devices. Two burst disks associated with two tubes on a hydrogen tube trailer failed prematurely while being filled, releasing hydrogen to the associated vent line. It ensures positive sealing of the system. The vessel vented the hydrogen contents to the associated vent stack as designed without further incident. Failure Behaviour of a Thin Domed Steel Disc with and They are: In the coefficient of discharge model, The rupture disk is considered as a relief valve, and the flow area is estimated using relief valve formulas with a fixed coefficient of discharge, Kd of 0.62. Y"A*u Y Rupture discs are critical instruments utilized so that companies can ensure process safety as set forth by the International Safety Standards (IEC 61508/61511). The ASME Code provides requirements for rupture disc performance. Fatigue 84 (2016) 40-52. December 1, 2006 | By Alan T. Wilson,OSECO Inc. Understanding why rupture disks fail can help ensure that they don't Even with the best process design, the unexpected can happen. or having the dome away from the process (. The rupture disk losses are enhanced to factor compressibility fully. A quick way to check for holder damage due to over-torque is to put a straight edge along the gasket face and look for signs of significant bending (Figure 5). Vendors are asked relatively often why a passive device failed early. P. Smith, R. W. Zappe, Rupture discs, in: Valve Selection Handbook (5th Edition), Gulf Professional Publishing, Houston, 2004, pp.227-267. In time, the tank warmed, became over-pressurized, and ruptured. One conventional domed slotted rupture disc, which was fabricated with Inconel 600 alloy, was used in reaction kettle. Meanwhile, metallographic. The following picture (Fig. Typically, we can address the limitations of a control system by installing protection devices that will absorb an unexpected circumstance without destroying the plant. PDF Trouble shooting the problems of Dry Gas Seals and Systems in Sampling rate is simply the number of times a signal is read and recorded over a certain interval. Increasing the sampling rate could rectify portions of this problem. Torquing should always be done in a criss-cross pattern in increments of no more that 25% of the final torque value to ensure evenly developed loading (Figure 4). Once cooking is complete, you must open the vent to let off steam before opening the drain. [11] Permissible overpressure or vacuum pressure, Necessary vent area, or required flow rate, Alarm system to transfer the signal for rupture disc opening. Morphologies of the fracture were observed by scanning electron microscope and the relatively chemical compositions were analyzed by energy dispersive spectrometer. Those pressure ripples work in unison to fatigue all of the structures associated with the blower, including the housing, ducts, mounting legs, and the rupture disc itself. D. Krewerth, T. Lippmann, A. Weidner, et al, Influence of non-metallic inclusions on fatigue life in the very high cycle fatigue regime, Int. We cant expect a system designer to accommodate every possible scenario! Getting the Most Out of Your Rupture Disc - Chemical Engineering Upgrade: Are there other disc materials or newer disc technologies that will allow the maintenance interval to extend beyond current limitations? This clamping load is affected by the torque applied to the studs, the type of lubrication on the studs, the type of flange gaskets used, and the general alignment of the pipe flanges. Rupture Disc Inspection and Test Plan | Rupture Disc ITP Rupture disc life is generally tied to the stress history (pressure and temperature) applied to the disc. Click the button below to learn more. There are two potential possibilities: The process benefits of installing a Rupture disc upstream of PRV/PSV are the following: A rupture disc can also be installed on the downstream side of the pressure relief valve for the purpose of protecting the valve from the atmospheric downstream fluids. %PDF-1.4 Construction usually sets sensing range and repeatability. >> A hydrogen delivery tube trailer filling a hydrogen storage tank experienced a premature burst disk failure, allowing hydrogen gas to escape. B. P. Somerday, K. T. Wiggans, R. W. Bradshaw. Rupture discs are commonly found throughout many facilities around the world that utilize high-pressure vessels, systems, or equipment. That said, most systems are designed to handle what should occur. J. shall be done by Purchaser during inspection visit. C. Sudha, P. Parameswaran, S. Kishore, et al, Microstructure and deformation mode of a stainless steel rupture disc exposed to sodiumwater reaction, Mater. Attributing the bursting of a rupture disc to premature failure exemplifies this. These are. Dynamic modeling of heat exchanger tube rupture | BMC Chemical The rupture disc used for safety in Chemical & Petro-Chemical Industries is one of the critical components where the design has to be done for failure of thematerial than the usual design problem of Engineering Design which is designing for strength. lining on the discs are discontinuous and of no practical value for corrosion Burst disk vent stack discharge was inadequate and/or poorly located. This matches our reality, as makers of such devices are governed by a number of code requirements designed to ensure the accurate manufacture of their products. Common indications that you have a water hammer or another pressure spike problem include the following: The rupture disc appears to burst at a pressure lower than the marked burst pressure, Ruptures are observed during or immediately after some non-steady state condition in the process. This is simply a device that responds in a predictable way to some phenomenon. improper bolt torque during installation may also affect the disc burst pressure. simple design with no moving parts. Routing Of Flare And Relief Valve Piping: An articleVarious types of pressure relieving devices required for individual protection of pressure vessels in process plantsModeling Relief Valve (Pressure Safety Valve) Thrust forceStress Analysis of PSV connected Piping Systems Using Caesar II. Something must sample the signal generated by the sensor and record the data values. The results show that the bursting of the rupture disc was caused by fatigue fracture. This website is my first venture into the world of blogging with the aim of connecting with other piping engineers around the world. Polymers have characteristics of virgin resins, which are critical for meeting food-industry safety standards. A failure analysis was requested to determine if the discoloration was due to corrosion and if so, the cause. As stated earlier, rupture discs and pressure relief valves can be used in parallel. This is usually the case with storage vessels for non-refrigerated liquefied compressible gases at ambient temperatures. The Rupture Disc or Rupture Disk consists of one or more flat or domed layers and generally, are round or square in shape. This identifies uniquely the disc type, its equipment number and batch, the rated bursting pressure and temperature, the design code and also indicates the vent side of the disc. Interteks findings serve as evidence of what we at CDC already know our products are the finest that money can buy. Search this Site! He has 23 years of experience in the pressure relief industry and serves as a member of the ASME subcommittee on Safety Valve Requirements, ASME committee on Boiler & Pressure Vessel Conformity Assessment, API Task Force on RP520, STD521, and STD2000, and the U.S. Technical Advisory Group for ISO TC-185. Please contact clientservices@accessintel.com Join today to get all of CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Chemical Engineering news and content delivered every week, Access Intelligence, LLC. Lets illustrate this with three graphs of an event first the true values, then the averages, and finally the maximum values. The vessel discharge port could then become partially or fully blocked, resulting in higher than expected burst pressures and limited discharge flow. Relatively low pressures and static conditions will generally result in very long disc life, while cyclic conditions approaching the burst pressure will result in shorter disc life. On the other hand, if the pressures are very different (~20% or more), this means that whatever activated the valve did so quickly. (Notification not req'd : Randam Inspection), R: Review inspection & test records (Notification not req'd). Thepresent paper considers discs that fail because of Tensile stresses. Weve learned to believe what our monitors tell us and to rely on the data they report. Kindly find below the operating parameters and suggest if a change in rupture disc design would rectify the problem That would put the system at risk of an overload that could have catastrophic consequences. A significant consideration is that burst disks are non-reclosing, so their rupture will usually lead to the release of the entire system contents. Make no mistake, a sensor will report some value. Threads lubricated with high performance lubricants, such as PTFE, moly-disulfide or graphite, may result in an overload condition. In such cases, the Rupture disc would isolate the vented media from the relief valve. Consider corrosion, operating pressure, cyclic duty and so on. However, pasteurization can also be used for foods and Read More, If you have older equipment with explosion relief doors it may be time they are replaced. It took off like a rocket into the air, landing on a nearby van and crushing it completely. This can be caused by very tall discharge pipes; long, horizontal pipe runs; or severely misaligned pipe flanges. These sacrificial parts are designed to burst when pressure within production equipment exceeds a certain threshold by breaking down, stopping the process to prevent or mitigate hazardous events. Common Problems with Rupture Discs - Smart Machine Failure analysis of a pressure vessel subjected to an internal blast Firefighters responding to the hydrogen release sprayed water on the tank and vent stack. And if your processes, or surrounding environment, have changed in any way since the door Read More. SO, I can take a couple of approaches: I could just drill a few holes in the sides, but that destroys the water tight characteristics of the container. Pipeline cleaning refers to the process of removing contaminants and debris from the inside of pipelines that are used to transport fluids such as water, oil, and gas. Drone Safety Day Wish List From The American Chemistry Council, ACC: We cannot overlook the potential risks associated with drones, especially when it comes to protecting critical infrastructure and national security., Green Hydrogen Demand Dictates Decarbonization Potential. Incorrect piping and piping-support design can lead to the transfer of excessive piping loads to the rupture disc. Todays processing plants generally include complex networks of sensors, monitors and computer processors. 5s\gX}|XCX.k/v3=XE^2>_?$%GC?]%:E$W8 p8>q5d HR% ;PV:oz'S?&z2d2}@Yt_boO%_oX!Vx3V`?I$AjI3F! Provide both overpressure protection and depressurizing. Liquid Hydrogen Tank Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion (BLEVE) due to Water-Plugged Vent Stack, Ruptured CO2 Cylinder Causes Hydrogen Fire, Concerns Related to Hydrogen Bottle Rupture, Hydrogen Explosion Due to Inadequate Maintenance, Hydrogen Explosion at Coal-Fired Power Plant, Unexpected Failure of Rupture Disk on Liquid Hydrogen Tank at Manufacturing Plant, Tube Trailer Leak through Over-Pressure-Protection Rupture Disk, Hydrogen Tube Trailer Burst Disc Ruptures Prematurely While Filling. H2 Tools is intended for public use. An important lesson learned is that burst disks should be properly installed. Averaging is quite common keep that in mind when analyzing data yielded by some unusual system event. The rupture disk discharge pipe should be limited to 5 pipe diameters. Rupture discs are not standardized products. The choice between the Read More, Pasteurization has become an industry standard for numerous food companies, most notably anyone dealing in milk products. This report is a compilation of component failure rate and repair rate values that can be used in magnetic fusion safety assessment tasks. . Each one of these products scored an equivalent SIL (Safety Integrity Level) rating of four (4), the highest rating available. annulus to be at risk . resistance. Partnering with your rupture disc supplier to investigate and evaluate these situations will promote opportunities to improve rupture disc performance, extend maintenance cycles and reduce long-term costs. Domed rupture discs are of two types. As such, they are fragile and require careful installation so as not to damage them. All rights reserved. Upon rigorous assessment, Intertek awarded our HPX, BDI, and BDI-FLX products the coveted SIL rating of four, a score that cannot be improved upon. forward acting? Gaskets: Flange gaskets have an effect on the applied load as well. After a short time, the hydrogen fire self-extinguished without further incident. The major objective of the rupture disc (Fig. Consult the disc manufacturer to verify the higher load will be acceptable. For instance, remember the valve and tank discussed above. In some of the incidents, a recommendation was made to eliminate burst disks from the system and instead rely on other relief devices (e.g., spring-activated pressure-relief devices that close after the pressure is reduced below the set relieving pressure). can degrade with age or due to corrosion. Generally speaking, this is the minimum sample rate required to avoid introducing distortion into the reported data. Rupture discs work by using thin metals that are scribed or scored to burst at predefined pressures. The burst disk had been repaired by the vendor six months earlier. So, a shutdown may be required to refit. leak tightness. The way data are reported can have important consequences. This torque value is generally associated with some common thread lubricant. Next comes the control system. Due to the metal-to-metal sealing surfaces, any re-installation of a rupture disc is likely to seal less effectively. I am very much passionate about blogging and always tried to do unique things. The maximum-value retention scheme is more common in testing and laboratory setups. I am a Mechanical Engineer turned into a Piping Engineer. Figure 2 results from averaging the same ten data points per second. Learning from Burst Disk Failures | Hydrogen Tools 4) Monitoring/Observation ofRupture Disc Vendor shop daily routine works (i.e.Storage of materials, Adherence to approved procedures,Testing tool calibration check, workmanship, cleanliness and etc.) [6] Due to their inherent design, discs are often subject to fatigue and rupturing much more than PSD doors. However, under abnormal circumstances, say in the event of a runaway reaction or fire, a much faster rate of pressure rise may occur. 15 0 obj Hence, less crack propagation. Rupture discs are the second most commonly used pressure relief (protection) devices after safety valves (PSV/PRV) in industrial applications. Contact us today to discover more about our extensive offerings, or to help you choose the right disc to fit your needs, use ourDisc Selection Form here. The influence of piping and piping-support design on the rupture disc is often overlooked but has been the source of many problems. Moreover, interpreting these data requires properly accounting for significant interactions that can impact engine rpm; small changes in conditions can affect the reported values drastically if sample rates arent taken into account. The greater the difference (error) is, the faster the event (recall the averaging discussion above) becomes. In addition to the fatigue element that we just described, there are several other common rupture disc problems, such as: If the discs or supporting components are installed incorrectly, they can fail to burst. Overall an interesting article as per me. Scientific.Net is a registered brand of Trans Tech Publications Ltd The most common problem is the transfer of excessive piping loads to the rupture disc. Some involved failures from multiple pressure-relief events. Engineering for failure, simply put is not a sound business strategy, except when it comes to rupture discs (also known as bursting discs) used in process safety systems. Reduced fugitive emissions no simmering or leakage prior to bursting. 5 below: The flow area calculated is known as the Minimum Net Flow Area (MNFA). These devices may provide a cost-effective and easier-to-install alternative where adding controls and active devices could be expensive or impossible if the system is already in place and the overload unanticipated by the original design. Many process materials are also prone to building up and solidifying on internal surfaces. no additional maintenance cost for each rupture disc per service. In contrast, a small car engine may run at thousands of rpm, requiring a much higher sample rate for ample data coverage. Through this platform, I will share my experiences and knowledge with you in an innovative way. Figure 1 shows the true pressure values for a system measured over a period of time. These usually are physically or mechanically responsive and require no power or intervention to activate. The graph plots ten data points per second. Also, condensate in the discharge lines can freeze, and the expansion during the freezing process can collapse a forward-acting rupture disc (Figure 3). Particular attention should be paid to avoiding water intrusion into the vent piping, including protection from water sprays during emergency response situations. As the rupture disc is a one-time-use device. T. More, K. Johnson, A simple, low-cost burst disc for use at cryogenic temperatures, Cryogenics 38 (1998) 947-948. degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and an M.B.A. from Keller Graduate School of Management.