Atmospheric Relief Conditions

Reducing Environmental Hazard

The release of hazardous materials into the atmosphere during a pressure relief event or through the bonnet vent on a bellows-style pressure relief valve needs to be analyzed to ensure that hazardous conditions do not exist at grade or in any other location that may result in ignition or a toxic exposure to personnel. Equity engineers are experienced in performing these analyses.

There are other concerns to consider when pressure relief device releases into the atmosphere. For example, the reaction/thrust forces need to be analyzed to make sure that the forces and moments transferred to the vessel nozzle or relief device outlet flange are not significant enough to cause excessive stresses, possible piping damage and subsequent loss of containment. We have developed screening methods to determine which atmospheric PRD installations require further analysis; the installations that fail the screening are fully analyzed to verify adequacy of the design.

Equity’s Process Technologies Group has both the methodology and experience to assist you with the design of atmospheric releases.