Relief valves pressure and leaks that damage the environment
November 17, 2008
The regulations as a starting point
To comply with the quota, the European Union recommends that industry use measures to reduce CO2 emissions, such as optimize your energy consumption, renew existing equipment, adapting new technologies in the process and, in the longer termperform r & d to develop less harmful processes.
When they are calculated annual average emissions, locate the sources of emissions and take effective measures is sufficient to diminish the pollution. However, often as simple sometimes is ignored.
An example are the safety valves, present in the majority of industries for the relief of pressure. The standard API 527 indicates that these teams are acceptable provided they can demonstrate that their level of transience is less than 0.43 cubic meters of air equivalent per day. This, applied to a process plant that uses 100 safety valves, can become 2000 m3/year of CO2 (or equivalent) escaping through the safety valves. A '' average cost of 20 euros per each cubic metre exceeding the quota allocated to the company you represent a very high annual cost.
The solution has a name: the rupture disc
However, there is a very simple and reliable solution. Install a disk rupture between the process and the safety valve will reduce the emission of gases and the associated costs.
Rupture discs are metallic membranes that open (break) pressure default (in this case to the same pressure to which the valve will be activated) and also default pattern, thus relieving the pressure in a controlled manner and protecting the team. Rupture discs are completely watertight, which means that emissions are reduced to zero. In addition, to be in contact with the process valve prevents corrosion problems (which can lead to increased costs of maintenance). In this way, in addition, the useful life of the valve is extended.
Rupture discs are demonstrated industry reliability for more than 60 years. These 'weak points' may be 'strengths' of its process, and can also be environmentally friendly.