SIZING GUIDELINES

GENERAL 2. Set Pressure

a. ASME Section I - One or more safety valves shall be set
1. Recommend a 20% or 10 PSIG differential between oper-
at or below the maximum allowable working pressure. If
ating and set pressure, whichever is greater. The set pres-
additional valves are used the highest pressure setting
sure of each pressure relief valve must be in conformance
shall not exceed the MAWP by more than 3%. The
with limits specified in the appropriate ASME code. complete range of pressure settings of all the saturated
2. Relieving Capacity steam safety valves shall not exceed 10% of the highest
a. ASME Section I - The minimum required relieving capacity set pressure to which any valve is set. (ASME Section I,
of the pressure relief valve for all types of boilers shall not PG-67.3, 1998)
be less than the maximum designed steaming capacity b. Section VIII - One valve need to be set at or below the
as determined by the Manufacturer and shall be based MAWP and the other valves can be set at a higher pres-
on the capacity of all the fuel burning equipment as sure not to exceed 105% of the MAWP of the weakest
limited by other boiler functions. (ASME Section I, PG- item in the system. (ASME Section VIII, UG-134, 1998)
67.2.1, 1998)
b. ASME Section VIII - The minimum required relieving capa- PRESSURE RELIEF VALVES
city shall be sufficient to carry off the maximum quantity IN PRESSURE REDUCING STATIONS
that can be generated or supplied to the attached There has been much debate in regards to the sizing of
equipment without permitting a rise in pressure within the Pressure Relief Valves in Pressure Reducing Stations. The
vessel with appropriate overpressure condition above the sizing guidelines presented below are the recommendations
maximum allowable working pressure. of Spence Engineering. These recommendations are conser-
3. Pressure relief valves should not be oversized. Oversizing a vative and based on the worst case scenarios. The guidelines
pressure relief valve will cause chatter. A multiple valve are in agreement with the ASME Section VIII code, the
selection should be used in order to eliminate the possibility National Board Inspection Code and the Power Piping Code
of chattering. Use a multiple valve installation when: ASME B31.1. It is important to understand that each local
jurisdiction may have its own set of approved practices and
a. The maximum specified capacity requires selection of a those practices should be followed.
pressure relief valve greater than 6 inch pipe size.
All sizing is based on maximum capacity from the source and
b. When it is more economical to install two smaller valves piping is in accordance with handling the maximum pressure
than one very large one. from the source. Determination of capacity through a given
c. If the normal operating capacity of the system is less pipe size is complicated. Spence recommends the compu-
than approximately 50% of the valve capacity. In this tation of such values should be through published fluid
case the volume is not sufficient to keep the valve in its dynamics reference materials. If the capacity through the pipe
open position and the spring will push the valve closed is unknown, Spence suggests that when sizing for the limiting
causing chattering. The first pressure relief valve should value, use the maximum capacity of the first pressure redu-
be sized on the normal operating capacity and the cing valve and by-pass in the system or maximum capacity
remaining should be sized on the additional capacity that from the source, whichever is less.
can be required during the maximum possible capacity
of the system. A. Single Stage Reducing Stations
1. Where pressure reducing valves are used, one or more
SINGLE VALVE INSTALLATION pressure relief valves shall be provided on the low pressure
side of the system. Otherwise, the piping and equipment
1. Set pressure of the pressure relief valve shall be set at or
on the low pressure side of the system shall be designed
below the Maximum Allowable Working Pressure (MAWP)
to withstand the upstream design pressure. The relieving
of the weakest item in the system. This includes but is not capacity provided shall be such that the design pressure of
limited to Steam Boilers, Pressure Vessels and Equipment the low pressure system will not be exceeded if the reducing
and Piping Systems. valve fails open ➂ (ASME B31.1 section 122.5.1, 1995)
2. Overpressure
FIG. 41 SAFETY
a. ASME Section I - The pressure cannot rise more than
RELIEF VALVE
6% above the maximum allowable working pressure
(ASME Section I, PG-67.2, 1998) 6
1 5
b. ASME Section VIII - The pressure cannot rise more than
10% or 3 psi, whichever is greater, above the MAWP.
(ASME Section VIII, UG-125 (c), 1998). 2
4
MULTIPLE VALVE INSTALLATION
1. Overpressure
a. ASME Section I - The pressure cannot rise more than 3
6% above the maximum allowable working pressure
TYPE ED PRESSURE
(ASME Section I, PG-67.2, 1998) REGULATOR
b. ASME Section VIII - The pressure cannot rise more than
16% or 4 psi, whichever is greater, above the maximum
allowable working pressure (ASME Section VIII, UG-125
(c)(1), 1998). FIGURE A

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 SIZING GUIDELINES – CONT’D
2. Size SRV for pressure drop across regulator using regulator 2. In the case of failure of the pressure reducing valve, the
high side pressure and the safety relief valve set pressure. capacity shall be sized on the basis of the possibility that
3. Hand controlled bypass valves having a capacity no greater both valves ➁ & ➃ would fail open at the same time plus
than the reducing valve may be installed around pressure the by-pass ➂ or the maximum possible flow through the
reducing valves if the downstream piping is protected by downstream piping, whichever is less ➄. Consideration
relief valves as required in section ASME B31.1 Section should be given to the maximum capacity of the source ①.
122.5.1 or if the design pressure of the downstream piping 3. Size SRV for pressure drop across regulator using regulator
system and equipment is at least as high as the upstream high side pressure and the safety relief valve set pressure.
pressure (ASME B31.1 section 122.5.2, 1995)
4. When a pressure reducing valve is installed, there are two C. Two Stage Pressure Reducing Stations
possibilities of introducing boiler pressure into the low 1. When sizing a pressure relief valve in a two stage pressure
pressure system. It is necessary to determine the flow reducing station, the conditions listed above in (A) should
under both circumstances and check that the size of the all be met.
pressure relief valve under either condition will be adequate.
The two possibilities are: 2. In the case of failure of the pressure reducing valve, the
capacity shall be sized on the basis of the high side pres-
a) the failure of the pressure reducing valve so that it remains sure regulator (National Board Inspection Code ANSI/NB-23,
at 100% full travel ➂ Appendix G, 1999) having the largest possible orifice size
b) the possibility of the by-pass valve being wide open ➁ plus the bypass ➁ or the maximum possible flow through
the downstream piping, whichever is less. Consideration
(National Board Inspection Code ANSI/NB-23, Appendix G, should be given to the maximum capacity of the source ①.
1999)
FIG. 41 SAFETY
When taking into consideration the worst possible scenario, RELIEF VALVE
Spence Engineering recommends that the pressure relief
7
valve be sized for the maximum flow through both the 1 6
pressure reducing valve ➂ and the by-pass ➁ or the
maximum possible flow through the downstream piping ➃
whichever is less. Consideration should be given to the
maximum capacity of the source ①. 2 5
For unknown regulator and/or bypass valve capacities, see
Section E for approximate sizing formulas
5. When calculating the maximum possible flow through the
regulator, in all cases your sizing should be based on the 3 4
largest orifice size available in the pipe size of the regulator
➂. It may be possible that an originally supplied reduced TYPE ED PRESSURE
REGULATOR
orifice can be changed in the field to a full port orifice with-
out any consideration to the effect on the capacity of the
Pressure Relief Valve.
FIGURE C
6. In determining the maximum flow through the pressure 3. If an intermediate pressure line is taken off between the
reducing valve when the valve fails, the failure mode should pressure reducing valves then this line and the final low
be considered when the valve plug has reached 100% full side shall be protected by pressure relief valves sized on
travel ➂. the basis of the high side pressure and the largest possible
orifice size of the first pressure reducing valve ➂ in the line
B. Parallel Pressure Reducing Stations (National Board Inspection Code ANSI/NB-23, Appendix G,
1. When sizing a pressure relief valve in a parallel pressure 1999) plus the bypass ➁ or the maximum possible flow
reducing station, the conditions listed above in (A) should through the downstream pipe ➆, whichever is less. Consi-
all be met. deration should be given to the maximum capacity of the
FIG. 41 SAFETY source ①.
RELIEF VALVE
FIG. 41 SAFETY
RELIEF VALVE 9
6 7
1 2
8
TYPE ED PRESSURE 1
5
REGULATOR
2 7

3
3 4
TYPE ED PRESSURE
REGULATOR
4
TYPE ED PRESSURE 5
REGULATOR
FIG. 41 SAFETY
6 RELIEF VALVE

FIGURE B FIGURE D
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 SIZING GUIDELINES – CONT’D
4. If an intermediate by-pass line is designed in between the E. When Flow Coefficients Are Not Known
pressure reducing valves then the final low side shall be For sizing Spence regulators and/or control valves:
protected by a pressure relief valve sized on the basis of
Main Valve Sizing Formula
the high side pressure and the largest possible orifice size
of the first of the two pressure reducing valves plus the CV Data
bypass valves ➁, ➂ and ➄ or the maximum possible flow For all other manufacturer’s valves where flow coefficients are
through the downstream piping ➆, whichever is less. Consi- not known, the following may be approximated.
deration should be given to the maximum capacity of the It is possible that the flow coefficients K and K1 may not be
source ①. known and in such instances for approximating the flow, a
5. Size SRV for pressure drop across regulator using regulator factor of 1/3 may be substituted for K and 1/2 for K1.
high side pressure and the safety relief valve set pressure. The formulas in E above then become:
FIG. 41 SAFETY W = 1/3AC for the capacity through the pressure reducing
RELIEF VALVE
valve and
9 W = 1/2A1 for the capacity through the by-pass valve
1 8
WHERE:
W = steam flow, in lbs/hr through the pressure reducing valve
2 3 7
A = internal area in sq. in. of the inlet pipe size of the
pressure reducing valve (See Pipe Data Table)
5 A1 = internal area in sq. in. of the pipe size of the bypass
TYPE ED around the pressure reducing valve (See Pipe Data Table)
4 TYPE ED PRESSURE C = flow of saturated steam through a 1 sq. in. pipe at
6
PRESSURE REGULATOR various pressure differentials (See Steam Capacity Table)
REGULATOR
C1 = flow of saturated steam through a 1 sp. In. pipe at
various pressure differentials (See Steam Capacity Table)
Caution should be exercised when substituting these factors
FIGURE E for the actual coefficients since this method will provide approx-
D. Two Stage Parallel Pressure Reducing Station imate values only and the capacities so obtained may in fact
be lower than actual. It is recommended that the actual flow
1. Sizing is based whenever any condition from (B) and any coefficient be obtained from the pressure reducing valve
condition from (C) applies. manufacture and reference books be consulted for the flow
2. In addition, all sizing should be based on maximum coefficient of the by-pass valve (National Board Inspection
capacity from sources. Code ANSI/NB-23, Appendix G, 1998).

PIPE DATA TABLE

Nominal Approx.
Pipe Size, Actual external Approx. internal internal area
Inches diameter, inches diameter, inches square inches
3/8 0.675 0.49 0.19
1/2 0.840 0.62 0.3
3/4 1.050 0.82 0.53
1 1.315 1.05 0.86
1 1/4 1.660 1.38 1.5
1 1/2 1.900 1.61 2.04
2 2.375 2.07 3.36
2 1/2 2.875 2.47 4.78
3 3.500 3.07 7.39
3 1/3 4.000 3.55 9.89
4 4.500 4.03 12.73
5 5.563 5.05 19.99
6 6.625 6.07 28.89
8 8.625 8.07 51.15
10 10.750 10.19 81.55
12 12.750 12.09 114.8
Note: In applying these rules, the area of the pipe is always based upon standard weight pipe
and the inlet size of the pressure reducing valve.
Adapted from National Board Inspection Code ANSI/NB-23, Appendix G, 1998.

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