SAVE LOST HYDROCARBONS

Economics
and value of the absorbed liquids. Installed cost of equipment $100,000
Annual operating cost $15,000
Recovery from flares which contain solids. Several process Value of recovered product $550,000
vents either contain solids or m aterials which will readily Payout- less than one year
polymerize to form solids. Fig. 3 demonstrates an applica- Air vent
tion of liquid ring comp ressor technology. The liquid ring
Absorption
compressor can tolerate considerable thruput of fine solids oil supply
without severe damage. Additionally, the compressor can
Air-hydrocarbon
compress vapors up to pressures of 125 psig with tempera- mix from Rich oil
ture rises of 25° F or less due to the internal water wash. copper sweetening ,,.,-,._ _ __
return
Materials which tend to rapidly polymerize a t high tem- ~--0----
peratures are recovered with minimal danger of polymeri- Liquid ring
zation. Acidic or basic disch arges into the flare system compressor Absorber Oil pump
can be tolerated by ad ding pH control to the water loop.
En trained liqu id a nd slugs (other than totally hyd raulic Fig. 5-Copper sweeten ing un it recovery system .
slugs) can be tolerated without equipment damage.
R ecover y from polyethylene plant flare. F ig. 4 is an ex- eye of an experienced safety department is a must. Alter-
ample of recovery with separation and direct recycle of nately, an outside safety consultant may be used. The
recovered product to the reactor. Isobuta ne which is consulting fee will look meager compared to the potential
stripped from finished polymer product is adsorbed on loss if a n explosion occurs.
activated charcoal, desorbed by vacuum a nd fractionated The processing of vents which originate from low pres-
to produce reactor grade butane. This process and other sure sources requires tha t personnel who have extensive
adsorption processes presented herei n were developed by experience in low pressure relief systems designs review
HydroTech Engineering and a re covered by issued and/or the process over-pressure protection equipment.
pending U. S. and foreign patents. Recovery from air containing vents. Fig. 5 is a recovery
example from a common air containing vent. The hydro-
Free vent recovery systems. As mentioned previously, carbon portion of the vent from a copper sweetening
some vent streams must be allowed to flow to the atmo- operation is recovered safely by using liquid ring com-
sphere rather than to the fl a re because of air contamina- pressor technology and interfacing the recovery system
tion or source low pressure. The processing of free vents with the refinery gas processing system .
presents design problems similar to t hose for flare recovery
systems with the additional considerations that air con- ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Based on a paper presented at the API 43rd Midyear R efining Meeting,
taining vents present an explosion hazard and the critical Toronto, Canad a, May 9, 1978. •

API Relining Mealing

A new approach to
relief valve load calculations
A calculation method based on mate values are frequently obtained by rules of thumb.
Thus, in a fractionating tower, the relief valve load is
a heat and material balance accurately often assumed to be the gross overhead vapor from the
tower. A simple but systematic method based on heat
finds the amount of relieving vapor and
and material balance is proposed for a more accurate
forms the basis for sizing the relief valve calculation of relief valve load.
A system in normal opera tion is in dynamic equilib-
rium . There is no accumulation of either heat or material
in the system. When a relief condition occurs, there is a
M. Sengupta and F. Y. Staats, Fluor Engineers a nd fa ilure of some part of the heat removal faci lities which
Constructors, Inc., I rvine, Calif. upsets the dynamic equilibrium. At this point some addi-
tional material m ust leave the system through the relief
THERE rs NO commonly used, consistent method for the valve to carry away the heat that normally would have
calculation of relief valve loads, in refineries. Approxi- been removed. This additional material may be called

160 May 1978 HYDROCARBON PROCE SSING

 N Rellefload = M + L, + s,+ s, .• N

Relief load = M + L1 + S, + S 1 _ 5 = 557,880 + 515,200

= 0 + 7,200 + 36,800
! PSV - 1

L 1 = 515, Accumulation
200 lbs/ hr (by difference) L, =0
Accumulation A = 399,600 lbs/ hr M = 557,880
M =0 lbs/hr
SW = 44,000 lbs/ hr SW = 0
s, = 10,000 s, = 10,000
lbs/hr i-------
- - 7
• L2 = 227,000lbs/hr lbs/ hr 1 - - - - - - - - L2 = 227 ,000lbs / hr
--7
= 58.1 MMbtu/hr
s, = 6000 : ' ' r - - - - oe
__ .:r' .3
s, = 6000 : }--·a._ = 58.1 MMbtu / hr
lbs/ hr L3 = 219,300 lbs/ hr lbs/hr
__ .:r 3

--,;i.... , l-------• L3 = 219,300 lbs/hr

\ ,,. . - - - Oe. 4 = 75.0 MMbtu/ hr
--,;J . . ,
S3 = 6000
lbs/ hr
___]
1 - - - - - - -• L4 = 219,200 lbs/hr
S 3 = 6000 __
_]
\ ,..1----•Oe _4 = 75 .0 MMbtu/hr
lbs/hr
- -,"J , 1 - - - - - - - - L4 = 219,2001bs/hr
•, } - - - Oe . 9 = 75 MMbtu /hr --.,-:i,
s. = 2000 __ ....:r ,, }---0. _9 = o
lbs/hr
1 - - - - - - - L5 = 64,000 lbs/ hr
s. = 2000 __ ....:r
lbs/h r
I - - - - - - - - L5 = 64,000 lbs/hr

- - - - - - S5 = 12,800 lbs/ hr
O, = 368MM - - - - - - - S5 = 12,8001bs/ hr
btu / hr a,= 360.12
L-------- W = 685,500 lbs/ hr MMbtu/hr
F = 1,970,400 lbs/ hr ....________ w = 685,500 lbs/hr
Se = 7,200 lbs/hr F = 1,970,400 lbs/ hrs
at 455 °F from S, = 7,200 lbs/hr
hot resid/ crude
455 ° F
exchanger

Side streams are at exit of strippers

Streams s, to S5 are stripping steam at 140 psig and 570°F Side streams are at exit of strippers
Streams s, to S5 are stripping steam at 140 psig and 570 ° F
Fig. 1- Atmospheri c cru de tower-normal cond ition.
Fig. 2-Atmosphe ri c crude tower- re li ef cond ition .

material accumulation. Its magnitude can be mathematic- the product streams shown in the heat a nd m a terial bal-
ally determined . It is the amount of material which m ust ance. The balance shows how the material accumulation
be removed to m aintain the system heat bala nce. factor is used to account for any discrepancies made in
the assumptions and permits a more logical calculation of
Example. In a crude distillation tower, some of the con- the properties and con ditions of the total vapor passing
ditions which should normally be considered as causes of through the relief valve . That vapor is the sum of the
relieving a re:
TABLE 1-Heat and material balance at
• Cooling water fai lure normal operating conditions.
• Total power fai lure Specific Mole-
Flow gravity cular Temp. Enthalpy Total heat
Strea m (lbs./hr.) ( API)
0
we ight Sta te (• F) (Btu / lb.) MMBtu/ hr.
• Pa rtial power failure -------
In:
F:
• R eflu x fai lure v ...... 40,200 66.7 L 455 298 11.98
L, . ... . . 515,200 s·i.6 L 455 254 130.86
• Fire L2 . .... . 22 7,000 44.3 . .. L 455 248 56.30
L, . 219,300 37.9 .... L 455 243 53.30
L4 . .. 219,200 33.8 L 455 240 52.61
Relief valve load calculations can be performed for a L, . 64,000 28.6 L 455 236 15.11
w.. 685,500 21.0 L 455 230 157.67
situation involving partial power failure in the system.
s,.,Sp ...
..
..
7,200
36,800
is
18
L
V
455
570
436
1308
3. 14
48.14
Similar calculations may be performed for each of the M .. 0 ... 0.00
other fai lu re cond itions listed and the final sizing should Qh·· ...... 368.00
-------
Total . 2,014 ,400 897.11
be based on the maximum possible load. A sketch of the
tower under normal conditions is shown in Fig. 1 while Out :
V . . ....... 40,200 66.7 V 155 230 9.25
Table 1 shows its heat and material balance. Fig. 2 illus- L, . 515,200 6·3.6 L 155 85 43.79
L2 .. 227,000 44.3 L 340 175 39.72
trates th e same system under relief. For simplification, L, . 219,300 37.9 ·• • · L 415 220 48.24
L • . ····•· 219,200 33.8 L 515 282 61.81
heat and material balance is performed as sh own in Table Ls . 64,000 28.6 L 585 325 20.80
w.. ... 685,500 21.0 L 620 342 234.44
2 by defining the system where the physical conditions Sp ....
s,., .. .. .
7,200
36,800 . ..
is
18
L
L
155
155
124
124
0.90
4.56
and properties are most easily available. For examp le, the M ..... 0 • ·· 0.00
feed to the tower is taken a t the point of entrance to 8E-3
E·• · ...
58.10
75.00
the feed heater. At this point the feed com position and QE-• ·· 75.00
22 5.50
QC .
conditions are known a nd the heater duty can be calcu-
Total. 2,014,400
---- - ----- 897.1 1
la ted. For ease of calculation, it is assumed that the feed
to the system consists of exactly the same components as Si nce the system is in equilib rium under norma l conditions accumulation Mis zero.

HYDROCARBON PROCESSING May 1978 161

 SAVE LOST HYDROCARBONS Calculation of stream temperature during r elief.
Relief valve set pressure = 31 psig = 45. 7 ·psia.
TABLE 2-Heat and material balance
at relief condition. Equilibrium relief pressure = Relief valve set pressure
+ 10 percent = 34.1 psig = 48.8 psia.
Specific Mole -
Flow gravity cu lar Temp. Enthalpy Total heat R elief temperatures from Cox Chart:
Stream (l bs./hr.) 0
API) weight State (Of) (Btu/lb.) MM Btu/hr.
--
(

- - - - -
In:
F:
Normal Operating R elief
v .. .. .. 40,200 66.7 L 455 298 11.98 Stream Temperatures Temp eratures
L, . . ... 515,200 63.6 L 455 254 130.86
Lz .... 227,000 44.3 L 455 248 56.30 (OF) (OF)
L3 . . . 219,300 37.9 .... L 455 243 53.30
L4 ... . . 219,200 33.8 L 455 240 52.61 281 310
Ls ... 64,000 28.6 .. L 455 236 15.11
w .. .... 685,500 21.0 L 455 230 157.67 340 371
SF··· · · · 7,200 .. .. is · L 455 436 3.14
s, .s . . ... . 36,800 18 V 570 1308 48.14 4 15 445
M ... . . ... M' 5il · 130 L 335 178 178Mxl<r'
Qh·· . .. . . 360.12 515 545
--- --- - 585 620
Total. .... 2,014,400 889.23
+M + 178Mx10-1 620 650
Out :
v .... ... . 40,200 66.7 V 310 296 11.90
L, . 515,200 63.6 V 310 284 146.32 Material accumulation calculation .
Lz ....... 227,000 44.3 L 37 1 200 45.40
£3 . . . . .. 219,300 37.9 .... L 445 236 51.75 By difference to close the heat balance (T able 2) .
L4 . .. . .. 219,200 33.8 . .. . L 545 303 66.41
Ls ... .... 64,000 28.6 . .. . L 620 352 22. 52
w ........ 685,500 21.0 .. L 650 363 248.84 Relief load calculation .
SF ······· · 7,200 .... 18 V 310 1183 8.52
s,.s ..
M.... . .
36,800
·5il ·
18 V 310 1183 43.54 Total relief load= M + V + L 1 + (SP+ S1 -s)
M' 130 V 335 296 296Mx10-6
Q, .. .... . 45.10
58.10
= 557,880 + 40,200 + 515,200 +
8E· 3· ··
E·• ···· 75.00 44,000
----- = 1,157,280 lbs./hr.
Total. . . . . 2,014,400 823.40
+M +296Mxl0-1

1 Calculated by difference as shown below : TOTAL RELIEF LOAD

Heat in - Heat out (889.23 - 823.4) X 10 •
M = - - - -- - - - - - - - = 557,880 lbs/ hr.
hM, - h,.n 296 - 178 Flow
Flow Mol. (moles/ Temp. Ent halpy Total heat
Stream (lbs./hr.) wt. hr.) State (Of) (Btu/lb.) (MM Bt u/hr.)

M. ... 557,880 130

- - -V- -335
-4,291.38 - 296 165.13
material accumulation, the overhead vapor product, the V . .. . . 40,200 66.7 602.7 V 310 296 11.90
L, .. . 515,200 102 5,051.0 V 310 284 146.32
overhead liquid product a nd sour water. ---- - --
Tota l HC .. 1,113,280 111.94 9,945.08 V 316 290.44 323.35
Steam .. .. 44,000 18 2,444.44 V 310 1183 52.05
The calculations involve the following assumptions: ---- - --
Total
1. Partial power failure occurs, causing one of the side Reliff : ..... 1,157,280 93.40 12,389.52 V -;;;-316 375.40
reflux pumps and the overhead air cooler to fail.
2. The air cooler continues to remove 20 percent of
Relief valve load calculation . This relief load is di-
its normal duty by natural convection .
vided between the relief valve on the tower and the
3. No steam is condensed. overhead accumulator . The accumulator is designed to
4. Feed at its normal rate and temperature con tinues ha ndle the normal overhead vapor load of 40,200 lbs./ hr,
to enter the tower. However, because of vapor suppres- should the va por outlet be bl ocked for some reason.
sion, the heater duty is slightly decreased. Therefore, the vapor remaining to be relieved by the
relief valves on the tower = 1,157,280 - 40,200 = 1, 117,-
5. The top reflux drum holds 12 minutes of reflux.
080 lbs. / hr.
6. The top refl ux is on flow control. The overhead Molecular weight = 93.4
liquid produ ct is on level control. Temperature = 316° F .
7. The instantaneous equilibrium is taken at about 15 • In the above example, relief valve load is 16.5 per-
minu tes after the initial failure , a time when the reflux cent higher than what would conventionally have been
drum is empty except for the small amount of liquid usetj. But for a debutanizer, this method gives a 24 per-
which continues to be condensed as reflux. cent reduction in load. Thus, use of the basic heat and
8. The liquid has by now been evaporated from the top material balance principle gives dependable and accu-
trays and in so doing has removed heat from the system. rate answers for the quantity and physical properties of
At this moment when the heat and material bala nce is the relieved vapor.
being made, the liquid is being evaporated from the
fourth tray from the top . The quantity of this evapora t- NOMENCLATURE
ing liquid represents the material accumulation, and its M = ma terial accumula tion
physical properties may be ta ken to be those of the liquid h.,, = enthalpy of material accumulation
on that tray. Subscripts
u vapor =
I = liquid
CAL'C ULATION STEPS
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The following steps summarize the calcula tions for the
Based on the paper,1. "Relief valve load calculations, " originally presen ted to
relief valve load. the API Midyear Rchnin g M eeting , T oronto, M ay 9, 1978. •

162 May 1978 HYDROCARBON PROCESSING