List of Formula for Relief Valve Sizing Equation

A calc =

W vapor
P relief C K

gas

K CCF K

gas
bp

T relief Z
M vapor

for bellows, or conventional and pilot with

critical flow is calculated required ASME orifice area, in2

A calc

is required vapor flow rate, lb/hr

vapor

is gas-vapor flow constant

is gas-vapor ratio of specific heats, or

C p /C v

is calculated ASME certified gas coefficient of discharge

gas

is relieving pressure, psia

Prelief

gas
bp

K CCF

is backpressure vapor-gas correction factor (for conventional and

pilot = 1; for balanced = refer to Figure 30)

is aggregate rupture disk coefficient (if rupture disk is not

installed = 1; and if rupture is installed = 0.9)

is vapor relieving temperature, R

T relief

is compressibility factor

is average molecular weight of vapor

M vapor

T relief =T operating

Prelief
Poperating + Patm
is vapor relieving temperature, R

T relief

is relieving pressure, psia

Prelief

is maximum vessel wall temperature, R

T wall

is operating temperature, R

T operating

is operating pressure, psia

Poperating

is atmospheric pressure, psia

Patm

A=F '

F env A exposed
gas
K CCF K bp
P relief

is calculated ASME Orifice Area used to determine

Wvapor, in2

is fire gas factor

F'

is environmental factor

Fenv

is exposed surface area, ft2

A exposed

is relieving pressure, psia

Prelief

gas
bp

K CCF

F' =

is backpressure vapor-gas correction factor (for

conventional and pilot = 1; for balanced = refer to
Figure 30)
is aggregate rupture disk coefficient (if rupture disk is
not installed = 1; and if rupture is installed = 0.9)

0.1406(T wallT relief )1.25

C K gas T relief 0.6506
is maximum vessel wall temperature, R

T wall

is vapor relieving temperature, R

T relief

is gas-vapor flow constant

gas

is calculated ASME certified gas coefficient of

discharge

W vapor =1.06 Cmax

g CVin ( Pup )sin (

F crit
)
180

is required vapor flow rate, lb/hr

vapor

Cg

is gas sizing coefficient at 100% opening

CVin

is density of vapor at CV inlet conditions

Pup

is upstream pressure of control valve,

Fcrit

is critical flow factor

max

3417
Fcrit =
C1

PupP relief
C max
, whereby C 1= gmax
Pup
Cv

Fcrit

is critical flow factor

Pup

is upstream pressure of control valve, psia

is relieving pressure, psia

Prelief

V liquid =

Bliquid Q
500G liquid C p

V liquid

is relief rate,

B liquid

is thermal expansion coefficient

Gliquid

is specific gravity of the fluid

Cp

is specific heat capacity of fluid

is heat transfer rate

A=

V liquid Gliquid
38 K

ASME
liquid

K ccf K liquid
K ( Prelief Pmax
bp
back )
is calculated required ASME orifice area, in2

A
V liquid

is required liquid flow rate, US gal/min

is specific gravity of liquid at 70 deg F (as per ASME NB-18)

Gl
iqui
d

ASME
K liquid

is calculated ASME certified liquid coefficient of discharge

K liquid
bp

is backpressure liquid correction factor (if the backpressure is

atmospheric = 1; for conventional and pilot = 1; for balanced =
refer to Figure 31)
is relieving pressure, psia

Prelief

K CCF

is liquid viscosity correction factor

is aggregate rupture disk coefficient (if rupture disk is not installed =

1; and if rupture is installed = 0.9)

is vapor relieving temperature, R

T relief

is maximum total backpressure at outlet, psig

max
back

F=

W vapor
k T relief
max
+ Aoutlet P back
366 ( k +1 ) M vapor
is required vapor flow rate, lb/hr

vapor

is gas-vapor ratio of specific heats, or

is vapor relieving temperature, R

C p /C v

T relief

M vapor

is average molecular weight of vapor

A outlet

is area outlet, in2

is maximum total backpressure at outlet, psig

max
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