AIR VENTS, VACUUM RELIEF AND PRESSURE RELIEF IN PRESSURIZED PIPELINES

Calculations from the equations in the Technical Note

version 1.0, Jan 2009, by Leigh D Nelson

Item Input Unit

Pipe Material PVC -
Pipe Length 2000 ft
Pipe Diameter 9.00 inches
Wall Thickness 0.20 inches
Flow in cfs 2.0 cfs
Pipe Pressure Rating 160.00 psi Spread Sheet Key:
Operating Pressure 120 psi User input
Slope of Pipeline Below Vent 0.018 ft/ft Calculations
Max Collapse Pressure of Pipe 8 psi Answers
Fill Velocity 1 ft/sec

Results of Pipe System Output Unit

Velocity - V 4.96 ft/sec
SDR 45 -
Modulus of Elasticity - E 400000 psi
Velocity of Shock Wave - a 801 ft/sec
Critical Closing Time - Tcr 5.0 sec
Surge Pressure - Psurge 53 psi
Surge + Operating Pressure 173 psi
Poisson Ratio - short term - u 0.41 -

Solutions
The surge pressure plus the operating pressure is 173 psi. This is greater than the pipe pressure, which is 160 psi
A pressure relief valve is needed. The minimum diameter is 2 inches
Maximum pressure the pressure relief valve should be set at is 165 psi (160 + 5 psi)
The combination air-vacuum relief valve diameter is 2 inches
Where both an air-vacuum relief valve and a pressure relief valve are needed, they can both be located on the same riser pipe.
The minimim riser diameter is the smaller of the air vent or pressure reducing valve (2 inches)
Multiple valves may be used in a maniford to meet the diameter required.
Pipeline - Vacuum Relief Valve and Air Release Valve Orifice Sizing
This worksheet is protected from change - use data entry sheet for input
From procedure in pipeline information sheet developed by Jim Dunlap, WNTC, NRCS
Default input data same as used in information sheet
Spreadsheet by Steve Durgin, Spokane Regional Design Team, NRCS 6/2006

Input Data
Pipe Material PVC
Modulus of elasticity of pipe material, E 400,000 psi

Poissons ratio of pipe material, u 0.41

Wall thickness of pipe, T 0.2 in

Pipe Diameter (inside), D 8.6 in

Discharge Coefficient, C 150

Slope, S 0.018 ft/ft

Fill Velocity, Vf 1.0 ft/sec

Density of air, gair 0.08 pcf

Ovality compensation factor - fo (0.62 for 5%) 0.62
Factor of Safety for Critical Buckling under vacuum, N 2
Orifice coefficient vacuum relief valve, Kvr 0.60
Orifice coefficient air release valve, Kar 0.60

Maximum allowable collapse pressure, Pmac 5.0 psi

Maximum allowable pressure across air release valve, Pmaa 5.0 psi

Computed Pipe Data

58.08805 sq in Asq in = pD2/4

Pipe cross sectional area, A
0.403 sq ft Asq ft = Asq in /12

2.2 in Rin = D/4

Hydraulic radius, R
0.18 ft Rft = Rin /12

Vacuum Relief Computations

1,383 gpm Qr-gpm = Qr-cfs / .00223

Rapid release flow rate, Qr
3.08 cfs Qr-cfs = 1.318Asq ftCRft0.63S0.54

Rapid release velocity, Vr 7.65 fps Vr = Qr/A

3.75 psi Puc-psi = 1 x (2E/1-u2)(T/D)3(fo/N)

Computed pipe collapse pressure, Puc
539.9 psf Puc-psf = 144Pc-psi

3.75 psi Pcd-psi = Pc-psi If Pc-psi < Pmac; Else Pcd-psi = Pmac
Design pipe collapse pressure, Pcd
539.9 psf Pcd-psf = 144Pcd-psi

1.1 sq in Aov-sq in = 144Aov sq-ft

Orifice area required for vacuum, Aov
0.008 sq ft Aov-sq ft = Qr-cfs / (Kvr((64.4((1 x Pcd-psf)/gair))0.5))

1.2 in
Orifice diameter required for vacuum, Dov Dov = ((4Aov)/p)0.5
0.1 ft

Air Release Computations

181 gpm Qf-gpm = Qf-cfs / .00223

Fill flow rate, Qf
0.40 cfs Qf-cfs = VfAsq ft

5.00 psi Pvd-psi = Pmaa

Design pressure across valve, Pvd
720.0 psf Pvd-psf = 144Pvd-psi

0.12 sq in Aor-sq in = 144 Aor-sq ft

Orifice area required for release, Aor
0.0009 sq ft Aor-sq ft = Qf-cfs/(Kar((64.4((1 x Pvd-psf)/gair))0.5))

0.4 in
Orifice diameter required for release, Dor Dor = ((4Aor)/p)0.5
0.03 ft

puc
This worksheet is protected from change - use data entry sheet for input
636.5202 Water hammer/surge pressure
NEH Ch 52 Structural Design of Flexible Conduits
Page 52 - 5 & 6
Operating pressure 120 psi
Pipe pressure rating 160.00 psi
Maximum surge pressure

Equation (52-7)

Psurge = (a*rV)/g*2.31

where:
Psurge = surge of pressure, psi
a= velocity of the pressure wave, ft/sec
rV = change in velocity, ft/sec
g= acceleration due to gravity, 32.2 ft/sec2

Psurge = 53.4 psi

Total Pressure 173.37 psi pressure relief valve needed
a= 800.69 ft/sec
rV = 5.0 ft/sec
g= 32.2 ft/sec2

Tcr <= 2L/a

where:
Tcr = critical time, seconds
L= distance within the pipe that the pressure wave moves before
before it is reflected back by a boundary condition, ft
a= velocity of the pressure wave, ft/sec

Tcr = 5.00 seconds

L= 2000 ft
a= 800.69 ft/sec

a = 4720/(1+Kl/E*Di/t)1/2
where:
a= velocity of the pressure wave, ft/sec
Kl = bulk modulus of liquid, lb/in2 (water 300,000)
E= modulus of elasticity of pipe material, lb/in2
Di = pipe inside diameter, in
t= pipe wall thickness, in

a= 800.69 ft/sec

pipe material = PVC

Kl = 300000 lb/in2
E= 400000 lb/in2
Di = 9.00 inches
t= 0.200 inches
This worksheet is protected from change - use data entry sheet for input
Material E psi Poissons ratio Discharge Coefficient, C
HDPE 110000 0.35 150
PVC 400000 0.41 150
Steel 29000000 0.3 120

Air Vent Valve Size

pipe dia vent dia From spreadsheet calculated planned
1 1 air vent size 0.397779 2
2 1 vacuum size 1.181934 2
3 1 pressure relief size 2 2
4 2
5 2
6 2
7 2
8 2
10 3
12 3
14 3
15 3
16 4
18 4
21 5
24 6