The client was experiencing disruptions that were causing significant facility downtime and expense. The facility also had experienced deflagrations originating from various other parts of their facility. The client believed that their expensive, custom-made square rupture disks were prematurely rupturing on their blowing stills and their knockout boxes because they were incorrectly specified.
ioMosaic performed an overpressure and deflagration analysis, working with the facility to identify all potential overpressure scenarios in their process. While discussing the overpressure scenarios with operations personnel, ioMosaic became aware that not only were there deflagrations originating at the blowing stills and knockout boxes, but also deflagration originating at downstream thermal oxidizer and propagating back through the piping.
ioMosaic completed an overpressure report for the facility that included analysis from deflagrations at the blowstill, knockout box, and the thermal oxidizer. After reviewing the documentation from the client, ioMosaic recommended that the pressure ratings of the vessels be evaluated to minimize rupture disk area and increase rupture disk burst pressure. The client conducted the vessel pressure analysis and requested that ioMosaic run additional deflagration analyses with new pressure ratings. ioMosaic also conducted a deflagration to detonation screening analysis based on the potential for pressure pile-up through the process piping. This analysis indicated that, based on the client data, a deflagration to detonation scenario was not expected.
ioMosaic provided the client detailed reports for overpressure, deflagration, and Hugoniot analyses, with a range of relief size area/burst pressure combinations. This allowed the client to select standard rupture disks for their vessels to operate safely with minimal disruption.