Rupture Discs
Rupture Disc is a pressure relieving device. It is used for the same purpose as a relief valve, to protect a vessel or system from overpressure that can cause catastrophic failure and even a death.
Typical Features
Capital and Maintenance Savings
Rupture disks cost less than relief valves. They generally require little to no maintenance.
Benign service
It is preferable that the relieving contents be non-toxic, non-hazardous, etc. However, this is not a requirement when deciding to use, or not use, a stand-alone rupture disk.
Extremely fast acting
Rupture disks should be considered first when there is a potential for runaway reactions. In this application, relief valves will not react fast enough to prevent a catastrophic failure. A relief valve may still be installed on the vessel to protect against other relieving scenarios. Some engineers prefer to use rupture disks for heat exchanger tube rupture scenarios rather than relief valves. They are concerned that relief valves won't respond fast enough to pressure spikes that may be experienced if gas/vapor is the driving force or liquid flashing occurs.
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