Together strong: Highest capacity when combining rupture disc and safety valve

Bormann & Neupert by BS&B guarantees the preservation of the full capacity of individual components for many combinations of safety valves and rupture discs.

The well-thought-out combination of safety valves and rupture discs ensures reliable protection against critical overpressure in sensitive applications. Bormann & Neupert by BS&B guarantees a maximum capacity factor of 1 for many of its combination solutions, ensuring the highest efficiency.

Rupture discs and safety valves have proven their effectiveness in safeguarding against overpressure in process and plant engineering. Both serve as standalone valve solutions with very specific strengths. However, in some applications, combining both pressure relief methods is also sensible or even necessary: for example, when strict emission standards for the release of process media into the environment are in place or when highly corrosive media are transported that could attack the valve mechanics. In such cases, safety valves at the inlet or outlet are combined with a rupture disc. Full performance is maintained if the pairing is selected so that the total flow capacity is not negatively affected.

Bormann & Neupert by BS&B guarantees a "Combination Capacity Factor" (CCF) certified according to ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code for numerous combinations of its safety valves and rupture discs—a CCF of 1. This optimal value for the ratio of flow capacities is crucial for high efficiency of the pairing: it then exhibits the full capacity of the individual components across all pressure ranges, enabling maximum flow efficiency. In many applications, this not only guarantees the safety of plants and personnel but also allows costs to be reduced and plant availability to be increased.

Valves and pipelines can already be economically and safely dimensioned with such solutions during the design phase. Even if— for example, due to tightening emission limits—retrofitting a safety valve with a rupture disc becomes necessary, a combination with a CCF of 1 offers a clear advantage. Costly modifications to existing pipelines and valves are thus unnecessary.

Thoughtful combinations becoming increasingly important

With increasingly strict regulations to reduce fugitive emissions, the need to isolate a safety valve from the process medium using a rupture disc is also rising. To increase technical tightness, the rupture disc is usually mounted at the inlet of the safety valve. This prevents the valve from being subjected to operational pressure during regular operation. As a result, the valve can remain closer to its set response pressure permanently, without leaks or unintentional pressure loss occurring.

Additionally, spatial separation from the process medium fundamentally extends the service life of the valve and significantly reduces maintenance efforts. Especially under demanding conditions caused by corrosive or highly viscous media, this approach sustainably increases reliability.

And conversely, it provides protection: installed at the valve outlet, a rupture disc decouples the valve from excess counterpressure. This can occur in systems that vent not directly into the atmosphere but into a distribution system. At the same time, it effectively prevents the ingress of corrosive gases or moisture from the distribution system into the valve interior.

Planning aid for engineers

As a service for engineers during plant design, BS&B has determined the capacity factors for its rupture discs combined with various safety valves through extensive testing—also with selected products from other manufacturers. Interested parties can find a clear table on the BS&B website listing the CCFs for nearly all combinations of safety valves and rupture discs from the manufacturer and can use this information free of charge for optimal design. If needed, the experienced engineers at Bormann & Neupert by BS&B assist with selecting and assembling the pressure relief components.