Eng-Tips is the largest engineering community on the Internet

Intelligent Work Forums for Engineering Professionals

  • Congratulations waross on being selected by the Tek-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!

API 521 Question- Insulation Credit for Environmental Factor

Status
Not open for further replies.

n9ne0hse7en

Chemical
Feb 20, 2020
2
0
0
US
Hi, new member here just getting into my first analysis of PSV sizing using the environmental factor for API 521 fire case sizing. Per API 521 4.4.13.2.7, it appears that insulation properties (e.g. thermal conductivity) should be calculated at the AVERAGE insulation temperature during a fire case. However, my interpretation of 4.4.13.2.7.4 is that the outside temperature of the insulation should be taken as the equilibrium temperature of the banding, 1660 F. This would mean that the average temperature, assuming a minimum process boiling temperature of 0 F, would be at a minimum 830 F. For a higher-boiling point fluid, such as at 600 F, the average temperature of insulation would be in excess of 1000 F.

This seems to conflict with Table 6 where thermal conductivity values for most materials (aside from cementitious) are not provided above 1000 F. In addition, vendor brochures will advertise "API 521 insulation" but not provide thermal conductivity values in excess of 800 F. Am I using the wrong equation for average temperature, or how else to explain this discrepancy? Many thanks!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top