Process description for the F2 example simulation

The process consists of the following:

• Seven separate refinery flare systems interconnected by jumper lines and valves. The different process units include:

  • Coker

  • FCC

  • Hydrotreater

  • Alkylation

  • Crude

  • Sulfur

  • Oxidation

  • Reformer

• Several sources with relief fluids at various pressures, temperatures, and molecular weights that propagate through the relief valves, a piping collection system, and multiple flare stacks where the gas is burned.

• Inlet pipes that we size such that the pressure drop is less than 3% of the set pressure (SP) in the respective relief valves to prevent relief valve chatter. We size the inlet pipes for the rated capacity of the relief valves.

• Tail pipes and downstream flare header piping that we size to have less than 10% superimposed back pressure (for conventional valves) so that high back pressure does not reduce relieving capacity. We size the tail pipes for the rated capacity of the relief valves while we size the collection headers for required flow according to API 521.

• Multiple relief contingencies that represent single events that can cause multiple relief valves to relieve.