How does a rupture disc work? Find out here.
A rupture disc is a type of safety device that is used in many industries including aerospace, medical, aviation, petrochemical and many more. It is very useful in providing great protection for a pressure vessel, equipment, or a process piping system from the over-pressurization of the potential vacuumed damage conditions.
Rupture discs are similar to pressure safety valves which is installed next to the latter that is one of the most commonly used pressure protection devices in many industrial plants and facilities.
What makes rupture discs different to the pressure safety valves is that it comes with a one-time-use membrane that fails in a predetermined differential pressure which can either be a positive or a vacuumed process because this provides a quick response when there is an over-pressurization or an under-pressurization in the piping system’s process, however, once the disc has already ruptured it will not reseal by itself that is why there is a ruptured disc that is installed.
Rupture discs have more advantages compared to pressure relief valves because of its ability to provide a fail-safe performance and also it is a huge cost-saver in terms of leak-proof although pressure relief valves are very common in many industries and there is a very good reason why relief valves and safety valves to be distinguished compared to pressure relief valves because the latter can be altered in terms of design that can suit a multiphase services in different applications.
The rupture disc can be installed and applied to single pressure protection either as a single device or it is combined with a pressure safety valve. It is also used for the isolation of high-cost valves from a possible process of over-pressurization which can save you on valve replacement and maintenance.
Rupture discs are also used in specific protection against high pressures that are simply unacceptable in different machines or industry plants because it is designed to act as a stand-alone valve or a triggering device that can be relied on in a high-speed sequence of action that is required.
There are different types of rupture discs used in different industries and applications, so check this out.
1. Reverse Acting Rupture Discs– This type of rupture disc is installed facing the processing system in a dome-side position so that once the burst pressure rating of the disc is already reached, it can provide a compression loading that causes to reverse and open the disk to come up with a pre-determined scoring pattern.
2. Forward Acting Rupture Discs– The domed-side of the disc in forward acting rupture disc is facing away from the processing system wherein it acts as the pressure continues to increase the normal operating pressure, while the rupture disc starts to expand. The rupture disc’s growth and expansion as the pressure increases, it will prevent the pressure from increasing.
What makes it advantageous to install a ruptured disc to a machine or processing plant is that it can be installed in multiple relief devices that act as a protection to the vessel because of its quick reaction that is just enough to relieve the excess pressure of the vessel. Making it convenient to use is that it comes with no moving parts, and it is built and designed simply and reliable enough.
