SAFETY IN THE PLANT PRESSURE’S ON THE How rupture discs can protect vessels and piplines I
n processing plants that require the highest levels of hygiene, sterility and leak-tightness, excessive overpressure or vacuum
can occur for a number of reasons. In such cases, rupture discs protect both vessels and pipelines from deformation and further damage. Perhaps more importantly, they also protect the lives of the employees who work in the plants. The primary goal here is to provide optimum protection for these systems, considering technical and economic aspects, while minimising system downtime.
EXCESSIVE OVERPRESSURE Excessive overpressure can occur in almost all production areas and processes in the pharmaceutical industry. If the pressure exceeds or falls below the limits defined for the process, serious damage can occur to the respective plant components. Possible consequences include production stoppages and significant economic damage. Therefore, in situations where the pressure exceeds or undershoots the permissible operating range, a reliable and fast-acting pressure- relief device is essential.
Many operators in the
pharmaceutical industry already use Rembe high-performance rupture discs in their processing plants – because the advantages of these pressure-relief devices ensure permanently safe operation this can be attributed to the following: • Their leak-tightness, these rupture discs prevent the escape of process media.
• The complete cross-sectional release of the burst element providing immediate pressure relief for the system.
• The fact that Rembe rupture discs have a response time of mere milliseconds.
In order to customise the design of
the rupture discs for each customer, numerous factors must be considered ahead of time since reliable and economical rupture discs are not standardised products. Instead, they are individually adapted to the respective process conditions, designed accordingly and then manufactured specifically for the
customer’s applications. Numerous parameters are taken into account to ensure optimal performance. These parameters include: • the medium in the system to be protected (liquid, sticky, gaseous, etc.)
• the operating temperature for which the rupture disc is designed (room or max. operating temperature).
• the required resistance to vacuum • the mounting method (tri-clamp or holder system)
• the required pressure-relief area and many more As well as pipelines, in the
pharmaceutical industry there are additional plant elements, such as reactors, filling plants and tank farms, which must be protected against overpressure and vacuum and equipped with safety-related components. However, protection against impermissible pressures is not the only consideration in the pharmaceutical industry. Leak- tightness and the sterility of the respective components are also critical factors. Finally, reducing downtime is a key requirement with regard to the use of rupture discs. In order to keep costly system
downtime to a minimum, it is essential that the rupture discs can be installed quickly and easily. REMBE’s rupture discs can be installed using a tri-clamp connection, which provides a sterile and extremely reliable seal. When REMBE developed the KUB clean reverse acting buckling pin rupture disc, one of its goals was to meet the requirements for sensitive processes in the pharmaceutical industry, it is therefore extremely durable and robust and it virtually eliminates the risk of premature bursting. ●
Rembe rupture discs have a response time of milliseconds
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