Valves blocks

Block valves are often controlled on the basis of analyzer results, such as area monitors for detecting solvent leaks, reactor analyzers for detecting runaway reactions (a block valve can be opened to add a reaction inhibitor or to turn on a deluge system), sewer analyzers for detecting high concentrations of contaminants, and vent analyzers to detect high levels of contaminants. 

---

Multielevation piperacks are usually needed to handle all the required services for piping, electrical, utilities, and instmmentation. The two-level rack is one of the most common but three-level ones are also used. The utility lines are usually mn in the upper level and the process lines in the lower levels. The larger-diameter lines are located to the outside of the rack to be closest to the column supports. Access platforms are required at the battery limit to provide operators access to the block valves and blinds. If long mns of hot pipe are required, a portion of the pipe rack needs to be dedicated to an expansion loop. A horizontal space in the piperack is provided for a set of lines to be flat-turned into a set of expansion loops with the large pipes located on the outside. AH of the pipe turns are in the same horizontal plane, which is an exception to normal piping practice. A flat turn takes up and blocks space for other pipes. Flat turns are generally only made from the outside of the rack to minimize this blockage. 

Loop two or more elements where a signal passes between them for measurement and/or control, eg, sensor -i- transmitter -i- control + valve device two or more elements combined for a discrete state condition, eg, block valve -i- solenoid valve -i- actuator -I- limit switches... 

Check the discharge block valve opening first. It may be partially closed and thus the problem. 

Install a positive-pressure steam (from nmuiug pump) to fill the suction line from the block valve through the check valve. 

FIG, 22-69 Flow schematic for stages-in-series. In operation, the block valves are open. All pump inlets are connected, but in such a way as to prevent feed bypassing a stage. (Coutiesy Koch Membrane Systems. )... 

The name of the material contained in the pipelines should be placed on all lines at the point where they enter or leave the block and at road crossings. Block limit valves and emergency block valves should be painted yellow. 

Leaky valves are also a cause of erosion. Most turbine erosion-corrosion problems come from damage that takes place when the unit is not running. A shght steam leak into the turbine will let the steam condense inside the turbine, and salt from the boiler water will settle on the inside surfaces and cause pitting, even of the stainless blading. There must be two valves with a drain between them, i.e., a block valve on the header and an open drain in the line before it reaches the closed trip-throttle valve. 

Twin oil coolers (Figure 15-3) should be provided and piped in parallel using a single multiport transflow valve to direct the oil flow to the coolers. The water should be on the tube side and the oil on the shell side. The oil-side pressure should be greater than the water-side pressure. This ratio is no assurance that water will not enter the system in the event of a tube leak, but it does reduce the risk. The oil system should be equipped with twin full-flow oil filters located downstream from the oil coolers. Since the filters are located downstream from the oil coolers, only one multiport transflow valve is required to direct the oil flow to the cooler-filter combinations. Do not pipe the filters and coolers with separate inlet and outlet block valves. 

Usually, major pumps are spared, even if the philosophy of shutting down an entire train is adopted. Other spares or bypasses are often left out for such a philosophy, but standard bypasses (control valves, major block valves, etc.) are normally included otherwise. The utility area will have normal sparing (for example, three 3-capacity electric generators), even if train shutdown philosophy dictates the process area. 

In some cases, power-operated block valves may be substituted for the classic check valve. However, these valves depend on an outside motive... 

The basis for design overpressure described in this section is related to the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Codes and ANSI B31.3, Code for Petroleum Refinery Piping. Compliance with these codes is a requirement, or is recognized as the equivalent of a requirement in many locations. Where more stringent codes apply, the local requirements must be met. Therefore, local codes must be checked to determine their requirements. For example, some countries do not permit the use of block valves underneath pressure relief valves, unless dual valves with interlocks are installed. Also, in some cases, 20% accumulation under fire exposure conditions is not permitted, and accumulation allowed may be lower than the ASME Codes. In the United States, the ASME Code is mandatory, since it is a requirement under the Occupational Safety and Health... 

Manual Valve - Inadvertent operation of a block valve while the plant is onstream may expose equipment to a pressure that exceeds the maximum allowable working pressure. For the purpose of design, it is considered that only one manual valve is opened or closed and control devices are in their normal design position. A PR valve is required if the block valve is not locked or car sealed in the open position and if closure of such valve can result in overpressure. 

Note that a check valve in the piping upstream of the cooler side of an exchanger is considered as a block valve. 

Car-Sealed Open Valve - Car-sealed open block valves are permissible in pressure reheving escape paths, provided that the single contingency of closing the CSO valve does not cause any equipment to be subjected to more than 1.5 times its design pressure. (Note Use of CSO valves is not recognized in all local codes.) The requirements for CSO valves are as follows ... 

The entire contents of the protected system are lost when the disc ruptures. This necessitates a shutdown of the operation for replacement of the disc, unless a block valve is installed upstream. 

Isolation Valves for Pressure Relief Systems - Block valves for maintenance isolation purposes are permissible in pressure relieving systems, provided that they are car sealed open and comply with the requirements of CSO valves. The particular locations where such CSO valves are p>ermitted are ... 

Connections to equipment are typically 50 mm and 80 mm for process vessels and exchangers, according to the size of the equipment. Each connection includes an accessible block valve. Double block valves are provided if required. A check valve should be included if overpressure or other hazard could result from reverse flow during simultaneous drainage from more than one vessel. Individual connections from the equipment are made into the top of the drain header. 

If relief valves discharge to a common header, it is sometimes convenient to install downstream block valves so that the relief valve can be removed for repairs without shutdown of all equipment tied into the common header. Where either upstream or downstream block valve.s are used they should be full bore gate or ball valves with a device that enables them to be locked open and sealed. These are often referred to as... 

The BSD can either shut down the entire facility, or it can be designed for two levels of shutdown. The first level shuts down equipment such as compressors, lean oil pumps, and direct fired heaters, and either shuts in the process or diverts flow around the process by closing inlet/outlet block valves and opening bypass valves. The second level shuts down the remaining utilities and support facilities, including generators and electrical feeds. 

When a spec break is taken from a higher to a lower MAWP, there must be a relief valve on the lower pressure side to protect the piping from overpressure. The relief valve can be either on the piping or. more commonly, on a downstream vessel. Spec break problems most commonly occur where a block valve exists on a vessel inlet, or where a bypass is installed from a high pressure system, around the pressure vessel which has a relief valve, to a lower pressure system. 

Whenever it is necessary to control the process level, pressure, temperature, etc., a control station is installed. A control station may be as simple as a single control valve or it may contain several control vahes, block valves, bypass valves, check valves, and drain or vent valves. 

The piping around any facility, other than the straight pipe connecting the equipment, is made up primarily of a series of control stations. Flow from one vessel goes through a control station and into a piece of pipe that goe.s to another vessel. In addition to considering the use of block valves, check valves, etc., all control stations should be designed so that the control valve can be removed and any bypass valve is located above or on a level with the main control valve. If the bypass is below the con tiol valve, it provides a dead space for water accumulation and corrosion. 

You can quickly identify these plant sections by reviewing process flow diagrams and valving arrangements. Isolation points are defined by control valves or powered block valves that can be remotely activated. Process hazard analysis techniques help you identify the maximum credible accident scenarios. (Note that manual valves should not be considered reliable isolation points unless they are located to be accessible following a major accident. However, remotely-activated valves can only be considered reliable isolation points if there are adequate reliability engineering and maintenance programs in place.)... 

In one plant, the operating procedures required that valve A should be placed into the "manual closed position." The process worker misinterpreted this information and instead of placing the valve controller in the manual position, he closed the block valve manually and deprived the plant of an essential feed. 

---