Heat Integration and Relief Systems Design

Heat integration is a commonly skipped aspect of process design when evaluating a process’ relief systems design.  A failure to evaluate the heat integration (or energy balance) for a process can result in overly conservative results and possibly lead to costly expenditures.  Evaluating the effects of heat integration in relief systems design is a process that evaluates the physical limitations of the process and does not require taking credit for control system response.  It is important to understand the affects heat integration have on both individual relief devices, and in some cases, the significant affect it can have on flare system design.  This becomes even more important in cases where relief devices that once discharged to the atmosphere are being modified to discharge into a closed flare system.