1 General
Clasification Society 2024 - Version 9.40
Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Resolutions - Assembly - IMO Resolution A.829(19) – Guidelines for the Evaluation of the Adequacy of Type C Tank Vent Systems – (Adopted on 23 November 1995) - Annex - Guidelines for the Evaluation of the Adequacy of Type C Tank Vent Systems - 1 General

1 General

  1.1 The tank outlet to the pressure relief valves (PRVs) should remain in the vapour phase at the 98% liquid level and Code specified list and trim.

  1.2 PRVs, which have been sized using the GC Codes, have adequate capacity.

  1.3 To assure adequate relieving capacity condition, 1.3.1 is required and to assure adequate blowdown condition, 1.3.2 is required.

  • 1.3.1 The pressure drop in the vent pipe from the cargo tank to the PRV inlet (Δ pinlet ) should not exceed 3% of MARVS, as the Code PRV capacity from equation (1) at 1.2 × MARVS on all vapour flow.

  • 1.3.2 The blowdown (Δpclose ) should not be less than (Δpinlet ) plus 0.02 × MARVS at the installed rated vapour capacity where required to assure stable operation of the PRV. This calculation should be performed at MARVS on all vapour flow.

Pilot-operated valves can tolerate higher inlet-pipe pressure losses when the pilot senses at a point that is not affected by the inlet-pipe pressure drop.

  1.4 The built-up back pressure in the vent piping from the PRV outlet to the location of discharge to the atmosphere, and including any vent pipe inter-connections which join other tanks, should not exceed the following values:

  • .1 for unbalanced PRVs: 10% MARVS

    Special consideration may be given in cases where the back pressure exceeds 10% of the MARVS at a tank pressure of 1.2 × MARVS; and

  • .2 for balanced PRVs and pilot operated PRVs as advised by the manufacturer; normally 30% of MARVS for balanced PRVs and 50% of MARVS for pilot operated PRVs.

when assuming isenthalpic expansion of saturated liquid, at 1.2 × MARVS, through the PRV with the vent piping under fire exposure. A heat flux of 108 kW/m 2 is assumed for uninsulated vent piping.

  1.5 The built-up back pressure in the vent piping may be estimated by the procedures outlined in section 2.

  1.6 A more accurate procedure of evaluating tank vent systems on flashing two-phase flow should be consulted if these simplified procedures do not demonstrate compliance with the requirements stated in 1.3 and 1.4 above.

  1.7 MARVS means the maximum allowable relief valve setting of a cargo tank (gauge pressure).


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