Abd, I size pressure safety relief devices all the time. Typically you select a PSV relief orifice size to handle the maximum instantaneous relief flow required to keep the vessel with 10% of its ASME design pressure. You usually do not let the device/vessel crack or explode. In deflagration events you sometimes will design an explosion hatch (like on a grain silo) or enclosed tank with volatile gasses to prevent complete vessel failure, shrapnel and high replacement costs
Of course if you are dealing with an unknown, somewhat uncontrollabe nuclear type reaction it will be virtually impossible to size a relief device to insure safety until the reaction kinetics are understood. On Tuesday, August 21, 2012, Abd ul-Rahman Lomax wrote: > At 09:23 PM 8/21/2012, mix...@bigpond.com wrote: > > > Isn't there a balloon attached to the end of the popper? (Which would >> automatically function as a safety valve). >> > > No, if there really were a rapid increase in pressure, rapid enough, the > balloon fitting would not pass the gas fast enough and the cylinder could > rupture, pieces flying. That's why I suggested, in one post, scoring the > cylinder so that it would break in a predictable way, immediately relieving > the pressure and sending a large piece in particular direction. > > Just an idea. >
