depressurization of a vessel : supportive documents issued by Mike Beychock

2 models :
A Rasouli & williams

P1 pressure in the source vessel at t1

P2 pressure in the source vessel at t2
t1 any time after leak flow starts
t2 any time (later than t1) after leak flow starts
C coefficient of discharge
A area of the source leak
V volume of the source vessel
k=cp/cv
g gravitational conversion factor
R universal gas law constant
M molecular weight
T0 initial temperature in the source vessel
P0 initial pressure in the source vessel

B Bird ,Steward & Lightfoot

t any time after leak flow starts

F fraction of initial gas weight remaining in the source vessel
C coefficient of discharge
A area of the source leak
V volume of the source vessel
k=cp/cv
g gravitational conversion factor
P0 initial pressure in the source vessel
d0 initial gas density in the source vessel
conclusion : perfect match between the models ,
SI calculation added
 P.YAN 13/11/2019

sketch

lbs/ft2 absolute
lbs/ft2 absolute
reactor or storage or header
seconds to be depressurized
seconds from P1 to P2

ft2
ft3

32.17 ft/s2
1545 (lbs/ft2)(ft3)/(lb-mol)(°R)
lb/mol
°R
lbs/ft2 absolute

seconds

ft2
ft3

32.17 ft/s2
lbs/ft2 absolute
lbs/ft3
 depressurization valve or
orifice

or header
d
example methane stored at 60F , 3430 PSIA , 0.5 inch diameter leak
C 0.72
A 0.001364 ft2 initial mass Wo
V 51.4 ft3
M methane 16.04 lb/mol
k methane 1.307
T0 519.67 °R
P0 493920 lb/ft2
do methane 9.865213 lb/ft3

Rasouli & williams

where
P1 pressure in the source vessel at t1 lbs/ft2 absolute
P2 pressure in the source vessel at t2 lbs/ft2 absolute
t1 any time after leak flow starts seconds
t2 any time (later than t1)after leak flow starts seconds
C coefficient of discharge
A area of the source leak ft2
V volume of the source vessel ft3
k=cp/cv
g gravitational conversion factor 32.17 ft/s2
R universal gas law constant 1545.35 (lbs/ft2)(ft3)/(lb-mol)(°R
M molecular weight lb/mol
T0 initial temperature in the source vessel °R
P0 initial pressure in the source vessel lbs/ft2 absolute

unit conversion
°F °R
temperature 60 519.67
PSIA lbs/ft2
Pressure absolute 3430 493920
inch ft
leak size 0.5 0.041667
initial mass Wo 507.07 lbs intermediate calculation for simplification
P2 = F( P1,(t2-t1),CA/V,….)
calculation
manual input
(k-1)/k 0.234889
(k+1)/(k-1) 7.514658
(1-k)/2k -0.117445
(2k)/(1-k) -8.514658
C*A/V 1.91E-05
(k-1)/2k 0.117445
g*R*k^3/M 6919.908
To/Po^((k-1)/k) 23.89736
2/(K+1) 0.866927
sqrt() 237.7961
(t2-t1)* 5.33E-04

model after simplification

P2 = [P1^ -0.117445 +(t2-t1)* 5.33E-04 ]^

(lbs/ft2)(ft3)/(lb-mol)(°R) for isentropic expension P*V^k=cte T2/T1=

perfect gas P*V=R*T

T2/T1= (P1/P2 )^ -0.234889

simulation
step
t (s) P (lb/ft2) T(°R) W(lbs) P(bars) abs release kg/s
0 493920 519.67 507.07 236.49
30 267617 450.00 317.28 128.14 2.87
60 151094 393.46 204.88 72.34 1.70
90 88431 346.94 135.99 42.34 1.04
120 53424 308.21 92.48 25.58 0.66
150 33197 275.62 64.26 15.89 0.43
180 21155 247.94 45.52 10.13 0.28
210 13789 224.23 32.81 6.60 0.19
240 9175 203.76 24.02 4.39 0.13
270 6219 185.97 17.84 2.98 0.09
300 4287 170.42 13.42 2.05 0.07
-8.514658

(P1/P2 )^(1-k)/k

T(°C)
15.56
-23.15
-54.56
-80.41
-101.92
-120.03
-135.41
-148.58
-159.95
-169.83
-178.47
example methane stored at 60F , 3430 PSIA , 0.5 inch diameter leak
C 0.72
A 0.001364 ft2 initial mass Wo
V 51.4 ft3
Mw methane 16.04 lb/mol
k methane 1.307
Po 493920 lbs/ft2
To 519.67 °R
do methane 9.865213 lb/ft3
R universal gas law constant 1545.35 (lbs/ft2)(ft3)/(lb-mol)(°R)

Bird ,Steward & Lightfoot

where

t any time after leak flow starts seconds

F fraction of initial gas weight remaining in the source vessel
C coefficient of discharge
A area of the source leak ft2
V volume of the source vessel ft3
k=cp/cv
g gravitational conversion factor 32.17 ft/s2
P0 initial pressure in the source vessel lbs/ft2 absolute
d0 initial gas density in the source vessel lbs/ft3

unit conversion
°F °R
temperature 60 519.67
PSIA lbs/ft2
Pressure absolute 3430 493920
inch ft
leak size 0.5 0.041667
 intermediate calcuation for simplification
initial mass Wo 507.07 lbs t = G( F,V/(C*A),...)

manual input (1-k)/2 -0.1535

calculation 2/(k-1) 6.514658
V/(C*A) 52355.61
g*k*Po/do 2105119.7
(k+1)/(k-1) 7.514658
2/(K+1) 0.8669267

t= (F^ -0.1535 -1 ) * 402.0101083

or
F= [ 0.0024875 *t +1 ] ^ -6.514658

for isentropic expension for perfect gas P/ρ=Po/ρo= T/To

P/ρ^k= Po/ρo^k then P/Po*ρo/ρ =T/To
then P/Po = (ρ/ρo)^k = F^k thus T/To= F^(k-1)

simulation
step
t(s) F P(lbs/ft2) T(°R) W(lbs) P(bars) abs
0 1.00 493920 519.67 507.07 236.49
30 0.63 267617 450.00 317.28 128.14
60 0.40 151094 393.46 204.88 72.34
90 0.27 88431 346.94 135.99 42.34
120 0.18 53424 308.21 92.48 25.58
150 0.13 33197 275.62 64.26 15.89
180 0.09 21155 247.94 45.52 10.13
210 0.06 13789 224.23 32.81 6.60
240 0.05 9175 203.76 24.02 4.39
270 0.04 6219 185.97 17.84 2.98
300 0.03 4287 170.42 13.42 2.05
as P/ρ=Po/ρo= T/To

release (kg/s) T(°C)

15.56
2.87 -23.15
1.70 -54.56
1.04 -80.41
0.66 -101.92
0.43 -120.03
0.28 -135.41
0.19 -148.58
0.13 -159.95
0.09 -169.83
0.07 -178.47
example methane stored at 60F , 3430 PSIA , 0.5 inch diameter leak
C 0.72
A 0.000126677 m2 initial mass Wo
V 1.45549 m3
M methane 16.04 g/mol
k methane 1.307
T0 288.7055556 °K
P0 23649031.74 Pa
do methane 158.0258068 Kg/m3

Rasouli & williams

where
P1 pressure in the source vessel at t1 Pa absolute
P2 pressure in the source vessel at t2 Pa absolute
t1 any time after leak flow starts seconds
t2 any time (later than t1)after leak flow starts seconds
C coefficient of discharge
A area of the source leak m2
V volume of the source vessel m3
k=cp/cv
g gravitational conversion factor 1 m/s2
R universal gas law constant 8.31447 SI
M molecular weight g/mol
T0 initial temperature in the source vessel °K
P0 initial pressure in the source vessel Pa absolute

unit conversion
°F °K
temperature 60 288.7055556
PSIA Pa
Pressure absolute 3430 2.36E+07
inch m
leak size 0.5 0.0127

Pressure at source vs time

250.00

200.00
f(x) = 190.761878755949 exp( − 0.0157063866522604 x )
R² = 0.993981851988359
150.00

100.00
250.00

200.00
f(x) = 190.761878755949 exp( − 0.0157063866522604 x )
R² = 0.993981851988359
150.00

100.00

50.00

0.00
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

P(bars) abs Exponential (P(bars) abs)

release versus time

3.5
f(x) = 3.74255607230734 exp( − 0.0138476475673685 x )
3 R² = 0.995058433649887

2.5

1.5

0.5

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

release kg/s Exponential (release kg/s)

Temperature versus time

50.00

0.00 f(x) = 0.00171345587162305 x² − 1.13310193859292 x + 10.8276438613787

0 R² = 0.997940303080057
50 100 150 200 250 300 350

-50.00

-100.00

-150.00

-200.00

T(°C) Polynomial (T(°C))

 initial mass Wo 230.00 kg intermediate calculation for simplification
P2 = F( P1,(t2-t1),CA/V,….)
calculation
manual input
(k-1)/k 0.234889
(k+1)/(k-1) 7.514658
(1-k)/2k -0.117445
(2k)/(1-k) -8.514658
C*A/V 6.266E-05
(k-1)/2k 0.117445
g*R*k^3/M 1157.329
To/Po^((k-1)/k) 5.350903
2/(K+1) 0.866927
sqrt() 46.01734
(t2-t1)* 3.39E-04

model after simplification

P2 = [P1^ -0.117445 +(t2-t1)* 3.39E-04 ]^ -8.514658

for isentropic expension P*V^k=cte T2/T1= (P1/P2 )^(1-k)/k

perfect gas P*V=R*T

T2/T1= (P1/P2 )^ -0.234889

simulation
step
t (s) P (Pa) T(°K) W(kg) P(bars) abs release kg/s T(°C)
0 23649032 288.71 230.00 236.49 15.56
30 12813151 250.00 143.91 128.13 2.87 -23.15
60 7233956 218.58 92.93 72.34 1.70 -54.57
90 4233719 192.74 61.68 42.34 1.04 -80.41
120 2557663 171.22 41.94 25.58 0.66 -101.93
150 1589276 153.12 29.14 15.89 0.43 -120.03
e 180 1012732 137.74 20.65 10.13 0.28 -135.41
210 660129 124.56 14.88 6.60 0.19 -148.59
240 439197 113.19 10.89 4.39 0.13 -159.96
270 297697 103.31 8.09 2.98 0.09 -169.84
300 205242 94.67 6.09 2.05 0.07 -178.48
250 300 350

(P(bars) abs)

250 300 350

(release kg/s)

10.8276438613787
250 300 350

(T(°C))
(P1/P2 )^(1-k)/k
example methane stored at 60F , 3430 PSIA , 0.5 inch diameter leak
C 0.72
A 0.000126677 m2 initial mass Wo
V 1.45549 m3
Mw methane 16.04 g/mol
k methane 1.307
Po 23649031.74 Pa
To 288.7055556 °K
do methane 158.0258069 kg/m3
R universal gas law constant 8.31447 SI

Bird ,Steward & Lightfoot

where

t any time after leak flow starts seconds

F fraction of initial gas weight remaining in the source vessel
C coefficient of discharge
A area of the source leak m2
V volume of the source vessel m3
k=cp/cv
g gravitational conversion factor 1 m/s2
P0 initial pressure in the source vessel Pa absolute
d0 initial gas density in the source vessel Pa absolute

unit conversion
°F °K
temperature 60 288.7055556
PSIA Pa
Pressure absolute 3430 2.36E+07
inch m
leak size 0.5 0.0127
 intermediate calcuation for simplification
initial mass Wo 230.00 kg t = G( F,V/(C*A),...)

manual input (1-k)/2 -0.1535

calculation 2/(k-1) 6.514658
V/(C*A) 15958.035
g*k*Po/do 195596.44
(k+1)/(k-1) 7.514658
2/(K+1) 0.8669267

t= (F^ -0.1535 -1 ) * 401.9861413

or
F= [ 0.0024876 *t +1 ] ^ -6.514658

for isentropic expension for perfect gas P/ρ=Po/ρo= T/To

P/ρ^k= Po/ρo^k then P/Po*ρo/ρ =T/To
then P/Po = (ρ/ρo)^k = F^k thus T/To= F^(k-1)

simulation
step
t(s) F P(Pa) T(°K) W(kg) P(bars) abs
0 1.00 23649032 288.71 230.00 236.49
30 0.63 12813151 250.00 143.91 128.13
60 0.40 7233956 218.58 92.93 72.34
90 0.27 4233719 192.74 61.68 42.34
120 0.18 2557663 171.22 41.94 25.58
150 0.13 1589276 153.12 29.14 15.89
180 0.09 1012732 137.74 20.65 10.13
210 0.06 660129 124.56 14.88 6.60
240 0.05 439197 113.19 10.89 4.39
270 0.04 297697 103.31 8.09 2.98
300 0.03 205242 94.67 6.09 2.05
as P/ρ=Po/ρo= T/To

release (kg/s) T(°C)

15.56
2.87 -23.15
1.70 -54.57
1.04 -80.41
0.66 -101.93
0.43 -120.03
0.28 -135.41
0.19 -148.59
0.13 -159.96
0.09 -169.84
0.07 -178.48