SRV Calculator

The Gartner SRV calculator is used to calculate the required relief valve capacity for each device requiring a relief valve, and size the riser and mains to assure that the total pressure drop does not exceed the code required amount. The revision to the ASHRAE code from 1999 requires that the total backpressure not exceed 15% of the set pressure of the valve. Previously, code called for a total backpressure not to exceed 27.5%. The program uses compressible flow formulas to calculate pressure drop in the lines and produces a calculation sheet for each valve, verifying that its riser and main losses do not exceed allowable.

Advantages
Quickly performs the detailed calculations necessary to comply with ASHRAE safety code. Detailed output shows each relief valves calculations. Calculates inlet restrictions for three way valves and nozzles reducing required mains size. Can easily switch between 1999 code and earlier versions of the ASHRAE code to check grandfathered installations. Most relief valves are oversized, and simply replacing them with properly sized relief valves often reduces the scope of work required to meet the code. No software to purchase or learn. All SRV program calculations are input by Gartner engineers.

Determining required relief valve capacity

Vessels
Vessel requirements are calculated using the following formula C=fDL Where C is the required capacity in 3air/minute D is the vessel diameter in feet L is the vessel length in feet f is a constant for the refrigerant

Table for f
ID Name R717 Ammonia R11 Freon R123 Freon R12 Freon R22 Freon R134A Freon R402a Freon R502 Freon R507 Freon f 0.5 1 1 1.6 1.6 1.6 2.5 2.5 2.5

Page 1 of 4

SRV Calculator
Compressors
ANSI/ASHRAE 15, section 9.8 addresses the protection requirement for Positive Displacement Compressors. It states: The discharge capacity of the device is allowed to be the minimum regulated flow rate of the compressor when the following conditions are met: a. The compressor is equipped with capacity regulation b. Capacity regulation actuates to minimum flow at 90% of the pressure relief device setting c. A pressure limiting device is installed and set in accortdance with the requirements of 9.9 Both Frick and FES now publish data for their compressors, booster and high stage, showing the code required relief valve capacity. The programs use these tables to determine the required capacities for the compressors.

Inlet Reduction Calculation

The rated capacity of the relief valve is not the only factor determining flow. The nozzle out of the vessel, the existence of a 90 elbow, and the three-way valve all limit the flow into the relief valve. Cv values for the entrance nozzle, three-way valves (generic values used) and elbow were combined with the Cv of the relief valve to come up with the overall flow coefficient for the combination. This method was used to make sure that the safety relief valve was sized adequately, and that the flowrates used to calculate relief header sizing were not excessively high. The following is a table of the Cv values the program uses.

Cv Table
Size 0.5 0.75 1 1.25 1.5 2 Entrance 12.6 23.2 38.7 68.9 95 158.7 Elbow 10.1 19.4 32.9 61.4 85.6 148.6 3Way 3.8 7.3 12 22 31 52

Page 2 of 4

SRV Calculator
Mains Pipe Sizing
The relief vents were sized using the compressible flow gas equations as specified in ASHRAE 15 Appendix H. The following is the formula used to determine allowable length. 0.2146*d5 *(P02-P22) f * Cr2 d*ln(P0/P2) 6*f

The program goes through each section of pipe to determine the pressure at each node, and the pressure drop from that node to the next upstream node. The individual pressure drops are added together to find the total pressure drop in all of the lines.

Allowable Pressure Drop Selection

The pressure drop used for the example calculation conforms to the latest ASHRAE revision, calling for 15% as the maximum back pressure. The program can be run to calculate mains for any back pressure, as well as calculating the effect of having a terminal pressure a submerged pipe in a water tank, for example.

Relief Valve Selection

Manufacturers literature was used to obtain the capacities of all relief valves currently in common use. The capacities shown in this table are in # of air per minute. Note that capacities shown in red indicate where valves where outlet pipe size is a concern. The valves shown in red will exceed the maximum allowable pressure drop if piped with 20 equivalent feet of pipe the same size as the outlet.
Mfr Shank R/S Hansen Hansen Henry Henry R/S Shank Shank R/S Henry Hansen Henry R/S R/S R/S Mfr Henry Model 800 SR1 H5600R H5602R 5340 5342 SR2 803 813 SR3 5600 H5600A 5344 SRH1 SRH2 SRH3 Model 5601 Inlet 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.75 0.5 0.75 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.75 0.5 0.5 1 0.5 0.5 0.75 Inlet 0.5 Outlet 0.75 0.75 0.75 1 0.75 0.75 1 0.75 1 1.25 0.75 0.75 1 0.75 1 1 Outlet 1 150# 5.8 10 10.6 10.6 18.5 18.5 19 27.2 27.3 29 30.9 31.3 33.2 35 35 35 150# 35.7 200# 7.6 13 13.9 13.9 24.2 24.2 25 35.5 35.7 38 40.4 40.9 43.4 46 46 46 200# 46.6 250# 9.3 16 17.2 17.2 29.8 29.8 30 43.8 44 46 49.9 50.5 53.6 57 57 57 250# 57.6 300# 11.1 19 20.5 20.5 35.5 35.5 36 52.1 52.4 55 59.4 60.1 63.8 68 68 68 300# 68.5

Page 3 of 4

SRV Calculator
Henry Hansen Hansen R/S Henry Shank Shank Hansen Shank Shank Henry R/S Hansen Henry REGO Shank Shank Shank Shank Shank Shank R/S R/S Shank Shank Shank Shank REGO R/S 5602 H5601 H5602 SR4 5603 804 814 H5613 805 815 5346 H2 H5604 5604 AA3130 850-.75 850-1 850-1.25 851-.75 851-1 851-1.25 H3 H4 900 901 902 903 AA3135 H5 0.75 0.5 0.75 0.75 1 0.75 0.75 1 1 1 1.25 0.75 1.25 1.25 0.75 0.75 1 1.25 0.75 1 1.25 1 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.5 1.5 1.25 1.25 1 1 1 1.5 1.25 1 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.5 1.25 1 1.5 1.5 1 1.5 1.5 1.5 2 2 2 1.25 1.5 2 3 2 3 2 2 35.7 35.8 35.8 37 37.5 41.7 45.2 53 56.1 56.1 58.3 60 72 72 77 84.7 84.7 84.7 84.7 84.7 84.7 98 146 208.4 208.4 208.4 208.4 223 244 46.6 46.8 46.8 49 48.9 54.5 59 69.2 73.3 73.3 76.1 78 94 94 NA 110.6 110.6 110.6 110.6 110.6 110.6 128 191 272.2 272.2 272.2 272.2 NA 319 57.6 57.7 57.7 60 60.4 67.3 72.8 85.4 90.5 90.5 94 96 116.1 116.1 128 136.6 136.6 136.6 136.6 136.6 136.6 158 236 336 336 336 336 381 394 68.5 68.6 68.6 72 71.9 80.1 86.6 101.6 107.7 107.7 111.8 114 127.1 138.1 136 162.5 162.5 162.5 162.5 162.5 162.5 188 281 399.8 399.8 399.8 399.8 431 469

Page 4 of 4