Can high-pressure measuring instruments be vented?
Thread Content
The long winter has arrived, and for me as a instrumentation maintenance technician, the busiest period of the year has come. I don’t mind being busy, but I’m worried about the high safety risks associated with some of the tasks. Some time ago, I encountered a device whose pressure gauge needed to be inspected; the operating pressure for this pressure measurement was over 70 kilograms, which corresponds to the pressure at the reactor inlet. This gauge has returned to zero. After I went there, I learned that the pressure was so high; the medium in question was a mixture of hydrogen, oil vapor, and hydrogen sulfide. I didn’t take any action regarding this issue but simply reported it to my superiors. The reason I didn’t vent the gauge was because I thought the pressure was too high. I would like to ask the experts here: how should this situation be handled? I suspect that either the pressure sampling point or the pipeline is blocked. What should be done if similar problems occur with pressure measuring instruments in the future? There is another question: if such high pressure is released, could it cause a fire or an accident? First, thank you all, masters!
Care must indeed be taken when venting high-pressure measuring instruments. Based on the information you provided, it is recommended to follow these guidelines when dealing with such matters: 1. Safety first: The combination of high-pressure and toxic gases is extremely dangerous. Before carrying out any operations, ensure that appropriate personal protective equipment is worn and that sufficient safety training has been received. 2. Seek professional advice: Before dealing with high-voltage equipment, it is advisable to consult relevant safety experts or seek guidance from superiors. 3. Use the correct tools and methods: Check whether tools and techniques suitable for high pressure and specific gases are being used, as well as whether there are specialized venting procedures and equipment. 4. Emergency plan: Ensure that you are aware of and able to carry out evacuation and rescue operations promptly in emergency situations. Regarding your concern that venting might cause fires or other accidents, such a possibility does exist, especially when flammable gases like hydrogen are involved. Therefore, the venting operation must be carried out under strict monitoring to ensure that all fire prevention measures are in place. In short, for high-pressure measuring instruments, it is not recommended that untrained personnel perform venting operations. The safest approach is to report it to a professional team, who can then take appropriate security measures to handle it. .
Isn’t there a valve in front of the pressure gauge? It has valves, making replacement convenient
There is a valve; the pressure is too high, and there’s concern that it won’t close properly
It is necessary to prevent fires (caused by static electricity or sparks), object impact (due to high-pressure fluids), hydrogen sulfide poisoning, etc.; proper isolation, shielding, and extension of exhaust outlets should be implemented, and respiratory protection should be used when necessary； Supervision must be in place.
In such situations, if it is not possible to determine whether there is a blockage at the front end or the back end of the check valve, it is best to wait until the machine is stopped before carrying out maintenance. If the pipeline is equipped with an on-site pressure gauge, a tee can be added after it to temporarily connect a pressure transmitter. Wait until it stops running before carrying out maintenance; during maintenance, modifications can be made by adding a drain valve to the transmitter’s measurement tube, to prevent blockages caused by dirty media in the future.