Upgrading Knife Blade Rupture Disk Installations

The first reverse buckling rupture disk device equipped with knife blade technology was developed by BS&B^® The product was named the RB-90™ and is still available today from BS&B.

The RB-90™ was the first reverse buckling disk design and introduced important user benefits over the conventional pre-bulged disks of that time; higher operating ratio from 80% to 90% of burst pressure, increased performance under cyclic operating conditions, minimal fragmentation, full vacuum resistance, and a wider range of burst pressures. However, as reverse-buckling technologies progressed, the BS&B R&D team developed ways of achieving all these benefits and more, using different opening techniques following rupture disk activation such as precise disk scoring techniques rather than knife blades.

Rupture Disk Devices equipped with knife blade technology continue to provide sound options for overpressure and vacuum relief, however, the safety head mounted knife blades require periodic attention:

• The knife blades need to be sharp and without damage
• The knife blades must be corrosion free
• The knife blades must be free of product build up

These factors add to the users’ inspection and maintenance activity to ensure the disk performance. Consequently, rupture disk devices utilizing alternative opening techniques such as score lines can provide a cost-effective upgrade opportunity to the user. The BS&B Sta-Saf^® System showcases valuable performance improvements with respect to both rupture disk and safety head design. When maintenance considerations or application performance requirements arise, BS&B is ready to support the user with performance options that match the physical dimensions and burst pressure of the existing rupture disk installation. This way, the process to update the device requires no additional physical changes, and minimal management of change.

At BS&B, our focus is “All About the Customer” and therefore we continue to manufacture long established designs such as the RB-90™. Our legacy products remain popular with users in meeting their performance expectations.

Your maintenance team can be assured the BS&B rupture disk technology in service will continue to be produced, and all the benefits of being a BS&B customer will be available to you, including disk inspection services, free staff training (now available remotely) and 24 hour emergency support. Many legacy rupture disk installations predate current codes & standards (i.e. ASME, PED). Updating product hardware to current standards is an important pressure safety management step. If you are ready to upgrade your existing rupture disk technology, BS&B is ready to assist!