Code of Federal Regulations Title 46. Shipping § 46.56.50–25 Safety and relief valve escape piping

(a) Escape piping from unfired steam generator, boiler, and superheater safety valves shall have an area of not less than that of the combined areas of the outlets of all valves discharging thereto and shall be led as near vertically as practicable to the atmosphere.

(b) Expansion joints or flexible pipe connections shall be fitted in escape piping. The piping shall be adequately supported and installed so that no stress is transmitted to the safety valve body.

(c) Safety or relief valve discharges, when permitted to terminate in the machinery space, shall be led below the floorplates or to a remote position to minimize the hazardous effect of the escaping steam.

(d) The effect of the escape piping on the operation of the relief device shall be considered. The back pressure in the escape piping from the main propulsion steam generator should not exceed 10 percent of the relief device setting unless a compensated relief device is used. Back pressure must be calculated with all relief valves which discharge to a common escape pipe relieving simultaneously at full capacity.