The present paper offers further insight into the importance of
including the surrounding piping systems around the subject
heat-exchanger where a tube-rupture scenario is evaluated. The
paper also directs attention to the importance of correctly specifying
the appropriate boundary conditions (B.C.) at the far ends of
both the upstream and downstream piping systems. A case study
of a hot vapour condenser (E-10) in a bitumen hydrotreating unit
is presented, where the process fluid on the tube-side is a
vapoureliquid mixture at 9660 kPa(g), vapour mass fraction of
approximately 0.5, which is mostly hydrogen. The fluid on the LP
side is cooling water connected to the plant supply and return
cooling water system. The design pressure for this cooling water
piping system is 1380 kPa(g). However, the design pressure of the
shell-side of the subject condenser is 7440 kPa(g) which meets the
10/13th rule.