1112.2 Positive Displacement Compressor

A positive displacement compressor with a stop valve in the discharge connection shall be equipped with a pressure-relief device that is sized, and with a pressure setting, in accordance with the compressor manufacturer to prevent rupture of the compressor or to prevent the pressure from increasing to more than 10 percent above the maximum allowable working pressure of components located in the discharge line between the compressor and the stop valve or in accordance with Section 1113.5, whichever is larger. The pressure-relief device shall discharge into the low-pressure side of the system or in accordance with Section 1112.10.

Exception: Hermetic refrigerant motor-compressors that are listed and have a displacement not more than 50 cubic feet per minute (1.42 m³/min).

    The relief device(s) shall be sized based on compressor flow at the following conditions:

1. For compressors in single-stage systems and high-stage compressors of other systems, the flow shall be calculated based on 50°F (10°C) saturated suction temperature at the compressor suction.
2. For low-stage or booster compressors in compound systems, the compressors that are capable of running only where discharging to the suction of a high-stage compressor, the flow shall be calculated based on the saturated suction temperature equal to the design operating intermediate temperature.
3. For low-stage compressors in cascade systems, the compressors that are located in the lower-temperature stage(s) of cascade systems, the flow shall be calculated based on the suction pressure being equal to the pressure setpoint of the pressure-relieving devices that protect the lowside of the stage against overpressure.

Exceptions: For Section 1112.2(1), Section 1112.2(2), and Section 1112.2(3), the discharge capacity of the relief device shall be permitted to be the minimum regulated flow rate of the compressor where the following conditions are met:

1. The compressor is equipped with capacity regulation.
2. Capacity regulation actuates to a flow at not less than 90 percent of the pressure-relief device setting.
3. A pressure-limiting device is installed and set in accordance with the requirements of Section 1111.0. [ASHRAE 15:9.8]