Where is the rupture disk always piped into?

The rupture disk is designed as a safety device in pressurized systems to prevent overpressure situations that could lead to hazardous failures. It is always piped into the low side of a system, which is the area where the pressure is typically less than in the high side. This ensures that in the event the rupture disk bursts due to excessive pressure, the released materials or gases can escape safely and reduce the overall pressure in the system, thereby preventing potential damage to equipment or injury to personnel.

The low side typically refers to the section of the system where the refrigerant or fluid is at lower pressure, often after it has gone through the expansion process and before it reaches the compressor. By connecting the rupture disk here, it can effectively relieve pressure without risking an explosion or catastrophic failure.

In other contexts, piping the rupture disk to the high side, compressor inlet, or condenser outlet would not effectively serve its purpose of relieving pressure in a controlled manner. High-pressure connections could exacerbate the pressure situation, while piping to locations like the compressor inlet or condenser outlet do not provide the necessary safety mechanism when an overpressure condition occurs.