Rupture disks are critical pressure relief safety devices designed to protect equipment, personnel, and processes from dangerous overpressure conditions. Also known as burst disks, burst plugs, or soft plugs, these precision-engineered safety components provide instantaneous pressure relief by rupturing at a predetermined pressure rating. Unlike mechanical relief valves, rupture disks offer leak-tight, contamination-free protection with no moving parts to fail or maintain, making them essential safety components in plastic extrusion, chemical processing, and high-pressure industrial applications.
At Rowe Equipment, we supply premium rupture disks featuring stainless steel bodies and Inconel diaphragms, engineered to rupture instantly at specific pressures across a wide temperature range. Our rupture disks provide ±0.5% accuracy with pressure ratings from 1,000 psi (70 bar) to 10,000 psi (750 bar).
304 / 316 SS
+ Carbon Steel
20-500+
Mesh Counts
Same-day
Shipping Available
30+ Years
In Polymer Filtration
Precision-engineered rupture disks with stainless steel bodies and Inconel diaphragms for reliable pressure relief in standard extrusion applications. Available in multiple lengths (1.8″, 3″, 4″, 6″, 10″, 12″) with pressure ratings from 1,000 to 10,000 psi.
Specially designed burst plugs rated to 550°F (288°C) for elevated temperature processing applications. Inconel diaphragm construction ensures consistent burst pressure performance across the entire operating temperature range.
Precision rupture disks engineered for lower pressure applications requiring accurate burst pressures in the 1,000-3,000 psi range. Ideal for sensitive processes where fine pressure control is critical.
Heavy-duty burst plugs designed for extreme pressure applications up to 10,000 psi (750 bar). Robust construction ensures reliable protection in demanding high-pressure extrusion and processing environments.
FDA-compliant rupture disks designed for food, pharmaceutical, and biotech applications requiring hygienic pressure relief. Clean-break designs minimize contamination risk in regulated industries.
Application-specific rupture disk solutions engineered to meet unique process requirements, non-standard pressure ratings, or specialized material compatibility needs for demanding applications.
Key selection factors for optimal pressure relief protection:
Burst Pressure:
Determine the maximum allowable working pressure (MAWP) of your system and select appropriate burst pressure rating with proper safety margin
Operating Temperature:
Match rupture disk temperature rating to your process conditions, accounting for both normal and upset conditions up to 550°F (288°C)
Process Media:
Consider chemical compatibility with disk materials Inconel offers excellent corrosion resistance for most applications
Connection Size:
Select appropriate disk length (1.8″ to 12″) and diameter to match your equipment ports and installation requirements
Response Requirements:
Consider required flow capacity and instantaneous response time for your safety scenario and overpressure protection needs
Regulatory Compliance:
Ensure rupture disk meets applicable codes (ASME, PED, etc.) for your jurisdiction and industry-specific safety requirements
Plastics & Polymer Extrusion
Chemical Processing
Petrochemical Manufacturing
Pharmaceutical Production
Food & Beverage Processing
Oil & Gas Operations
Compounding & Masterbatch Production
Blown Film Manufacturing
Pipe & Profile Extrusion
Wire & Cable Coating
Plastic extruder barrel protection
Melt pump overpressure relief
Die head safety systems
Screen changer protection
Reactor vessel safety
Heat exchanger protection
Pipeline overpressure relief
High-pressure pump protection
Autoclave safety systems
Hydraulic system relief
Rupture disks and burst plugs are essentially the same device both are non-reclosing pressure relief devices that rupture at a predetermined pressure. “Burst plug” and “soft plug” are terms commonly used in the plastics extrusion industry, while “rupture disk” or “bursting disc” is the general industrial term. Rowe Equipment rupture disks function as burst plugs specifically designed for extruder applications and high-pressure industrial processes.
Rowe Equipment rupture disks feature ±0.5% burst pressure accuracy, which is significantly more precise than many alternatives on the market. This tight tolerance ensures reliable, predictable pressure relief exactly when needed while minimizing premature failures. Our burst pressure selection tool can help you choose the optimal rating for your application.
Rupture disks should be replaced according to manufacturer recommendations, typically every 2-5 years depending on operating conditions, even if they haven’t ruptured. Factors affecting service life include temperature cycling, pressure cycling, corrosive environments, and vibration. After any rupture event, immediate replacement is required. Our replacement scheduler can help you track installation dates and service intervals.
No. Rupture disks are single-use safety devices and must be replaced after activation. Once a disk has ruptured, it has performed its intended function and cannot be repaired. Attempting to reuse or repair a ruptured disk creates serious safety hazards. Always replace ruptured disks immediately with new units of the correct pressure rating.
Inconel is a nickel-chromium superalloy that offers exceptional properties for rupture disk applications: excellent corrosion resistance, consistent mechanical properties across wide temperature ranges, resistance to oxidation at high temperatures, and predictable rupture characteristics. This makes Inconel ideal for maintaining accurate burst pressures in demanding process conditions up to 550°F. Our material compatibility checker can verify Inconel suitability for your specific application.
Rowe Equipment rupture disks are available with burst pressure ratings from 1,000 psi (70 bar) to 10,000 psi (750 bar), covering the full range of plastic extrusion and high-pressure processing applications. Available in multiple lengths from 1.8″ to 12″ to fit various equipment configurations. Custom pressure ratings may be available for specialized applications. Contact our team for specific requirements.
Calculate correct rupture disk specifications based on extruder barrel size, maximum operating pressure, connection port dimensions, and temperature range for proper fit and function.
Determine optimal burst pressure rating based on MAWP, operating pressure range, temperature compensation, and safety margin recommendations (70-80% operating ratio).
Track rupture disk inventory with installation dates, service life calculators (2-5 year recommendations), and email/calendar reminder integration for compliance maintenance.
Determine whether rupture disk or relief valve is best through application questionnaire, side-by-side comparison, and cost analysis for optimal safety device selection.
Verify Inconel and stainless steel compatibility with process media including chemicals, acids, solvents, polymers, and gases to prevent material failures and ensure safe operation.
Convert between PSI, bar, MPa, kPa, kg/cm² plus temperature and length conversions for international equipment specifications and eliminate conversion errors.
Diagnose cause of rupture disk failures through failure mode questionnaire, visual pattern identifier, and root cause analysis to reduce repeated failures and improve reliability.
Streamlined quote request with pressure rating selector, length selector, quantity input, and instant preliminary estimate to accelerate purchasing process.
