Rupture disc is normally installed on heat exchanger to cater for tube rupture scenario. Rapid pressure rise and high pressure surge will result from a tube rupture in a heat exchanger operating with an incompressible fluid (liquid) on the LP side and a significantly higher pressure on the HP side. Protection by pressure relief valve is then not adequate, and rupture disks should be used as they react faster.

Rupture disk devices also may be installed upstream of pressure relief valves in systems containing extremely valuable or toxic materials to guard against leakage of the valve or in systems handling materials likely to make the pressure relief valve inoperative because of fouling, plugging or corrosion.

Rupture disks are also used occasionally on the downstream side of pressure relief valves where conditions make an upstream installation impractical or where valves are connected to a header and it is designed to protect the valve mechanism against corrosion from this source. This arrangement requires the use of a valve whose set point is unaffected by a back pressure equal to the rupture disk bursting pressure, or a vent between valve and disk similar to that described above. This arrangement is not allowed by the French and Italian Codes.