Systems and methods for determining failure in a back pressure balanced relief valve
AssigneeEmerson Automation Solutions Final Control US LP
InventorsVishwa Kalyanasundaram, Katherine Si
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A diaphragm assembly for a pressure relief valve can include a disc guide that is configured to receive a portion of a disc holder, a bonnet adapter, and a diaphragm that is clamped at an outer edge between the disc guide and the bonnet adapter. The diaphragm assembly can be positioned between a bonnet of the pressure relief valve and a valve body of the pressure relief valve to convert the pressure relief valve to a backpressure-balanced pressure relief valve by counterbalancing a backpressure that acts upon the disc holder.
Claims20
A relief valve, comprising:
- a valve body that includes an inlet nozzle and an outlet;
- a disc holder that is configured to move relative to the inlet nozzle to permit or restrict flow from the inlet nozzle to the outlet;
- a bonnet that is coupled to the valve body;
- a disc guide that includes a radially extending portion clamped between the valve body and the bonnet, an axially extending portion that slidingly receives the disc holder to guide movement of the disc holder relative to the inlet nozzle, and a disc-guide aperture extending through the radially extending portion of the disc guide to provide fluid communication through the disc guide from a location within the valve body that is downstream of the inlet nozzle relative to flow from the inlet nozzle to the outlet;
- a spring within the bonnet that applies a force to the disc holder to urge the disc holder toward the inlet nozzle;
- and
- a diaphragm on an opposite side of the disc guide from the inlet nozzle to prevent flow from the disc-guide aperture into the bonnet, the diaphragm having an aperture through which the disc holder extends, wherein an outer portion of the diaphragm is compressed between the valve body and the bonnet to provide a seal against flow between the disc guide and the bonnet, and wherein the diaphragm is fluidly isolated from an interior of the inlet nozzle when the relief valve is in a closed position.
A pressure relief valve, comprising:
- a valve body that includes an inlet nozzle and an outlet;
- a bonnet that encloses a biasing element of the pressure relief valve;
- a disc holder biased by the biasing element toward the inlet nozzle to control flow across the inlet nozzle;
- and
- a diaphragm assembly, comprising:
- a disc guide that slidingly receives a portion of the disc holder, to guide movement of the disc holder relative to the inlet nozzle to permit or restrict flow from the inlet nozzle to the outlet;
- a bonnet adapter clamped at a seam between the bonnet and the valve body;
- and
- a diaphragm that is clamped at an outer edge between the disc guide and the bonnet adapter, wherein the diaphragm is positioned between the biasing element and the disc guide to configure the pressure relief valve as a backpressure-balanced pressure relief valve by counterbalancing a backpressure that acts upon the disc holder.
A method for retrofitting a pressure relief valve with a diaphragm assembly, the method comprising:
- separating a bonnet portion of the pressure relief valve from a valve body portion of the pressure relief valve;
- installing the diaphragm assembly between the bonnet portion and the valve body portion, wherein the diaphragm assembly comprises:
- a disc guide that is configured to receive a portion of a disc holder of the pressure relief valve to guide movement of the disc holder;
- a bonnet adapter;
- and
- a diaphragm;
- and
- wherein installing the diaphragm assembly includes clamping the bonnet adapter, the diaphragm, and the disc guide between the bonnet portion and the valve body portion, with the diaphragm clamped at an outer edge between the disc guide and the bonnet adapter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.