US 2005/0087232 A1Published application

Emergency pressure relief valve with enhanced reset

AssigneeS.P.M. Flow Control, Inc.

InventorsVladimir Kugelev, Mark Matzner

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Abstract

A pressure relief valve has a housing fluidly connected to a pressurized system line carrying a system fluid. The housing carries a moveable piston and a valve member that both move between closed and open positions. The piston defines an upper chamber and a lower chamber within the housing. A pressurized fluid is supplied to the upper chamber to bias the piston toward the closed position. After the relief valve opens from excessive system pressure, the pressurized fluid is injected into the lower chamber to delay the return of the piston to the closed position. Initially, the fluid in the lower chamber flows through a check valve while the piston returns to the closed position. Then the fluid vent in the lower chamber vents from the lower chamber as the piston and valve member approach the closed position.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An improved pressure relief valve having a housing with a relief passage, a valve seat therein, and a pressure chamber, a movable valve member in the housing that is movable from a closed position to an open position in response to a system pressure increase, a movable pressure barrier carried in the pressure chamber and operably connected to the valve member, wherein the improvement comprises:

a stationary fluid injector stab extending through a side of the pressure chamber and sealingly engaging a central bore of the movable valve member for delivering pressurized fluid;
a stab port extending through a sidewall of the injector stab for flowing the fluid into the pressure chamber on a first side of the pressure barrier;
and
a valve member port extending through a side of the valve member, the valve member port being in fluid communication with the stab port when the valve member is in its open position so that the pressurized fluid flows into the pressure chamber on a second side of the pressure barrier, the valve member port being sealed from the stab port when the valve member is in its closed position and venting while the valve member is approaching its closed position for the fluid on the second side of the pressure barrier to exit the chamber.

1 more element

An improved pressure relief valve, comprising:

a housing with a relief passage, a valve seat therein, and a pressure chamber;
a movable valve member in the housing, which is movable from a closed position to an open position, the valve member engaging the valve seat in the closed position to block flow through the relief passage, the valve member moving away from the valve seat in the open position to allow flow through the relief passage while the pressure in the system is sufficiently high;
a movable pressure barrier carried in the pressure chamber, defining first and second sides of the pressure chamber, and operably connected to the valve member for movement therewith;
a fluid injector stab stationarily extending through the first side of the pressure chamber and having a seal sealingly engaging a central bore of the movable valve member;
a stab port extending through a side wall of the injector stab on a first side of the seal to communicate pressurized fluid into the first side of the chamber when the valve member is in the closed position;
a valve member port extending from the central bore to the second side of pressure chamber to supply pressurized fluid from the stab port to the second side of the pressure chamber when the valve member moves the valve member port above the seal;
and
a vent port in the valve member that extends from the central bore to atmosphere for venting pressurized fluid for the second side of the pressure chamber when the valve member moves the valve member port below the seal.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/690,888Filed 22 Oct 2003
Published: 28 Apr 2005
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

F16K 17/02
Safety valves; Equalising valves, e.g. pressure relief valves: opening on surplus pressure on one side; closing on insufficient pressure on one side
Y10S 137/906
Fluid handling: valves biased by fluid "springs"
Y10T 137/7853
End of valve moves inside dashpot chamber: enlarged piston on end of valve stem
Y10T 137/7904
Direct response valves [i.e., check valve type]: reciprocating valves