Environmental compressor protection assembly

A relief valve for a high pressure, low volume lubrication system for a compressor, the pressure relief valve comprising:

• a pressure relief valve assembly having an inlet configured to be exposed to a positive displacement pump outlet and an outlet configured to be in fluid communication with an enclosed lubrication supply, the pressure relief valve assembly comprising:
• a main housing comprising the inlet, the outlet, a third opening and an internal passage, the inlet in fluid communication with the internal passage and the outlet in fluid communication with the internal passage and configured to couple to a conduit to place the outlet in for fluid communication with an enclosed fluid reservoir;
• a piston in the internal passage coupled to a shaft, the piston comprising at least one seal to inhibit lubricant from leaking around the piston, the piston moveable in the internal passage between an open position in which the inlet and the outlet are in fluid communication allowing lubricant to flow from the inlet to the outlet and a closed position in which the inlet and the outlet are isolated;
• a moveable visual indicator operatively coupled the piston, wherein the movement of the piston from the closed position to the open position causes the visual indicator to protrude from the third opening, and wherein the moveable visual indicator stays protruded until manually reset regardless of further movement of the piston;
• and
• a biasing element exerting a force on the shaft such that the piston is in the closed position when a fluid force is below a pressure relief setting and allowing the fluid force to move the piston to the open position when the fluid force exceeds the pressure relief setting.

A pressure relief valve assembly, comprising:

• a housing having a first opening configured to be in fluid communication with a lubricant system and a relief passage with a second opening configured to be in fluid communication with an enclosed lubricant reservoir, and a third opening;
• a piston coupled to a shaft, the piston and shaft moveable between a closed position where the first opening and the second opening are isolated and an open position where the first opening and the second opening are in fluid communication;
• a compression biasing element coupled to the shaft to provide a force to seat the piston in the closed position configured such that pressure of the lubricant system overcomes the bias to move the piston to the open position;
• and
• a device operatively coupled to the shaft and moveably in the third opening, the device comprising indicia, the device moveable only in one direction by operation of the shaft from a first position where the indicia is not visible to a second position where the indicia protrudes from the third opening and is visible.

A high pressure, low volume lubrication system for a compressor system comprising:

• a lubrication supply;
• a positive displacement pump having an inlet coupled to a pipe placing the inlet in fluid communication with the oil supply and an outlet coupled to at least one point of the compressor system requiring lubrication;
• and
• a relief valve in fluid communication with the outlet of the positive displacement pump, the relief valve comprising:
• a housing having an inner passage wherein the housing includes an inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the positive displacement pump and an outlet in fluid communication with the pipe, the housing comprising an opening;
• a piston contained within the inner passage of the housing and coupled to a shaft, the piston being moveable from an open position placing the inlet of the housing and the outlet of the housing in fluid communication such that the lubricant from the outlet of the positive displacement pump flows through the housing to the pipe placing the inlet of the positive displacement pump in fluid communication with the lubrication supply and a closed position isolating the outlet of the positive displacement pump and the pipe;
• a compression spring exerting a force on the shaft such that the piston is in the closed position when a fluid force is below a pressure relief setting, wherein the piston moves, against the spring, to the open position when the fluid force exceeds the pressure relief setting;
• and
• a visual indicator operatively coupled to the shaft wherein the visual indicator protrudes from the opening once the piston moves to the open position.