US 6,752,377 B1Granted

Pressure relief valve with selectable orifice size

AssigneeTaylor Innovations, L.L.C.

InventorsJulian S. Taylor, Jason O. Taliaferro, Mason W. Buerger

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Abstract

Method and apparatus for configuring a pressure relief valve to have a desired internal orifice size. A population of nominally identical inserts are provided having different internal orifice diameters. A resilient seal ring is placed upon a selected insert and both are inserted into a cup-shaped seat body to form a valve seat assembly. The valve seat assembly is secured within a housing of the pressure relief valve in facing relationship to a moveable piston assembly which is biased against the seal in a normally closed position. When a new internal orifice size is desired, the insert is removed and replaced with a new insert having the new desired orifice size. No changes are necessary in the remaining components. The resilient seal preferably comprises a stiffener ring of rigid material surrounded by an annular ring of resilient material.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A valve seat assembly for use in a pressure relief valve having a moveable piston assembly which is biased against the valve seat assembly in a normally closed position and which moves away from the valve seat assembly when a pressure of an inlet pressurized fluid reaches a predetermined threshold, the valve seat assembly comprising:

a substantially cup-shaped seat body comprising an annular wall and an inwardly directed, annular seat flange, the annular wall having opposing first and second ends, an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the annular seat flange extends from the first end of the annular wall to abut the piston assembly when the pressure relief valve is in the closed position;
and
a first insert comprising an annular wall with opposing first and second ends, an outer surface and an inner orifice of a first diameter, wherein the first insert slidingly engages the seat body so that the outer surface of the first insert abuts the inner surface of the seat body, the inner orifice metering a flow rate of fluid through the valve seat assembly;
wherein the seat body is further configured to accommodate a replacement, second insert comprising an annular wall with opposing first and second ends, an outer surface and an inner orifice of a second diameter less than the first diameter, the inner orifice of the second insert metering a second flow rate of fluid through the valve seat assembly less than that provided by the inner orifice of the first insert.

1 more element

A method for configuring a pressure relief valve, comprising:

providing a population of nominally identical inserts each comprising an annular wall with opposing first and second ends, an outer surface and an inner orifice surface, wherein the inner orifice surface of a first insert from the population defines an orifice having a first diameter and wherein the inner orifice surface of a second insert from the population defines an orifice having a second diameter;
placing a resilient seal ring onto the first end of the first insert;
sliding the first insert and the resilient seal ring into a substantially cup-shaped seat body to form a valve seat assembly, the seat body comprising an annular wall and an inwardly directed, annular seat flange, the annular wall of the seat body having opposing first and second ends, an inner surface and an outer surface so that the outer surface of the first insert abuts the inner surface of the seat body;
and
installing the valve seat assembly into a rigid housing of the pressure relief valve in a facing relationship to a moveable piston assembly which establishes a fluidic seal against the resilient seal ring when the pressure relief valve is in a closed position.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.