Liquid filled pressure/vacuum valve for petroleum underground storage tanks

A liquid filled pressure/vacuum valve, comprising:

• a body having an inlet and an outlet coupleable to atmosphere;
• a suction zone disposed in said body and fluidly coupled to said inlet;
• a pressure zone disposed in said body and fluidly coupled to said outlet, said pressure zone in fluid communication with said suction zone;
• a fluid disposed in said body and configured to flow between said suction zone and said pressure zone, said flow of said fluid is determined by an increased force due to a pressure differential between said suction zone and said pressure zone;
• and
• at least one baffle disposed in the liquid filled pressure/vacuum valve to create said suction zone and said pressure zone, said at least one baffle coupled to the liquid filled pressure/vacuum valve at a position above said inlet and extending toward a bottom of the liquid filled pressure/vacuum valve wherein said at least one baffle has a variable geometry to achieve a desired operational setting of about 6 inches to about 10 inches water column vacuum and about 2.5 inches to about 6 inches water column pressure for the liquid filled pressure/vacuum valve.

A liquid filled pressure/vacuum valve, comprising:

• a body having an inlet and an outlet coupleable to atmosphere, said body having an interior opposite an exterior and a top opposite a bottom;
• a first baffle coupled to said body at a position above said inlet, said first baffle configured to create a first wide flow passage and a first narrow flow passage;
• a second flow direction shield physically coupled to said body at a position below said inlet, said second flow direction shield defining a portion of said first narrow flow passage;
• a second baffle physically coupled to said bottom of said body, said second baffle configured to create a second wide flow passage and a second narrow flow passage, said second narrow passage is defined by said first baffle and said second baffle;
• a first flow direction shield coupled to said body at a position above said first baffle, said first flow direction shield defining a portion of said second narrow flow passage;
• a fluid disposed in said bottom of said body, said fluid configured to flow between said first wide flow passage, said first narrow flow passage, said second wide flow passage, and said second narrow flow passage, said flow of said fluid is determined by an increased force due to a pressure differential between said first wide flow passage and said first narrow flow passage and said second wide flow passage and said second narrow flow passage.

A liquid filled pressure/vacuum valve, comprising:

• a suction zone having an inlet, said suction zone including said inlet, an upper chamber and a suction zone chamber, said upper chamber enlarged relative to said suction zone chamber, said upper chamber is in fluid communication with said suction zone chamber;
• a pressure zone having an outlet fluidly coupleable to atmosphere and including said outlet, a lower chamber, and a pressure zone chamber, said lower chamber enlarged relative to said pressure zone chamber, said lower chamber is in fluid communication with said pressure zone chamber, and said pressure zone chamber is in fluid communication with said suction zone chamber;
• and
• a fluid disposed in and configured to flow between said suction zone and said pressure zone, said flow of said fluid is determined by an increased force due to a pressure differential between said suction zone and said pressure zone, such that the fluid will flow from said suction zone chamber to said upper chamber when atmospheric pressure is greater than a pressure at said inlet, and the fluid will flow from said pressure zone chamber to said lower chamber when atmospheric pressure is less than a pressure at said inlet and such that the fluid will flow from said suction zone chamber to said pressure zone chamber when atmospheric pressure is less than the pressure at said inlet, said suction zone and said pressure zone sized and configured so that a vacuum operational setting differs from a pressure operational setting, said vacuum operational setting is about 6 inches to about 10 inches water column vacuum and said pressure operational setting is about 2.5 inches to about 6 inches water column pressure.