When choosing a check valve it is important to make a cost-benefit analysis of the specific system. Often focus is to reduce cost and at the same time obtain the lowest possible pressure loss, but when it comes to check valves a higher safety equals a higher pressure loss. So in order to make sure the check valve protects the system properly, each system has to be assessed individually, and factors such as the risk of water hammer, acceptable pressure loss, and the financial consequence of installing a check valve with a too high safety margin against water hammer have to be considered. Please go to How to choose the right check valve for more details. Different types of check valvesThere are various types of check valves available for water and wastewater applications. They work in different ways but serve the same purpose. AVK offers a wide range of swing check valves, ball check valves, tilted disc check valves, slanted seat check valves, nozzle check valves and silent check valves. The most common types of check valves for water and wastewater are swing check valves and ball check valves:
What is water hammer?In a pumped system, the water is forced from a lower level to a higher level by means of a pump. The fluid flows in one direction only when the pump is in operation. When the pump stops, the flow of fluid will reduce until it also stops. Since the overall pipeline will be rising, when the fluid stops, it will then flow back down the pipe. To prevent this flow reversal entering into the pump, well or intake, a check valve is installed. In many cases, the rate of fluid reversal is not a cause for concern and standard check valves will perform well. However, in pumped systems where fast flow reversal can occur, the selection of the correct check valve is crucial. If a pump stops and the forward flow reverses back down the line towards the pump before the check valve has fully closed, the flow will force the valve door to slam onto its seat. This scenario can almost instantaneously stop the reverse flow and it is this instantaneous stoppage which results in pipeline water hammer. This can produce loud hammer noises which is not the noise of the valve coming into its seated position but is the stretching of the pipe under these conditions. The consequent pressure wave (surge) can cause considerable damage to the system including pipe cracks, bursts, cavitation and implosion due to vacuum pressures being formed. It is also important to note that these failures may not be due to one single, large surge pressure but by repeated surges which eventually cause fatigue failure of the system. It is important to note that other factors are required to ensure a safe and trouble-free system. The correct number, types and sizes of air valves, closing and opening times of isolation valves, flow control valves etc. all require to be considered to protect the system from pressure surges. To prevent the occurrence of check valve slam, the valve should close either very quickly to prevent the onset of reverse flow or very slowly once reverse flow has developed. For a check valve to close slowly, this requires additional ancillary equipment such as hydraulic dampers which act to cushion the valve door as it comes into its seated position. However, this slower closure does allow the fluid to pass through the check valve until it closes, and consideration must be given to the upstream pump to ensure that it is suitable for reverse spin and flow.
A pressure Relief Valve is a safety device designed to protect a pressurized vessel or system during an overpressure event. The primary purpose of a pressure Relief Valve is protection of life and property by venting fluid from an overpressurized vessel. Many electronic, pneumatic and hydraulic systems exist today to control fluid system variables, such as pressure, temperature and flow. Each of these systems requires a power source of some type, such as electricity or compressed air in order to operate. A pressure Relief Valve must be capable of operating at all times, especially during a period of power failure when system controls are nonfunctional. The sole source of power for the pressure Relief Valve, therefore, is the process fluid. Once a condition occurs that causes the pressure in a system or vessel to increase to a dangerous level, the pressure Relief Valve may be the only device remaining to prevent a catastrophic failure. Since reliability is directly related to the complexity of the device, it is important that the design of the pressure Relief Valve be as simple as possible. The pressure Relief Valve must open at a predetermined set pressure, flow a rated capacity at a specified overpressure, and close when the system pressure has returned to a safe level. Pressure Relief Valves must be designed with materials compatible with many process fluids from simple air and water to the most corrosive media. They must also be designed to operate in a consistently smooth and stable manner on a variety of fluids and fluid phases. The basic spring loaded pressure Relief Valve has been developed to meet the need for a simple, reliable, system actuated device to provide overpressure protection. The image on the right shows the construction of a spring loaded pressure Relief Valve. The Valve consists of a Valve inlet or nozzle mounted on the pressurized system, a disc held against the nozzle to prevent flow under normal system operating conditions, a spring to hold the disc closed, and a body/Bonnet to contain the operating elements. The spring load is adjustable to vary the pressure at which the Valve will open. When a pressure Relief Valve begins to lift, the spring force increases. Thus system pressure must increase if lift is to continue. For this reason pressure Relief Valves are allowed an overpressure allowance to reach full lift. This allowable overpressure is generally 10% for Valves on unfired systems. This margin is relatively small and some means must be provided to assist in the lift effort. Most pressure Relief Valves, therefore, have a secondary control chamber or huddling chamber to enhance lift. As the disc begins to lift, fluid enters the control chamber exposing a larger area of the disc to system pressure. This causes an incremental change in force which overcompensates for the increase in spring force and causes the Valve to open at a rapid rate. At the same time, the direction of the fluid flow is reversed and the momentum effect resulting from the change in flow direction further enhances lift. These effects combine to allow the Valve to achieve maximum lift and maximum flow within the allowable overpressure limits. Because of the larger disc area exposed to system pressure after the Valve achieves lift, the Valve will not close until system pressure has been reduced to some level below the set pressure. The design of the control chamber determines where the closing point will occur. When superimposed back pressure is variable, a balanced bellows or balanced piston design is recommended. A typical balanced bellow is shown on the right. The bellows or piston is designed with an effective pressure area equal to the seat area of the disc. The Bonnet is vented to ensure that the pressure area of the bellows or piston will always be exposed to atmospheric pressure and to provide a telltale sign should the bellows or piston begin to leak. Variations in back pressure, therefore, will have no effect on set pressure. Back pressure may, however, affect flow.
Pressure Relief Valve Bellow Type Safety Valve
Relief Valve Safety Relief Valve
Pilot-Operated Pressure Relief Valve Power-Actuated Pressure Relief Valve Temperature-Actuated Pressure Relief Valve Vacuum Relief Valve Many Codes and Standards are published throughout the world which address the design and application of pressure Relief Valves. The most widely used and recognized of these is the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, commonly called the ASME Code. Most Codes and Standards are voluntary, which means that they are available for use by manufacturers and users and may be written into purchasing and construction specifications. The ASME Code is unique in the United States and Canada, having been adopted by the majority of state and provincial legislatures and mandated by law. The ASME Code provides rules for the design and construction of pressure vessels. Various sections of the Code cover fired vessels, nuclear vessels, unfired vessels and additional subjects, such as welding and nondestructive examination. Vessels manufactured in accordance with the ASME Code are required to have overpressure protection. The type and design of allowable overpressure protection devices is spelled out in detail in the Code. The following definitions are taken from DIN 3320 but it should be noted that many of the terms and associated definitions used are universal and appear in many other standards. Where commonly used terms are not defined in DIN 3320 then ASME PTC25.3 has been used as the source of reference. This list is not exhaustive and is intended as a guide only; it should not be used in place of the relevant current issue standard..
The following terms are not defined in DIN 3320 and are taken from ASME PTC25.3..
Storage handling and transportation of Safety Valves Storage and handling Because cleanliness is essential to the satisfactory operation and tightness of a safety Valve, precautions should be taken during storage to keep out all foreign materials. Inlet and outlet protectors should remain in place until the Valve is ready to be installed in the system. Take care to keep the Valve inlet absolutely clean. It is recommended that the Valve be stored indoors in the original shipping container away from dirt and other forms of contamination. Safety Valves must be handled carefully and never subjected to shocks. Rough handling may alter the pressure setting, deform Valve parts and adversely affect seat tightness and Valve performance. The Valve should never be lifted or handled using the lifting lever. When it is necessary to use a hoist, the chain or sling should be placed around the Valve body and Bonnet in a manner that will insure that the Valve is in a vertical position to facilitate installation. Installation Many Valves are damaged when first placed in service because of failure to clean the connection properly when installed. Before installation, flange faces or threaded connections on both the Valve inlet and the vessel and/or line on which the Valve is mounted must be thoroughly cleaned of all dirt and foreign material. Because foreign materials that pass into and through safety Valves can damage the Valve, the systems on which the Valves are tested and finally installed must also be inspected and cleaned. New systems in particular are prone to contain foreign objects that inadvertently get trapped during construction and will destroy the seating surface when the Valve opens. The system should be thoroughly cleaned before the safety Valve is installed. The gaskets used must be dimensionally correct for the specific flanges. The inside diameters must fully clear the safety Valve inlet and outlet openings so that the gasket does not restrict flow. For flanged Valves, draw down all connection studs or bolts evenly to avoid possible distortion of the Valve body. For threaded Valves, do not apply a wrench to the Valve body. Use the hex flats provided on the inlet bushing. Safety Valves are intended to open and close within a narrow pressure range. Valve installations require accurate design both as to inlet and discharge piping. Refer to International, National and Industry Standards for guidelines. Inlet piping Connect this Valve as direct and close as possible to the vessel being protected. The Valve should be mounted vertically in an upright position either directly on a nozzle from the pressure vessel or on a short connection fitting that provides a direct, unobstructed flow between the vessel and the Valve. Installing a safety Valve in other than this recommended position will adversely affect its operation. The Valve should never be installed on a fitting having a smaller inside diameter than the inlet connection of the Valve. Discharge piping Discharge piping should be simple and direct. A "broken" connection near the Valve outlet is preferred wherever possible. All discharge piping should be run as direct as is practicable to the point of final release for disposal. The Valve must discharge to a safe disposal area. Discharge piping must be drained properly to prevent the accumulation of liquids on the downstream side of the safety Valve. The weight of the discharge piping should be carried by a separate support and be properly braced to withstand reactive thrust forces when the Valve relieves. The Valve should also be supported to withstand any swaying or system vibrations. If the Valve is discharging into a pressurized system be sure the Valve is a "balanced" design. Pressure on the discharge of an "unbalanced" design will adversely affect the Valve performance and set pressure. Fittings or pipe having a smaller inside diameter than the Valve outlet connections must not be used. The Bonnets of balanced bellows safety Valves must always be vented to ensure proper functioning of the Valve and to provide a telltale in the event of a bellows failure. Do not plug these open vents. When the fluid is flammable, toxic or corrosive, the Bonnet vent should be piped to a safe location. Source and images for this page..
It is important to remember that a pressure Relief Valve is a safety device employed to protect pressure vessels or systems from catastrophic failure. With this in mind, the application of pressure Relief Valves should be assigned only to fully trained personnel and be in strict compliance with rules provided by the governing codes and standards. |