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API RP 576 Inspection of Pressure Relieving Devices
API RP 576 Inspection of Pressure Relieving Devices
Descriptions of Pressure
Relieving Devices
• Principle of Operation
• A safety valve is a direct spring-loaded pressure relief valve
that is actuated by the static pressure upstream of the valve
and characterized by rapid opening or pop action.
• Description
• The spring of a safety valve is usually fully
exposed, out-side of the valve bonnet
to protect it from degradation due to
the temperature of the relieving medium.
• Applications
• Relief valves are normally used for incompressible fluids.
• Limitations
• Relief valves should not be used as follows:
• a. In steam, air, gas, or other vapor services.
• b. In services piped to a closed header unless the effects of
any constant or variable back pressure has been accounted
for.
• c. As pressure control or bypass valves.
• Description
• A safety relief valve is a direct spring-loaded pressure relief
valve that may be used as either a safety or relief valve
depending on the application.
• A safety relief valve is normally fully open at 10% over-
pressure when in gas or vapor service. When installed in
liquid service, full lift will be achieved at approximately 10%
or 25% overpressure, depending on trim type.
• Description
• A conventional safety relief valve
is a direct spring loaded pressure
relief valve whose operational
characteristics (opening pressure,
closing pressure, and relieving
capacity) are directly affected by
changes in the back pressure
(see Figure 4).
• Limitations
• Conventional safety relief valves should not be used in the
following applications:
• a. Where any built-up back pressures exceeds the
allowable overpressure.
• b. Where the Cold Differential Test Pressure CDTP cannot
be reduced to account for the effects of variable back
pressure (see API RP 520 Part I).
• c. On ASME Section I steam boiler drums or ASME Section
I superheaters.
• d. As pressure control or bypass valves.
• Description
• A pilot-operated safety relief valve is a pressure relief valve
in which the major relieving device or main valve is
combined with and controlled by a self actuated auxiliary
pressure relief valve (pilot). Depending on the design, the
pilot valve (control unit) and the main valve may be
mounted on either the same connection or separately. The
pilot is a spring loaded valve that operates when its inlet
static pressure exceeds its set pressure. This causes the
main valve to open and close according to the pressure.
• Description
• Process pressure is either vented off by the pilot valve to
open the main valve or applied to the top of the unbalanced
piston, diaphragm, or bellows of the main valve to close it.
• Applications
Causes of Improper
Performance of Pressure
Relieving Devices
• During Maintenance
• During Installation
• Valve inlets and outlets should have been covered
before the valves left the shop. If they were not covered
when received for installation, provisions should be made
to ensure that in the future they are covered before leaving
the shop.