Multi-Plane Pressure Relief Valve Sealing Under High Relief Forces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pressure relief valves experience damage due to high forces during pressure relief events, which can compromise the effectiveness of the seal provided, particularly in pressure vessels where high forces are encountered.
Innovation Solution
A pressure relief valve design featuring a base and cap with multiple sealing contacts, including first and second seals formed in a parallel plane and a third seal in a different plane, utilizing a gasket that flexes during cap movement and a retainer to prevent crack propagation, along with a bias component to manage the cap's position, enhancing the reliability and durability of the seal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single seal is used in the pressure relief valve, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of the seal is compromised under high forces during pressure relief events
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing structure is divided into multiple independent seal locations (first seal between cap face and base face, second seal between cap and gasket, third seal between base and gasket) that contact the gasket at different locations. This segmentation allows the sealing function to be distributed across multiple contact points, improving reliability without requiring a single complex sealing mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces sealing in multiple spatial dimensions and planes. The first and second seals contact the gasket in a first plane, while the third seal contacts the gasket in a second plane that is not parallel to the first plane. This multi-planar sealing approach enhances reliability by distributing sealing contacts across different dimensional orientations.
2Reliability
If the gasket is made flexible to accommodate movement, then the seal reliability improves, but the gasket becomes more susceptible to damage from high forces
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket is contacted at multiple segmented locations across different planes rather than a single concentrated contact point. This distributes the high forces during pressure relief events across multiple contact points, reducing the stress on any single location and preventing localized damage while maintaining sealing integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-seal design acts as a cushioning system by providing multiple sealing contact points that distribute and absorb the high forces during pressure relief events. The retainer component also provides protective support to the gasket, preventing crack propagation and reinforcing the gasket against damage from the high forces it encounters.
3Reliability
If multiple seals are implemented in different planes, then the seal reliability is significantly improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cap, base, and gasket components serve multiple functions simultaneously. The cap face and base face form the first seal while also providing structural support. The gasket provides the sealing surface for all three seals (first, second, and third) while also being supported by the retainer. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components, simplifying manufacturing despite the multi-plane sealing requirement.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The multi-seal design significantly improves the reliability of the pressure relief valve's seal, maintaining sealing integrity even when first and second seals are broken, and reduces the likelihood of gasket damage, ensuring effective pressure relief while preventing fluid leakage.
Implementation Method 1
the edge of the gasket is configured to flex during movement of the cap from the open position to the closed position
Implementation Method 2
the bias component is a spring connected between the base and the cap, the bias component configured to bias the cap towards the closed position
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a
Figure 2b
AI summary
A pressure relief valve comprises a base attachable to the pressure vessel at a vessel aperture, the base comprising a base face, the base face facing away from the vessel; a cap comprising a cap face, the cap face facing towards the vessel, the cap movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the closed position the cap seals the vessel aperture and in the open position flow through the vessel aperture is permitted to relieve pressure in the pressure vessel; and a gasket between the base face and the cap face, wherein in the closed position: the base face and the cap face contact the gasket at a first location to form a first seal; and the base face and the cap face contact the gasket at a second location to form a second seal.