Safety and Release Valves Overview, Definition and Difference
Safety and release valves are two important components of a system. They are responsible for maintaining the safe operation of the system and protecting the system from possible overpressure or underpressure conditions. The safety valve works through pressure relief to prevent overpressure conditions and the release valve is usually used to maintain a lower pressure setting. In this article, we will discuss the overview, definition and difference between safety and release valves.
Overview
Safety and release valves are designed to work together to protect a system from possible problems. Safety valves are used when a pressure exceeds a set point and the release valve is used when the pressure is below a set point. Safety valves allow pressurized fluid or gas to be released and the release valve will maintain a certain lower pressure within the system.
Safety valves are classified into two categories, direct and pilot operated. With direct operated safety valve, the pressure of the fluid causes the valve to open and close directly. On the other hand, the pilot operated safety valves open and close when the pressure exceeds that of the pilot. Therefore, the pilot operation safety valve can achieve considerable savings in terms of energy and cost within the system.
Definition
Safety valves are typically defined as devices that are used to protect the system from over-pressurization. They are used to open when the pressure exceeds a certain set point to release the pressure, thereby protecting the system from possible damage or destruction. On the other hand, release valves are used to maintain a certain lower pressure within the system. They are used to open when the pressure drops below a certain setpoint to allow air or gas to be released, to keep the pressure of the system within a safe range.
Difference
The main difference between safety and release valves is the way they operate. The safety valve works through pressure relief to prevent overpressure conditions, whereas the release valve is designed to maintain a set lower pressure. The safety valve will open when the pressure exceeds a certain setpoint and release air or gas, whereas the release valve will open when the pressure drops below a certain set point to allow more air or gas to enter the system. In addition, safety valves are usually direct operated or pilot operated, whereas release valves are designed to be direct operated.
Conclusion
Safety and release valves are two important components of a system. They are responsible for maintaining the safe operation of the system and protecting the system from possible overpressure or underpressure conditions. Safety valves are typically defined as devices that are used to protect the system from over-pressurization, while release valves are used to maintain a certain lower pressure within the system. The main difference between safety and release valves is the way they operate. Safety valves are used when a pressure exceeds a set point and release valves are used when the pressure is below a set point.
