Dual stage pressure relief valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10871237-B2
Application number	US-201816100540-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 10, 2018
Priority date	Sep 1, 2017
Publication date	Dec 22, 2020
Grant date	Dec 22, 2020

Abstract

A dual stage pressure relief valve for relieving pressure. The pressure relief valve includes a main body, a poppet bulb, a pilot piston, and a poppet cap. The main body defines a main channel that extends from a first opening to a second opening. The poppet bulb defines a first flow channel being in fluid communication with the main channel. The pilot piston defines a reset channel in fluid communication with the first flow channel of the poppet bulb. The cap channel has a diameter that is greater than a diameter of the reset channel. The poppet cap defines a cap channel in fluid communication with the reset channel of the pilot piston and with a pressure cavity defined by the poppet cap and an end of the main body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pressure relief valve comprising:
a main body having a first end and a second end, the first end of the main body defining a main channel that extends from a first opening to a second opening;
a poppet bulb defining a first flow channel, the first flow channel extending through the poppet bulb from a first opening to a second opening, the first opening of the first flow channel being in fluid communication with the main channel;
a pilot piston defining an inlet channel, a pressure channel, and a reset channel, the inlet channel extending from a first opening to the pressure channel and to the reset channel, the first opening of the inlet channel being in fluid communication with the first flow channel of the poppet bulb; and
a poppet cap defining a cap channel, the cap channel extending through the poppet cap from a first opening to a second opening, the first opening of the cap channel being in fluid communication with the reset channel of the pilot piston, the cap channel having a diameter that is greater than a diameter of the reset channel, the second opening of the cap channel being in fluid communication with a pressure cavity defined by the poppet cap and the second end of the main body,
wherein the pressure relief valve is operable between a closed position and an open position, wherein in the closed position the poppet bulb is located adjacent to the second opening of the main channel and in contact with an inner surface of the main channel such that a fluid flow through the main channel is substantially prevented, and wherein in the open position the poppet bulb is axially spaced from the second opening of the main channel toward the second end of the main body such that a fluid flow through the main channel is allowed, and
wherein in the closed position of the pressure relief valve, fluid communication between the pressure channel of the pilot piston and atmosphere is substantially prevented.

2. The pressure relief valve of claim 1 , wherein the pressure cavity is a first pressure cavity, and wherein a second pressure cavity is defined between the poppet bulb and the pilot piston, the second pressure cavity being positioned between the first flow channel defined by the poppet bulb and the inlet channel defined in the pilot piston, wherein the pressure relief valve is further operable to an intermediate position.

3. The pressure relief valve of claim 2 , wherein in the intermediate position the poppet bulb is located adjacent to the second opening of the main channel and in contact with an inner surface of the main channel such that a fluid flow through the main channel is substantially prevented.

4. The pressure relief valve of claim 3 , wherein the intermediate position is a first intermediate position, wherein the pressure relief valve is further operable to the open position and then to a second intermediate position, and wherein in the open position and the second intermediate position the poppet bulb is axially displaced toward the second end of the main body such that a fluid flow through the main channel to atmosphere is allowed.

5. The pressure relief valve of claim 4 , wherein the pressure relief valve transitions from the closed position to the first intermediate position and to the open position when a pressure in the main channel is increasing, and wherein the pressure relief valve transitions from the open position to the second intermediate position and to the closed position when the pressure in the main channel is decreasing.

6. The pressure relief valve of claim 4 , wherein the second end of the main body includes at least one hole that connects an interior of the main body to an exterior of the main body, wherein when the pressure relief valve is in either the open position or the second intermediate position the main channel is in fluid communication with the at least one hole, and wherein when the pressure relief valve is in the closed position the fluid communication is substantially prevented between the main channel and the at least one hole by the poppet bulb.

7. The pressure relief valve of claim 4 , further comprising:
a poppet body defining an opening through which at least a portion of the pilot piston extends, the poppet body and the poppet cap defining a first pressure relief channel therebetween, the first pressure relief channel being in fluid communication with the at least one hole, the pilot piston and the poppet cap defining a second pressure relief channel therebetween, wherein in the open position of the pressure relief valve the at least one hole is in fluid communication with the first pressure cavity via the first pressure relief channel and the second pressure relief channel, and wherein in the closed position of the pressure relief valve a size of the second pressure relief channel is smaller than a size of the second pressure relief channel when the pressure relief valve is in the open position such that fluid communication between the at least one hole and the first pressure cavity is substantially prevented by the second pressure relief channel.

8. The pressure relief valve of claim 7 , wherein the poppet bulb, the pilot piston, and the poppet body are axially aligned.

9. The pressure relief valve of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first resilient member positioned between the poppet bulb and the pilot piston, the first resilient member configured to bias the poppet bulb and the pilot piston in opposing axial directions; and
a second resilient member positioned within the pressure cavity, the second resilient member configured to bias the poppet cap in an axial direction towards the first end of the main body.

10. The pressure relief valve of claim 9 , wherein the first resilient member comprises a spring, and wherein the second resilient member comprises a spring.

11. The pressure relief valve of claim 1 , wherein the first opening of the poppet bulb is substantially perpendicular to the fluid flow through the main channel.

12. The pressure relief valve of claim 1 , wherein the main channel, the first flow channel, the inlet channel, and the reset channel are substantially parallel, and wherein the pressure channel is substantially perpendicular to the main channel, the first flow channel, the inlet channel, and the reset channel.

13. The pressure relief valve of claim 1 , wherein in the closed position of the pressure relief valve, fluid communication between the reset channel of the pilot piston and atmosphere is substantially prevented.

14. A plug system for sealing a pipeline, the plug system comprising:
an inflatable plug including:
a tubular member having an outer surface that extends from a first end to a second end; and
a first plate and a second plate secured to the first end and the second end of the tubular member respectively, such that the first plate, the second plate, and the inner surface of the tubular member together define a central chamber of the inflatable plug, and

a dual stage pressure relief valve coupled to at least one of the first plate and the second plate, the dual stage pressure relief valve configured to release a pressure within the inflatable plug after a desired upper pressure limit is achieved within the inflatable plug, wherein the dual stage pressure relieve valve comprises:
a main body,
a pilot piston defining a reset channel in fluid communication with the central chamber of the inflatable plug, and
a poppet cap defining a cap channel in fluid communication with the reset channel of the pilot piston and with a pressure cavity defined by the poppet cap and an end of the main body,
wherein in a closed position of t

Assignees

• Oatey Co

Inventors

• Van Schoor Marthinus Cornelius
• Lengyel Attila Jozsef
• Saindon Luke Clovis
• Burnell Nicholas

Classifications

• F16K17/044 Primary

  with more than one spring · CPC title

• F16K27/0245

  with ball-shaped valve members · CPC title

• F16K17/0473

  Multiple-way safety valves · CPC title

• F16K17/0406 Primary

  in the form of balls · CPC title

• F16K17/082

  with piston · CPC title