Table of Contents

Pressure Relief Valve – Diagram , Working

Introduction

Hydraulic energy is produced as long as the prime mover (usually an electric motor) drives the pump, and hydraulic pressure develops by resistance to pump flow.Hence, the hydraulic system suffers damage if the pump flow is not stopped or off loaded (recirculate) back to the tank during non-action periods of the circuit.Non-action periods arise from stalling an actuator, or by reaching the end of the stroke or the
circuit sequence, or during the time-delay periods of the circuit sequence.
In order to avoid hydraulic system damage, power wastage and overheating of the hydraulic fluid, circuit designers use a variety of cleverly designed systems to control maximum system pressure and pump flow during non-action periods.

Pressure-Relief Valves

Pressure-relief valves limit the maximum pressure in a hydraulic circuit by providing an alternate path for fluid flow when the pressure reaches a preset level. All fixed-volume pump circuits require a relief valve to protect the system from excess pressure. Fixed-volume pumps must move fluid when they turn. When a pump unloads through an open-center circuit or actuators are in motion, fluid movement is not a
problem. A relief valve is essential when the actuators stall with the directional valve still in shifted position.

A relief valve is similar to a fuse in an electrical system. When circuit amperage stays below the fuse amperage, all is well. When circuit amperage tries to exceed fuse amperage, the fuse blows and disables the circuit. Both devices protect the system from excess pressure/current by keeping it below a preset level. The difference is that when an electrical fuse blows, it must be reset or replaced by maintenance personnel before the machine cycles again. This requirement alerts electrician’s about a possible problem before restarting the machine. Without the protection of a fuse, the electrical circuit would finally overheat and start a fire.

Similarly, in a hydraulic circuit, a relief valve opens and bypasses fluid when pressure exceeds its setting. The valve then closes again when pressure falls. This means that a relief valve can bypass fluid anytime, or all the time, without intervention by maintenance. Many fixed-volume pump circuits depend on this bypassing capability during the cycle, and some even bypass fluid during idle time. A well-designed
circuit never bypasses fluid unless there is a malfunction, such as a limit switch not closing or an operator over-riding the controls. This eliminates most overheating problems and saves energy.
There are two different designs of relief valves in use: direct-acting and pilot-operated. Both types have advantages and work better in certain applications.

Simple Pressure-Relief Valve

The most widely used type of pressure control valve is the pressure-relief valve because it is found in practically every hydraulic system. Schematic diagram of simple relief valve is shown in Fig. 1.1 and three-dimensional view is shown in Fig. 1.2. It is normally a closed valve whose function is to limit the pressure to a specified maximum value by diverting pump flow back to the tank. A poppet is held seated
inside the valve by a heavy spring. When the system pressure reaches a high enough value, the poppet is forced off its seat. This permits flow through the outlet to the tank as long as this high pressure level is maintained. Note the external adjusting screw, which varies spring force and, thus, the pressure at which the valve begins to open (cracking pressure)(Fig. 1.3).
It should be noted that the poppet must open sufficiently to allow full pump flow. The pressure that exists at full pump flow can be substantially greater than cracking pressure. The pressure at full pump flow is the pressure level that is specified when referring to the pressure setting of the valve. It is the maximum pressure level permitted by the relief valve.

If the hydraulic system does not accept any flow, then all the pump flow must return to the tank via the relief valve. The pressure-relief valve provides protection against any overloads experienced by the actuators in the hydraulic system. Of course, a relief valve is not needed if a pressure-compensated vane pump is used. Obviously one important function of a pressure-relief valve is to limit the force or torque produced by hydraulic cylinders or motors.

Advantages Of Relief Valve :

The main advantage of direct-acting relief valves over pilot-operated relief valves is that they respond very rapidly to pressure buildup. Because there is only one moving part in a direct-acting relief valve, it can open rapidly, thus minimizing pressure spikes.