Pressure relief valve (PRV) assembly including end-to-end coupled PRV stages and related methods
A pressure relief valve (PRV) assembly may include PRV stages coupled in end-to-end relation. Each PRV stage may include a PRV body having a cavity therein to receive an adjacent PRV body therein and a fluid passageway fluidly coupled to the cavity. Each PRV stage may also include a PRV valve carried within the cavity and extending within the fluid passageway, and a first biasing member carried within the cavity to bias the PRV valve. Each PRV stage may further include a biasing member stop coupled to the PRV valve within the fluid passageway, and a second biasing member held within the fluid passageway by the biasing member stop and biasing the PRV valve. An end cap may be coupled to a last PRV stage of the PRV stages to hold the first biasing member within the cavity.
1 . A pressure relief valve (PRV) assembly comprising:
a plurality of PRV stages coupled in end-to-end relation, each PRV stage comprising
a PRV body having a cavity therein to receive an adjacent PRV body therein and a fluid passageway fluidly coupled to the cavity,
a PRV valve carried within the cavity and extending within the fluid passageway,
a first biasing member carried within the cavity to bias the PRV valve,
a biasing member stop coupled to the PRV valve within the fluid passageway, and
a second biasing member held within the fluid passageway by the biasing member stop and biasing the PRV valve; and
an end cap coupled to a last PRV stage of the plurality of PRV stages to hold the first biasing member within the cavity.
2 . The PRV assembly of claim 1 wherein the PRV valve comprises a head configured to define a seal between the cavity and the fluid passageway, and a shaft extending outwardly from the head within the fluid passageway.
3 . The PRV assembly of claim 2 wherein the biasing member stop is threadably coupled to the shaft.
4 . The PRV assembly of claim 2 wherein the PRV valve comprises a sealing member carried by the head adjacent the fluid passageway.
5 . The PRV assembly of claim 1 wherein the PRV body has an enlarged size body section having the cavity therein and a reduced size body section to be coupled within a cavity of an adjacent PRV body.
6 . The PRV assembly of claim 5 wherein the PRV body comprises a sealing member carried by a face of the enlarged size body section adjacent the reduced size body section to define a seal with an adjacent PRV body.
7 . The PRV assembly of claim 1 wherein the fluid passageway has first and second shoulders therein; wherein the second biasing member rests on the first shoulder; and wherein a first biasing member of an adjacent PRV stage rests on the second shoulder.
8 . The PRV assembly of claim 1 wherein the end cap has an end-cap passageway therein in fluid communication with the cavity.
9 . The PRV assembly of claim 8 wherein the end cap has a shoulder within the end-cap passageway; and wherein the first biasing member rests on the shoulder.
10 . The PRV assembly of claim 1 wherein the first biasing member comprises a first coil spring.
11 . The PRV assembly of claim 1 wherein the second biasing member comprises a second coil spring.
12 . The PRV assembly of claim 1 wherein a diameter of the fluid passageway is smaller than a diameter of the cavity.
13 . A pressure relief valve (PRV) assembly comprising:
a plurality of PRV stages coupled in end-to-end relation, each PRV stage comprising
a PRV body having a cavity therein to receive an adjacent PRV body therein and a fluid passageway fluidly coupled to the cavity, the PRV body having an enlarged size body section having the cavity therein, and a reduced size body section to be coupled within a cavity of an adjacent PRV body,
a PRV valve carried within the cavity and extending within the fluid passageway and comprising a head configured to define a seal between the cavity and the fluid passageway, and a shaft extending outwardly from the head within the fluid passageway,
a first biasing member carried within the cavity to bias the PRV valve,
a biasing member stop coupled to the PRV valve within the fluid passageway, and
a second biasing member held within the fluid passageway by the biasing member stop and biasing the PRV valve; and
an end cap coupled to a last PRV stage of the plurality of PRV stages to hold the first biasing member within the cavity.
14 . The PRV assembly of claim 13 wherein the biasing member stop is threadably coupled to the shaft.
15 . The PRV assembly of claim 13 wherein the PRV valve comprises a sealing member carried by the head adjacent the fluid passageway.
16 . The PRV assembly of claim 13 wherein the PRV body comprises a sealing member carried by a face of the enlarged size body section adjacent the reduced size body section to define a seal with an adjacent PRV body.
17 . The PRV assembly of claim 13 wherein the fluid passageway has first and second shoulders therein; wherein the second biasing member rests on the first shoulder; and wherein a first biasing member of an adjacent PRV stage rests on the second shoulder.
18 . A method of making a pressure relief valve (PRV) assembly comprising:
coupling a plurality of PRV stages in end-to-end relation, each PRV stage comprising
a PRV body having a cavity therein to receive an adjacent PRV body therein and a fluid passageway fluidly coupled to the cavity,
a PRV valve carried within the cavity and extending within the fluid passageway,
a first biasing member carried within the cavity to bias the PRV valve,
a biasing member stop coupled to the PRV valve within the fluid passageway, and
a second biasing member held within the fluid passageway by the biasing member stop and biasing the PRV valve; and
coupling an end cap to a last PRV stage of the plurality of PRV stages to hold the first biasing member within the cavity.
19 . The method of claim 18 wherein the PRV valve comprises a head configured to define a seal between the cavity and the fluid passageway, and a shaft extending outwardly from the head within the fluid passageway.
20 . The method of claim 19 wherein the biasing member stop is threadably coupled to the shaft.
21 . The method of claim 19 wherein the PRV valve comprises a sealing member carried by the head adjacent the fluid passageway.
22 . The method of claim 18 wherein the PRV body has an enlarged size body section having the cavity therein and a reduced size body section; and wherein coupling the plurality of PRV stages comprises coupling the reduced size body within a cavity of an adjacent PRV body.
23 . A method of making a pressure relief valve (PRV) assembly comprising:
forming each of a plurality of PRV stages by at least
forming a PRV body having a cavity therein to receive an adjacent PRV body therein and a fluid passageway fluidly coupled to the cavity,
positioning a PRV valve carried within the cavity and extending within the fluid passageway,
positioning a first biasing member carried within the cavity to bias the PRV valve,
coupling a biasing member stop to the PRV valve within the fluid passageway, and
positioning a second biasing member within the fluid passageway and to be held by the biasing member stop to bias the PRV valve;
coupling the plurality of PRV stages in end-to-end relation; and
coupling an end cap to a last PRV stage of the plurality of PRV stages to hold the first biasing member within the cavity.
24 . The method of claim 23 wherein the PRV valve comprises a head configured to define a seal between the cavity and the fluid passageway, and a shaft extending outwardly from the head within the fluid passageway.
25 . The method of claim 24 wherein coupling the biasing member stop comprises threadably coupling the biasing member stop to the shaft.
26 . The method of claim 23 wherein the PRV body has an enlarged size body section having the cavity therein and a reduced size body section; and wherein coupling the plurality of PRV stages comprises coupling the reduced size body within a cavity of an adjacent PRV body.