Pressure relief valve
View Patent ↗A pressure relief valve for use with flexible containers is disclosed. The valve comprises a valve chamber, a valve chamber seat with an inlet gas port or ports to the interior of the container and a resilient diaphragm floating within the chamber. The valve seat is shaped with a generally flat diaphragm-engaging surface in a central area of the diaphragm where the inlet gas port(s) are located, and at least one surface that does not generally engage the outer portion of the diaphragm, such that a diaphragm floating in the valve chamber engages a central portion of the valve seat surface stopping the passage of gases in or out of the container before a certain pressure is reached, but permitting the passage of gases from within the flexible container as pressure builds, while preventing the flow of atmospheric gases into the container.
1. A pressure relief valve, the valve comprising: a valve body, the valve body having a valve chamber, the valve chamber having a valve seat on a structure raised above a valve chamber base surface and at least one gas port through the valve seat, the gas port adapted for fluid communication of gases through the valve chamber, from one side of the valve to the other side of the valve, the valve seat further comprising a substantially hemispherical dome with a truncated generally flat surface;
whereby control of the fluid communication is effected by a resilient, non-perforated diaphragm having a seat engaging side and a seat engaging side first surface area, the diaphragm adapted to float within the valve chamber and to inter-engage the valve seat to selectably block fluid flow through the valve seat gas port;
the valve seat further comprising a generally flat diaphragm-engaging surface having a second surface area, the second surface area being less than the first surface area;
wherein the surface area of the diaphragm engaging surface of the valve seat is 16% to 80% of the surface area of the engaging side of the diaphragm.
2. A pressure relief valve, the valve comprising: a valve body, the valve body having a valve chamber, the valve chamber having a valve seat on a structure raised above a valve chamber base surface and at least one gas port through the valve seat, the gas port adapted for fluid communication of gases through the valve chamber, from one side of the valve to the other side of the valve, the valve seat further comprising a substantially hemispherical dome with a truncated generally flat surface;
whereby control of the fluid communication is effected by a resilient, non-perforated diaphragm having a seat engaging side and a seat engaging side first surface area, the diaphragm adapted to float within the valve chamber and to inter-engage the valve seat to selectably block fluid flow through the valve seat gas port;
the valve seat further comprising a generally flat diaphragm-engaging surface having a second surface area, the second surface area being less than the first surface area;
wherein the surface area of the diaphragm engaging surface of the valve seat is 40% to 55% of the surface area of the engaging side of the diaphragm.
3. A pressure relief valve, the valve comprising: a valve body, the valve body having a valve chamber, the valve chamber having a valve seat on a structure raised above a valve chamber base surface and at least one gas port through the valve seat, the gas port adapted for fluid communication of gases through the valve chamber, from one side of the valve to the other side of the valve, the valve seat further comprising a substantially hemispherical dome with a truncated generally flat surface;
whereby control of the fluid communication is effected by a resilient, non-perforated diaphragm having a seat engaging side and a seat engaging side first surface area, the diaphragm adapted to float within the valve chamber and to inter-engage the valve seat to selectably block fluid flow through the valve seat gas port;
the valve seat further comprising a generally flat diaphragm-engaging surface having a second surface area, the second surface area being less than the first surface area;
wherein the diaphragm is generally circular, and the truncated surface being the surface that inter-engages the diaphragm, the valve seat further comprising a surface of the dome that slopes away from the truncated surface and is adapted to remain disengaged from any portion of the diaphragm.
4. The pressure relief valve of claim 3 wherein the shape of the truncated dome is described by a cross-sectional radius between 2.5-4 times the radius of the diaphragm.
5. The pressure relief valve of claim 4 wherein the cross-sectional radius of the dome is between approximately 0.35 and 0.55 inches, and the truncated surface is approximately 0.005 inches different from a value chamber base surface.
6. A pressure relief valve, the valve comprising: a valve body, the valve body having a valve chamber, the valve chamber having a valve seat on a structure raised above a valve chamber base surface and at least one gas port through the valve seat, the gas port adapted for fluid communication of gases through the valve chamber, from one side of the valve to the other side of the valve;
whereby control of the fluid communication is effected by a resilient, non-perforated diaphragm having a seat engaging side and a seat engaging side first surface area, the diaphragm adapted to float within the valve chamber and to inter-engage the valve seat to selectably block fluid flow through the valve seat gas port;
the valve seat further comprising a generally flat diaphragm-engaging surface, the surface area of the diaphragm-engaging surface being less than the surface area of the engaging side of the diaphragm;
the valve seat further comprising a well recessed into the valve seat in a direction away from the diaphragm, the well being generally covered by the diaphragm when it is inter-engaged upon the valve seat;
wherein the surface area of the diaphragm engaging surface of the valve seat is 5% to 60% of the surface area of the engaging side of the diaphragm.
7. A pressure relief valve, the valve comprising: a valve body, the valve body having a valve chamber, the valve chamber having a valve seat on a structure raised above a valve chamber base surface and at least one gas port through the valve seat, the gas port adapted for fluid communication of gases through the valve chamber, from one side of the valve to the other side of the valve;
whereby control of the fluid communication is effected by a resilient, non-perforated diaphragm having a seat engaging side and a seat engaging side first surface area, the diaphragm adapted to float within the valve chamber and to inter-engage the valve seat to selectably block fluid flow through the valve seat gas port;
the valve seat further comprising a generally flat diaphragm-engaging surface, the surface area of the diaphragm-engaging surface being less than the surface area of the engaging side of the diaphragm;
the valve seat further comprising a well recessed into the valve seat in a direction away from the diaphragm, the well being generally covered by the diaphragm when it is inter-engaged upon the valve seat;
wherein the surface area of the diaphragm engaging surface of the valve seat is 9% to 40% of the surface area of the engaging side of the diaphragm.
8. A pressure relief valve, the valve comprising: a valve body, the valve body having a valve chamber, the valve chamber having a valve seat on a structure raised above a valve chamber base surface and at least one gas port through the valve seat, the gas port adapted for fluid communication of gases through the valve chamber, from one side of the valve to the other side of the valve;
whereby control of the fluid communication is effected by a resilient, non-perforated diaphragm having a seat engaging side and a seat engaging side first surface area, the diaphragm adapted to float within the valve chamber and to inter-engage the valve seat to selectably block fluid flow through the valve seat gas port;
the valve seat further comprising a generally flat diaphragm-engaging surface, the surface area of the diaphragm-engaging surface being less than the surface area of the engaging side of the diaphragm;
the valve seat further comprising a well recessed into the valve seat in a direction away from the diaphragm, the well being generally covered by the diaphragm when it is inter-engaged upon the valve seat;
wherein the shape of the truncated dome is described by a cross-sectional radius between 1-5 times the radius of the diaphragm.
9. The pressure relief valve of claim 8 wherein the shape of the truncated dome is described by a cross-sectional radius between 2.5-4 times the radius of the diaphragm.
10. A pressure relief valve, the valve comprising: a valve body, the valve body having a valve chamber, the valve chamber having a valve seat on a structure raised above a valve chamber base surface and at least one gas port through the valve seat, the gas port adapted for fluid communication of gases through the valve chamber, from one side of the valve to the other side of the valve;
whereby control of the fluid communication is effected by a resilient, non-perforated diaphragm having a seat engaging side and a seat engaging side first surface area, the diaphragm adapted to float within the valve chamber and to inter-engage the valve seat to selectably block fluid flow through the valve seat gas port;
the valve seat further comprising a generally flat diaphragm-engaging surface, the surface area of the diaphragm-engaging surface being less than the surface area of the engaging side of the diaphragm;
the valve seat further comprising a well recessed into the valve seat in a direction away from the diaphragm, the well being generally covered by the diaphragm when it is inter-engaged upon the valve seat;
wherein the valve seat is shaped as a centered generally flat diaphragm inter-engaging portion and a channel embedded proximate the perimeter of the valve seat that does not generally inter-engage the diaphragm.