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Surge Relief Valve Definition Function Types Sizing Selection

A surge relief valve protects piping systems from pressure surges caused by events like rapid valve closure. It remains closed under normal pressure but opens quickly to release excess pressure during a surge. The two main types are pilot-operated valves, which are slower but stable, and gas-loaded valves, which use nitrogen to open extremely fast. Proper sizing and selection of a surge relief valve depends on factors like system capacity and potential pressure rise to safely relieve surges.

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201 views6 pages

Surge Relief Valve Definition Function Types Sizing Selection

A surge relief valve protects piping systems from pressure surges caused by events like rapid valve closure. It remains closed under normal pressure but opens quickly to release excess pressure during a surge. The two main types are pilot-operated valves, which are slower but stable, and gas-loaded valves, which use nitrogen to open extremely fast. Proper sizing and selection of a surge relief valve depends on factors like system capacity and potential pressure rise to safely relieve surges.

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kamala 123
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Surge Relief Valve: Definition, Function, Types, Sizing,

Selection
whatispiping.com/surge-relief-valve

Anup Kumar Dey

What is a Surge Relief Valve?


A surge relief valve is a specially designed valve that protects piping and pipeline systems
from pressure surge events caused by rapid valve closure, emergency shut-down or pump
trip situations. As they are inexpensive and can be installed at any location of interest,
Surge relief valves are reliably used in the Oil & Gas, Chemical, Petrochemical, Power,
Marine and Nuclear Industries. Surge relief valves can be used in all systems requiring
some kind of pressure relief to avoid personnel, equipment or asset loss due to failure
from overpressure situation.

Surge Relief Valve Function


The main function of a surge relief valve is to quickly open during a pressure surge
incident and relieve the high-pressure fluid to any safe outlet. In the normal scenario, the
valve remains in a closed position by the compression of a spring. When the pipeline
pressure becomes more than the surge relief valve set pressure, the valve disc quickly
opens to release the overpressure. Again, when the system pressure subsides and reduces
below set-pressure, the valve automatically closes.

So, to protect the system from dangerous surge conditions, surge relief valves must have
the following characteristics:

Quick Opening Speed to rapidly relieve the surge pressure. Open fully in very short
time.
Non-Slam Capability so that it does not cause pressure rise during valve closure.
Sufficient capacity to relieve the entire high-pressure fluid.

Types of Surge Relief Valves


Two types of Surge relief valves are widely used in process industries:

Pilot-operated surge relief valve, and


Gas-loaded surge relief valve (Normally Nitrogen is used)

The main features of pilot operated surge relief valves are:

Suitable for low viscosity refined products


Completely self-contained/self-acting
Relatively slow response
Stable operation
Disc action is controlled by mechanical pilot valve.

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No external energy sources.

Fig. 1: Pilot-Operated Surge Relief Valve

Pilot-Operated Surge Relief Valves are normally used for pump trip cases and installed at
the inlet or outlet of the pump station.

On the other hand, gas-loaded relief valves are used in transportation pipeline systems.
The main features of gas-loaded (nitrogen-loaded) pressure relief valves are:

Suitable for all types of petroleum products, including high viscosity or dirty
products
Exceptionally fast response
For more efficient operating conditions, can maintain a minimum back pressure

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Fig. 2: Gas-Loaded Surge Relief Valve

The system relief pressure and the amount of fluid the valve must pass when it relieves
will govern the required pressure of the gas loading system. Accordingly, the surge relief
valve size will be decided. Such systems offer flexibility in design according to what is
desired, including extremely rapid opening, as illustrated in the Fig. 3 below. It follows
that, the higher the differential pressure the faster the valve will open.

Fig. 3: Gas-loaded Surge Relief Valve Instrumentation

Surge Relief Valve Sizing


The sizing of surge relief valve depends on various factors like

Potential for pressure rise


system capacity
location of the surge relief valve
other safety and control measures in the system
pipeline length, thickness.

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Maximum fluid velocity and maximum allowable pressure.

In normal practice, surge relief valves are normally selected following various chart and
nomograms.

Selection of Surge Relief Valve


To safeguard the complete piping/pipeline system from surge pressure, the right surge
pressure relief valve selection is highly important. Selection is dependent on various
factors like:

Valve Response Time: Gas-loaded relief valve is faster as compared to pilot-


operated ones.
Valve Co-efficient: It is recommended that the required Cv should not exceed 85% of
the selected valve size actual Cv. Note that, Cv of a Valve varies by size, type, and
manufacturer.
Excess pressure above the set-point to reach the required flow rate
Valve characteristic control curve

Skid Based Surge Relief Valve System


In recent times, skid based surge relief systems provide a complete solution for surge
events. Such skids comprise of properly sized surge relief valve with the nitrogen system
integrated on the skid and inlet & outlet manifolds with isolation valves upstream and
downstream of the surge relief valves. Fig. 4 below shows such a typical surge relief valve
skid.

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Fig. 4: Skid-Based Surge Relief Valve

Reference & Further Studies:

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https://www.emerson.com/documents/automation/technical-guide-introduction-
to-liquid-pipeline-surge-relief-en-43822.pdf

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