Patent ID: 6209561
Filing Date: 2001-04-03
Classification: F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
An emergency pressure relief valve, comprising:a housing with a relief passage, a valve seat therein, a pressure chamber;a movable valve member in the housing, adapted to be exposed to pressure in a system and movable from a closed position to an open position, the valve member engaging the valve seat in the closed position to block flow through the relief passage, the valve member moving rapidly away from the valve seat in the open position to allow flow through the relief passage while the pressure in the system is sufficiently high;a movable pressure barrier carried in the pressure chamber and operably connected to the valve member, the pressure barrier adapted to receive a biasing force, the biasing force acting against a first side of the pressure barrier, urging the valve member to the closed position;a pressurized delay fluid located in the chamber on a second side of the pressure barrier when the valve member is in the open position, the pressure of the delay fluid exerting an opposed force on the second side of the pressure barrier that is opposed to the biasing force for delaying a return of the valve member from the open position back to the closed position due to the biasing force; anda delay fluid outlet port operably associated with the chamber on the second side of the pressure barrier, the delay fluid outlet port allowing the delay fluid to move out of the portion of the chamber on the second side of the pressure barrier at a rate that slows the return of the valve member to the closed position.