Vacuum relief valves prevent damage to piping systems caused by vacuum forces. They open when pressure drops dangerously low, allowing materials such as fluids, gases, and air to compensate for the pressure drop. Valve materials match those of the piping system for proper sealing.
Vacuum relief valves are installed within systems that have a significant enough pressure behind the fluid or gas within them that it is possible that the pressure in the system could decrease and reach a point that the piping system is unable to to bear. When the pressure within a piping system drops significantly, a vacuum is created due to the movement of material within the pipes. These vacuum forces can be extremely powerful and the vacuum relief valve is used as the only means of relieving the piping system from the stress of the force created by the vacuum.
The vacuum relief valve is designed to open when the pressure inside the pipes drops to a point that can become dangerous to the system or any system component. Whenever the pressure is low enough to cause instability in the system, the vacuum relief valve can be opened to release the vacuum. When the valve opens, the design of that particular valve’s operation determines how much material is allowed into the piping system.
Vacuum relief valves can allow different types of materials to be introduced into systems, including fluids, gases, inert gases or air. In these systems, the relief valve opens to admit enough material to compensate for the pressure drop within the system. The amount of force required to open the valve depends on the valve and how it is installed. The operator can also determine the amount of pressure that can be built up within the piping system before the vacuum relief valve opens.
In most applications, the vacuum relief valve is made of durable materials. Valves are commonly made with brass fittings and rubber seals. In general, however, the materials typically used depend on the materials of the piping system in which they are installed.
This means that valves typically match pipes. For example, if the piping system is made of PVC plastic, the relief valve material will be PVC threads and plastic components with rubber gaskets. Corresponding material compositions typically allow proper sealing of the port when the valve is applied to the system.
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