Depressurization valve
- Santa Clara, CA
A depressurization valve for use in relieving completely the pressure in a simplified boiling water reactor is disclosed. The normally closed and sealed valve is provided with a valve body defining a conduit from an outlet of a manifold from the reactor through a valve seat. A closing valve disk is configured for fitting to the valve seat to normally close the valve. The seat below the disk is provided with a radially extending annulus extending a short distance into the aperture defined by the seat. The disk is correspondingly provided with a longitudinally extending annulus that extends downwardly through the aperture defined by the seat towards the high pressure side of the valve body. A ring shaped membrane is endlessly welded to the seat annulus and to the disk annulus. The membrane is conformed over the confronted surface of the seat and disk in a C-sectioned configuration to seal the depressurization valve against the possibility of weeping. The disk is held to the closed position by an elongate stem extending away from the high pressure side of the valve body. The stem has a flange configured integrally to the stem for bias by two springs. The first spring acts from a portion of the housing overlying the disk on the stem flange adjacent the disk. This spring urges the stem and attached disk away from the seat and thus will cause the valve to open at any pressure. A second spring--preferably of the Belleville variety--acts on a latch plate surrounding and freely moving relative to the end of the stem. This second spring overcomes the bias of the first spring and any pressure acting upon the disk. This Belleville spring maintains through its spring force the valve in the closed position. At the same time, the latch plate with its freedom of movement relative to the stem allows the stem to thermally expand during valve temperature excursion. The latch plate in surrounding the stem is limited in its outward movement by a boss attached to the stem at the end of the stem remote from the disk. The latch plate is held normally closed by three radial latches spaced at 120.degree. around the periphery of the plate.
- Research Organization:
- General Electric Co., Boston, MA (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-86SF16563
- Assignee:
- General Electric Company (San Jose, CA)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4815697
- OSTI ID:
- 866891
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
valve
relieving
completely
pressure
simplified
boiling
water
reactor
disclosed
normally
closed
sealed
provided
defining
conduit
outlet
manifold
seat
closing
disk
configured
fitting
close
below
radially
extending
annulus
distance
aperture
defined
correspondingly
longitudinally
extends
downwardly
towards
shaped
membrane
endlessly
welded
conformed
confronted
surface
c-sectioned
configuration
seal
possibility
weeping
held
position
elongate
flange
integrally
bias
springs
spring
portion
housing
overlying
adjacent
urges
attached
spring-preferably
belleville
variety-acts
latch
plate
surrounding
freely
moving
relative
overcomes
acting
maintains
force
time
freedom
movement
allows
thermally
expand
temperature
excursion
limited
outward
boss
remote
radial
latches
spaced
120
degree
periphery
movement relative
pressure acting
depressurization valve
latch plate
valve seat
water reactor
normally closed
radially extending
longitudinally extending
closed position
boiling water
moving relative
valve disk
temperature excursion
spring force
extends downwardly
extending annulus
simplified boiling
closing valve
normally close
thermally expand
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