DOE Patents title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Depressurization valve

Abstract

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 actsmore » 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.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Santa Clara, CA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
General Electric Co., Boston, MA (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
866891
Patent Number(s):
4815697
Assignee:
General Electric Company (San Jose, CA)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F16 - ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS F16K - VALVES
DOE Contract Number:  
AC03-86SF16563
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
depressurization; 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; /251/376/

Citation Formats

Skoda, George I. Depressurization valve. United States: N. p., 1989. Web.
Skoda, George I. Depressurization valve. United States.
Skoda, George I. Sun . "Depressurization valve". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/866891.
@article{osti_866891,
title = {Depressurization valve},
author = {Skoda, George I},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989},
month = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989}
}