Coded Relief Valves?

[Thealanator]

Questions about relief valves and compressors:

If I consider a multistage high pressure recip compressor I think I understand coded relief valves. The interstage pulsation bottles and heat exchangers are pressure vessels. Coded pressure vessels need coded relief valves.

Things get murky when I consider a lube pump on that same compressor. The lube pumps I have seen are positive displacement, so there are one or more relief valves (internal/external) to protect against downstream blockage.

Are these types of relief valves typically coded? Should they be coded?

 

[zdas04]

The (BBV) Code applies to boilers and pressure vessels. Pulsation bottles and suction/discharge scrubbers come under the scope of this code. Piping doesn't. Pumps don't. Compressors don't. The lube oil pump is dischargeing into non-code components so pressure relief comes under "engineering judgement" instead of code.

David

 

[Thealanator]

David,

Thanks for the feedback. I suspected as much, but wanted to get another viewpoint.

We have a group that looks at pressure vessels. They holler when they see relief valves without code stamps, regardless of the application (you might have guessed-we have some big recips with lube pumps).

It would be nice to get some "relief" from these folks. Maybe I can suggest cost savings.