What Does
Safety Valve Mean?
A safety valve is an automated mechanical device used to regulate a fluid's flow through a process system in conformance with predetermined pressure and temperature constraints to prevent an incident that could result in the loss of life, assets or harm to the environment.
Safety valves are also known as pressure relief valves (PRVs), pressure safety valves (PSVs) and relief valves (RVs).
Corrosionpedia Explains Safety Valve
A safety valve automatically discharges pressure or fluid per predetermined set points to prevent a buildup and catastrophic release. It operates by reading the system pressure on its inlet side. When the inlet pressure reaches the set point, the valve disc is opened, and vice versa. Their main use is to prevent pressure vessels and heat exchangers from exploding.
Several countries and/or jurisdictions have strict governing standard practices for the installation and design of safety valves because safety valves are typically the last line of defense to prevent catastrophic failure in overpressure conditions. They are installed wherever the maximum allowable working pressure (MAWP) of a system or vessel is likely to be exceeded.