Shanghai Valve Factory Co. Ltd.

Instruction for Spring Loaded Safety Valve

1. Application and Main Performance
1.1 Application
Safety valve is a safety device designed to prevent boiler, vessel or system from
overpressure. Any condition would cause pressure abnormally increasing, Safety valve will
open at a predetermined set pressure. With pressure further increasing till reaching a specified
overpressure, safety valve will reach full lift and flow a rated capacity at overpressure, then
close when the system pressure returns to safety level.
1.2 Main Performance
Safety valve performances showed in Table 1 conform to requirements of GB/T 12243.
Table 1 Main Performances of Safety Valve according to GB/T 12243
(Unit: MPa)
Suitable
Medium

Tolerance of Set
Pressure

Liquid

0.014 when Ps 0.5

3%Ps when Ps0.5

Gas
Steam

Relieving
Pressure
1.20Ps
1.10Ps

Ps0.5:
0.014
Ps:0.52.3:
3%Ps
Ps:2.37.0
0.07
Ps7.0
1%Ps

1.03Ps

Blowdown
0.06 when Ps0.3;
20%Ps when Ps0.3
0.03 when Ps0.2;
15%Ps when Ps0.2
For Power Boiler:
0.03 when Ps0.4;
7%Ps when Ps0.4
For Forced Circulation
Boiler, Reheater and Other
Steam Equipments:
0.04 when Ps0.4;
10%Ps when Ps0.4

Note:
1) Ps: set pressure

2. Principle
Spring loaded safety valve is a self-actuated device, which closes or opens by the
combined action of spring force and fluid pressure on disc. Under normal operating
conditions, spring force is larger than the force of inlet static pressure acting on disc and holds
disc in closed position, the difference of the two forces known as sealing force is well enough
to keep valve tightness. With system pressure increasing, sealing force will accordingly
decrease. When sealing force is less than required sealing force, valve begins to leak; when
system pressure reaches predetermined set pressure, disc will lift; when pressure continues to
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rise to relieving pressure, disc will reach full lift and valve will discharge rated capacity of
fluid to prevent system pressure from continually increasing. (Valves certified capacity must
be larger than system required capacity); when system restores to safe pressure (i.e. re-seating
pressure), valve will reclose and prevent the further flow of fluid.
3. Materials of Construction
Valves with different constructions and materials are designed and form various valves
types to meet service condition and special requirements from customers. Meanwhile,
different standards result in different flange connection and center-to-face dimension.
Please refer to Crosby product catalog to find related material of construction. If you
need further detailed information, dont hesitate to contact our sales engineer.
Some typical valve constructions are showed on overleaf.
4. Transportation and Storage
Valves should be transported in shipment box and fixed. During transportation, any
strong vibration should be avoided. Valve should be stored in a dry ventilated room, inlet and
outlet should be blocked regardless during transportation or storage.
5. Installation
5.1 Before fitting valve
Prior to installation, it is necessary to careful check if the marks on valve and data on
nameplate are in according to service condition.
5.2 Inlet piping
5.2.1 Valve shall be installed vertically and be mounted as close as possible to the protected
equipment.
5.2.2 Valve shall be mounted as directly as possible to the adapter of vessel. If inlet pipeline need,
it should be short and straight, and its minimum cross-sectional area shall be not less than the area
at the valve inlet. The pressure drop in the inlet pipeline or between the protected equipment and
valve should not exceed 3% of set pressure or one-third of the maximum allowable blowdown,
whichever is the least.
5.2.3 Pipelines or vessels on which valve are mounted shall be adequately supported to ensure that
the vibrations are not transmitted to the valve.
5.2.4 Any installation of isolating devices on the inlet of the valve shall not contravene related
national, legal or code requirements.
5.3 Discharge piping
5.3.1 The cross-sectional area of the discharge piping shall be not less than the area of the valve
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outlet.
5.3.2 When discharging, the pressure loss caused by fluid flowing from valve through the
discharge piping shall be as low as possible for avoiding to generate excessive back pressure
which will affect the valve performance and/or capacity. (The loss shall generally be less than
10% set pressure. )
5.3.3 The outlet pipeline should be adequately supported so that it does not place undue stress on
the valve.
5.3.4 It should be taken into consideration that all possible conditions that could lead to blockage
of discharge piping system. For example, it is necessary to provide body drain connection to
prevent rain, snow, condensate etc. from collecting on the discharge piping.
5.3.5 Excessive bending moments acting on valve inlet connection imposed by significant
resultant force acting in opposition to the direction of discharge shall be avoided.
5.3.6 Any installation of isolating devices on the outlet of valves shall not contravene the
national, legal and code rewuirments.

Warning: Crosby does not accept any responsibility for valves that have been
reset by unauthorized persons.
6. Valve setting
6.1 Set pressure adjustment
Set pressure can be adjusted within the spring pressure range indicated on the nameplate
by turning the adjusting screw to change the spring compression.
Install valve to test bench, remove cap and loose locking nut, then regulate adjusting
screw to change set pressure. Slowly raise valve inlet pressure till valve opens and closes one
time, read set pressure from pressure gauge. If set pressure is lower than desired set pressure,
turn adjusting screw in clockwise direction to increase set pressure; if set pressure is higher
than desired set pressure, turn adjusting screw in anti-clockwise direction to reduce set
pressure. After obtain desired set pressure, tighten locking nut and cover cap.
If required set pressure beyond spring pressure range indicated on nameplate, it must reorder a spring which pressure range covers the required set pressure, then reset the valve, and
modify the data on the nameplate.
During adjusting set pressure, valve inlet pressure must be remained a relatively lower
value (lower than 90% set pressure). It is necessary to take action to avoid spindle rotation,
because turning adjusting screw may cause spindle and disc rotation and lead to sealing
surface damage (for balanced bellow safety valve, it may damage bellow); meanwhile it will
prevent valve from opening by chance.
6.2 Relieving pressure and blowdown adjustment
After set pressure adjustment finished, it may adjust ring position to regulate relieving
pressure and blowdown, valve is designed with nozzle ring or both nozzle ring and guide ring.
Valve with nozzle ring and guide ring has larger pressure adjustment range and better accuracy
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than the valve only with nozzle ring. But rich experiences are required for person who adjusts
valves with two ring.
Remove set screw, use a thin rod through screw hole to move ring to right to raise ring or to
left to lower ring.
Raising nozzle ring will reduce relieving pressure and Blowdown, lowering nozzle ring to
increase relieving pressure and blowdown. Raising guiding ring will increase relieving pressure
and Blowdown, lowering guiding ring to reduce relieving pressure and blowdown.
Adjustment range for nozzle ring is narrow, within 10 notches. It is suitable to move 2-3
notches every time. Adjustment range for guide ring is wide, how many notches should be
moved depending on the test result. After every adjustment is finished, set screw must be
tightened to avoid ring turning.
In order to ensure safe, prior to adjustment every time, valve inlet pressure should be dropped
down to not more than 90% set pressure.
SFCA-48C300C/I style and SFCA-48C600C/I valves are designed with blowdown adjusting
screw. If ring adjusting fails to bring the blowdown within acceptable limits, blowndown
adjusting screw can be adjusted to meet requirements.
6.3 Sealing
After setting, valves shall be sealed by lead seal & wire to prevent unauthorized change and
tampering. Sealing wire will secure cap to bonnet (to prevent from changing set pressure) and set
screw to bonnet (to prevent from change ring position).
Valve is set with air or nitrogen at room temperature in test bench at factory. If the detailed
set pressure value is specified in order, valve will be set at the required pressure; if only set
pressure range is provided , valve is set at the lowest value.
In order to conveniently adjust ring position, it is necessary to define level position for nozzle
ring and guide ring separately. Usually, for nozzle ring, the level position is the position where
nozzle ring top surface contacts with disc; for guide ring, the level position is the position where
guide ring bottom surface and disc sealing surface are at the same level. Before valves leaving
factory, the nozzle ring shall be set at minus two or three notches, by raising the nozzle ring to
level position and then lowering the ring to two or three notches (it is easy for user to check ring
initial position). The guide ring is set at level position, this will prepare for further adjusting
guiding ring.
7. Valve Test at Normal Temperature in Test Bench
Customers who have test bench for valve test at normal temperature should pay attention to
the following points:
7.1 The purpose of valve test, which is equivalent to set pressure test and seat tightness test
specified in GB/T 12243 Spring Loaded Safety Valve, is to reset or check set pressure or seat
tightness at normal temperature. Due to fluid capacity limit of test bench, valve can not reach full
lift, so the test in test bench can not measure relieving pressure and re-seating pressure.

Shanghai Valve Factory Co. Ltd.

7.2 Prior to mounting valve to test bench, it is necessary to examine if the inlet chamber is clean
to prevent foreign matter from passing through the valve to damage sealing surface and lead to
leakage.
7.3 Before valve is mounted to test bench, proper gasket should be selected according to inlet
flange facing type to ensure connection tightness.
The below sketches are only as examples to demonstrate if or not gaskets are correctly fitted.

Incorrect Gasket

Correct Gasket

7.4 Please refer to clause 6.1 to setting pressure.

7.5 After set pressure testing completed, valve inlet pressure shall be dropped down to the
required value for seat tightness test. For gas and liquid application, all valves with set pressure of
less than 0.3MPa should be tested at 0.03Mpa below set pressure; valves with set pressure of
0.3Mpa or greater shall be tested at 90% of set pressure. For steam application, valves shall be
tested at pressure 90% of set pressure or minimum re-seating pressure, whichever is less.
7.6 Valve shall be sealed according to clause 6.3.
8. Possible trouble and handling
8.1 Seat leakage exceeding acceptable leakage

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8.1.1 Foreign matters such as scale, welding spatter, dirt etc. are trapped between the seats. Flush
and clean them.
8.1.2 Sealing surface is damaged. Small pits and scratches may be removed by lapping. More
extensive damage will also require remachining piror to lapping.
8.1.3 Improper installation or pipeline stress acting on valve affect alignment of inner parts. Remounting valve and eliminate superimposed stress.
8.1.4 Operating pressure is too close to set pressure, this will cause that actual sealing force is too
low. Leakage is easy to occur because of valve vibration or system pressure fluctuation. Set
pressure should be decided according to equipment strength and service condition.
8.1.5 For valve with lifting lever, fork top contacts with release nut bottom and result in disc cant
tightly contact with nozzle. Reassemble and remain clearance between fork and nut of 1-1.5 mm.
8.2 Incorrect set pressure
8.2.1 Spring is not correctly adjusted; re-adjust it.
8.2.2 There is possibility of galling and seizure between moving guiding surface such as between
guide and disc etc.; find reasons and remove them.
8.2.3 Spring is damaged by corrosion; replace it.
8.2.4 For conventional valve, if superimposed back pressure is variable, set pressure will change
with the superimposed back pressure; recommend to select balanced bellow valve.
8.3 Chatter
8.3.1 Because of oversize, valve certificated capacity is excessively larger than required capacity;
replace a valve with proper capacity.
8.3.2 Excessive pressure drop in inlet piping; redesign inlet piping according to clause 5.5.5
8.3.3 Excessive pressure drop in discharging piping; take measure to reduce pressure loss.
8.3.4 Incorrect ring position; reset it.
8.4 Lower blowndown
8.4.1 Incorrect ring position; reset it.
8.4.2 Operating condition sometimes requires to set at new set pressure which beyond initial
spring rang, but dont change related spring. Replace a proper spring, and reset valve.
8.4.3 When discharging, foreign matter from fluid are trapped in guiding surface between guide
and disc, this cause disc cant re-seat. Remove foreign matter and repair guiding surface.

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Typical Production Construction

Shanghai Valve Factory Co. Ltd.

DIRECT

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Shanghai Valve Factory Co Ltd.

Add: No. 111 Zhongbai Road Anting, Shanghai P.R. China 201814
Tel86-21-59577580
Fax86-21-59578580