PRV Repair

Chapter 9

PRV Repairs
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PRV Repairs

Repair work is necessary to restore a pressure relief device to a safe and satisfactory condition. Pressure relief devices should be carefully repaired in accordance with the manufacturers manuals and recommendations. The repair method should conform to a national standard, and the work should be done by qualified repairers. If the repair is not done properly, the pressure relief device may give major technical problems in service. Pressure relief valves may be repaired on the system or may be repaired in a valve repair shop. Repairs on pressure relief valves should be performed by a repairing firm or person, who has necessary tools and surface finish data for the valves. As a part of repair process, all dimensions of the nozzle, disk, disk holder, ring, guide, and spindle should be checked and restored to their original standard.
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If all the dimensions and surface finish data is not available for repair, the parts should be replaced by the parts from the original valve manufacturer. The valve may not function properly when parts supplied by a company other than original valve manufacturer is used. All parts to be used should be free from scoring damage to critical guiding surfaces. On completion of all repairs, pressure relief valve should be tested and sealed to ensure that no unauthorized adjustments are made. Generally, testing is done in a valve repair shop, where necessary testing facilities are available and the shop has adequate test capacities. If all the valve operating characteristics cannot be tested in the shop, they should be verified when the boiler is on line.

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9.1 Repairers
A repair organization must have experience in handling, maintenance, and repair of all types of pressure relief devices. Most jurisdictions have qualification requirements for a repair organization in the laws and rules. Generally, jurisdictions permit a VR stamp holder to repair all types of pressure relief valves. The VR Certificate of Authorization is issued by the National Board of Boiler & Pressure Vessel Inspectors. A sample Certificate of Authorization to use the VR stamp is shown in Fig. 9.1.

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Figure 9.1 A VR Certificate of Authorization. (Courtesy National Board.)

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Each repair organization should have a fully documented quality control system. As a minimum, the following requirements and sets of documentation should be included in the quality control system:
Title page - Revision log - Contents page - Statement of authority and responsibility - Organization chart Scope of work - Drawings and specification controls Material and part control - Repair and inspection program Welding, nondestructive examination, and heat treatment procedures - Valve testing, setting, leak testing, and sealing - General example of the valve repair nameplate - Procedures for calibrating measurement and test gauges - Controlled copies of the quality system manuals - Sample forms - Repair personnel training or qualifications.

Each repair organization should also have a fully documented training program that will ensure repair personnel are qualified within the scope of the repair work.
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9.2 Repair of Pressure Relief Valves

The repair organization should establish procedures for repairing springloaded pressure relief valves. The procedures should cover step-by-step repair methods to ensure proper repairs. Generally, repair of pressure relief valves is done in a shop, where all the machines, equipment, and tools for repair are readily available.

9.2.1 Visual inspection as received When pressure relief valves are received in the shop, each valve should be visually inspected to detect problems. Generally, this inspection is made by repair mechanic as a routine procedure. An authorized inspector (AI) or pressure vessel inspector should be called for inspection if unusual corrosion, deposits or conditions are noted.
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The results of the visual inspection should be recorded on appropriate forms. Pay attention to the following areas:
Check valve identification number and Check complete nameplate data Check external adjustment seals Check bonnet for venting on bellow-type valves Check appearance of any unusual damage, missing or misapplied parts Check flanges for evidence of pitting or roughening Check springs for evidence of corrosion or cracking Check bellows for evidence of corrosion, cracking or deformation (for bellows type pressure relief valves) Check inlet and outlet nozzles for evidence of deposits of foreign material or corrosion Check external surfaces for any indication of corrosive atmosphere or of mechanical leakage Check compression screws for sign of wear, pitting and galling
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Check body wall thickness Check pilots and associated parts (for pilot operated relief valves) 9.2.2 Preliminary test as received A preliminary performance test is conducted prior to actual repair of the valve to identify any problems the valve faced in service. Generally, the pressure relief valve is mounted on the test block, and the inlet pressure is slowly increased. The pressure at which the valve relieves is recorded as the as received pop pressure or set pressure. The preliminary test should record: Set pressure or cold differential test pressure (CDTP) as per the manufacturers recommendations and the ASME Code. The test pressure should not exceed 116% of the set pressure. Conduct at least three tests to obtain consistent results. If results do not correlate with field performance, then make necessary correction to obtain fluid and temperature conditions. Khalafallah 10/13 Record preliminary test results and test bench identification data.

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9.2.3 Disassembly Pressure relief valves should be dismantled in accordance with the manufacturers drawings, manuals, and instructions. At each stage of disassembly, the various components should be visually inspected for evidence of wear and corrosion. The valve stem, guide, disk, and nozzle should be visually inspected very carefully. Follow the following steps for disassembly of pressure relief valves:
Secure the valve inlet wrenching surface in a soft jaw vise, vertically. Remove the seal wire from the warn ring and control ring screw. Remove cap, lever, and release nut assembly. Loosen jam nut on adjusting screw. Record measurement and remove adjusting screw. Remove bonnet or yoke. Remove spring and washers, and put identification tags. Remove spindle and disk assembly. Remove ring pins. Record measurement and remove adjusting rings, nozzle, and guideKhalafallah .

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9.2.4 Cleaning parts Each part should be cleaned after disassembly of a safety relief valve. Parts may be cleaned with solvents, emery paper, wire brush, sandblasting, or carefully scraped. The valve parts should be properly marked and segregated so that they are not mixed with parts of other valves. Proper parts cleaning and condition is a vital part in pressure relief valve performance and valve life. Parts which show signs of wear, pitting, corrosion or any other damage should be replaced. Follow the procedures below to clean all parts of pressure relief valves:
Wire all small parts together and clean by means of an abrasive. Do not clean using a chemical solution. Protect seating surfaces, guiding surfaces, and threads prior to cleaning. Protect valve nameplate when sandblasting body. Avoid sandblasting stems, nozzles, disks, and guides whenever possible.
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Never use steel shot to clean any parts.

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9.2.5 Inspection After cleaning, all the components should be inspected for wear, corrosion, and other deterioration. Each part should be checked for dimensions with reference to the original valve manufacturers drawings and specifications. Perform the following inspection on pressure relief valve components: Check spring for damage such as erosion, corrosion, cracking, breakage or compression below free height. Check nozzle for cracks using a suitable nondestructive examination (NDE) method. Look for any unusual wear. Check disk assembly for cracks using a suitable NDE method. Look for any unusual wear. Check spindle for trueness, bearing areas, and threaded condition.
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Check guide for wear and galling. Check adjusting rings for worn threads and wear. Check ring pins for bent or broken pin and thread condition. Check bellows, if applicable, for pin holes and corrosion. Check flange gasket facings for wear and cuts. Damaged springs, bellows and soft goods should be rejected. Parts that are worn beyond tolerance or damaged should be rejected.

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9.2.6 Machining The valve body, flanges, and bonnet may be reconditioned by machining or suitable means. Machine the nozzle and disk as necessary to maintain the manufacturers critical dimension charts. 9.2.7 Lapping Lapping is required to restore the smooth seating surface of pressure relief valves. If evidence of wear or damage is noticed on the disk or nozzle, their seating surfaces may be lapped. Lapping can be done by hand or by a machine as shown in Fig. 9.2. Lapping of the disk or nozzle by hand to remove minor seat damage is accomplished using a ring lap. The following is the lapping process:
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When using a ring lap, ensure that the lap covers the entire seating surface. Apply a thin even amount of compound to the ring lap and place it onto the disk. Begin lapping in a oscillating motion (back and forth), applying light even pressure. Lap part for 1-2 minutes. Remove ring lap and clean both parts thoroughly. Continue lapping sequence until disk/nozzle seat surface shows a gray shadow across the entire surface.

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Polishing is accomplished in the same way with a few exceptions. A different ring lap should be used for polishing. This allows the seat to be polished quicker.
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Lapping compounds vary from coarse to very fine. Generally a medium compound is used first, then a very fine compound to finish the piece. The plate and the part should be thoroughly cleaned after each different compound is used. Coarse compounds should be used for removing deep scratches and must always followed by finer grades. The following lap- ping compounds are recommended: 320 grit for removing small cuts 600 grit for removing scratches 1000 grit for finishing work 1200 grit for polishing

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Figure 9.2 Lapping machine. (Courtesy Electron Microscopy Sciences.)

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9.2.8 Adjusting rings Install the lower ring and guide ring to the same position they were when removed, or to the manufacturers specifications. 9.2.9 Bearing points Grind all bearing areas with grinding compound to make sure they are round and true. 9.2.10 Assembly After all the parts have been inspected, reconditioned or replaced, the valve should be assembled in accordance with the manufacturers drawings and instructions. In fact assembly is the opposite process of disassembly. Each part should be clean, free from burrs and not damaged prior to assembly. Attention should be paid to the seats on the nozzle and disk. Seats must be free from nicks and scratches. The following operation is included in assembly of the pressure relief Khalafallah 10/13 valve:

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The following operation is included in assembly of the pressure relief valve: Secure the valve nozzle wrenching surface in a soft jaw vise with the nozzle seat vertical Check clearance between assembled parts Assemble all the parts according to the instructions Do not oil and seating surfaces Adjust spring to pop as close to the desired set pressure as possible Set blowdown carefully and accurately 9.2.11 Testing All valves should be tested on the service medium for which they are intended. The following steps should be taken prior to mounting the valve to the text fixture:
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Clean the text fixture and purge the system for any loose contaminates. Ensure that test gauges are calibrated. Secure the valve inlet to the test fixture. Ensure to use the wrench surface of the nozzle when tightening. Testing should be done in accordance with manufacturers recommendations and the appropriate ASME Code. All test data should be recorded. Testing includes: Setting valve to set pressure Setting valve to blowdown Checking seat tightness Changes to valve set pressure and or service medium (air to steam, etc.) may require changing of spring and/or other components. Consult the original valve manufacturer when making such changes.
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9.2.12 Sealing A pressure relief valve should be sealed to prevent unauthorized alteration or tampering. After final adjustment and acceptance by a quality control inspector, all external adjustments should be sealed with a safety seal. The most common method is to use sealing wire to secure the cap to the spring housing and housing to the body. It may also be used to lock any blowdown adjuster pins into position. The wire is subsequently sealed with a lead seal, which may bear identification of the repair organization or setters trademark. A sealed cap showing a lead seal is indicated in Fig. 9.4.

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Fig.9.4 Sealed cap shows a lead seal.

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9.3 Repair Nameplates The repairer is required to install a repair nameplate on each repaired pressure relief valve. A repair nameplate identifying the repairer and date of repair should be attached to the valve. If set pressure has been changed, the new set pressure and new capacity should be indicated on the original nameplate or stamping. The new capacity determined by calculations based on which the valve was originally certified. The original nameplate should never be removed from the pressure relief valve. A repair nameplate is shown in Fig. 9.5. 9.4 Documentation Repair of pressure relief valves should be properly documented. The document should include condition, repair, and setting record for each pressure relief valve.
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Fig. 9.5 Pressure relief valve repair nameplate. (Courtesy National Board.)
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