1/19/2015 CylinderReliefValve.

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Leaveacomment
Role&ConstructionofReliefValveonMarineEngine
Cylinders
writtenby:WillieScotteditedby:LamarStonecypherupdated:9/14/2011

Large2strokeand4strokemarinedieselenginesthatpropeltodaysshipsarebothefficientandpowerful.This
powercomesfromtheenergyreleasedbythefuelduringcombustioninthecompressionignitionsystemareliefvalve
protectingthecylinderheadfromtheresultantcombustionforces.

Thereareseveralvalvesonthecylinderheadsofamarinedieselenginethereliefvalvebeingoneofthese.

Theroleandconstructionofthereliefvalveonmarineenginecylindersisexaminedinthefollowingsections.

Thefirstsectiongivesanoverviewofatypicalmarinedieselcylinderhead,includingitsvalvesandothercomponents.

TypicalMarineDieselCylinderHead
Thecylinderheadwewillexamineistypicalofalarge2strokedieselenginehavingscavengeairinletportsinthe
cylinderlinerandanexhaustvalveinthecylinderhead.Thisisknownasuniflowscavenging.Thosecylinderheads
withoutexhaustvalveshaveexhaustportscutintothetopendofthelinerabovetheinletports,beingknownasloop
scavengingengines.

Thecylinderheadcontainsthefollowingcomponents

FuelValves
Theseinjecttheheavyfueloilanddieseloilasamistintothecombustionchamber,beingcontrollednowadaysbythe

http://www.brighthubengineering.com/marineenginesmachinery/52292roleandconstructionofreliefvalveonmarineenginecylinders/ 1/5
1/19/2015 CylinderReliefValve.
commonrailfuelsystem.

AirstartValve
Thisisusedtostarttheengineintheaheadorasternrotationbyinjectingcompressedairintotherelativecylinder.

ExhaustGasValve
Thisiscontainedinacagefittedintoaninsertinthecylinderhead.Modernexhaustvalvesareplacedatthecentreof
thecylinderheadhavingawatercooledcage,thevalvebeinghydraulicallyoperatedratherthanbyapushrod.They
canalsohaveafinweldedtothevalvestemtheexhaustgasrotatingthevalvethusdecreasingthewearonthe
seat.

IndicatorCock
Thisvalvehastwopurposes

1)Toenableindicatorcardstobetakentheseshowtheconditionoftheengineundernormaloperatingconditions.

2)Theyareopenedwhilstengineisturnedoveronairforafewrotationstoblowoutanydirtorwateraccumulated
afterenginehasbeenshutdownforawhileoroverhauled.Thecocksarethenshutandtheenginestartednormally.
Rememberindicatorcocksshouldalwaysbeleftopenedwhenrotatingthemainengineusingtheturninggear.

CylinderReliefValve
Mainpurposeistoliftwhenoverpressureoccursinthecombustionareatheresultantcombustiongasbeingexpelled
toathroughaflangedpipetodeck.

Asketchofatypical2strokecylinderheadisshownbelowpleaseclickonimagetoenlarge.

Construction
Thereliefvalveisenclosedwithinacastironcasingthatissecuredtothecylinderheadbythreadedstudsandhex
nuts.Itconsistsofthefollowingcomponents

HelicalValveSpring
Thespringisnormallymanufacturedfromsiliconchrome/vanadiumspringwirethathasbeenhardenedandtempered
inoiltotherelativestandards.

Itisfittedinsidethecasingbeingheldinpositionbythetopandbottomringkeeps.

TheValveandStem
Thevalveandstemaremanufacturedfromhighgradestainlesssteel,thevalvebeingseatedonanintegral
seat/machinedlandingthatisopentothecombustionchamber.Thestemisnotconnectedtothevalve,butsitsatopof
itprotrudingthroughthecentreofthespringandterminatinginathreadedportionoutsidethetopofthecasing.The
threadedportioncontainsthelocknutsthatareusedtoadjustthespringtension,viathetopspringcollar.Thisallows
theliftingpressureofthevalvetobesetat20%overmaximuminternalcombustionpressure.

Maintenanceconsistsofcleaningandinspectingallthecomponentsatthesameintervalsascylinderheadoverhaul.
Thevalveseatshouldbeexaminedandregroundthespringbeingcheckedforcracksanditsfreelengthmeasured
undernoloadconditions.

Aftertheassemblythevalveshouldbesettothecorrectliftingpressurebeforebeingsubjectedtopressureandleak
testing.

AtHarlandandWolffweusedtoleaktesttheseatbypouringparaffinoilintothevalvecasing.Anysignofaleakno
matterhowinsignificantandthevalvewasstripped,theseatregroundthenretested.Pressuretestingwascarriedout
onabenchmountedtestrigconsistingofahighpressureaircompressor,airpressurecontrolvalve,andcalibrated
gauges.Thereliefvalvewasboltedtothecompressoraccumulatorflangeandtheairpressureincreaseduntilthe
valvelifted.ThecertifyingauthorityatthetimewasDNVandLloydsofLondonandtheywitnessedthetestingofevery
oneweassembledbeforetheywereboltedtothecylinderheadsoftheengines.Mindyou,thatwas1964,butI
supposethesettingandtestingproceduresaremuchthesametoday.

Asketchshowingthecomponentsofatypicalcylinderreliefvalveisshownbelowpleaseclickonimagetoenlarge.

http://www.brighthubengineering.com/marineenginesmachinery/52292roleandconstructionofreliefvalveonmarineenginecylinders/ 2/5
1/19/2015 CylinderReliefValve.

OperatingPrinciples
"Normal"liftingofthereliefvalvecanoccurinthefollowingsituation,andshouldgivenocauseforconcern

WhentoomuchfuelissuppliedbytheengineerwhenonstartingtheengineIhavedonethisafewtimes!
Ifairisbeingusedtostopengineinemergencystopsituation.
Runningenginefullasternforaprolongedperiod,inthiscasethebridgeshouldbeinformedthatasternrunningis
atitslimit.
However,therearesituationsthatcouldleadtoareliefvalveliftingwhileengineisoperatingundernormalloadand
conditionsandwarrantafullinspection.

Faultyfuelpumporincorrectlysetfuelinjectordeliveringexcessivefuel.
Badlyleakingfuelinjectorthroughloosenozzleorenlargedinjectionholes.
Waterleakingintothecombustionchamber.
Scavengefire.

References
WillieScott:LayoutofaB&WEngineRoom
MachinerySpaces:FunctionofaCylinderReliefValve
Jsseweb:HelicalSpringsTesting.

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