How does a relief valve work in a hydraulic system?

What happens when a relief valve opens in a hydraulic system?

A relief valve opens to send liquid from the _________ to the __________?

1) Suction, discharge

2) Discharge, source

3) Pump gland, discharge

4) Mechanical seal, suction

Answer:

A relief valve allows liquid to flow from the discharge to the source when excessive pressure is detected, with option 2) Discharge, source being the correct sequence for this flow.

A relief valve is a safety device designed to protect hydraulic systems from excessive pressure by allowing liquid to flow from an area of higher pressure to an area of lower pressure. In this context, the correct flow direction would be from the discharge to the source.

This means that option 2) Discharge, source is the correct answer. Relief valves open when the pressure at the discharge side (P₂) becomes greater than the pressure at the source side (P₁), similar to how air moves from the smaller balloon to the larger balloon, due to the pressure difference.

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