Measurement of High Amplitude Relief Valve Noise for Acoustically Induced Vibration and Comparison to Predictive Methods

The prediction of acoustically induced vibration (AIV) failures in the design or redesign of piping systems requires an accurate estimate of the excitation source. Furthermore, the next generation of AIV analysis may require a physics-based noise-generation predictive technique, which entails the need for validation via direct measurements. The noise generated by a pressure relief valve (PRV) during a full-scale AIV blowdown test was measured inside a pipe downstream of the valve. A maximum flow rate of 33.5 kg/s was achieved using nitrogen gas through a 3×4″ relief valve generating a peak dynamic pressure level exceeding 650 kPa and sustained levels of 450 kPa (peak). Measurements are compared to existing noise calculation techniques which appear to under-predict the generated noise.