Power Actuated Pressure Relief Valve for High Pressure Vessels

The pressure required for treatment of food ranges from 300 to 600 MPa, depending on the food being processed and the desired results, higher pressure giving better and more economical results. However, there are currently no predictable, reliable, and repeatable safety devices available for very high pressures like 600 MPa. Rupture disks have a short life at these pressures, and pressure relief valves for very high pressure are not repeatable. Thus the possibility of using a system design is an attractive alternative that will make the overpressure protection more reliable and controllable. In current applications, high-pressure vessels normally operate from a few MPa to 200 MPa, for example when extracting substances, compacting powder materials, or healing defects in materials. The pressure medium is typically a pure gas or a liquid. Here existing devises serve their purpose. The request for mild treatment of food to enhance safety and quality has created a niche for very high pressure. With this new technique the food is treated at low temperature and high pressure for a short time. The treatment inactivates micro organisms but maintains the nutritional and organoleptic values of the food, achieving a food with high quality and increased safety throughout its commercial shelf life.