“Auto Seat Technology”^® is Mercer Valve’s patented soft seat relief valve design. “Auto Seat Technology”^® increases seat life, reduces repairs, and gives the valve a consistent set pressure. “Auto Seat Technology”^® is a non-rising stem design that uses low rated springs to achieve a consistent set pressure. A fully guided disk and spring give the valve accurate set pressures and help with reseating after each pop. The lip seal seat creates a tighter seal up to set pressure allowing for less leakage. Mechanical stops allow the disk to open to the same point every pop, allowing for the same flow rate and limiting spring stress. “Auto Seat Technology”^® reduces the need for repair while giving an accurate set pressure and tight seal.

NON-RISING STEM

The adjustment screw in the Mercer Valve is a non-rising stem, meaning that when adjusting the set pressure the adjustment screw does not move up or down. When the adjustment screw is turned, it moves the adjustment bushing straight up and down increasing and decreasing the tension in the spring. The adjustment bushing never turns. Because the adjustment bushing never turns, it does not transmit a torque into the disk and seat when adjusting the set pressure. This helps extend the seat life of the valve.

MECHANICAL STOPS

Due to Mercer Valve having a non-rising stem design the adjustment screw never moves up and down. Because the adjustment screw is always in the same place it can be used as a mechanical stop for the disk. This allows the disk to open the same amount each time the valve opens. This gives the valve the same capacity every pop. The mechanical stop is positioned so that the disk is always held up by the flow of the valve until the pressure drops low enough to reclose the valve. The mechanical stop also does not allow the spring to be over compressed, reducing stress on the spring.

FULLY GUIDED SPRING

The spring in the Mercer Valve is guided from top to bottom. With a fully guided spring the spring is only compressed vertically so the spring keeps consistent tension from one pop to the next.

FULLY GUIDED DISK

The disk is aligned on the top through the adjustment screw and at the bottom of the disk by the radius on the disk. When a relief valve begins to vent, the flow of the valve pulls everything toward the outlet. Guiding the disk allows the disk to only move up and down and not to the sides. This keeps the disk from being pulled toward the outlet. With the disk only rising up and down the disk has a consistent opening and reseating. The radius on the bottom of the disk also helps insure that the valve reseats after each pop. If the disk is not centered on the nozzle at reclose, the radius on the bottom of the disk helps to realign the disk. The spring force will push the disk down and the radius will allow the disk to roll back into place.