What is the purpose of a pressure relief valve?

A pressure relief valve is a critical component designed specifically to prevent excessive pressure buildup within a piping system. Its primary function is to automatically release pressure when it reaches a preset limit, ensuring that the system operates safely and effectively. This is essential in applications where pressure can significantly vary and could lead to dangerous situations, such as equipment failure or even explosions if the pressure exceeds safe levels.

By allowing pressure to vent to the atmosphere or to another location, the relief valve maintains system integrity and protects all components, including pipelines, pumps, and vessels, from damage resulting from overpressure conditions. This safety measure is vital in various industries, including plumbing, HVAC, and manufacturing, where managing pressure is a constant concern.

The other options relate to different functions that do not align with the primary role of a pressure relief valve, which is solely focused on pressure management rather than measuring flow, adding fluids, or separating fluid types.