Sustainable mechanical design and manufacturing of pressure relief valves

Suhaila E.  Abidou; Ganna G.  Ismail; Hesham A.  Hegazi

doi:10.59400/mea3277

Sustainable mechanical design and manufacturing of pressure relief valves

Suhaila E. Abidou Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The British University in Egypt, Cairo 11837, Egypt
Ganna G. Ismail Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The British University in Egypt, Cairo 11837, Egypt
Hesham A. Hegazi Mechanical Design and Production Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt; Design and Production Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering and Materials Science, German University in Cairo, Cairo 11835, Egypt

Article ID: 3277

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59400/mea3277

Keywords: sustainable development; sustainable design; sustainable manufacturing; PTFE; valves; pressure relief valves

Abstract

This paper aims to provide an argument to take a closer look at the development and application of technology in relation to sustainability. Environmental awareness is driving industries across all sectors to re-evaluate their practices to reduce their impact on the environment. Therefore, integrating sustainability into the mechanical design and manufacturing of products and systems has become mandatory. An often-overlooked aspect of industrial processes is the role of valves; however, only a few studies have addressed their environmental sustainability. To address this research gap, this study aims to integrate mechanical engineering design with sustainable environmental engineering of industrial valves. The redesign concept has been applied to pressure relief valves and has been achieved by proposing the use of alternative materials other than metals, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and perfluoro alkoxy polymer (PFA). This study used some relevant tools to evaluate the suitability of such proposed materials, including energy consumption and CO₂ emissions. A modified design that met the properties and specifications of the proposed polymer type was implemented, resulting in a simpler valve design, fewer valve parts, easier assembly, less weight, and lower cost. The implications of the trade-offs between metallic and polymeric valves for sustainable manufacturing fall within the theoretical framework of 6R, where all its concepts play an important role in promoting sustainable and environmentally conscious manufacturing. All to reduce emissions, energy consumption, and waste.

Published

2025-08-14

How to Cite

Abidou, S. E., Ismail, G. G., & Hegazi, H. A. (2025). Sustainable mechanical design and manufacturing of pressure relief valves. Mechanical Engineering Advances, 3(3), 3277. https://doi.org/10.59400/mea3277

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Vol. 3 No. 3 (2025)

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Article

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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