What is the total force acting on a safety valve of a 325 psi boiler with a 2 ½' diameter safety valve?

To determine the total force acting on a safety valve, you can use the formula that relates pressure, area, and force. The force exerted by the pressure on the valve can be calculated using the equation:

Force = Pressure × Area.

First, you must calculate the area of the safety valve. Since the safety valve is circular, the area can be found using the formula for the area of a circle, which is:

Area = π × (radius)².

Given that the diameter of the safety valve is 2.5 inches, the radius would be half of that:

Radius = 2.5 inches / 2 = 1.25 inches.

Now, converting inches to feet (since pressure is typically in psi and force in pounds), we have:

Radius = 1.25 inches × (1 foot / 12 inches) = 0.10417 feet.

Next, we calculate the area:

Area = π × (0.10417 feet)² ≈ 0.0341 square feet.

Now, we can apply the pressure of 325 psi to find the force. Note that psi (pounds per square inch) must be converted to equivalent units in terms of square feet, as we have just