Thermally sensitive pressure release assembly for sealed pressurized vessel

摘要

A pressure release assembly provides controlled depressurization of a sealed gas-containing vessel, such as a xenon-filled arc lamp, when the temperature of the gas in the vessel reaches a value corresponding to a selected pressure. The assembly comprises a thin metallic rupture plate that hermetically seals an aperture in a wall of the vessel, and a back-up disc that is supported adjacent the other surface of the rupture plate. The back-up disc reinforces the rupture plate so as to prevent bursting of the rupture plate at pressures below the selected pressure. The back-up disc is made of a material that loses its tensile strength at the temperature corresponding to the selected pressure, whereby the weakening of the back-up disc at the selected pressure causes the rupture plate to burst. The back-up plate may be made of a eutectic alloy that melts at the temperature corresponding to the selected pressure.