What is the difference between a pressure reducing valve and a pressure relief valve? pressure-reducing/regulating/ relief/release - There are so many different options available!
I read this article on Fluid Controls that did a really good job of explaining pressure regulators, but I am a bit lost on the difference between regulators and relief valves.
Here where I am we have regulators that do anything from regulate instrument air pressure to tank blanket pressure. Where a relief valve is generally on a vessel that has a potential to over pressure. The relief valve is intended to lift and vent excess pressure to atmosphere usually to avoid a potentially catastrophic event.
I guess a good rule of thumb would be regulators take a higher pressure and reduce it to the needed pressure. A relief valve has a specific set point that when lifted takes the pressure off of a give system.