Relief valves are typically installed on which component?

• A. Accumulator
• B. Condenser
• C. Compressor
• D. Liquid Receiver

Answer: (D)

Relief valves protect equipment by opening to vent refrigerant when pressure rises above a safe limit. The liquid receiver is the vessel that stores liquid refrigerant at system high pressure between the condenser and the throttling/expansion stage. If overcharge, abnormal heat input, or other fault raises pressure, venting from the receiver prevents the vessel from over-pressurizing and possibly failing. That’s why a relief valve is typically installed on the liquid receiver—it directly safeguards the high-pressure liquid portion of the circuit. The other components are on different parts of the system with protections suited to their roles (for example, the accumulator on the suction side and the compressor’s own protective devices), so the liquid receiver is the standard location for a relief valve.