Currently, no review of literature exists which attempts to understand the leakage phenomenon of metal-to-metal seal contact Pressure Relief Valves (PRV) for static closed positions as they reach the set pressure point. This paper attempts to do just that by drawing on inspiration from other research areas such as: metal-to-metal contact and gasket seals. The key topics of interest surrounding the leakage of fluid through a gap are: fluid flow assumptions; surface characteristics and its deformation; and experimental techniques used to quantify leakage. The fluid flow assumptions relating to the gap height such as transmissivity and diffusivity are found to be directly linked to the surface roughness and the surfaces deformations. Traditionally the summing method has been used to represent two rough surfaces at a micro scale from which the Tsukizoe and Hisakado theory has been applied for deformation of the micro contact in a plastic manner. The path the fluid also takes through the gap is investigated with recent work using computational methods to determine that path. Current experimental leakage quantification techniques are also discussed. Finally, the future development of PRV static leakage is examined.
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