j391

Appendix: International Codes and Standards

for High-Pressure Vessels
Introduction

This appendix is a compilation of codes and standards for high-pressure vessels. The
center of interest is the dimensioning and the lifetime evaluation of high-pressure
vessels. Several codes and standards are evaluated detailed with a view to the
applicability for high-pressure vessels. Primarily are described the respective formula
for dimensioning of cylindrical shells under internal pressure. The limits of validity
are a quite good indication for the application of the codes for high-pressure vessels.

Abbreviations

d
D
P
S
tmin
Y
Sy

Inner diameter of pressure vessel

Outer diameter of pressure vessel
Internal pressure
Allowable stress
Minimum required wall thickness, including mechanical and corrosion
allowances
Ratio of outer diameter and inner diameter of pressure vessel
Yield strength

Corresponding International Codes and Standards for Unfired Pressure Vessels

Table A.1 shows a collection of international codes and standards for unred pressure
vessels. The column Codes for construction of pressure vessels contains the codes
that are usually used for normal pressure vessels. The codes contained in the next
column Alternative rules have the possibilities to evaluate the results of an FE
analysis and also give guidelines to assess the protection against failure from cyclic
loading. The codes to be normally used for high-pressure vessels are included in the
last column.

Industrial High Pressure Applications: Processes, Equipment and Safety, First Edition. Edited by Rudolf Eggers.
2012 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. Published 2012 by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

j Appendix: International Codes and Standards for High-Pressure Vessels

392

Table A.1

International codes and standards for unfired pressure vessels.

China
Europe
France
Germany
Great Britain
India
Japan
Korea
The Netherlands
Russia
United States

Codes for
construction of
pressure vessels

Codes for
construction of
pressure vessels:
alternative rules

Codes for
construction of
pressure vessels:
alternative rules for
high pressure

GB 150 [7]
EN 13445 [8]
CODAP 2005
Division 1 [12]
AD2000 [9]
PD 5500 [11]
IS 2825 [16]
JIS B 8265 [14]
KEPIC MG [6]
RTOD [10]
GOST R 52857 [5]
ASME VIII-1 [1]

JB 4732 [7]
EN 13445 [8]
CODAP 2005
Division 2 [13]
AD2000 [9]
PD 5500 [11]

JB 4732 [7]

JIS B 8266 [15]

HPIS C106-2005 [4]

RTOD [10]
GOST R 52857 [5]
ASME VIII-2 [2]

ASME VIII-3 [3]

The summary of the codes for high-pressure vessels represents the current state of
the codes (2009). Some of the statements of the codes are not based directly on the
codes but on publications about them.
Several codes and standards are evaluated detailed with a view to the applicability
for high-pressure vessels.

United States ASME Section VIII-2 [2]

Code

ASME Section VIII-2 [2]

Alternative rules
Part 4.3: Design rules for shells
under internal pressure

Validity

Minimum required wall

thickness
Cylindrical shell under internal
pressure (4.3.3):
   
d
P
exp
1
tmin
2
SE

Notes
Section VIII Division 2 [2] has requirements for materials, design by rule, design by
analysis, fabrication, inspection and examination, pressure testing, and overpressure
protection. In addition, this division provides design rules for layered vessels.
There is the possibility to evaluate the results of an FE analysis based on Part 5
Design by analysis requirements. Part 5 describes the elastic stress analysis
method, limit load analysis method, and the elasticplastic stress analysis method.

Corresponding International Codes and Standards for Unfired Pressure Vessels

For thick-walled components, the plastic analysis methods (limit load analysis
method and the elasticplastic stress analysis method) are more adequate. Part 5 also
gives a guideline to assess the protection against failure from cyclic loading.
The rules of Section VIII-2 [2] do not specify a pressure limitation but are applicable
to all types of high-pressure vessel constructions. Therefore, some additional considerations to these rules may be necessary to meet the design principles and
construction practices essential to very high-pressure vessels. As an alternative to
Division 2 [2], Division 3 should be considered for the construction of vessels
intended for operating pressures exceeding 68.95 MPa (see the following section).

United States ASME Section VIII-3 [3]

Code

Validity

Minimum required
wall thickness

ASME
Section VIII-3 [3]
Alternative rules
for construction
of high-pressure
vessels
KD-221.1: Cylindrical
monobloc shells

Closed-end
cylindrical
shell
and open-end
cylindrical
shell for
Y  2.85

Cylindrical shell under

internal pressure
(KD-221.1):

tmin

Y > 2.85

tmin

1=0:268 !
P
1
1
2:5856Sy
   
d
5P
exp
1

2
4Sy
d

Notes
The rules of Division 3 [3] describe the design, construction, inspection, and
overpressure protection of metallic pressure vessels with design pressures generally
above 68.95 MPa.
Applications include hot and cold isostatic pressing, food sterilization, quartz
crystal growth, polyethylene production, oil and gas production, hydrogen transport
and storage, and research and development.
Division 3 is a design-by-analysis code, although a few detailed design rules are
provided. The types of constructions specically considered are conventional welded
vessels, forged nonwelded vessels, forged layered vessels assembled by shrink tting,
concentrically wrapped welded layered vessels, welded layered vessels assembled by
shrink tting, wire wound vessels, vessels with ber-reinforced polymer composite
hoop wrapping, and vessels for impulsive (explosive) loading.
Methodology and calculations for the following failure modes are provided:
through the thickness and local yielding, leak due to fatigue cracks, fast fracture
due to unstable crack growth, buckling, and ratcheting.

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394

In this division, there is the possibility to estimate the results of an FE analysis

based on the KD-230 Elasticplastic analysis and KD-240 Linear elastic analysis.
KD-3 Fatigue evaluation and KD-4 Fracture mechanics evaluation also give a
guideline to assess the protection against failure from cyclic loading.
The minimum required thickness can be determined by using closed-form
equations for cylindrical and spherical shells, blind ends, threaded closures, and
clamp connections. The elasticplastic analysis can be used in most cases and for all
D/d ratios. The linear elastic analysis is permitted only if D/d < 1.25 [17].
Fatigue analysis in Division 3 can be done using the traditional SN method or the
structural stress method (limited to the analysis of welds) only if leak-before-burst
behavior can be demonstrated. Otherwise, the fracture mechanics method must
be used.
The fracture mechanics method is the most robust method provided in Division 3
to determine a service inspection interval [17].
The material tables in Chapter KM-4 list materials suitable for welded constructions with yield strengths up to 760 MPa. Materials with yield strengths up to 965 MPa
are listed for nonwelded primary pressure boundary construction. Materials with a
minimum specied yield strength greater than 835 MPa can be used for conned
liners where leak-before-burst criteria can be met.
Europe EN 13445 [8]

Code

Validity

Minimum required wall

thickness

EN 13445 [8] Unred

pressure vessels

This rule is valid for

cylindrical shells of
pressure vessels with the
limitations tmin/D  0.16

Cylindrical shell under

internal pressure (7.4.2):

Chapter 7: Shells
under internal
pressure

tmin

dP
2SEP

Notes
The EN 13445 Section 1 [8] excepts layered vessels, autofrettage vessels, and
prestressed vessels (p.e. wire wound vessel).
In EN 13445 Section 3 [8], there is the possibility to evaluate the results of an FE
analysis based on Appendix C Procedure of stresses categories for the dimension
based on analysis methods. Appendix C describes essentially the elastic stress
analysis method. Stresses are determined using an elastic analysis, classied into
categories, and limited to allowable values that have been conservatively established
so that a plastic collapse will not occur. For thick-walled components, the plastic
analysis methods in Appendix B Directly dimension with analysis methods are

Corresponding International Codes and Standards for Unfired Pressure Vessels

more adequate. This appendix also contains a guideline to perform a plastic analysis
based on the upper bound limit load method, a ratcheting analysis, and a buckling
analysis.
Chapter 18 in EN 13445 Section 3 [8] Detailed calculation of the cyclic life gives a
guideline to calculate the cyclic design life of pressure vessels. But EN 13445 Section 3
is not applicable for extremely high-pressure vessels, because the design fatigue curves
are limited by a material tensile strength of 1000 MPa.
Germany AD2000 [9]

Code

Validity

Minimum required wall

thickness

AD2000 [9] Pressure

vessel

This rule is valid for

cylindrical shells of
pressure vessels within
the limitation 1.2 < D/d
 1.5 provided that the
shell sustains the full
axial stress and the
material of the shell
shows ductile behavior

Cylindrical shell under

internal pressure
(AD2000-B10, 6.1.1):

Chapter B10: Thickwalled cylindrical shells

under internal pressure

tmin

dP
2:3S3P

Notes
The AD2000 code [9] is generally used for thin-walled unred pressure vessels
(thin walled means D/d  1.5). There are only a few options to dimension highpressure vessels. An exception is Chapter B10 for thick-walled cylindrical shells
within the limitation 1.2 < D/d  1.5. Beyond this limitation, AD2000-B10 refers to
the technical book Apparate und Armaturen der Chemischen Hochdrucktechnik
by H.H. Buchter (Springer Verlag, 1967). This book contains many options to size
different types of high-pressure vessels and design guidelines. But since it is not a
code, the book only provides few proposals for safety factors.
In AD2000 code [9], there is the possibility to evaluate the results of an FE analysis
based on Chapter S4 Estimation of stresses based on computed and experimental
strength analysis. Chapter S4 describes basically the elastic stress analysis method:
Stresses are determined using an elastic analysis, classied into categories, and
limited to allowable values that have been conservatively established so that a plastic
collapse will not occur; for thick-walled components, the plastic analysis methods
are more adequate. In Chapter S4 [9], there is no guideline for such an analysis, but
the application is not forbidden.

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396

Chapter S2 [9] Evaluation of cyclic loading gives a guideline to calculate the cyclic
design life of pressure vessels. However, Chapter S2 is not applicable for extremely
high-pressure vessels, because the design fatigue curves are limited by the material
tensile strength of 1000 MPa.
In addition, Chapter HP 801/39 Pressure vessel of Isostat presses [9] provides
special requirements for the in-service inspections for this type of high-pressure
vessels.

Special Aspects for Test Pressure Definition for High-Pressure Vessels

There are special considerations to dene the test pressure for prestressed pressure
vessels. The normal reason of a pressure test is to demonstrate the integrity of the
vessel and to induce compression residual stresses in the area of notches. Prestressed
high-pressure vessels have mostly a simple design without notches. The test pressure
should be limited, in order not to change the prestressed status of the pressure vessel.
The determinations in /3/ for test pressure denition are practicable. Additional
nondestructive test procedure should be avoided.

References
1 ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code,
2
3
4

Section VIII, Division 1, 2009 edition.

ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code,
Section VIII, Division 2, 2009 edition.
ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code,
Section VIII, Division 3, 2009 edition.
Susumu Terada, Development of alternate
methods for establishing design margins
for ASME Section VIII Division 3 (parts 1
and 2), ASME PVP 2009.
Boris Volfson, New Russian national
standards on pressure vessel and
apparatus design and strength
calculation, ASME PVP 2009.
Hoon-Seok Byun, The present and the
future of the Korea electric power industry
code, ASME PVP 2008.
Shou Binan, Recent development of the
pressure vessel codes and standards in
China, ASME PVP 2008.
EN 13445: Unred pressure vessels, 2002
edition.

9 AD2000 Regelwerk: Pressure vessel,

2009 edition.
10 RTOD: Regel voor Toestellen Onder Druk,

2005 edition.
11 PD 5500: Specication for unred fusion

welded pressure vessels, 2009 edition.

12 CODAP Division 1: France design rules

for unred pressure vessel, 2005 edition.

13 CODAP Division 2: France design rules

for unred pressure vessel, 2005 edition.

14 JIS B 8265: Construction of pressure

vessel general principles, 2008 edition.

15 JIS B 8266: Alternative standard for

construction of pressure vessels, 2003

edition.
16 IS 2825: Code for unred pressure vessels,
1969 edition.
17 J. Robert Sims, ASME Section VIII,
Division 3: Alternative rules for
construction of high pressure vessels,
PVPD-60.