Abstract

This technical paper presents design, and analysis of pressure vessel. High
pressure rise is developed in the pressure vessel and pressure vessel has to
withstand severe forces. In the design of pressure vessel safety is the primary
consideration, due the potential impact of possible accident. Analyses were carried
out on head, shell, nozzle and saddle. The input parameters are type of material,
pressure, temperature, diameter, and corrosion allowance. Analysis performed the
calculations of internal and external pressure, weight of the element, allowable
stresses, vessel longitudinal stress check, nozzle check and saddle check.

1. Introduction
Pressure vessels are leak proof containers, as the name implies, their main
purpose is to contain a given medium under pressure and temperature. Pressure
vessels are commonly used in industry to carry both liquid and gases under required
pressure and temperature limit. This pressure and temperature comes from an
external source or by the application of heat from a direct or indirect source or any
combination of them. Pressure vessels; commonly have the cylindrical, spherical,
ellipsoidal, conical or a combination of these shapes. However, some pressure
vessels are named after the type of function they required to perform. For example,
the distillation column is a vessel used in oil and petroleum refining process. The
heat exchanger used in many types of industries to transfer heat from one fluid to
another fluid.Also, reactor is a vessel, which is used for chemical reaction of
contained substance. The material comprising the vessel is subjected to pressure
loading and hence stresses from all direction. The normal stresses resulting from
this pressure are functions of diameter of the elements under consideration, the
shape of the pressure vessel as well as the applied pressure.Pressure vessels are
usually spherical or cylindrical with dome end. The cylindrical vessels are generally
preferred because of they present simple manufacturing problem and make better
use of the available space. Boiler, heat exchanger, chemical reactor and so on, are
generally cylindrical.
Pressure vessels find wide applications in thermal and nuclear power plants, process and chemical
industries, in space and ocean depths, and fluid supply systems in industries. The failure of pressure
vessel may result in loss of life, health hazards and damage of property. Due to practical requirements,
pressure vessels are often equipped with openings of various shapes, sizes and positions. Vessels have
openings to accommodate manholes, handholds, and nozzles. Openings vary in size from small drain
nozzles to full vessel size openings with body flanges. The openings cannot be avoided because of
various piping or measuring gauge attachments. They allow for the mounting of equipment, the insertion
of instrumentation, and the connection of piping facilitating the introduction and extraction of content but
they also lead to the high stress concentration which leads to the failure of pressure vessel. Openings in
pressure vessels are frequent, in fact all riveted constructions make use of such means of fabrication, and
all vessels must have openings.

Problem Statement
Vessels failure can be grouped into four major categories, which describe why a
vessel failure occurs. Failures also grouped into types of failures, which describe
how the failure occurs mean each failure contains its failure history, why and how it
occurs. There are many reasons of vessels failure such as:
Improper material selection, defected material.
Incorrect design data, incorrect or inaccurate design method or process, inadequate
shop testing.
Improper fabrication process, poor quality control, insufficient fabrication process
including welding, heat treatment and forming methods.
In order to meet a safe design, a designer must be familiar with the above
mentioned failure and its causes. There have a few main factors to design safe
pressure vessel. This study is focusing on analyzing the safety parameters for
allowable working pressure.

Methodology
For design of pressure vessel the selection of Code are important as a reference
guide to achieve the safety pressure vessel. The objectives of the study is to design
pressure vessel according to input data and analyze the safety parameters of each
component for its allowable working pressure
The objectives of the study is to design pressure vessel according to input data and
analyze the safety parameters of each component for its allowable working
pressure.
to design a pressure vessel : A sieve plate column that satisfied the preliminary
specifications summary given.

Chapter -2
2.1

LITERATURE REVIEW

GENERAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS: PRESSURE VESSELS

Design pressure
The pressure use in the design of a vessel is called design pressure. It is recommended to
design a vessel and its parts for a higher pressure than the operating pressure. A design
pressure higher than the operating pressure with 10 percent, whichever is the greater, will
satisfy the requirement. The pressure of the fluid will also be considering. The maximum
allowable working pressure (MAWP) for a vessel is the permissible pressure at the top of the
vessel in its normal operating position at a specific temperature. This pressure is based on
calculations for every element of the vessel using nominal thicknesses exclusive of corrosion
allowance. It is the basis for establishing the set pressures of any pressure-relieving devices
protecting the vessel.

Design temperature
Design temperature is the temperature that will be maintained in the metal of the part of the vessel being
considered for the specified operation of the vessel. For most vessels, it is the temperature that corresponds to the
design pressure. However, there is a maximum design temperature and a minimum design temperature (MDMT) for
any given vessel. The MDMT shall be the lowest temperature expected in service or the lowest allowable
temperature as calculated for the individual parts. Design temperature for vessels under external pressure shall not
exceed the maximum temperatures.

Materials
Pressure vessels are constructed from plain carbon steels, low and high alloy steels, other
alloys, clad plate, and reinforced plastics. Selection of a suitable material must take into account the suitability of the
material for fabrication (particularly welding) as well as the compatibility of the material with the process
environment. The pressure vessel design codes and standards include lists of acceptable materials; in accordance
with the appropriate material standards.

Corrosion Allowance
The corrosion allowance is the additional thickness of metal added to allow for material
lost by corrosion and erosion, or scaling.
The allowance to be used should be agreed between the customer and manufacturer.
corrosion occurring over the life of a vessel is catered for by a corrosion allowance, the
design value of which depends upon the vessel duty and the corrosiveness of its con-tent. A
design criterion of corrosion allowance is 1 mm for air receiver in which condensation of air
moisture is expected.

Welded joint efficiency, and construction categories

The strength of a welded joint will depend on the type of joint and the quality of the
welding. The soundness of welds is checked by visual inspection and by nondestructive testing(radiography).The possible lower strength of a welded joint
compared with the virgin plate is usually allowed for in design by multiplying the
allowable design stress for the material by a welded joint factor J. The value of the
joint factor used in design will depend on the type of joint and amount of
radiography required by the design code. Typical values are shown in Table 13.3.
Taking the factor as 1.0 implies that the joint is equally as strong as the virgin plate;
this is achieved by radiographing the complete weld length, and cutting out and
remaking any defects. The use of lower joint factors in design, though saving costs
on radiography, will result in a thicker, heavier, vessel, and the designer must
balance any cost savings on inspection and fabrication against the increased cost of
materials.

Design loads
A structure must be designed to resist gross plastic deformation and collapse under
all the conditions of loading. The loads to which a process vessel will be subject in
service are listed below. They can be classified as major loads that must always be
considered in vessel design and subsidiary loads. Formal stress analysis to
determine the effect of the subsidiary loads is only required in the codes and
standards where it is not possible to demonstrate the adequacy of the proposed
design by other means; such as by comparison with the known behavior of existing
vessels.
Major loads
1. Design pressure: including any significant static head of liquid.
2. Maximum weight of the vessel and contents, under operating conditions.
3. Maximum weight of the vessel and contents under the hydraulic test conditions.

4. Wind loads.
5. Earthquake (seismic) loads.
6. Loads supported by, or reacting on, the vessel.
Subsidiary loads
1. Local stresses caused by supports, internal structures and connecting pipes.
2. Shock loads caused by water hammer, or by surging of the vessel contents.
3. Bending moments caused by eccentricity of the centre of the working pressure
relative to the neutral axis of the vessel.
4. Stresses due to temperature differences and differences in the coefficient
expansion of materials.
5. Loads caused by fluctuations in temperature and pressure.
A vessel will not be subject to all these loads simultaneously. The designer must
determine what combination of possible loads gives the worst situation, and design
for that loading condition.

Minimum practical wall thickness

There will be a minimum wall thickness required to ensure that any vessel is
sufficiently rigid to withstand its own weight, and any incidental loads. As a general
guide the wall thickness of any vessel should not be less than the values given
below; the values include a corrosion allowance of 2 mm:

Chapter -3
Materials and methods
Material Selection
Several of materials have been use in pressure vessel fabrication. The selection of material is based on the
appropriateness of the design requirement. The materials used in the manufacture of the receivers shall comply with
the requirements of the relevant design code, and be identifiable with mill sheets. The selection of materials of the
shell shall take into account the suitability of the materials with the maximum working pressure and fabrication
process. Materials used for this are;
Stainless steel, unstablished(304)
Carbon steel, silicon killed

water

methods

MECHANICAL DESIGN OF THE SIEVE PLATE COLUMN

Inner diameter of the column, Di = 1.5 m = 1500 mm
Design pressure = 1200 kN/m2 = 1.2 N/mm2
Design temperature = 150oC
Material of construction of the shell and the covers is Stainless steel 18Cr/8Ni
unstabilized (304)
Design stress of the material at 150oC = 130 N/mm2
Youngs modulus = 200000 N/mm2
Corrosion allowance = 2 mm
Height of the column between the two tangent lines = 37000 mm
Skirt height = 2500 mm
No of plates = 50
Insulation = 50 mm thick
Mineral wool density = 130 kg/m3
Maximum wind velocity = 160 KM/h
Plate loading including liquid = 1.2 kN/m2 of plate area
With the specifications and requirement provided previously, the column wall
thickness is then
calculated as; this equation can be used to calculate the minimum thickness
required,

t=

Pi Di
2 fjPi

Where,
Pi = Design pressure = 1.2 N/mm2
Di = inner diameter of the column = 1500 mm
f = the design stress of the material of construction = 130 N/mm 2

E = the weld joint efficiency = 1.0

The weld joint is double welded butt or equivalent joint and 100 percent degree
of radiography.

t=

1.2(1500)
(
2 130 ) ( 1 )1.2

t=6.955 mm
round off and add corrosion allowance of 2 mm = 9 mm

Design of the covers of the column:

Most standard ellipsoidal heads are manufactured with a major and minor axis ratio
of 2:1
For this ratio, the following equation can be used to calculate the minimum
thickness required:

CALCULATION OF THE MINIMUM THICKNESS OF

Minimu m thickness required for pressure loading

t=

Pi Di
2 fj0.2 Pi

t=

1.2(1500)
2 ( 130 ) ( 1 )0.2(1.2)
t=6.93 mm
rounding off to 7 mm

ellipsoidal head

CALCULATION OF THE MINIMUM THICKNESS OF

Torispherical heads

t=

PiRcCs
2 fj+ Pi(Cs0.2)

Where, Cs = stress concentration factor for torispherical heads

The ratio of the knuckle to crown radii should not be less than 0.06, to avoid
buckling; and the crown radius should not be greater than the diameter of the
cylindrical section.

Mean Thickness of Column Wall

Since a vessel needs to withstand design loads such as wind and the dead
weight loads, the column wall has to be gradually thicker from the top to the
bottom Thus, the pressure at the vessel base is maintained at maximum and
this requires greater thickness of the column wall and also larger diameter for
the column. This is crucial to prevent the vessel from collapsing as well as to
increase its capability to endure wind loading and dead weight of vessel and
content that contributed to the high stress from increase in pressure. Therefore ,
For stability of the shell the column wall is divided into 5 sections with an
increase of 2mm for each section going downwards. The column wall thickness
from top to bottom of the shell is 7mm , 9 mm, 11 mm, 13 mm and 15mm
respectively. The mean thickness of Column wall can then be calculated.

t s=

7 +9+11+13+ 15
=11 mm
5

For all other calculations, the average thickness is used.

Dead weight of vessel

Stress due to the dead weight of the vessel:

For a steel vessel

Take Cv = 1.15, vessel with plates
Dm = 1.5 + 11 x 10-3 = 1.511m
Hv = 37 m
t = 11 mm
Wv = 240 CvDm (Hv + 0.8 Dm) t
Wv = 240 X 1.15 X 1.511 (37 + 0.8 X 1.511) 11
= 175,279 N
= 175.3kN
Weight of plates
Plates area = /4 X 1.52 = 1.77 m2
Weight of a plate including liquid on it: 1.2kN/m 2 X 1.77 m2 = 2.124 kN
50 plates = 50 X 2.124 = 106.2 kN

Weight of insulation
Mineral wool density = 130 kg/m3

Approximate volume of insulation = x 1.5 x 37 x 50 x 10-3

= 8.72 m3
Weight = 8.72 m3 x 130 kg/m3 x 9.81 m/s2 = 11,121 N
Double this to allow for fitting, etc. = 22.241 kN
Total weight:
Shell
Plates & contents

175.30kN
106.20kN

Insulation

22.241kN

Total

303.741 kN

Wind loading
Take dynamic wind pressure as 1280 N/m 2, corresponding to 160 kph (100 mph)
for preliminary design studies.
Mean diameter including thickness and insulation = D i + 2(ts +tins) x 10-3
= 1.5 + 2(11+50) x 10-3
=1.622 m
Loading (per linear meter), W= 1280 N/m2 x 1.622 m = 2076.16 N/m
Bending moment at bottom tangent line = Mx =

W
x Hv
2

= (2076.16 (N/m)/2) x (37)2 m

= 1421131.52N.m

Longitudinal and circumferential stress:

At bottom tangent line, the pressure stresses are given by:

Longitudinal stress,
PiDi
L= 4 t (N/mm2) =

1.2 x 1500
4 x 15

30 N/mm2

1.2 x 1500
2 x 15

60 N/mm2

Circumferential stress,

h=

PiDi
2
2 t (N/mm ) =

Stress due to dead weight,

Wv
w= ( Di+t ) t (N/mm2) =

175300 N
( 1500 mm+15 mm ) 15 mm

2.455 N/mm2

Do = Di + 2 x t = 1500 mm + 2 (15 mm) = 1530 mm = outer diameter of the

column
Bending Stresses,

Iv =

b =

64

4
o

Di4) =

M Di
+t
Iv 2

64

(15304

15004) = 2.0484 x 1010 mm

1421131520 N . m 1500 mm
+15 mm =53.084
10
2
2.048 10 mm

Resultant longitudinal stress is given by,

z = L+ w

w is compressive therefore it is negative.

z(upwind) =30 +(- 2.455) +53.08 = + 80.63 N/mm
z(downwind) = 30 + (-2.455) 53.08 = - 25.535 N/mm 2

(Upwind)

80.63 N/mm2

25.535

N/mm2

60 N/mm2

(Downwind)

The greatest difference between the principal stress will be on the down
-wind side
60 (25.535)=85.535

N/mm2

DESIGN OF SKIRT SUPPORT FOR THE VESSEL

The resultant stresses in the skirt will be,
s (tensile) = bs -ws
s (compressive) = bs+ ws
bs= bending stress in the skirt

bs= 4*Ms/ *(Ds + t)*t*Ds]