Pressure vessels design methods

Faupel, J.H. Proven Pressure Vessel Design Methods. Petroleum Refiner, September 1959, p. 247. 

Faupel JH. Proven pressure vessel design methods. Petroleum Refiner Sept, 1959 Vol. 38(No. 9). 

The maximum intensity of stress allowed will depend on the particular theory of failure adopted in the design method (see Section 13.3.2). The maximum shear-stress theory is normally used for pressure vessel design. 

Another reason the process engineer must have an appreciation of methods of fabrication, design codes, and other constraints on pressure vessel design is that these constraints often dictate limits on the process conditions. Mechanical constraints can cause significant cost thresholds in design, for example, when a costlier grade of alloy is required above a certain temperature. 

This book provides detailed methods to cover those areas most frequently encountered in pressure vessel design. The topics chosen for this section, while of the utmost interest to the designer, represent problems of a specialized nature. As such, they are presented here for information purposes, and detailed solutions are not provided. The solutions to these special problems are complicated and normally beyond the expertise or available time of the average designer. 

Simplified inelastic methods in pressure vessel design... 

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) United Engineering Center 345 East 47th Street New York, NY 10017 The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, under the cognisance of the ASME PoHcy Board, Codes, and Standards, considers the interdependence of design procedures, material selection, fabrication procedures, inspection, and test methods that affect the safety of boilers, pressure vessels, and nuclear-plant components, whose failures could endanger the operators or the pubHc (see Nuclearreactors). It does not cover other aspects of these topics that affect operation, maintenance, or nonha2ardous deterioration. 

Subsection B This subsection contains rules pertaining to the methods of fabrication of pressure vessels. Part UW is applicable to welded vessels. Service restric tions are defined. Lethal service is for lethal substances, which are defined as poisonous gases or liquids of such a nature that a very small amount of the gas or the vapor of the liquid mixed or unmixed with air is dangerous to life when inhaled. It is stated that it is the user s responsibility to advise the designer or manufacturer if the service is lethal. All vessels in lethal service shall have all butt-welded joints fully radiographed, and when practical, joints shall be butt-welded. All vessels fabricated of carbon or low-aUoy steel shall be postweld-heat-treated. 

The performances and estimating methods of welded PHEs match those of gasketed PHEs in most cases, but normally the Compabloc, with larger depth of corrugations, can be lower in overall coefficient. Some extensions of the design operating conditions are possible with welded PHEs, most notably is that ciyogenic applications are possible. Pressure vessel code acceptance is available on most units. 

Some method of pressure relief is required on all pressure vessels and for other proeess equipment where inereasing pressure might rupture the vessel. Mueh of the piping used in modern ehemieal operations also requires overpressure proteetion. Safety relief valves or rupture dises are employed for pressure relief. In many eases, either a rupture dise or a safety relief valve ean be used. Safety relief valves are usually used for proeess proteetion and rupture dises are used for vessel proteetion. The safety relief valve or rupture dise must be designed to operate at a known pressure and prevent the pressure within the system from inereasing. Therefore, it is important to eon-sider the flowrate the valve ean handle. 

In this section, three examples of blast calculations of BLEVEs and pressure vessel bursts will be given. The first example is designed to illustrate the use of all three methods described in Section 6.3.2. The second is a continuation of sample problem 9.1.5, the BLEVE of a tank truck. A variation in the calculation method is presented instead of determination of the blast parameters at a given distance from the explosion, the distance is calculated at which a given overpressure is reached. The third example is a case study of a BLEVE in San Juan Ixhuatepec (Mexico City). 

The design methods and design curves given in the standards and codes should be used for the detailed design of vessels subject to external pressure. 

---