Pressure Vessels, Storage Tanks, and Piping

Inspecting Pressure Vessels, Storage Tanks, and Piping 

It is not the intent of this chapter to review in detail the types of inspection tools, techniques, and procedures. Recent American Petroleum Institute publications, available at moderate costs, do an excellent job in that respect. 

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Inspecting pressure vessels, storage tanks, and piping... 

Covers mechanical integrity programs for piping, pressure vessels, storage tanks, and process piping, including corrosion under insulation problems... 

Mechanical Integrity Programs for Piping, Pressure Vessels, Storage Tanks, and Process Piping... 

The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VIII, is the standard resource for the design, fabrication, installation, and testing of storage tanks and process vessels rated as pressure vessels (i.e., above 15-psig design). ASME B31.3 is a basic resource for process piping systems. 

Siloxirane laminates are used in piping, ductwork, storage tanks, and tank liners. Vessels produced from Siloxirane have been approved to receive ASME Section X Class 11 certification and stamping as code vessels. Class 11 vessels may be a maximum of 144 inches in diameter, and the product of pressure (psig) and the diameter in inches may not exceed 7200. 

Chemical engineering is an area of industry that makes large-scale utilisation of reaction pressure vessels, product storage tanks and interconnecting pipe-work. Other parts of manufacturing industry also make use of pipe-work to transport process gases and liquids. These industrial pipe applications are not typified by the transport of one defined product as is the case for gas and water distributors. Industrial needs and the subsequent selection criteria for pipe materials are many and varied. Pipe wall choice tends to be... 

Prior to a release of LNG, the spill line(s) were cooled with liquid nitrogen, after which the LNG was delivered to the spill line by operating valves controlled remotely from the control room located approximately a mile from the release area. The LNG was pressure driven out of the storage tanks and through the spill pipes by means of nitrogen drive gas at 35 to 140 psig. The drive gas was supplied from a 2,000-psig, 2,400-ft pressure vessel. 

After leaving the pressure vessels the oil and water are piped to storage tanks, and the natural gas is either sold or transported via pipeline for further processing ... 

AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE. NH4OH. In laboratory tests, ammonium hydroxide solutions have a rapid initial reaction on aluminum alloys which decreased dramatically as concentration and pH increase. The rate of attack of dilute ammonium hydroxide solutions was moderate (- 6 mpy) for 1100 alloy but decreased to less than 1 mpy when the concentration reached 10 N. Similarly, the rate was mild ( — 2 mpy) as the pH of the solutions reached 13. These decreases have been attributed to fllm formation on aluminum alloys which has been promoted by pre-saturation of the solution with aluminum. It has also been retarded or prevented by the presence of precipitation resulting from over saturation. Aluminum alloys have been used in processing equipment, including pressure vessels, piping, storage tanks and tank cars. See also Ref (Dp. 125. (3) pp. 43. 58. 61. (4) pp. 34, 35. 36, 37. 69 (7) p. 7. 

METHANE. CH4. Aluminum alloys have been used for pressure vessels in the storage and transport of compressed methane gas. Aluminum alloy tanks and pipe lines have been used extensively for handling liquid methane at temperatures as low as — 160°C (-256°F). See also Ref (1) p- 136. (3) pp. 103, 214, (7)p. 121. 

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