Vessel supports brackets

Brackets, or lugs, can be used to support vertical vessels. The bracket may rest on the building structural steel work, or the vessel may be supported on legs Figure 13.24. 

Figure 18.14. Methods of supporting vessels, (a) Saddle supports for horizontal vessels, usually of concrete, (b) Bracket or lug supports resting on legs, for either vertical or horizontal vessels, (c) Bracket or lug supports resting on steel structures, for either vertical or horizontal vessels, (d) Straight skirt support for towers and other tall vessels the bearing plate is bolted to the foundation, (e) Flared skirt for towers and other tall vessels, used when the required number of bolts is such that the bolt spacing becomes less than the desirable 2 ft.

Intruding water, ingress of acid vapors, and process spills are some of the menaces that encourage corrosion problems on insulated equipment. Very few, if any, thermal insulation sy.stciiis are completely waterproof, and the steel or alloy material covered by insulation is intermittently wet and dry. Brackets that support insulated vessels or brackets on insulated vessels to support piping, ladders, or walkways can act as traps to collect water. 

The steam dryer is a stainless steel assembly mounted in the reactor vessel above the steam separator which forms the upper boundary of the wet steam plenum. Vertical guides on the inside of the vessel align the dryer during installation. The steam dryer ring supports the dryer on the dryer support brackets. In many BWR plants, the steam dryer support ring is a cold-formed section made of stainless steel. In other plants, the stainless steel steam dryer support ring was installed in a non-cold-worked condition. 

The main load carried by the brackets will be the weight of the vessel and contents in addition the bracket must be designed to resist the load due to any bending moment due to wind, or other loads. If the bending moment is likely to be significant skirt supports should be considered in preference to bracket supports. 

As the reaction on the bracket is eccentric, Figure 13.31, the bracket will impose a bending moment on the vessel wall. The point of support, at which the reaction acts, should be made as close to the vessel wall as possible allowing for the thickness of any insulation. Methods for estimating the magnitude of the stresses induced in the vessel... 

A quick method for sizing vessel reinforcing rings (backing plates) for bracket supports is given by Mahajan (1977). 

The method used to support a vessel will depend on the size, shape, and weight of the vessel the design temperature and pressure the vessel location and arrangement and the internal and external fittings and attachments. Horizontal vessels are usually mounted on two saddle supports see Figure 13.20. Skirt supports are used for tall, vertical columns see Figure 13.21. Brackets, or lugs, are used for all types of vessels ... 

The functional requirements of the vessel capacity, general shape and dimensions, internals, type and overall dimensions of support, piping and instrumentation connections and access openings, lifting lugs, and positions of pads and brackets for miscellaneous steelwork connections. 

Structural. Ladders, platforms, and agitator supports correctly designed clear understanding of vessel/structural supply interface steelwork connection pads and brackets included where needed. 

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