Pressure Vessel

It is generally accepted that any closed vessel over 150 mm diameter subject to a pressure difference of more than
0.5 bar should be designed as a pressure vessel.
ASME BPV code defines pressure vessels as containers for the containment of pressure. It specifically excludes
vessels having an internal pressure not exceeding 103 kPa (15 lbf/in2) and further states that the rules are applicable
for pressures not exceeding 20,670 kPa (3000 lbf/in2). For higher pressures it is usually necessary to deviate from the
rules in the division.
For a cylindrical shell thin-walled pressure vessel, equation specified by ASME BPV Code is,
𝑃𝐷
𝑖 𝑖
𝑡 = 2𝑆𝐸−1.2𝑃 eqn. 1
𝑖

Where:
Pi = internal pressure
Di = inner vessel diameter
S = maximum allowable stress
E = joint efficiency

Similarly, for longitudinal stress, the code specifies,

𝑃𝑖 𝐷𝑖
𝑡= eqn. 2
4𝑆𝐸+0.8𝑃𝑖

The ASME BPV Code specifies that the minimum thickness shall be the greater value determined from equations 1
and 2.

For spherical shells, the code specifies the equation

𝑃𝑖 𝐷𝑖
𝑡= eqn. 3
4𝑆𝐸−0.4𝑃𝑖

Heads of Cylindrical Vessels

Types of head of cylindrical vessels can be categorized as flat and domed-shaped heads. Domed-shape heads can
be further categorized as hemispherical, ellipsoidal and torispherical heads.
Flat plates/flange-only ends - cheapest type of formed head to manufacture, but their use is limited to low-pressure
and small diameter vessels.
Standard torispherical heads (dished ends) are the most commonly used end closure for vessels up to operating
pressures of 15 bar. They can be used for higher pressures, but above 10 bar their cost should be compared with that
of an equivalent ellipsoidal head. Above 15 bar an ellipsoidal head will usually prove to be the most economical closure
to use.
A hemispherical head is the strongest shape, capable of resisting about twice the pressure of a torispherical head of
the same thickness. The cost of forming a hemispherical head will, however, be higher than that for a shallow
torispherical head. Hemispherical heads are used for high pressures.

Design of Flat Ends

The ASME BPV Code specifies the minimum thickness as

𝐶𝑃
𝑡 = 𝐷𝑒 √ 𝑆𝐸𝑖 eqn. 4

Where:
C = a design constant, dependent on the edge constraint
De = nominal plate diameter
Some typical values of the design constant and nominal diameter:
(a) Flanged-only end, C = 0.17 if corner radius is not more than 3t; otherwise C = 0.1; De is equal to Di.
(b) Plates welded to the end of the shell with a fillet weld, angle of fillet 450 and weld depth 70% of the thickness
of the shell, C = 0.33 t/ts, where ts is the shell thickness. De = Di.
(c) Bolted cover with a full-face gasket (see Section 13.10), C = 0.25 and De is the bolt circle diameter (the
diameter of a circle connecting the centers of the bolt holes).
(d) Bolted end cover with a narrow-face gasket, C = 0.3 and De should be taken as the mean diameter of the
gasket.
(e)
Design of Domed Ends
Hemispherical Heads
Optimum hemispherical head thickness to cylinder thickness is normally taken as 0.6.
Hemispherical head thickness can be calculated as
𝑃𝑖 𝐷𝑖
𝑡= eqn. 5
4𝑆𝐸−0.4𝑃𝑖

Ellipsoidal Heads
Most standard ellipsoidal heads are manufactured with a major and minor axis ratio of 2:1.
𝑃𝑖 𝐷𝑖
𝑡= eqn. 6
2𝑆𝐸−0.2𝑃𝑖

Torispherical Heads
These heads have a dish with a fixed radius (CR), the size of which depends on the type of torispherical head. The
transition between the cylinder and the dish is called the knuckle. The knuckle has a toroidal shape.
The ASME BPV Code gives the design equation (Sec. VIII D.1 Part UG-32):
0.885𝑃𝑖 𝑅𝑐
𝑡= eqn. 7
𝑆𝐸−0.1𝑃𝑖

Where:
Rc = crown radius
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.
For formed heads (no welds or joints in the head), the joint efficiency E is taken as 1.0.
Table 1: Typical Maximum Allowable Stresses for Plates Under ASME BPV Code Sec. VIII D.1

Table 2: Maximum Allowable Joint Efficiency

The strength of a welded joint will depend on the type of joint and the quality of the welding. The ASME BPV Code
Sec. VIII D.1 defines four categories of weld (Part UW-3):
A Longitudinal or spiral welds in the main shell, necks or nozzles, or circumferential welds connecting
hemispherical heads to the main shell, necks, or nozzles;
B Circumferential welds in the main shell, necks, or nozzles or connecting a formed head other than
hemispherical;
C Welds connecting flanges, tube sheets, or flat heads to the main shell, a formed head, neck, or nozzle;
D Welds connecting communicating chambers or nozzles to the main shell, to heads, or to necks.