Design Procedure with Relevant Equations for

all Distillation Column with

varying Thickness
Column Shell Thickness ( ts):- The maximum thickness is a
tne top of the shel end and is determined only on the basis of
Circumferential Stresses.
t s -(PDi/ 2fJ -P) +c
Here, ts = Shell Thickness (unit - mm)
P = Design Pressure

Di Inner diameter of shell

f= Allowable stress of shell material1
J= Joint Efficiency = 1(for distillation column)

c= Corrosion Allowance
Note:-All stresses are in N/mm
2) Axial Stress Dueto Pressure (fap) :-

fap PDi/4 ( ts- c)

Here, P=Design Pressure

Di = Inner diameter of shell

ts Shell Thickness that calculated above

c= Corrosion Allowance
Axial Stress Due to Pressure is the same throughout the column
height.
3)Stresses dueto Dead Loads
A) Compressive stress due to weight of shell at height X

fds Weight of shell/ Cross section of shell

 = Tt/4 (D0-Di)phellX
t/4 (Do4- Di)

Here,
Outer diameter of shell (Do)= Di +2 ts
pshellDensity of shell material
X = Height of column under consideration

B)Compressive stress due to weight of Insulation at height "A

J

fdins T Dins tins Pins X

T Dm (ts c)
-

= Weight of insulation perunit hcight X

T Dn ( ts-c)
Here, Dins= Diameter of Insulation
tins Thickness of insulation
pinsDensity of insulationn
Dm Mean diameter of shell= (Do + Di )/2

C) Compressive stress due to weight of liquid in the column up to a

height X':
fadig)= Weight of liquid per unit height X
T Dm ( ts- c)

Here
Weight in terms of height X is given by
=

(X/tray spacing ) n/4 Di*x Weight of liquid,tray etc.

D)Compressive stress due to weight of attachments such as
internals, tophead, platforms and ladder up to a height X :
 atp Weight of attachments per unit height X
t Dm ( ts- C)

e,
att) Weight of head + (Weight of attachments x (A
T Dm (ts-c)

Total Compressive Dead Weight stress (fdx )

fdx fds+ fdins + fa(liq)+ fa(att)

Stress due to wind load at a distance X :

4)
fwx Mw/ Z
the of shell
Here, Z= Modules of Section for
area

=
Tt/4 Do (ts- c) distance X
Mw =
Bending moment due to wind load at a

= Wind load x Distance /2

0.7 PwDoX*/2
.

Pressure
Here, Pw= Wind
fux1.4 Pw X/T D.(ts- c)

5) Determination of Height (X)

fwx +fap - fdx = fumax)

Permissible Tensile Stress of shell material

Here, fmax)
=

to be considered,then,
If Joint Efficiency J is
xJ=0
fwx +fap - fáx fall
-
 The above equation can be stated in the form of quadranc
equation, a X + b X + c = 0 ,from which we can find the value
of X.

6) Stress due to Eccentricity load (fe):-

fe Wexe/t/4 Do (ts- c)
Here, We = Summation of Eccentric load

e Eccentricity

7) Stress due to Seismic load (fsx):-

fsx Msx/ T/4 Do (ts- c)

Where,
Msx Bending Moment at X
=
4SWX (3H - X/H)
S-Semismic coefficient
W-Total weight of column
H-Total height of column