A 

pressure vessel is a container designed to hold gases or liquids at a pressure substantially different

from the ambient pressure.

Construction methods and materials may be chosen to suit the application, and will depend on the size
of the vessel, the contents, working pressure, mass constraints, and the number of items required.

Pressure vessels can be dangerous, and fatal accidents have occurred in the history of their
development and operation. Consequently, pressure vessel design, manufacture, and operation are
regulated by engineering authorities backed by legislation. For these reasons, the definition of a
pressure vessel varies from country to country.

Design involves parameters such as maximum safe operating pressure and temperature, safety factor,
corrosion allowance and minimum design temperature (for brittle fracture). Construction is tested
using nondestructive testing, such as ultrasonic testing, radiography, and pressure tests. Hydrostatic
pressure tests usually use water, but pneumatic tests use air or another gas. Hydrostatic testing is
preferred, because it is a safer method, as much less energy is released if a fracture occurs during the
test (water does not greatly increase its volume when rapid depressurization occurs, unlike gases, which
expand explosively). Mass or batch production products will often have a representative sample tested
to destruction in controlled conditions for quality assurance. Pressure relief devices may be fitted if the
overall safety of the system is sufficiently enhanced.

In most countries, vessels over a certain size and pressure must be built to a formal code. In the United
States that code is the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC). In Europe the code is the Pressure
Equipment Directive. Information on this page is mostly valid in ASME only.[clarification needed] These vessels
also require an authorized inspector to sign off on every new vessel constructed and each vessel has a
nameplate with pertinent information about the vessel, such as maximum allowable working pressure,
maximum temperature, minimum design metal temperature, what company manufactured it, the date,
its registration number (through the National Board), and American Society of Mechanical Engineers's
official stamp for pressure vessels (U-stamp). The nameplate makes the vessel traceable and officially an
ASME Code vessel.

A special application is pressure vessels for human occupancy, for which more stringent safety rules
apply.-------------------------------------

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO PRESSURE VESSELS

Pressure vessels are containers designed to contain liquids and gases for industrial usage. Holding gases
and liquids have a significant role in many kinds of industry, thus making them efficient and safe has
become one of the highest priorities of engineering design and research areas. To understand the
modern pressure vessel designs and usage, alongside its features, a brief history of the engineering of
pressure vessels throughout the world will be given in the article before further explaining its features,
design, and usage areas--------------------------------
 Pressure vessels are used to store and transmit liquids, vapors, and gases under pressure in general.
The pressure of these finds will exert pressure equally in all direction on the walls and ends of the
pressure vessels. Because of the internal loading, stresses are including on certain sections of the
cylinder (pressure vessel) wall.

The pressure vessels (cylindrical or spherical tanks) are generally used in engineering to store fluid under
pressure.

2.2. MATERIALS
The key to build a good pressure vessel is choosing the right materials. To choose
the right material which is optimal for the vessel, expected external pressure must
be calculated while analyzing the different case scenarios which the vessel could
encounter during its mission. To make a hull or a vessel to withstand the most
pressure in the maximum depth, the easiest way is to increase the wall thickness
with hard materials such as high-strength structural steel.
However, if the vessel does not need to go that deep, less strong but cheaper
material of construction such as mild steel may be chosen to lower the
manufacturing expenses. There are also many alternatives to mild steel, although
strength is not the only parameter that should be looked at while choosing the
material. Since one material is usually not perfect for all environments and
circumstances, the material of construction range is very wide for pressure vessels.
The material should satisfy the factors such as high corrosion resistivity, low cost,
long life span, strength to weight, and strength to density ratios. Even though most
of the pressure vessels are made of steel, non-ferrous alloys such as titanium alloys
and aluminum alloys are also used. Composite and polymer materials can also be
used as construction materials in pressure vessels.
Possible Problems:
Corrosion is one of the most encountered problems in a submarine environment.
Since the manufacturing of stainless steel as construction material in a pressure
vessel is expensive and hard, structural and mild steel that is used may have
corrosion problems in water. To lower this possibility and make the life span of the
surface material longer, other corrosion-resistant materials such as aluminium,
which has a higher corrosion resistivity in a marine environment than steel, can be
chosen for long operations underwater.
Another common problem that occurs, is stress corrosion cracking, which mostly
happens when the material encounters corrosion and stress at the same time. To
solve this problem even before happening, tensile stress and composition of the
material must have been determined suitably to the planned working environment.
Fabrication problems due to poor welding may also occur, however they are
encountered more rare in comparison to other possible problems.
3. USAGE

Pressure vessels are used widely throughout many areas with different uses in both industry and the private sector. While submarines make
historically the most common and known examples of pressure vessels, modern storage tanks and compressed air receivers can also be given
as usage of a pressure vessel. Many other examples of pressure vessel usage can be written, such as; distillation towers, pressure reactors,
nuclear reactors, oil refineries and the petrochemical industry.

4. DESIGN

Designing a pressure vessel is the most important task of engineers and scientists who work in that field of industry. While choosing the
materials being the key factor, designing for a designated area of work, planning solutions to possible problems that might occur, ensuring the
safety of workers and the pressure vessel itself are the main aims of the pressure vessel designing along with the aim of economic
manufacturing.
After determining the work area of a vessel, suitable materials should be chosen first. It is important to foresee the mechanical loads which the
pressured vessel will endure during its mission, thus materials engineers must then calculate the most important problems in materials
selection, which are stress and fatigue.
Stress and fatigue are the main reasons for the failure of an industrial machine, let alone in pressure vessels, these failures can be fatal.
Therefore one must know the mechanical properties of the chosen material before applying it to work design. The most important mechanical
properties are yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, reduction of area, fracture toughness, and resistance to corrosion.
The chosen material should withstand mechanical loads such as external and internal pressures, deadweight, and also seismic activity, which
mostly occurs surprisingly. Other environmental difficulties such as wind, excessive loads of snow, and heavy rain should also be taken into
account.