BASIC MACHINE DESIGN

(FORMULAS)
Pressure Vessel

THIN WALL PRESSURE VESSEL

t
• If the ratio of wall thickness to the inside diameter ( ) is less than 0.07 then the
Di
cylinder is considered as thin-wall.
For Cylindrical Pressure Vessel
• If efficiency of joint is not considered:
St = tangential stress or hoop stress
PD
S= i
2t
SL = longitudinal stress
PD
SL = i
4t
• If efficiency of joint is considered:
PD PD
St = i SL = i
2te 4te
Where:
e = joint efficiency S = tangential stress
Di = inside diameter t = thickness of the wall
• Di = Do – 2t
Where: t = wall thickness Do = outside diameter
• For a cylindrical vessel filled with fluid:
P = maximum pressure at the bottom
P = w h = (SG x Ww) h

FOR SPHERICAL PRESSURE VESSEL

• If efficiency of joint is not considered:
PD
S= i
4t
• If efficiency of joint is considered:
PD
S= i
4t e
• Di = Do – 2t
Where e = joint efficiency

THICK WALL PRESSURE VESSEL

If the ratio of t/Di is greater than 0.07, then the vessel is considered as thick-wall.
 • Using Lame’s equation for internal pressure:
D S +P
t = [√ t i − 1]
2 S −P t i
where:
t = wall thickness St = tangential stress
D = inside diameter Pi = internal pressure
• When the vessel is subjected to an internal and external pressures:
For Maximum Internal Stress:
Pi (r2o + r2i ) − 2Po r2o
Sti = r2o − r2i
For Maximum External Stress:
2Pi r2i − Po (r2o + r2i )
Sto = r2o − r2i
Where:
Sti = maximum internal tangential stress Pi = internal pressure
Sto = maximum external tangential stress Po = external pressure
ro = outside radius ri = inside radius