PRESSURE VESSEL

introduction
BY: MOH.M MOENIR
 INTRODUCTION
 The pressure vessels (i.e. cylinders or tanks) are used to store
fluids under pressure.
 The pressure vessels are designed with great care because rupture
of a pressure vessel means an explosion which may cause loss of life
and property.
 The material of pressure vessels may be brittle such as cast iron,
or ductile such as mild steel.

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They are used in a variety of industries like
 Petroleum refining
 Chemical
 Power
 Food & beverage
 Pharmaceutical

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Classification of Pressure Vessels
According to the dimensions:
The pressure vessels, according to their dimensions, may be
classified as thin shell or thick shell.
If the wall thickness of the shell (t) is less than 1/10 of the
diameter of the shell (d), then it is called a thin shell.
If the wall thickness of the shell is greater than 1/10 of the
diameter of the shell, then it is said to be a thick shell.

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According to the end construction:
The pressure vessels, according to the end construction,
may be classified as open end or closed end.
A simple cylinder with a piston, such as cylinder of a press
is an example of an open end vessel, whereas a tank is an
example of a closed end vessel.

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There are three main types of pressure vessels in general
Horizontal Pressure Vessels
Vertical Pressure Vessels
Spherical Pressure vessels
However there are some special types of Vessels like Regeneration
Tower, Reactors but these names are given according to their use
only.

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HORIZONTAL PRESSURE VESSEL

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VERTICAL PRESSURE VESSEL

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SPHERICAL PRESSURIZED STORAGE VESSEL

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MAIN COMPONENTS OF PRESSURE VESSEL
The main pressure vessel components are as follow:
 Shell
 Head
 Nozzle
 Support

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Shell
The shell is the primary component that contains the pressure.
Pressure vessel shells are welded together to form a structure that
has a common rotational axis. Most pressure vessel shells are
cylindrical, spherical and conical in shape.

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Head
All pressure vessel shells must be closed at the ends by heads (or
another shell section). Heads are typically curved rather than flat.
Curved configurations are stronger and allow the heads to be
thinner, lighter, and less expensive than flat heads.

Heads can also be used inside a vessel. Heads are usually categorized
by their shapes. Ellipsoidal, Hemispherical, Torispherical, Conical,
Toriconical and flat are the common types of heads. Ellipsoidal (2:1)
would be the most common type of heads, which is used during the
designing of pressure vessels.

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Types of Heads

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Nozzle
A nozzle is a cylindrical component that penetrates the shell or heads
of a pressure vessel. The nozzle ends are usually flanged to allow for
the necessary connections and to permit easy disassembly for
maintenance or access.
Nozzles are used for the following applications:
 Attach piping for flow into or out of the vessel.
 Attach instrument connections, (e.g., level gauges or pressure gauges).
 Provide access to the vessel interior at manways.
 Provide for direct attachment of other equipment items, (e.g., a heat
exchanger or mixer).

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Support
The type of support that is used depends primarily on the size and
orientation of the pressure vessel. In all cases, the pressure vessel
support must be adequate for the applied weight, wind, and
earthquake loads.
Typical kinds of supports are as follow:
 Saddle
 Leg
 Skirt
 Lug

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Saddle
Horizontal drums are typically supported at two locations by saddle
supports. A saddle support spreads the weight load over a large area
of the shell to prevent an excessive local stress in the shell at the
support points. The width of the saddle, among other design details, is
determined by the specific size and design conditions of the pressure
vessel. One saddle support is normally fixed or anchored to its
foundation. The other support is normally free to permit unrestrained
longitudinal thermal expansion of the drum.

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A typical scheme of saddle support

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Leg
Small vertical drums are typically supported on legs that are welded
to the lower portion of the shell. The maximum ratio of support leg
length to drum diameter is typically 2:1. The number of legs needed
depends on the drum size and the loads to be carried.
Support legs are also typically used for spherical pressurized storage
vessels. The support legs for small vertical drums and spherical
pressurized storage vessels may be made from structural steel
columns or pipe sections, whichever provides a more efficient design.
Cross bracing between the legs is typically used to help absorb wind
or earthquake loads

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Skirt
Tall, vertical, cylindrical pressure vessels (e.g., the tower and reactor)
are typically supported by skirts. A support skirt is a cylindrical shell
section that is welded either to the lower portion of the vessel shell
or to the bottom head (for cylindrical vessels).
Skirts for spherical vessels are welded to the vessel near the mid-
plane of the shell. The skirt is normally long enough to provide enough
flexibility so that radial thermal expansion of the shell does not cause
high thermal stresses at its junction with the skirt

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Lug
Lugs that are welded to the pressure vessel shell and used to support
vertical pressure vessels. The use of lugs is typically limited to
vessels of small to medium diameter (1 to 10 ft.) and moderate
height-to-diameter ratios in the range of 2:1 to 5:1.
Lug supports are often used for vessels of this size that are located
above grade within structural steel. The lugs are typically bolted to
horizontal structural members to provide stability against overturning
loads; however, the bolt holes are often slotted to permit free radial
thermal expansion of the drum

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Typical Scheme of lug

Teg.gesesr= P/A
P=Wv/n,  jumlh lug.
A= area of fillet weld

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Thin Cylindrical Shell under Internal Pressure
The analysis of stresses induced in a thin cylindrical shell are made on the
following assumptions:
 The effect of curvature of the cylinder wall is neglected.
 The tensile stresses are uniformly distributed over the section of the
walls.
 The effect of the restraining action of the heads at the end of the
pressure vessel is neglected.
When a thin cylindrical shell is subjected to an internal pressure, it is
likely to fail in the following two ways:
 It may fail along the longitudinal section (i.e. circumferentially) splitting
the cylinder into two troughs, as shown in Fig. a.
 It may fail across the transverse section (i.e. longitudinally) splitting
the cylinder into two cylindrical shells, as shown in Fig. b.
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Failure of a cylindrical shell

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Circumferential or Hoop Stress
A tensile stress acting in a direction tangential to the circumference
is called circumferential or hoop stress. In other words, it is a
tensile stress on longitudinal section (or on the cylindrical walls).

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Total force acting on longitudinal section
(i)
Total resisting force acting on the cylinder walls
(ii)
From equations (i) and (ii), we have
or
𝑃𝐷
𝜎=
2𝑡

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Longitudinal Stress
A tensile stress acting in the direction of the axis is called
longitudinal stress. In other words, it is a tensile stress acting on
the transverse or circumferential section Y-Y (or on the ends of the
vessel).

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Total force acting on transverse section
(i)

Total resisting force

(ii)
From equations (i) and (ii), we have
𝑃𝐷
𝜎=
4𝑡

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Thick Cylindrical Shell under Internal Pressure
When a cylindrical shell of a pressure vessel, hydraulic cylinder, gun barrel
and a pipe is subjected to a very high internal fluid pressure, then the walls
of the cylinder must be made extremely heavy or thick.
In thin cylindrical shells, we have assumed that the tensile stresses are
uniformly distributed over the section of the walls. But in the case of thick
wall cylinders, the stress over the section of the walls cannot be assumed
to be uniformly distributed. They develop both tangential and radial
stresses with values which are dependent upon the radius of the element
under consideration.
The distribution of stress in a thick cylindrical shell, the tangential stress
is maximum at the inner surface and minimum at the outer surface of the
shell. The radial stress is maximum at the inner surface and zero at the
outer surface of the shell.
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Stress distribution in thick cylindrical shells subjected to internal pressure

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Lame’s equation.
Assuming that the longitudinal fibers of the cylindrical shell are
equally strained, Lame has shown that the tangential stress at any
radius x is:

and radial stress at any radius x

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Since we are concerned with the internal pressure ( ) only,
therefore substituting the value of external pressure, .
Tangential stress at any radius x

Radial stress at any radius x

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The tangential stress is always a tensile stress whereas the radial
stress is a compressive stress. The tangential stress is maximum
at the inner surface of the shell (i.e. when x = ri ) and it is
minimum at the outer surface of the shell (i.e. when x = ro).
Substituting the value of x = ri and x = ro in equation (i), we find
that the maximum tangential stress at the inner surface of the
shell.

Minimum tangential stress at the outer surface of the shell

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The radial stress is maximum at the inner surface of the shell
and zero at the outer surface of the shell. Substituting the value
of x = ri and x = ro in equation (ii).
Maximum radial stress at the inner surface of the shell

Minimum radial stress at the outer surface of the shell

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