SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

ASME BPVC VIII .1

EXTERNAL PRESSURE
CALCULATIONS
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN
1

1
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

UNDERSTANDING ASME CODE CALCULATIONS

EXTERNAL PRESSURE CALCULATIONS

2
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

BASICS
External pressure can be caused in pressure vessels by a
variety of conditions and circumstances.
The design pressure may be less than atmospheric due to
condensing gas or steam. Often vessels are designed for some
amount of external pressure, to allow for steam cleaning and
the effects of the condensing steam.
For some vessels operating vacuum service may be a
requirement. Example- Many tanks used in Pharmaceutical
plants.
Vent of a vessel during draining, or from improperly sized
vents.
External pressure can also be created when vessels are
jacketed or when components are within multi-chambered
vessels.
3

3
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

COLLAPSED VESSEL DUE TO VACUUM CREATED . EFFECT OF EXPERNAL

ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE ACTING WHEN VACUUM INSIDE

4
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

5
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

BASICS
The failure mechanism of external pressure is different from
the failure induced due to internal pressure;
therefore, different methods are required to design vessels
to handle these two separate conditions safely.
Internal pressure failure can be understood as a vessel failing
after stresses in a part or a large portion, exceeding the
materials strength.
The design pressure may be less than atmospheric due to
condensing gas or steam.
In contrast, during external pressure failure, the vessel can
no longer support its shape and suddenly, irreversibly takes
on a new lower volume.

6
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

BASICS
A stable system is one that is stronger than required.
When the vessel is pushed on, it pushes back and returns to
its original shape.
As external pressure is added to the system, the vessel has
less reserve strength left to push back.
Eventually the vessel reaches a point where it has very little
reserve strength.
The wall of the vessel is again pushed on and it cannot push
back.
At this point the vessel will change its shape to a smaller
volume configuration. The change is sudden and irreversible,.

7
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

BASICS
Unlike vessels which are designed for internal pressure
alone, there is no single formula, or unique design,
which fits the external pressure condition.
Instead, there is a range of options available to the
designer which can meet the requirements.
The thickness of the shell is only one part of the
design.
Other factors which affect the design are
-the length between supports,
-the use, size, and spacing of stiffening rings.,.
8

8
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

BASICS
Designing vessels for external pressure is an iterative procedure.
First, a design is selected with all variables included, and then
the design is checked to verify if it is adequate.
If inadequate, the procedure is repeated until an acceptable
design is reached.
The geometry of the equipment is the critical factor rather than
material strength.
Failures can occur suddenly, by collapse of a component
(normally the shell).
Vessels subject to external pressure may fail at well below
the yield strength of the material. The geometry of the
part is the critical factor rather than material strength.
Failures can occur suddenly, by collapse of the component

9
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

BASICS
Neither increasing the shell thickness to remove
stiffening rings nor using the thinnest shell with the
Maximum number of stiffeners is economical. The
optimum solution lies somewhere between these two
extremes. Typically, the utilization of rings with a
spacing of 2D for vessel dia up to about eight feet in
diameter and a ring spacing of approximately “D” for
diameters greater than eight feet, provides an
economical solution.
The length of the vessel used in the calculations includes some of
the head at each end.
The calculations are found in ASME VIII-1 UG-28.
The shell calculations are for a cylinder with supported ends (the
heads at each end)..
10

10
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

UG 28
 PARAMETERS USED IN CALCULATIONS
 FACTOR A TAKEN FROM CHART IN SECTION II PART D.
 THIS IS BASED ON ASSUMED THICKNESS t AND D/t VALUE
 D0- OUTSIDE DIA OF THE SHELL
 E- MODULUS ELASTICITY AT DESIGN TEMPERATURE
 L- TOTAL LENGTH BETWEEN SUPPORTS
 P- EXTERNAL DESIGN PRESSURE
 Pa- CALCULATED VALUE OF MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE EXTERNAL WORKING
PRESSURE FOR ASSUMED VALUE OF t
 .ts- NOMINAL THICKENSS OF THE SHELL
 VALUE OF S- IS TO BE COMPUTED AS GIVEN IN UG 28.

11

11
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

UG 28
 UW 28 GIVES STEP BY STEP PROCEDURE FOR CALCULATING
 Pa-
 FORMULA USED IS EMAP Pa= (4*B)/(3*(D/t) FOR D/t>10
 IF Pa IS SMALLER THAN P, THEN SELECT A HIGHER VALUE OF
t AND REPEAT THE CALCULATION TILL Pa IS GREATER THAN
OR EQUAL TO P.
 UG 29 PROVIDES RULES FOR PROVIDING STIFFENER RINGS

12

12
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

UG28

13

13
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

14

BUT ISSUE IS SOME PROCESS VESSELS DO NOT PERMIT ANY INTERNAL STIFFENERS.
THEY HAD TO INCREASE THE THICKNESS OF THE SHELL TO PASS THE EXTERNAL PRESSURE CALCULATIONS

14
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

UG28

15

15
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

TYPICAL DATA SHEET

16

16
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

EXTERNAL PRESSURE CALCULATIONS

DATA SHEET

17

This is data sheet of a Tank in Pharmaceutical plant. Mostly these vessels operate under low pressures and Vacuum.
Mainly SS 316 SS316 l are used.

17
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

TYPICAL CALCULATION OF SHELL UNDER EXTERNAL PRESSURE

 Cylindrical Shell From 20 to 30 Ext. Chart: HA-3 at 100 °C
 SHELL
 Elastic Modulus from Chart: HA-3 at 100 °C : 0.188E+09 KPa.
 Results for Maximum Allowable External Pressure (MAEP):
 Tca OD SLEN D/t L/D Factor A B
 7.800 2205.60 2682.55 282.77 1.2162 0.0002285 21.44
 EMAP = (4*B)/(3*(D/t)) =
 (4*21.44 )/(3*282.8 ) = 1.011 bars
 Results for Required Thickness (Tca):
 Tca OD SLEN D/t L/D Factor A B
 7.767 2205.60 2682.55 283.95 1.2162 0.0002270 21.30
 EMAP = (4*B)/(3*(D/t)) = (4*21.3 )/(3*284 ) = 1 bars
 Results for Maximum Stiffened Length (Slen):
 Tca OD SLEN D/t L/D Factor A B
 7.800 2205.60 2709.17 282.77 1.2283 0.0002262 21.22
 EMAP = (4*B)/(3*(D/t)) = (4*21.22 )/(3*282.8 ) = 1.001 bars

18

POINTS TO NOTE.
FACTOR A AND B DEPENDS ON L/D AND D/t. TAKEN FROM CHART.

YOU MAY NOTE THAT NO OTHER FACTOR LIKE ALLOWABLE STRESS IS INVOVLBED IN THIS CALCULATION
ONLY THICKNESS AND MODULUS OF ELASTICITY ARE INVOVLED. THICKNESS IS ASSUMED FOR A PARTICULAR L AND
MAEP IS CALCULATED. IF THIS VALUE IS MORE THAN 1 BAR THAN L IS OK. IF IT IS NOT THEN THICKENSS IS
INCREASED AND MAEP IS CALCULATED AGAIN.
ALTERNATIVELY STIFFENER RINGS ARE INTRODUCED INSIDE OR OUTSIDE AT SLEN LESS THAN THE PREVIOUS VALUE
AND MAEP IS CALCULATED TILL IT PASSES.

18
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

SAMPLE CALCULATION

19

POINTS TO BE NOTED
IMPORTANT PARAMETERS USED IN THIS FORMULA ARE
1. VESSEL DIA
2. LENGTH
3. D/t RATIO
4. L/D RATIO
5. THICKNESS

THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE EXTERNAL PRESSURE SHOULD ALWAYS BE GRETER THAN THE DESIGN EXTERNAL
PRESSURE.
WHEN NO EXTERNAL PRESSURE IS SPECIFIED ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE SHOULD BE TAKEN AS EXTERNAL PRESSURE

19
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

REINFORCEMENT CALCULTIONS FOR

EXTERNAL PRESSURE

UG 37-d

20

THE REINFORCEMENT AREA CALCULATIONS FOR EXTERNAL PRESSURES ARE DIFFERENT. AND OFTEN LESS THAN
THOSE FOR INTERNAL PRESSURES.
HERE THE THICKNESS TO BE TAKEN AS tr IS THE REQUIRED WALL THICKNESS FOR EXTERNAL PRESSURES.
SEE SAMPLE CALCS

20
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

UG-40, Limits of Reinforcement : [External Pressure]

Parallel to Vessel Wall (Diameter Limit) Dl 1200.0000
mm.
Parallel to Vessel Wall, opening length d 600.0000 mm.
Normal to Vessel Wall (Thickness Limit), pad side Tlwp 29.5000
mm.

21

21
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

TYPICAL CALCULATIONS

 Area Required [A]:

 = 0.5( d * tr*F + 2 * tn * tr*F(1-fr1) ) per UG-37(d) =
0.5(600*10.915*1+2*10*10.915*1(1-0.99998))
 = 32.745 cm
 THIS IS THE TYPICAL CALCULATION TO CALCUALTE AREA
REQUIRED ,
 HERE tr TO BE USED IS THICKNESS DUE TO EXTERNAL
PRESSURE.

22

22
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

EXTERNAL PRESSURE-
REINFORCEMENTS

INTENRAL EXTENRAL

HERE INTERNAL AREA GOVERNS.

23

YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN AREAS REQUIRED AND AREA AVAILABLE BASED ON INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL
PRESSURE CALCULATIONS.
SOME TIMES THEN AREA AVAILABLE DUE TO EXTERNAL PRESSURE MAY NOT BE ADEQUATE.

23
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

AREA CALCULATIONS EXTERNAL PRESSURES

24

24
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

25

PLEASE NOTE- AREA REQUIRED IS 50% AS PER UG 37.1

THICKNESS tr USED IS REQURIED THICKNESS DUE TO EXTERNAL PRESSURE.

25
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

NOZZLE SUMMARY

26

PLEAE NOTE THAT FINAL SUMMARY OF NOZZLES WILL INDICATE ONLY THE THICKNESS ARRIVED OUT OF
CALCULATIONS OF BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PRESSURES
FOR MANHOLES YOU MAY NOTICE THAT THE THICKNESS IS 12 MM WHICH IS MORE THAN THAT OF SHELL. THIS IS
NORMALLY ALLOWED UPTO 150% OF SHELL THICKNESS.

26
SRINIVASAN RAMAKRISHNAN

SUMMARY OF MAWP/MAEP

27

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MAEP SHOULD BE 1 BAR AND ABOVE FOR ALL THE ELEMENTS.

27