12-09-2022

Mechanical Design of Process Equipment

(3170514)

Jilesh M. Pandya
Assistant Professor,
Chemical Engineering Department,
V. V. P. Engineering College, Rajkot.

Chapter: 2 Designing of Pressure Vessel

 The Shape of most of the chemical equipment
is either cylindrical or spherical or composite of
these.
 The main function of the process equipment is
to contain a media under a desired pressure &
temperature.
 It is also subjected to the action of steady and
dynamic support loadings, piping reactions,
and thermal shocks; which requires an overall
knowledge of stresses imposed by these
conditions.
 The final thickness of a process vessel should
therefore be chosen that it is not only adequate
against the stresses caused by internal pressure, but
also ensures safety against stresses caused by
extraneous agencies as mentioned above.
 Mainly due to INTERNAL pressure in a closed vessel
two types of stresses exist.
 Longitudinal (Axial) Stress…
 Circumferential (Radial) Stress…
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 Below are the examples; where pressure vessel is used:

1. Manufacturing of Ammonia (reaction between N2 and H2)

at the temperature of 450 – 500 C & 200 – 900
atmospheric pressure in presence of Fe + Mo catalyst.

2. In the manufacturing of HNO3 at 750 C & 7 kg / cm2.

3. In the manufacturing of Urea at 175 C & 200 kg / cm2.

4. In the manufacturing of Methanol at 220 C & 250 kg /

cm2.

5. In the manufacturing of Aniline at 27 C & 1.5 kg / cm2.

6. In the manufacturing of Acetone at 500 C & 3 - 4 kg /

cm2.

 For low value of Operating Pressure, the stress variation need not to be
considered; but for a high value of pressure, variation in all three stresses
(longitudinal, circumferential and hoop stress) is highly appreciable.

 The thickness required for a given material, therefore depends upon the
operating pressure & permissible stress of the material.

 Before detailed design of a pressure vessel the following parameters need

to be considered.
a) Types of fluid handled or being processed…

b) Types of service required…

c) Geometry of vessel, type of vessel required to process, which can be fabricated

economically for the process requirement.

d) Availability of different material of construction & their cost data.

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 Stresses induced in the Pressure Vessel are:

1. Weight of Vessel itself (dead weight)…

2. Weight of Vessel content…

3. Wind load acting over the vessel…

4. Seismic load acting from the bottom of earth crust…

5. Pipe lines attached to the vessel…

6. Internal pressure exerted into the vessel….

7. Thermal Shocks & Mechanical Jerks induced into the

vessel…

 Types of Pressure Test…

Pressure Testing is a non-destructive test performed to
ensure the integrity of the pressure shell on new pressure
equipment, that has undergone an alteration or repair to
its boundary.
------------------------------------------------------------
1. Standard Hydraulic Test: It is used for the vessel where thickness of all
pressure parts can be calculated. Hydrostatic testing is the preferred
leak-testing method and perhaps the most often used.
2. Proof Hydraulic Test: For complex vessel, the thickness of which cant be
computed with a satisfactory assurance of accuracy for which a
maximum working pressure is based upon distortion pressure.
3. Pneumatic Test: For a vessel so designed & or supported that they can’t
be safely filled with the testing liquid or for vessel that are to be used in
services where even small traces of testing liquid can’t be tolerated.
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 Design procedure of Pressure Vessel:

The simplest pressure vessel considered here is a single unit
when fabricated. For the convenience of design, it is divided
into following parts:

A. Shell
B. Head or cover
C. Nozzle
D. Flange
E. Gasket
F. Support

 Design procedure of Pressure Vessel:

 Most of the components listed here are fabricated from
sheets and plates.
 Seamless or welded pipes can also be used.
 Part of vessel are formed and connected by welded joints.
 For welded joints, the efficiency may be taken as 100%; if
the joint is fully checked by radiograph.
 It is taken as 85%, if it is checked at only a few points.
 Efficiency between 50 – 85% are taken; when radiographic
test / examination is not carried out.
 The pressure vessel considered here are those operating at
pressure less than 200 kg /cm2.

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 Cylindrical & Spherical Shell design:

The following procedure is applicable for thin wall shell having
the ratio of outside diameter to thickness exceeding 4.
 Shell subjected to INTERNAL PRESSURE…
 Cylindrical Shell: The internal pressure in the shell gives rise to the
stresses in the shell thickness in circumferential & longitudinal
direction.

pD pD
Circumfere ntialStres s, f p  Longitudit ialStress , f a 
2t 4t

Where, p = internal pressure, D = mean diameter of Shell

Both of Stresses listed above are tensile; Since the circumferential

stress is greater; this is taken as design stress.

 Cylindrical & Spherical Shell design:

 If Ds < 12 inch (0.3048 m); it is formed from Standard
Seamless pipe, otherwise Shell is fabricated from plate.
 If Hs > 1.2 m, then it contains both circumferential &
longitudinal welded joints.
 If the welded joints are not 100% checked by
RADIOGRAPHY test, then we must count this weakness
of Shell in terms of JOINT EFFICIENCY.
Internal Design
Pressure

pD pDi pDo
t  C. A.   C. A.   C . A.
2f * j 2f * j 2f * j

Maximum
Weld Joint Efficiency Factor Corrosion Allowance
Permissible/Allowable Stress
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 Cylindrical & Spherical Shell design:

 Spherical Shell: When the spherical shell is subjected to internal
pressure; the thickness of pressure vessel shell is given by:
pD pDi pDo
t  C. A.   C. A.   C. A.
4f * j 4f * j 4f * j
 Shell subjected to EXTERNAL PRESSURE…
 Analytical Method: Elastic buckling is usually the decisive criterion in
the design of pressure vessel operating under external pressure or
vacuum. Critical Buckling pressure (PC) for CYLINDRICAL vessel under
external pressure (vacuum) is given by:
Thickness of Shell including
Length of Shell
Modulus of Corrosion Allowance (C. A.)
Elasticity  t 
2.42 * E  D 
PC  *  O

1    2
3
4 
L
 D 
  0.45 *  t  2 
 D  
1

 O   O  
Poisson’s Ratio

 Cylindrical & Spherical Shell design:

 Graphical Method: Thickness of Shell under external pressure is
given by:
External Design Pressure

pDo
t
B
Thickness of Shell excluding
Corrosion Allowance (C. A.) Factor obtained from graph
(Unit of Pressure)

 By using this method, first select the thickness of Shell from

available standard pipe or plate.
 Determine thickness, t = tactual – C. A.
 Determine the ratio L/DO & DO/t.
 From these values & with the help of graph Find A (strain
factor, F/E)
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 Cylindrical & Spherical Shell design:

 By using this method, first select the thickness of Shell from
available standard pipe or plate.
 Determine thickness, t = tactual – C. A.
 Determine the ratio L/DO & DO/t.
 From these values & with the help of graph Find A (strain
factor, F/E).
 From the same graph, find the value of B (unit of pressure).
 Calculate maximum allowable pressure.
B
Pall 
DO
t
 If Pd is external design pressure, then Pd  Pallow.

 By trial & error method, we can determine the correct thickness.

 Stiffening Rings:
 Stiffening rings (or stiffener ring, stiffeners) are components positioned externally or
internally to prevent collapse under external pressure load.
 Rings are considered “effective reinforcements” and contribute reducing
“maximum unsupported length” (or “buckling length”) of a shell or item, which is
the maximum length on said shell without any element considered effective
against buckling.
 These elements are usually body flanges, heads, and rings.
 In general use, these are required to reduce the compressive stress induced in the
shell due to external pressure; it also give stiffness to the shell so shell will not buckle
and helps in reduction in thickness of shell and thereby economic design.
 The ring can be placed internally or externally.
 Central rectangular section can be placed right, left or centered and this helps to
cover all the common configurations.
 Different Shape of Stiffening rings available are:
1. Single Vertical Plate
2. T – Shaped Ring
3. Reverse “L” Ring
4. I – Shaped Ring
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 Stiffening Rings:
 In case where a diameter of shell
is bigger than 1 meter & if
external design pressure is higher,
the thickness of shell obtained by
this calculation is very high.
 For such case, thickness of shell
can be reduced considerably by
using Stiffening Rings.
Single Vertical Plate I – Shaped Ring
 Stiffening rings of T – beam are
the most common.
 Stiffening rings are attached to
shell by continuous welding or
intermittent welding.
 In case of intermittent welding for
the attachment of stiffening rings,
the total length of weld should be
at least ½ of the outside
circumference of the vessel. T – Shaped Ring Reverse L – Ring

Stiffening Rings

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 Stiffening Rings:
 For Internal Stiffening ring, it is at least equal to 1/3 of inside
circumference.
 Circumferential distance between intermittent weld should not be
greater than (8 * t) with stiffening rings.
 Thickness of shell subjected to external pressure having internal /
external stiffening can be calculated by: Cross section Area of
Stiffening Rings

pDo AS
t 
B L' Maximum (design) length of shell
section without Stiffening rings

 Moment of Inertia of Stiffening rings and shell act together to resist the
collapse of cylinder under external pressure is given by:
Distance between two consecutive
stiffening ring

DO2 * L'  t  S  A
A
 L' 
I Strain factor obtained
14 from Graph

Chapter: 2 Designing of Pressure Vessel

DESIGN PROBLEM OF PRESSURE VESSEL

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Chapter: 2 Designing of Pressure Vessel

DESIGN PROBLEM OF PRESSURE VESSEL

Design of Pressure
Vessel SHELL

Design of Pressure
Vessel HEAD

Design of Pressure
Vessel NOZZLE

Chapter: 2 Designing of Pressure Vessel

DESIGN PROBLEM OF PRESSURE VESSEL

Design of Pressure
Vessel GASKET

Design of Pressure
Vessel BOLTS

Design of Pressure
Vessel FLANGE

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PROBLEM: 1
A tower having 4.5 m inside diameter and 8 m length from
tangent to tangent line of the end closures. Tower is operated
under vacuum. Tower Shell is constructed from SA – 283 Grade B
Carbon Steel plate, which has a yield strength of 1898.4 kgf /
cm2 (186.23 N / mm2). Determine:
A. The required thickness of Shell without stiffeners.
B. The required thickness of Shell with 0.5 m equal spacing,
equal angles having size 150 mm x 150 mm made from
carbon steel plates having 8 mm thickness are used as
stiffening rings. Area of cross section of stiffening ring is 2350
mm2. Moment of Inertia of stiffening ring is 540 cm4. Design
temperature 700 F.
Available Plate Sizes are 8 mm, 12.7 mm, 19.05 mm & 25.4 mm.

SOLUTION PROBLEM: 1

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SOLUTION PROBLEM: 1

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SOLUTION PROBLEM: 1

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SOLUTION PROBLEM: 1

SOLUTION PROBLEM: 1

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SOLUTION PROBLEM: 1

SOLUTION PROBLEM: 1

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SOLUTION PROBLEM: 1

SOLUTION PROBLEM: 1

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SOLUTION PROBLEM: 1

PROBLEM: 2
A cylindrical vessel 14 ft. ID and 0.3125 inch has ring stiffeners
located at 40 inch spacing and it is subjected to an external
pressure of 15 psi at a temperature of 700 F. The MOC is carbon
steel with yield stress of 30,000 - 38,000 psi. Modulus elasticity of
carbon steel is 170 × 103 N/mm2.
A. Is ts = 0.3125 inch adequate for a design with factor of
safety of 4?
B. What is the allowable external pressure (as obtained from
(A)) for a factor of safety of 3?
C. What is the thickness for same vessel ID based on factor
of safety 3?
D. Determine the stiffener ring requirements for the vessel in
(C).
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SOLUTION PROBLEM: 2

SOLUTION PROBLEM: 2

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SOLUTION PROBLEM: 2

SOLUTION PROBLEM: 2

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SOLUTION PROBLEM: 2

SOLUTION PROBLEM: 2

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SOLUTION PROBLEM: 2

PROBLEM: 3

A vacuum distillation column is to operate under a top

pressure of 50 mm Hg (ab.). Trays of distillation column
are supported on periphery rings having 10 mm
thickness and 75 mm width. The O. D. of column is 1 m
and the tray spacing is 0.5 m. Check if Support ring will
act as an effective stiffening ring or not? The material
of construction is carbon steel and the maximum
operating temperature is 50 C. If the shell thickness is
10 mm, Check whether it is sufficient or not? Take
Corrosion allowance (C. A.) as 2 mm.

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SOLUTION PROBLEM: 3

SOLUTION PROBLEM: 3

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SOLUTION PROBLEM: 3

SOLUTION PROBLEM: 3

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Thank You
Chemical Engineering Department,
V. V. P. Engineering College, Rajkot

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