Design and Manufacturing Considerations for Industrial Pressure Vessels

Pressure vessels are designed and manufactured to support the eclectic needs of various industries including automotive, biohazard waste, chemicals and petrochemicals, oil and gas, and mining and tunneling to name only a few.

Every one of these industries has specific requirements when it comes to pressure vessel applications. For this reason, certain important aspects need to be taken into considerations during the pressure vessel manufacturing process.

Considerations for Industrial Pressure Vessels
Points to Consider When Designing and Manufacturing Industrial Pressure Vessels

In order to ensure the safety of engineers and the long service life of the pressure vessel, The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) formed a committee with the intention of establishing numerous regulations regarding the entire process of pressure vessel manufacturing. To produce high performance pressure vessel, all aspects related to the manufacturing of pressure vessels need to conform to the standards provided in the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC).

Design Process Considerations: Welders and fabricators need to keep the following points in mind to ensure that their pressure vessels meet all industrial application requirements:

  • Corrosion
  • Vessel weight and contents
  • Ambient and operational temperatures
  • Static and dynamic pressures
  • Residual and thermal stress
  • Reaction forces

Types of Vessels: There are generally two types of pressure vessels that are used in industrial applications:

Simple Vessels: These are unfired pressure vessels that are used for the storage and use of air and nitrogen. These vessels adhere to Division I, Section VIII of the BPVC code for unfired vessels.

Complex Vessels: These vessels are required to be manufactured to the regulations provided in Subsection B of Division I of ASME BPVC Section VIII. The general design has to conform to rules ranging from regulations UG-16 to UG-35. Fabrication rules are provided between regulations UG-75 and UG-85.

Vessel Construction: Pressure vessels need to be designed in cylindrical or in spherical shapes for effective storage and use of industrial gases and liquids. Depending on the application, they can be designed with various head configurations.

For the construction process, carbon and stainless steel are preferred as they are known for their high tensile strength and long service life. They are capable of providing high performance in terms of safety and protection in harsh environments. The steel needs to be well cut and appropriately shaped by the fabricators. The pressure vessels need to be constructed by using specialized welding techniques. Overall, the pressure vessels have to conform to the BPVC and international standards of construction and safety.

Taking all these points into consideration can help a pressure vessel manufacturer to produce industrial pressure vessels of immense quality.

About Robin Davis

I am Robin Davis, author of this blog and is with All-Weld Company Limited. We take special pride in being innovators in design and having hands-on knowledge of applications of specialty alloys. We are passionate about fabricating and take great pride in our accomplishments. We look forward to wonderful challenges in the future as we continue to rely on our Tradition of Quality. Contact us to know more.