Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology – VNU HCMC

aculty of Chemical Engineering

MECHANICA
L DESIGN
FOR
CHEMICAL
VESSELS
INSTRUCTOR:
Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Huu Hieu, Ph.D

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 CONTENTS
CHEMICAL VESSEL

I II III

Common• parts and Types of joints Example

sub parts

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 1 Definition

2 Classification

I. Common
parts and
3 Common parts

sub parts 4 Sub parts

5 Application

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01
DEFINITION
What is a chemical vessel?

- Vessel is the device which’s capable

of containing liquid or gas inner.
- Vessels include : tank, tube, pot,
pipe…

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VESSEL

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FUNCTION + Holding chemicals/oil/water…
OF VESSEL + Fluid can flow in
+ Reactor
+ Heat transfer device
+ Mass transfer device …

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 Depends on:
DESIGN 1/ Your purpose
2/ What is your chemical?
3/ Material
4/ Shape
5/ Size

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 + Based on size 02
CLASSIFICATION
+ Based on types of roof
+ Based on function
+ Based on shape
+ Based on material
…

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SIZE

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SHAPE - Vertical/Horizontal cylinder
- Sphere vessel
- Teardrop vessel
….

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Horizontal vessel

Vertical vessel 11/70

Sphere vessel

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MATERIAL • Stainless steel tanks
• Polyethylene tanks
• Fiberglass (FRP) tanks
…

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ABOVEGROUN
D OR
UNDERGROUN
D VESSEL

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03
COMMON PARTS

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Main part of chemical vessel:
• Bottom and roof

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Main part of chemical vessel:
• Bottom and roof

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 PD5500
TYPE OF BOTTOM THICKNESS (mm)

Spherical 4

Hemispherical 5

Elliptical 5

Conical 6

Curved shape 6

Flat 499 (impractical)

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Vessels under external pressure:
EXTERNAL
PRESSURE
- Cylinder vessel with or without
hardening ring
- Tubular equipment
- Spherical vessels
…

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Procedure to determine the thickness
Primary condition:
1) Value D0/t ≥ 10
2) Applying for body of vessel (against the external pressure) and
tubular devices
3) Applying for monolithic or soldered along the axis vessels
(t : thickness of wall
D0: diameter of vessel
L: distance between 2 hardening ring)
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Procedure to determine the thickness
L/D0 Find in
appendix chart 6

Materials &
Interporlation
interporlation =>
B (or E) (const) => A (const)

Pa Pa >< P

Accept t
value

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 04
SUB PARTS

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 SUB PARTS
 Flange – joint and welded joint
 Head
 Stand
 Gasket
 Vessel supports

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 Flange – joint
• A method of connecting pipes, valves, pumps and other equipment to form a piping
system.
• Provide easy access for cleaning, inspection or modification

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Flange – joint
Common flanges

The most used flange types in Petro and chemical industry

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Flange – joint
Special flanges

The most used standard flanges, there are still a number of special flanges

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Flange – joint

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 Welded – joint
• Some weld types are not permitted by
ASME BPV code
• Many other possible variations,
including use of backing strips and joint
reinforcement
• Welds are usually ground smooth and
inspected – Type of inspection depends
on Code Division

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 Head

Solder (fixed) Use flange (can change)

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 Head

Ellipse bottom cover Conical bottom cover

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 Head

Round bottom cover Flat bottom cover

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 Stand

Vertical vessel

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 Stand
Horizontal vessel

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 Gasket
• Used when vessel must be opened
frequently for cleaning, inspection,…
• Also used for instrument connections
• Not used at high temperatures of pressure
(gaskets fail)
• Higher fugitive emission then welded
joints

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 Gasket

3 main types:
• Non – metallic gasket types
• Semi – metallic gasket types
• Metallic gasket types

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Vessel supports

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 Vessel supports
• Supports must allow for thermal expansion in
operation
• Smaller vessles are usually supported on beams
– a support ring or brackets are welded to the
vessel
• Horizontal vessel often rest on saddles
• Tall vertical vessels are often supported using a
skirt rather than legs

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 Vessel supports
• Note that if the vessel rests on a beam then the part of
vessel below the support ring is hanging and the wall is
in tension from the weight of material in the vessel, the
dead weight of the vessel itself and the internal
pressure
• The part of vessel above the support ring is supported
and the wall is in compression from the dead weight
(but probably in tension form internal pressure)

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Vessel supports

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Example
Vessel supports

Flat vertical
support

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Example
Vessel supports

“T” shaped
ring

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Example
Vessel supports

“T” shaped
ring

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Example
Vessel supports

“L” shaped
ring

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Example
Vessel supports

“I” shaped
ring

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05
APPLICATION

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 Flange – joint
Widely applied in industrial fields: oil and gas, chemical,…

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 Stand
Slot: single and double junction

• Carried the weight of device and its

contents
• Resists bending load
• Be made as close as possible to the
wall of the appliance and pay attention
to the thickness of the insulation

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 II. 1 Definition

Types 2 Classification

of
joints
3 Calculation

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01
DEFINITION

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 1. The definition of the joints in chemical vessels:

- Flanges are integral parts of many engineering and plumbing projects

- Preventing damage caused by thermal growth, vibration, pressure thrust and other
mechanical forces. 51/70
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 - A flange is a ring or collar
- Flanges are often used in plumbing,
pipelines and construction zones.
- If a pipeline needs to change course, the
flange can be removed and changed to
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accommodate the new pipeline channel.
 Orifice flanges Spectacle blinds Long welding neck flanges

Expander flange/Reducing flange 54/70

 02
CLASSIFICATION

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 Based on pipe attachment

 Slip On Flange 
 Screwed Flange
 Lap Joint Flange
 Weld Neck Flange
 Blind Flange
 Reducing Flange

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Slip On Flange 

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Screwed Flange

- Used on pipe lines where

welding cannot be carried out
- Don’t suit for a pipe system
with thin wall thickness
- Wall thickness must be chosen

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- Costly material
- The inside radius of these flanges is chamfered to clear.
- The fatigue life for the assembly is only one tenth that of Weld Neck flanges. 60/70
Blind Flange

- Blind Flanges are

manufactured without a bore
and used to blank off the ends
of piping, Valves and pressure
vessel openings.
- The most highly stressed
flange types.
- These flanges are suitable for
higher pressure temperature
applications. 61/70
Reducing Flange
- Connecting between larger
and smaller sizes without
using a reducer
- They are available in all
pressure classes
- Not be used if an abrupt
transition would create
unwanted turbulence, such as
at a pump.
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 03
CALCULATION

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 The ASME Way

- The calculation use three loads – HT, HG and HD and two operating conditions-seating
and operating.

What How Where

- To illustrate the application of the loads and show the resulting stresses.

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THE END

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