Thin shells

INTRODUCTION In order to meet with several requirements, the fluids are stored under pressure in pressure vessel or shells and transmitted from one place to the other through pipes. Pressure vessels are made of cast iron, sheet and nonferrous alloys. Special material is used for chemical vessels. Vessels of spherical and cylindrical from are used for storing fluids under pressure e.g steam boilers, air compressors, tanks and water tanks. Spheres are used for containing gas under pressure. Liquid and gases causing internal pressure in a closed vessel are referred as fluids. When it is a gas, the pressure is constants in all parts of vessel. In case of liquid, the pressure is lowest at the top and increase with depth. When the vessels are empty, they are subjected to an atmospheric pressure both internally and externally and hence the resultant effect of atmospheric pressure is nil. THIN CYLINDRICAL SHELLS A cylindrical vessel or shell may be thin or thin depending upon the thickness of the plate in relation to the internal diameter of the cylinder. The ratio of can be considered suitable line of demarcation between thin and thick cylinders. In the cylinders, the stress may be assumed uniformly distributed over the wall thickness. Boilers, tanks, steams pipes, water pipes etc. are usually considered as thin cylinder. Thin cylinders are frequently required to operate under pressure upto 30 MN/m2 or more, for high pressure such as 250 MN/m2 or more, thick cylinders are used. When these cylinders are subjected to internal fluid pressure the following two types of stress are developed: 1. Hoop or circumferential stress. These act in a tangential direction to the circumference of the shell. 2. Longitudinal stress. These acts parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shell. 3. Radial stress. These act radially and are too small and can be neglected. These three stresses are mutually perpendicular and principal stress.

Let,

= = =

Internal diameter of the cylinder, Thickness of the cylinder, Internal pressure (gauge) in the cylinder, and

= Circumferential or hoop stress Circumferential or Hoop Stresses Bursting force (pressure) = Resisting strength = or, =

Fig:

BUILT UP CYLINDRICAL SHELLS: The formulae derived for and have been obtained with the presumption that the cylindrical shell is seamless i.e. Solid drawn. But in actual practice, cylindrical shells of large diameters, such as boilers shells etc. are not seamless (without joints), but instead are built-up by longitudinal and circumferential joints. The longitudinal joints reduce the resisting strength of the shell plate against tearing due to pressure on the end plates. Let, = = Efficiency of the longitudinal joint, and Efficiency of the circumferential joint

Then, Bursting force

= Resisting strength = or =

Similarly, pressure on the ends

= Resisting force = or =

Change in dimensions of a thin cylindrical shell due to an internal pressure A cylindrical shell, due to circumferential and longitudinal stresses, will increase in length as well as undergo a change in dimension in change of its volume.

Let,

l d t P l/m

= = = = = [

Length of the shell, Diameter of the shell Thickness of the shell Intensity of pressure, and Poissons ratio ]

Direct strain due to Direct strain due to Net circumferential strain, = i.e. = = ( )

= =

Direct strain lateral strain due to direct strain

(10.9)

And, net longitudinal strain, = = ( ) (10.10)

The volumetric strain, = Algebraic sum of net strains in all axes = net longitudinal strain +2x net circumferential strain = The net circumferential strain has been taken twice because it has the effect of changing the diameter of the shell, necessarily both in XX and YY axes. Also, = = = [ = = Where, V = ( [( ( ) ) ) ( ( )] (10.11) V )]

Changes in length ( ) and diameter ( ) may b found from equations (10.9) and (10.10) as follows: = ( ) = = ( ) ( ) ( ) (10.12) (10.13)

Wire wound cylinders When thin cylindrical shell is subjected to internal fluid pressure tensile circumferential stress is developed, which is twice the longitudinal stress. Thus, the chances of bursting the cylinder longitudinally are more than those for circumferential failure of the cylinder. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the cylinder longitudinally for the following purpose: (i) To increase the pressure-carrying capacity of the cylinder; (ii) To reduce the chances of longitudinal burst. So that the above objectives are achieved, the cylinder is wound with layers of wire kept under tension. A wire tightly wound around the cylinder being itself in tension gives rise to compressive stresses in the cylinder which to a great extent neutralizes the tensile stresses in the cylindrical shell. Fluid pressure inside the shell does increase the initial stresses in the wire around the cylinder. The resultant circumferential stress in the cylinder is the sum of the initial compressive stress due to wire winding and further tensile stress due to internal pressure. The resultant circumferential stress the wire is the sum of two tensile stresses developed due (i) wire winding under tension and (ii) internal pressure in the cylinder. Thus the pressure-carrying capacity of the cylindrical shell is increased. Fig.10.4 shows a cylinder around which wire is closely wound under a tensile stress. Let, d = Diameter of the cylinder, t = Wall thickness of the cylinder, = Diameter of the wire, ) n = Number of turns of wire per unit length ( = Initial tension with which wire is wound, Compressive circumferential stress developed in the = cylinder Circumferential stress developed in the When the = cylinder cylinder is subjected to internal = stress developed in the wire, and

= Longitudinal stress developed in the cylinder Before admitting fluid in to the cylinder: Tensile force exerted by wire per unit length = Compressive force developed in the cylinder = For equilibrium, = But, n = = = .t

pressure p.

(10.14)

After admitting fluid in to the cylinder: When the wire wound cylinder is subjected to internal pressure, we have: Longitudinal brushing force or, = = (for equilibrium) (10.15)

Diametral bursting force per unit length = = or, = (for equilibrium) (10.16)

Also, for compatibility: Circumferential strain in the cylinder = Circumferential strain in wire Then, =

= where, = Youngs modulus for cylinder = Youngs modulus for wire, and = Poissons ratio for cylinder.

(10.17)

The stresses (10.17).

and

can be calculated from equations (10.16) and

Resultant stress in the wire = Resultant circumferential stress in the cylinder = SPHERICAL SHELLS:

[(10.18(a)) ] [(10.18(b)) ]

Fig: Let, = Diameter of the spherical shell, = Thickness of the shell, = Intensity of pressure, and = Circumferential (or hoop) stress produced Now, Bursting force = Resisting force = or, = (10.19)

The above equation for stress is true only when the shell is seamless, but in case it is built-up, then = where, is the joint efficiency (10.20)

Change in dimensions: Strain in any diametrical plane axis = = = = Also, or, = = = ( ) ( = ) = ( ) (10.21)

Algebraic sum of strains in all the three axis

where,

or

Change in diameter may be found from equation (10.21) as follows: = ( ) = ( ) (10.23)