Vessel design

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REFERENCES

▪ Towler, Gavin and Ray Sinnott, Chemical Engineering

Design, 2008, page. 1038
▪ Branan, Carl R., Rule of Thumb for Chemical
Engineers, page. 136
▪ Aerstin, Frank and Gary Street, Applied Chemical
Process Design, 1978, 269 – 270
▪ Walas, Stanley M. Chemical Process Equipment,
1988, page. 611 - 631

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Typical Vessel Shape

Ellipse

Cylinder

Cone

Hemisphere

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General Design Consideration

Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3

Mass Flow Vessel volume

(V =  x F) D/L ratio  2/3;
density Ratio Vliq : Vt 1 (small tank,
Kapasitas 90-
Volumetrik Flow V design = 3000 bbl)
(F) 1,1 – 1,2 x V

D  10 – 220 ft; L  6 – 64 ft
(Brownell, 1959)

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General Design Consideration

Ratio volume liquid : volume total

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▪ The volume of a drum is related to the flow rate
through it
▪ For less than 1000 gal, use vertical tanks on legs.
▪ Between 1000 and 10,000 gal, use horizontal tanks on
concrete supports.
▪ Beyond 10,000 gal, use vertical tanks on concrete
foundations.
▪ Optimum length/diameter = 3, but a range of 2.5-5.0 is
common.
Walas (1990)
P (psig) 0 - 250 251 – 500 501+
L/D 3 4 5

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General Design Consideration

Design Pressure

Design Temperature
• Max. Vessel
allowable
stress thickness
• Corrosion
Material
allowance

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Design Pressure

Internal Pressure External Pressure

P design
P design = • Operated under
P operasi + 5-10% vacuum
• Jacketed vessel

𝑙𝑏
𝜌𝑙𝑖𝑞 [ ] ∙ 𝐻[𝑓𝑡] − 1
𝑓𝑡 3
𝑃𝑜𝑝𝑠 [𝑝𝑠𝑖] =
144

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Max. Allowable Stress

Towlerr and Sinnott, 2008

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Corrosion allowance

▪ Additional thickness of metal added to allow for

material lost by corrosion and erosion, or scaling
▪ For carbon and low-alloy steels, where severe
corrosion is not expected, a minimum allowance of
2.0mm should be used; where more severe
conditions are anticipated, this should be increased
to 4.0 mm.

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Vessel thickness
Cylindrical shell Spherical shell
Pi Di Pi Di
t= t=
2 SE − 1.2 Pi » Vertical 4 SE − 0.4 Pi

Pi Di
t= » Horizontal
4 SE − 0.8 Pi

▪ Pi = internal pressure
▪ Di = internal diameter
▪ S = max. allowable stress
▪ E = welded-joint efficiency
▪ t = vessel thickness
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Welded factor

Brownell and Young (1959), p . 89

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Vessel thickness

Walas (1990)

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Vessel thickness

t total = t + corrosion allowance

Vessel Min. thickness Vessel Min. thickness
diameter (m) (mm) diameter (ft) (in)
1 5 < 50 ft 𝟑Τ𝟏𝟔
1 to 2 7 50 – 120 ft 𝟏Τ𝟒
2 to 2.5 9 120 – 200 ft 𝟓Τ𝟏𝟔
2.5 to 3.0 10 > 200 ft 𝟑Τ𝟖
3.0 to 3.5 12
Brownell (1959)
)

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 Heads and closure

1 2 3 4
FLAT-END TORISPHERICAL ELLIPSOIDAL HEMISPHERICAL
CURVES ENDS ENDS ENDS
• Used as cover • Most commonly • Above 15 bar an • Stronger shape,
for manways used end ellipsoidal head capable resisting
closure for will usually prove about twice of
vessels up to to be the most (2) for the same
Pops=15 bar economical thickness
closure to use • Higher cost

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1 2

3 4

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Heads Thickness

1
CPi
t = De
SE
3 2
Pi Di 0.885 Pi Rc
t= t=
2 SE − 0.2 Pi SE − 0.1Pi
4
Pi Di
t=
4 SE − 0.4 Pi

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Flat end design

Type C De

Flanged plate 0.1 De = Di

0.17 if rc < 3.th

Welded plate 0.33 x th/ ts De = Di

Bolted cover wiith full-face gasket 0.25 De = bolt circle dia.

Bolted cover 0.3 De = mean gasket dia.

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Flat ends type

Towlerr and Sinnott, 2008

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SUPPORT

▪ The method used to support a vessel will depend on

the size, shape, and weight of the vessel; the design
temperature and pressure; the vessel location and
arrangement; and the internal and external fittings
and attachments.
▪ Horizontal vessels are usually mounted on two
saddle supports; see Figure 13.20.
▪ Skirt supports are used for tall, vertical columns; see
Figure 13.21.
▪ Brackets, or lugs, are used for all types of vessels;
see Figure 13.22.
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SUPPORT
SADDLE SUPPORT SKIRT SUPPORT

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SUPPORT
BRACKET SUPPORT

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Example
▪ Estimate the thickness
required for the
component parts of the
vessel shown in the
diagram. The vessel is to
operate at a pressure of
14 bar (absolute) and
temperature of 260oC.
The material of
construction will be plain
carbon steel. Welds will
be fully radiographed. A
corrosion allowance of
2mm should be used.
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