Overview of Pressure Vessel Design

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INTRODUCTION
This Overview of Pressure Vessel Design course is part of the ASME International
Career Development Series – an educational tool to help engineers and managers
succeed in today’s business/engineering world. Each course in this series is a 4-
hour (or half-day) self-contained professional development seminars. The course
material consists of a participant manual and an instructor’s guide. The participant
manual is a self-contained text for students/participants, while the guide (this
booklet) provides the instructional material designed to be presented by a local
knowledgeable instructor with a minimum of preparation time.



Instructor’s Outline
1. Describe what a pressure vessel is.
2. Note that pressure vessels are used
in a wide variety of industries. They
can be designed for a wide variety of
conditions and in a broad range of
sizes.


Instructor’s Outline
1. Use this and following overheads to
describe main pressure vessel
components and shapes.
2. Shell is primary component that
contains pressure. Curved shape.
3. Vessel always closed by heads.
4. Components typically welded
together.
5. Vessel shell may be cylindrical,
spherical, or conical.
6. Multiple diameters, thicknesses or
materials are possible.
7. Saddle supports used for horizontal
drums.
• Spreads load over shell.
• One support fixed, other slides.



Instructor’s Outline
1. Most heads are curved shape for
strength, thinness, economy.
2. Semi-elliptical shape is most
common head shape.
3. Small vertical drums typically
supported by legs.
• Typically maximum 2:1 ratio of
leg length to diameter.
• Number, size, and attachment
details depend on loads.


Instructor’s Outline
1. Skirt supports typically used for tall
vertical vessels:
• Cylindrical shell
• Typically supported from grade
2. General support design (not just for
skirts)
• Design for weight, wind,
earthquake.
• Pressure not a factor.
• Temperature also a
consideration for material
selection and thermal
expansion.