CHAPTER 2 Pressure Equipment Types and Components

2.1 What is pressure equipment?

A unanimously agreed definition of what constitutes pressure equipment is hard to find. The terms pressure equipment, pressure vessel, and pressure system, while appearing technically straightforward, are bound up as the subject matter of discussion by the numerous technical committees that draft legislation, regulations, and technical standards. Due to the way that various international and national directives, standards, etc., are structured, there are often differences and contradictions in meaning between technical terms. The end result is that definition of what does, or does not, constitute pressure equipment may differ between countries, industry, and technical application. It is a complex and ever-changing picture. Thankfully, fundamental technical aspects of pressure equipment do not change that quickly. Design and manufacturing practices have been developed over the past 100 years and the technology of pressure equipment is well supported by technical standards and codes of practice from many of the worlds developed countries.

2.2 Pressure equipment categories

Table 2.1 shows the scope of some common technical categories of pressure equipment used in the mainstream engineering industries. Note that these categories represent arbitrary technical divisions only and have no direct relevance to the inclusion of the equipment under any directives or regulations. From the engineering viewpoint, pressure equipment types, and components are all surprisingly similar. Their characteristics are outlined in Table 2.2.

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Table 2.1 Pressure equipment categories*

Simple pressure vessels
Simple receivers (unfired) Air Nitrogen Low-pressure/ atmospheric tanks

Gas cylinders
LPG cylinders (transportable) Two-piece cylinders Three-piece cylinders

Unfired pressure vessels

Boiler drums Pressurized storage containers Condensers Liquid cooled Air cooled Superheaters Desuperheaters Economizers Heat exchangers High-pressure feed heaters Tube type exchangers Plate type exchangers Contact exchangers Chemical process/reaction vessels Metal vessels GRP vessels Nuclear vessels

Boilers

Valves
Stop valves Plug Globe Gate Butterfly Check valves Stop check Lift check Tilting disc check Swing check Safety valves Pressure relief Vacuum relief Control valves Two-way valves Three-way valves Regulating valves Metering valves Needle valves Diaphragm valves

Pipework
Pipelines Power piping Service piping Flanges Pipework fittings Pressurized accessories

Miscellaneous
Turbines Autoclaves

Complex air receivers Heating boilers Package shell boilers Coal/oil-fired power boilers General water tube boilers HRSGs Fired HRSGs Unfired HRSGs Forced circulation HRSGs Natural circulation HRSGs Single-pressure HRSGs Multiple-pressure HRSGs

Engineers Guide to Pressure Equipment

Road transport vehicles Road and rail vehicle components (brakes, etc.) Portable tools Domestic heating systems Aircraft components Gas-loaded hydraulic accumulators Vapour compression refrigeration systems Engine cooling systems

* Note that these only show broad technical categories of pressure equipment. This table does not infer the applicability of any directives, regulations, or technical standards this is covered in Chapter 11.

Pressure Equipment Types and Components

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Table 2.2 Some characteristics of pressure equipment

Gauge pressure Principal stresses Equipment is subject to a positive gauge pressure or negative gauge (vacuum) pressure. Components are subject to principal stresses in three dimensions, or two-dimensional membrane stresses (for thin-walled shells). Pressure equipment, almost by definition, acts to contain stored energy in use. Such stored energy can constitute a hazard. Due to the potential hazard if failure occurs, pressure equipment is subject to controls on its specification, design, and manufacture. The amount of control varies, depending on what the equipment is and how it will be used. All pressure equipment has factors of safety incorporated into its design; these provide a margin against unforeseen circumstances and reduce the risk of failure to acceptable levels. These play an important part in ensuring the fitness for purpose of pressure equipment during its manufacture and before use. As a general rule, it is necessary to inspect pressure equipment throughout its working life to make sure it continues to be safe and fit for purpose.

Stored energy

Controlled manufacture

Factors of safety

Inspection and testing

In-service inspection

2.3 Pressure equipment symbols

Pressure equipment symbols are in regular use in schematic drawings and Process and Instrumentation Diagrams (PIDs). There are many variations based on BS, ISO, and American standards. Figures 2.12.4 show some commonly used types. Table 2.3 and Figs 2.5 and 2.6 show symbols for typical pressure equipment-related instrumentation.

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Fig. 2.1 Vessel symbols. (Courtesy MS Visio)

Pressure Equipment Types and Components

Fig. 2.2 Heat exchanger symbols. (Courtesy MS Visio)

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16 Engineers Guide to Pressure Equipment

Fig. 2.3 Valves and fittings. (Courtesy MS Visio)

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Fig. 2.4 Piping and fittings symbols. (Courtesy MS Visio)

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Engineers Guide to Pressure Equipment

Self-actuated regulators

Relief valves

Temperature and level regulators

Fig. 2.5 Valve/regulator symbols from ISA S5.1

Pressure Equipment Types and Components

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Fig. 2.6 Flow measurement symbols from ISA S5.1

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Engineers Guide to Pressure Equipment

Table 2.3 Typical instrument identification letters

First letters Measurement A= B= C= D= E= F= G= H= I= J= K= L= Analysis Burner, combustion Conductivity (electrical) Density or Sp. Gr Voltage (Emf) Flow rate Users choice Hand (manual) Current (electrical) Power Time or time schedule Level Momentary Users choice Test or sample point Integrate or totalize Record or print Safety Switch Transmit Multi-function Multi-function Valve. Damper or louvre Well X axis Y axis Z axis Unclassified Unclassified Relay. Compute. Convert Drive. Actuator. Etc. Unclassified Multi-function Users choice Scan Time rate of change Light Control station Low Middle or intermediate Users choice Office (restriction) Indicate Ratio (fraction) Glass or viewing device High Control Differential Sensor (primary element) Modifier Succeeding letters Readout or Output function passive function Alarm Users choice Users choice Users choice Modifier

M = Users choice N= O= P= Q= R= S= T= U= V= Users choice Users choice Pressure or vacuum Quantity Radiation Speed or frequency Temperature Multi-variable Vibration. mech. analysis Unclassified Event state or presence Position or dimension

W = Weight or force X= Y= Z=