BOLTED FLANGED CONNECTIONS FOR NON-CIRCULAR PRESSURE VESSELS AE. Blach, Associate Professor Concordia University Montreal, Canada ABSTRACT ‘The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code contains rules for non-circular pressure vessels of unreinforced and reinforced construction. These rules are given in Section VIII, Division 1, Appendix 13, and cover the sides, reinforcing ribs,” and end plates of such ves- sels. For bolted Flanged’ connections of such non-clrcu- lar pressure vessels, which are used extensively in industry (cyclone ‘inlets, chutes and feeders, etc-l, no design rules are available at present. This paper describes two design methods for non- circular flanges which are used at present by pressure Vessel designers and compares calculated values with ‘data from strain gage measurements on rectangular pres~ sure vessels’ and with resutts fron Finite efement cal- INTRODUCTION Our modern chemical and process industries would rot exist in the form known tous if the bolted flanged Connection were not available as a conveniant means of joining together the various pieces of equipment which make up such a plant. Flanges. constitute a very impor~ tant part of all pressure containing apparatus. Kithout Flanges, the majority of modern process equipment would not exist in the form known to us. Due to the favoura- ble circular geonetry enployed in most pressure vessels or piping systems, most of the flanges used are cireu= lar flanges, in’a variety of pressure classes and facing types. There are, however, many applications in which circular pressure containers or conduits cannot be used for various reasons. For example the inlet nozzles on cyclones are usually of rectangular. shape as are the Wood chip chutes on pulp digesters; the headers on Steam bolers are normally square and the inlet and outlet headers of air-cooled heat exchangers are. rect= ‘angular. For such non-ctreular cross-sections, flanges are often reqiired, be it for access or for connect ‘0 other equipment. 97 Bolted Flanged connections, being part of pressure containing systems, are governed by the various pres- Sure vessel codes existing in all industrialized coun- trtes, for example the ASHE Botler and Pressure Vessel Code THI The ASME Code contains extensive rules for the Gesign of pressure vessels and pressure vessel compo: nents, including rules. for non-circular pressure ves~ Sels, but no rules for non-ctreular bolted flanged Connéetions. Two extensive literature searches of bol- ted Flanged connection publications, one by Blach & Bazergui 21, one by Cassidy & Kim [3], have shown that very little ’has been published on this subject. The only type of non-circular bolted flanged connection lunich has received ‘some attention seems to be the flanged joint in split steam turbine housings, not really representative of the majority of non-circular Flanges ‘used. This paper discusses some of the approximate ée- sign methods presently in use and compares numerical results from ‘these methods with experimental values obtained from strain gage measurements and with finite element calculations. Numerical sample calculations for tro" approximate methods are included and results are discussed. APPROXIMATE DESIGN METHODS There are several approximate destgn methods whtch can be used in the design of non-circular bolted flan- ged connections. ‘Two of these methods, often used by pressure vessel designers, are discussed below. One 1s based on an equivalent circular flange and may be used quite safely in the case of square or nearly square Flanges [4], the other uses a combination of frame bending analysis and of bending of an infinitely Tong flanged section in a perpendicular plane with respect to the frame [5]. (+) Numbers in square brackets [_] indicate references Visted atthe end of this report.Equivalent Circular Flange Method This method is. similar in approach to + proce- dure used ‘in. the ASME Code, Section VIIT, Division 1, Article US-34 [1], for the desfgn of non-circular flat covers. In the Code, a factor Z is defined which re- lates 2 flat cover of rectangular shape to @ circular one. The factor Z is given by z+ 34- 244 Z- 34- AS a with the imitation that 2 does not need to be larger than two and one half (2.6). The square root of this Factor is used ase multiplier of the small side of the rectangular cover to obtain an equivalent diameter to be used in the thickness formula given. For a welded flat cover, this approach yields a cover thickness on the safe side, as can easily be seen by comparing square and rectangular cover stress fac~ tors with equivalent circular cover factors. In the case of a rectangular cover with little fixation at the rim (thin shell, thick cover], from Roark & Young (61, the factor (3 in 2 o- 6p(4) @ $s .287 for a square plate and approaches .750 for a Tong rectangular plate with a/0> 4. Using the Code Formula for rectangular plates, 2 comparison can be image with the factors given in [6]. Equating the stres- ses from both, [1] ané [6], a) it can be seen that the factors (3 and CZ should have the same values. In fact, using the Code constant ¢ = 0.33 and the appropriate values for Z, the product <2 4S always numerically Yarger than , hence the Code Formulas yield results on the safe stde. In this design method, the square root of Z is used as 2 multiplier for the small side of the rect- angular pressure vessel and thus an equivalent circular Shape is obtained. Any ‘obround or rectangular. flange can then simply be designed or analysed as equivalent Circular flange, and all flange design Code rules per Appendix 2 of Appendix Y of the ASME Code [1] are applicable without modification. Ie the case of full ace gaskets, often Used with rectangular flanges (see Fig. 1), no ASME Code Rules exist at present. Referen- ‘ces [7] and [8] describe flange design methods for full face gasketed bolted flanged connections. An example for the application of this method is shown in Fig. 2 where the equivalent circular flange js superimposed ‘over a rectangular flange of 200 x 300, inn (8.x 12 inch. In this case, the equivalent inside Slaneter ts calculated 2 (28200) , 3.4- 28300. 1 B= b[Z = (200){1.8 = 268mm Bolt circle and outside diameters are then ob- tafned by adding to the equivalent inside diameter the actual dolt location distance and the flange width, respectively. Ring Gasket ASME" Code App.2 O-Ring Gasket ASME Code App.Y Full Face Gasket No ASME’ Cade Rutes Fig. 1, Gasket Types The equivalent circular flange method has until recently not been verified. Pretiminary test results Feported in [9] seem to indicate that this method yields safely designed rectangular flanges {f the Tength. to width ratio 1s close to unity, that fs, for "almost square” rectangular geometries. For long rect angular flanges with length to width ratios of over 2, however, there is no more resemblance in the behaviour of the rectangular flange when compared with a circular flange. This fact is acknowledged by designers, and 2 Tength to width ratio limit of 1.5 18 usually applied ‘This method can be used only for flanges on un- reinforced pressure vessels. For rib-reinforced rectan- gular vessels, heavy frame bending stresses must aTs0 be accommodated by the flanges, hence the method is not Pecommended. For unreinforced vessels, frame. bending Stesses are absorbed in the Vessel walls and do not greatly influence the flange stresses. @ ae 200 38h eee Fig. 2, Equivalent Circular FlangeFrame Bending Flange Design Method The equivalent circular flange method discussed in the previous article, in addition to length-to-width ratio limitations, 1s’ applicable only for un-reintorced non-circular pressure vessels where the frame bending stresses are fully absorbed by the pressure vessel side plates. A large percentage of non-circular pressure ves- sels, however, is of the reinforced type as shown in Fig.” 3. ‘In this case, the flange must atso act as stiffener for the vessel side plates, in addition to Providing a tight seal between components. “Thus, such Flanges have to resist frame bending stresses in a plane perpendicular to the vessel axis, in addition to flange bending stresses in planes parallel to this The two stresses, of course, are the result of diaxtal bending and thus shoutd fot really be: Sepas ated; however, most ‘designers adi these tho stresses Jin'oraer to compute a safe: flonge thickness: Prelvaias 1y test” results reported in C94*show that” this prace= ire yields ange destone on the sate side. (STIFFENER é } p> Ssueue CLaNGe Fig. 3, Reinforced Non-Circular Pressure Vessel Frane Bending Stresses For rectangular flanges of uniform thickness, the frame bending stresses can be found trom structural analysis. For rectangular frames of uniform cross sec~ ‘ion (Flanges of uniform width), the corner moments. are given by aw £48? Mae ie a Get and the monents at the center of the Tong span av b® : 5 a7 Ma (5) Where the 1ength dimensions €, ana €x are taken between the centroids of the flange sections, or of the flange shell Junction if part of the connecting shell ts included in the cateulations (See Fig. 4). For flanges of unequal width, a stiffness factor must be included jin equation” (4). 99 Fig. 4, Frame Bending Stresses Flange Sending Stresses The Flange bending stresses due to boTt-up and operating pressure for a long rectangular Flange (2/b = 2) can be approximated by considering a unit width of the Flange at the center of the Tonger side. The pres- sure distribution in such a flange {snot unfform, but the maximum fs known to occur at this point. For this purpose it 1s convenient to introduce a factor (8 which’ can be taken from the stress distribu: ‘ton of a rectangular plate with fixed ends, Misted in [6] and other texts on structural analysis. this. factor varies numerically from 0.308 for a/b = 1 to 0.500 for a> 2, Fig. 5, Flange Bending with Strip GasketFor flanges used with strip gaskets which are futly inside the flange Bolts a6. shown in Fig. 5, using the nomenclature of the ASME Code [1], Appendix 2, as much" as possible, the flange bending moment per unit Yength ts given By M+ Hoy +Hahe + Her My= BbPhs + 2émPhe + (4-b)Phr (6) For flanges used with full face gaskets as per Fig. 6. the gasket compression on the outside of the Flanges provides some resistance against rotation. This resistance has been included in the flange bending foment using the flange design method described in (8]- Using the nomenclature of Fig. 6 . M< Foz (Hobs + Hoes) Me 7 [BoPee +4(cbea)Phe] © Fig. 6, Flange Bending with Full Face Gasket The moment in (6) and (8) must be resisted by a unit wieth of the flange, assuming that the connecting Strip of shell plate isin direct tension only. This assumption 1s based on the fact that the shell plate attached to 2 rectangular flange fs usually much thin= her and thus more flexible then the flange. The same reasoning {s made by the ASHE Code, App.2 (1], in the case of the *oose optional Flange", where the’ contri~ butions of the connecting shell in resisting bending are neglected. The section modulus of @ rectangular section of unit width is (9) 100 thus the stress {n the flange can be calculated by GMs Sop Stresses due to frame bending are combined with stresses due to flange bending for a safe design. At ‘the inside of the flange, at the center of the long side, frame bending stresses are compressive and should thus’ be added to flange bending stresses occurring at this location for flanges with strip gaskets. For flan- ges with full face gaskets, flange bending stresses Should be added to frame bending stresses at the inside ‘and at the outside of the flange. a0) It could be argued that flange and frame bending stresses occur in different planes and need not be Combined; however, ina safe design method, it is Suggested that these stresses be added to ensure a Flat and undistorted flange surface for easy sealing of ‘the flanged Joint. For flanges on non-reinforced rectangular pressure vessels, the connecting shell plate is usually of con- Sfderable thickness. in this! case the frame bending Stresses on the flange are very small and need not be included in the computations. EXPERINENTAL WORK The experimental set-up fs shown in Fig. 7. It consists of two pressure vessels: one unreinforces Vessel as shown in Fig. & and one rib-reinforced vessel Shown in Fig. 9 Both vessels have the same flange dimensions and were tested bolted together. The flanges of both vessels were welded with full penetration welds to permit machining down the flange thicknesses in suctessive steps. To date four (4) different Flange thicknesses were tested, all with strip and full face gaskets, using two (2) different gasket materials in two (2) different thicknesses. The vessels were used in series of bolt-up and pressurization tests, some of the bolts were in- Strumented to ensure a correlation between bolt tor- ques and induced bolt stresses. FS Fy T Fig. 7, Experinental Set-upMe 40942 376 200 —44 Fig. 8, Unreinforced Test Pressure Vessel Fig. 9, Reinforced Test Pressure Vessel 8-3 te 28 The two gasket materials used in the tests were the following: 3.2mm thick conpressed mineral” fiber composition and 3.2 mm thick synthetic rubber with 75 Guroneter hardness. Both materials are extensively used in all process. Industrivs. Strain gages were mounted along the center of the tong side of both pressure vessels, biaxial strain gages were used. The strain gage Tayout 1s shown in Fig. 7 TRANSVERSE STRESS (wpa) STRESS (Pa) “or Fig. 10, Stress Profile at 2070 kPa Pressure for FUIT Face Gasket FINITE ELEMENT AMALYSIS To siaulate the behavior of 2 rectangular flange under bolt-up and pressurization, a finite element analysis, using the ANSYS program was performed. Three dimensional {soparenetric stress sol{d elements were Used. Ove to symmetry, only one quarter of the flange- Shell region a shown in Fig. 1 was included. a Fig. 11, Finite Element Grid 101Yo facilitate initia! computations, a very simple mesh was chosen initially. ‘This mesh was. then refined For more accuracy as shown in Fig. 12. Initial results show that the solutions corresponding to the three grids converge. \| I L u | u uv a 2 Fig. 12, Various Finite Element Grids NUMERICAL _EXANPLES Numerical examples are provided for the dimensions of the test pressure vessels with strip and full face gaskets. & design pressure of 2070 kPa was assumed to Bermit comparison of calculated values with experimen fal data. A'32 mm compressed mineral Fiber gasket is used. Equivalent Circular Flange Method Dimensions are the same as for the unreinforced pressure vessel shown in Fig. 8, with equivalent circu- ar dimensions as given in Fig. 2. From (1), the gasket constants are m= 2, y= 11 MPa, E = 95 MPa. ce A, 386 MB 768 1478 > Ys Sad 2689)(2.07)* 16.779 N (344-268) = 38mm = ZEL be | (2\(200000¥259)/3.2) = 1.34 YreE.t” (5.144)x (55Xe*) M, Hod, + Hye) al + 3.267 700 No mm ye. (5.144) 267 700) | 100.3 MPa a (25268) This compares well with a tangential stress value of 95 NPa shown in Fig. 10 for the unreinforced pres- sure vessel. For a strip gasket of 25 mm width, the method of the ASME Code, Appendix 2 [1] #s used. b.* 12.5 mm, b= 2.5\b = 8.8mm G* 300.4 mm He Fates E(390.48)2.07)» 146 680 N Hy+ H-Hp= 146 630- 116779 * 29 860N Hg Hps 2brGmP = 69060 N Win 2 Ha Hp [46 630+ 69060» 215 690 N 215 692 V2, Wo, Sb $(6-6)= $(344-309,4)* 21.8 mom vw + 1254 mm? fee hee Z (by be)e $ (38+ 21.8) = 225 rom My + Mg + My + Hobs t Hake + Hrby* 6839009 Nome YM, , (5.144439 000) EB" (25268) The calculated stress of 210 MPa is 222 higher than the value of 172 MPa obtained from strain gage heasurenents, hence the design method errs on the safe side. Spo » 210 MPa. 102Frame Sending Flange Design Nethod For the reinforced pressure vessel shown in Fig. 9, flange stresses for 3 full face gasket are calcu~ Vated using equations (5), (7) and (8). 2B 215 Be AB, w= O1N/mm ro £43 | 91 364% 2643 | Mere Goh” 2 seavace ~ 64569 Mg aE ye 20364 304 s60= 702 50 = 17070 mm? 702 580 Fon” 4.2 MPa Hy= BPs (45,(200)(2.07) = 186 N/mm Hy = 4(e-b-d)P = $(54)(20.7) = 56 N/min Ett, | (200 oo0\(25%X3.2) | gece (ayssyest) SG (Hoket Hy hr) = 4842 N rom /men Spr Oh. REED tes ra 5+ Sp +S, 424465 87,7 MPa This stress fs higher than the measured value of 60.8 MPa at the outside of the reinforced pressure vessel, considering that the two calculated stresses do not fully coincide with each ether. As discusses above, however, the method thus yields a safe design. Using equations (5) and (6), flange stresses are calculated for a strip gasket, sfinflar to the ASME Code tnethod of Appendix 2 [1]. Hg = 2émPe (2¥ae)2)(2.07) = 73 N/mm G+ c- 2b» 176- (28.8) 232.4 mm $ (¢-g) = $[276- 232.4) 2.8 mm Mee Hoky + Hebe + Habe” IO030N wm /mm 103 Sym + 96.3 MPa S* Se 4Sy> 41.24 96.3 137.5 MPa The measured stress for the strip gasket is only 90.5 WPa, one third lower than the value calculated. COMPARISON OF RESULTS Calculated values for rectangular pressure vessel Flanges of various tnicknesses are compared with values from strain gage measurements for two types: (a) unreinforced pressure vessel, using the equi- valent circular Flange wethod, Fig. 13 (b) rid-reinforced pressure vessel, using the Frame bending flange design method, Fig. 14 It can be seen that the calculated values are always higher than the actual measured stresses, hence both design methods can be used for safe designs, within the Timitations discussed. q \ 1 ~ ge gona a ze o4 © wi 3 \ a By} = wooo a8 Fiance sraess (MPa) Figs 13, Stresses, Unreinforced Pressure Vessel 4 Be —— = an z 0 FLANGE STRESS (MPa) Fig. 14, Stresses, Reinforced pressure VesselCconcLusrons Comparing numerical values with experimental data, it appears that the method of equivalent round Flanges is suitable for square and rectangular pressure vessel flanges on unreinforced pressure vessels, within cer- tain Timits. The results are on the safe side and become increasingly conservative as the ratio a/b in- creases. The design method based on frame bending plus Flange bending of a strip of unit width yields accept- able results for pressure vessel flanges of unreinfor- Ged. pressure vessels. This method 15 recomnendes for larger ratios of a/b. All stresses calculated are on the safe side. For flanges on rib-reinforces rectangular pressure vessels, the method of frame bending plus flange, ben- Ging of a strip of unit width can be used to account for the stiffening action of the flange in planes perpendicular to the vessel axis, Thfs method 1s. ap- plicable to square or rectangular flanges. Calculated Stress values are considerably higher than measured stresses. Tt wil] be interesting to see how calculated data and experimental values from strain gage measurenents Conpare with results. froma finite elenent analysis presently in’ progress. ACKNOKL EDGEMENTS The author wishes to acknowledge the Financial support received from the Following: Pressure Vessel Research Council, ‘Subeonmittee on Bolted Flanged Connect ions Natural Science and Engineering Research Councit of Canada The author also wishes to acknowledge the support of Bedarco Inc., Montreal, for providing the test pres Sure vessels and the gaskets. 104 REFERENCES ay ie) a ta (1 (61 71 te) (91 "ASME Boiler and Pressure Yessel Code, Section VIII, Division 1, Pressure Vessels", The American’ Society of Mechanical Engineers, New York, 1986 Edition. Blach, AcE, & Bazergui, A "Nethods ‘of Analysis of Bolted Flanged Connections - A Review", WAC Bulletin, 27, Oct 1981, pp 1-15. Cassidy, Lim, & Kim, Tod “Literature Search and Interpretive Study on the Design of Bolted Flanges with External Loads. and on-Circular Flanges", Unpublished Report, PURC, Sep 1879, §7 pages. Blach, Aca: "Equivalent Circular Flange Method for Rectangular Pressure Vessel Flanges", UnpubTished Lecture Notes, 1977, 6 pages. Blach, Ace: "nectangular Pressure Vessel Flanges", Unpub1#Shed Lecture Notes, 1978, 8 pages. Roark, Rud. & Young, WoCs: "Fornullas. for Stress and Strain", Fifth Edition, NeGraw-HiTl, New York, 1975 ‘Anonymous: “Design of Flanges for Full Face Gaskets", Taylor Forge Inc., Engineering Department Bulletin Wo. 45, Chicago, 1951. Blach, ALE. - Bazergui, A. - Baldur, R "Bol ted Flange Connection with Full Face Gaskets", WRC bulletin No. 314, May 1986, 13 pages! Bach, ALE. “aol ted Flanged Connections for Non-Circular Pressure Vessels", Proceedings, Sixth International Conference on Pressure Vessel Technology, Beijing, China, September 1968, pp 267-280.