50 Using This Manual

Abstract
This section summarizes the contents and explains the organization of the Pressure
Vessel Manual. This manual is in one volume that includes engineering guidelines
with accompanying appendices, specifications, industry codes and standards, and
engineering drawings and forms. PC disks with EG specifications are included at
the end of the volume. The manual has a table of contents and a complete index to
aid you in finding specific subjects.
Pressure vessels are designed and constructed in accordance with the ASME Boiler
and Pressure Vessel Code. This manual can be used for reference and to help under-
stand concepts, but you must not use it as a substitute for the Code.

Scope and Application

The Pressure Vessel Manual provides guidelines and specifications pertaining to
pressure vessels. These guidelines include general information, design background
and procedures, sample calculations, service and materials considerations, and
inspection, testing and maintenance procedures. The model specifications include
comments that explain their provisions and clarify interpretations based on
Company experience.
This manual is written for entry-level engineers and nonspecialists regardless of
experience. This manual should not be used as a substitute for sound engineering
judgment, nor should it take precedence over the judgment of an experienced pres-
sure vessel specialist.
The intent of this manual is to provide practical, useful information and theory
based on Company experience and established practices. Forms are provided in the
front of the manual for your convenience in suggesting changes. Your knowledge
and experience are important for improving subsequent printings and keeping this
manual up-to-date.

Organization
The colored tabs in the manual will help you find information quickly. In summary:
• White tabs are for table of contents, introduction, appendices, PC disks, index,
and general purpose topics.

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• Blue tabs denote engineering guidelines.

• Gray tabs are used for specifications and related drawings and forms.
• Red tabs mark places to keep documents developed at your facility.

Engineering Guidelines
The Pressure Vessel Manual covers a variety of topics relating to pressure vessels
and separators, and includes: general background and design information; engi-
neering principles and an explanation of the pertinent codes and jurisdictions;
process design of separation vessels and mechanical and structural design; mate-
rials, fabrication, and in-service inspection; repair, alteration, and rerating; produc-
tion separators; and specification and purchasing procedures. A summary of each
section of the manual is given below.

Section 100 Engineering Principles

This section presents the engineering principles of pressure vessels and discusses
their failure modes and stresses for different shaped vessels, including cylindrical
and spherical shells and hemispherical, ellipsoidal, torispherical, and conical heads.
Equations for calculating stresses are also given, including stresses from internal
and external pressure, discontinuity and thermal stresses, and stresses at openings.

Section 200 ASME Codes

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel
Code is the basis for design, fabrication, and testing of all boilers and pressure
vessels throughout the Company. The “Code,” or “ASME Code,” is used exclu-
sively in the United States and Canada. Most jurisdictions (primarily state govern-
ments) require equipment to be constructed according to the Code, and Company
policy is to follow the ASME Code regardless of jurisdictional
requirements.
This section is an introduction to and overview of the entire Code, plus a more
detailed summary of Section VIII, which specifically addresses pressure vessels. It
clarifies the purpose and scope of the Code and its application within the Company.
It also outlines recommended practices that exceed Code requirements.
ASME Code, Section VIII, Pressure Vessels, is divided into Division 1, which is
most commonly used, and Division 2, which requires more extensive design, fabri-
cation, and inspection requirements, but which may be the economic choice for
thick-wall vessels. The differences between Division 1 and Division 2 are
summarized.

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Section 300 Process Design of Separation Vessels

This section provides information on the process design of simple vessels,
discussing the process of gas and liquid separation. It includes techniques for proper
sizing of vessels, and equations to improve the quality of separation.
Production separators are covered in Section 900.
The scope of this manual does not address the process design of reactors or columns
employing trayed and packed internals. For information on these more complex
functions, see the Column Sizing and Tray Layout Manual for Sieve and Bubble Cap
Trays, available from the Technical Information Center, Chevron Research
Company.

Section 400 Mechanical and Structural Design

This section discusses the responsibilities of designing and fabricating vessels,
including establishing the design basis, and covers the details of mechanical design.
An overview of structural design is provided.
Most pressure vessels used in the petroleum industry have cylindrical shells with
elliptical or hemispherical heads. They are relatively simple to design, fabricate, and
install in either vertical or horizontal positions. The design is usually governed by
internal pressure, but a few are designed to operate below atmospheric pressure.
The majority of pressure vessels are designed according to the rules of Division 1;
therefore, this Division is emphasized in this section.

Section 500 Materials

Two aspects of materials selection for pressure vessels are discussed in this section:
(1) selection for the service conditions, and (2) selection for brittle fracture preven-
tion. Selection for the service environment is completed first, and materials selec-
tion for brittle fracture prevention second. This section also presents typical
materials selections, and discusses the general characteristics of commonly used
pressure vessel materials.

Section 600 Fabrication

This section discusses the fabrication of pressure vessels, including plate materials,
methods of forming the shell and head components and nozzles, fabrication welds,
welding processes and procedures, and in-shop inspection. The section on nozzles
includes both integrally reinforced and “built-up” nozzles; and the section on fabri-
cation welds discusses longitudinal, nozzle, and girth welds, skirt attachment weld,
and postweld heat treatment (PWHT). Also included are fit-up tolerances and
requirements for nondestructive examination (NDE).
Numerous welding processes for the fabrication of pressure vessels are described
and evaluated, along with the following: consumables, preheat and interpass
temperature control, procedures and methods for PWHT, and alternatives to stress

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relief heat treatment. The section on welding procedure qualification contains a

step-by-step welding procedure review and guidance on welder performance qualifi-
cation.
In-shop inspection includes inspection tasks and guidelines for choosing the appro-
priate degree of inspection for pressure vessels.

Section 700 In-Service Inspection

This section discusses in-service inspection of pressure vessels, including code and
jurisdiction requirements of the ASME Code, API Pressure Vessel Inspection Code,
and the National Board Inspection Code, with a comparison of the functions of an
authorized inspector and an American Society of Nondestructive Testing (ASNT)
certified technician. The various forms of deterioration of pressure vessels are
discussed, including internal and external corrosion, thermal aging, fatigue, stress
corrosion (environmental) cracking, internal erosion, hydrogen attack and blis-
tering, and creep and stress-rupture. Then follows an analysis of in-service inspec-
tion data for each form of deterioration. The fitness-for-service analysis includes a
discussion of the information needed for the analysis, the procedure for carrying out
the analysis, and required inspections. Among the nondestructive examination
(NDE) techniques discussed in some detail in this section are: visual examination
(VT), dye-penetrant examination (PT), magnetic particle examination (MT), ultra-
sonic examination (UT), radiographic examination (RT), and acoustic emission
testing (AE). Inspection checklists are provided for distillation columns, pressure
vessels, reactors, and spheres.

Section 800 Repair, Alteration, and Rerating

This section discusses the repair, alteration, and rerating of pressure vessels, with
pertinent code and jurisdiction requirements and the differences among the ASME
Code, the National Board Inspection Code, and API requirements. Topics discussed
include the following: design of repairs; planning and approval; responsible organi-
zation; materials; replacement parts; welding; postweld heat treatment; inspections
and hydrotest procedures; and documentation and nameplates.

Section 900 Production Separators

The design and fabrication of production separators, includes design principles,
process considerations, and sizing, along with a discussion of common oilfield sepa-
rators and separator internal components and their function. PC “Bookware”
programs for sizing separators are evaluated. The discussion of common oilfield
separators covers the following: scrubbers, gas trap and sand trap, three-phase hori-
zontal separator, test separator, filter separator (coalescer), slug catcher, flash sepa-
rator, and flare knockout or vent scrubbers. The discussion of separator internal
components and their function include: primary separation section and inlet
diverters; secondary separation and vessel internals; mist extractors; serpentine
valves; Dixon plates; centrifugal mist extractor; vortex breakers; and weir buckets
and interface control. The sections on design principles and separation theory

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present approximate flash calculations, information needed for facility design, and
the physics of particle collection and gravity separation.

Specifications, Drawings and Forms

This part of the manual contains (1) a specifying and purchasing procedure for
pressure vessels (Section 2100); (2) Company specifications in commented form;
(3) Company standard drawings and forms that pertain to the areas discussed in the
guidelines; and (4) Safety Instruction (SI) sheets for pressure vessels.

Section 2100 Specifying and Purchasing Procedure

This section outlines a suggested procedure for specifying and purchasing simple
pressure vessels. The detailed sequence of steps is applicable to both large and small
projects and can be used by engineers at all experience levels. This is a general
procedure that does not address local practices or administrative and approval
requirements. It may be modified for local preferences or used as is. Additional
design requirements will be needed for large columns, reactors, or other complex or
thick-walled vessels. Consult a specialist if you need assistance with these vessels.

Other Company Manuals

The text may refer to documents in other Company manuals. These documents carry
the prefix of that manual. The prefixes and their referents are:
Prefix Company Manual
CIV Civil and Structural
CMP Compressor
COM Coatings
CPM Corrosion Prevention and Metallurgy
DRI Driver
ELC Electrical
EXH Heat Exchanger and Cooling Tower
FFM Fluid Flow
FPM Fire Protection Manual
HTR Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery
ICM Instrumentation and Control
IRM Insulation and Refractory
MAC General Machinery
NCM Noise Control
PIM Piping
PMP Pump

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Prefix Company Manual

PPL Pipeline
PVM Pressure Vessel
TAM Tank
UTL Utilities
WEM Welding

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