Classification: General Business Use

Pressure Vessels are one of the most important Static or stationary

equipment for any process plant. We can not think about any chemical
plants or Refineries or Petrochemical complex which runs Without any
Pressure Vessel. Major chemical processes happen inside pressure
vessels. These may be vertical or horizontal and are known by various
names like column, drum, reactor, exchanger, etc. They can carry or
process fluids of various temperatures and pressure ranges. Most of the
time these are designed following the ASME BPVC code. In this article,
major component vessel parts will be explained in brief.

Head (Fig. 1): The end enclosures of a vessel. They can be semi-elliptical,

spherical, or dished.

Shell (Fig. 1): The cylindrical walls of a vessel. Sometimes shells can be

insulated depending on body temperature or process conditions

Pressure Vessel Nozzle (Fig. 1): The tie-in connection between the

vessel or equipment and the piping system. Nozzles are provided in
locations where a commodity is either introduced or removed from a vessel
or piece of equipment.

Nozzle orientation: The angular arrangement of nozzles around the

perimeter of a vessel’s shell.

Nozzle projection: Used to establish the distance from the vessel’s

centerline to the nozzle’s face of the flange.

Fig. 1: Typical Vessel Parts

Base plate: A flat, metal ring welded to the bottom of a vessel’s supporting skirt that
rests on a concrete foundation. Holes around the perimeter of the metal ring make it
possible to position it over anchor bolts and secure it to the foundation.

Skirt (Fig. 1): A cylinder-shaped support for a vertical vessel. One end is welded to the
base plate allowing it to rest on the foundation and the other end is welded to the
bottom head of a vertical vessel.

Skirt access opening: An 18’’ ID hole 2’-6’’ above the foundation that allows workers
entrance for inspection and maintenance.
Classification: General Business Use

Skirt vents: Equally spaced holes approximately 3 to 4 in

diameter bored near the top of the vessel skirt that allows toxic
and explosive gases to escape.

Skirt fireproofing: Generally brick or granite, fireproofing is

applied around the interior and exterior walls of a vessel skirt. It is
necessary to prevent damage to the vessel skirt in case a fire
occurs.

Reinforcing pad (Fig. 2): A plate contoured to the shape of a

vessel shell. It is positioned around nozzles and provides
additional strength in the areas where metal was removed from
the shell.

Manholes (Fig. 2): Similar to large nozzles that allow workers

entry points into a vessel. They generally are 18 IDs and are
Classification: General Business Use

accessible by ladders and platforms. When not in use, the manhole is

sealed with a blind flange.

Manhole hinge (Fig. 2): A hinge that creates a pivot point allowing the
blind flange attached to the manhole to be easily removed for worker
entrance.

Seal pan: A tray installed below the bottom tray in a vessel to prevent
liquids from bypassing the trays.

Fig. 2: Typical Saddle, Manhole, and reinforcing PAD

Trays: Flat metal plates spaced approximately 18 to 24 apart inside a
vertical vessel. They can be bolted or welded to the vessel shell. Trays are
perforated to allow rising vapors and falling liquids to pass through with the
aid of a valving mechanism called a cap.

Weir: A dam-like plate welded on a tray that allows a fractionated by-

product to collect and be extracted by a nozzle.

Downcomers: Openings adjacent to a tray that allows liquids flowing over

a weir plate to fall to the tray below and begin the fractionation process
over again.

Insulation rings: Continuous circular rings welded to the exterior of a

vertical vessel that supports a vessel’s insulation. They are typically spaced
on 12–0 centers.

Saddles (Fig. 2): U-shaped supports welded on horizontal vessels and

exchangers. Saddles are bolted to concrete foundations and create cradle-
like support in which the vessel can rest.

Lifting lugs: donut-shaped rings welded to the vessel’s shell or head that

allow the vessel to be raised and positioned during installation.