Pressure and Storage Vessels

Pressure Vessels
A. Design Temperatures between -30 and 345 0C (-22 to 653 0F) is typically about
25 0C (77 0F) above maximum operating temperature, margins increase above this range
B. Design pressure is 10% or 0.69 to 1.7 bar (10 to 25 psi) above the maximum operating
pressure, whichever is greater. The maximum operating pressure is taken as 1.7 bar (25 psi)
above the normal operation pressure.
C. For vacuum operations, design pressures are 1 barg (15 psig) to full vacuum
D. Minimum thicknesses for maintaining tank structure are:
6.4 mm (0.25 in) for 1.07 m (42 in) diameter and under
8.1 mm (0.32 in) for 1.07-1.52 m (42-60 in) diameter
9.7 mm (0.38 in) for diameters over 1.52 m (60 in)
E. Allowable working stresses are taken as 1/4 of the ultimate strength of the material
F. Maximum allowable working stresses:
Temperature -20 to 650 0F 750 0F 850 0F 1000 0F
-30 to 345 0C 400 0C 455 0C 540 0C
CS SA203 18759 psi 15650 psi 9950 psi 2500 psi
1290 bar 1070 bar 686 bar 273 bar
302 SS 18750 psi 18750 psi 15950 psi 6250 psi
1290 bar 1290 bar 1100 bar 431 bar
G. Thickness based on pressure and radius is given by:

(Pressure) x (Outer Radius)

Thickness   Corrosion Allowance
(Allowable Stress) x (Weld Efficiency ) - 0.6 (Pressure)

where pressure is in psig, radius in inches, stress in psi, corrosion allowance in inches.
**Weld Efficiency can usually be taken as 0.85 for initial design work
H. Guidelines for corrosion allowances are as follows: 0.35 in (9 mm) for known corrosive fluids, 0.15 in (4 mm)
for non-corrosive fluids, and 0.06 in (1.5 mm) for steam drums and air receivers.

Storage Vessels
H. For less than 3.8 m3 (1000 gallons) use vertical tanks on legs
I. Between 3.8 m3 and 38 m3 (1000 to 10,000 gallons) use horizontal tanks on concrete supports
J. Beyond 38 m3 (10,000 gallons) use vertical tanks on concrete pads
K. Liquids with low vapor pressures, use tanks with floating roofs.
L. Raw material feed tanks are often specified for 30 days feed supplies
M. Storage tank capacity should be at 1.5 times the capacity of mobile supply vessels.
For example, 28.4 m3 (7500 gallon) tanker truck, 130 m3 (34,500 gallon) rail cars