Pressure Vessels

A pressure vessel is a closed container designed to safely hold gases or liquids at a pressure different from atmospheric pressure.
They are widely used in industries like oil & gas, chemical, power plant, refrigeration, and food processing.

Main Parts of a Pressure Vessel

Shell – Main cylindrical body holding pressure

Heads (End Caps) – Close the vessel ends (dished or hemispherical)

Nozzles – Inlet and outlet connections

Flanges – For assembly and maintenance

Supports – Saddle, skirt, or legs for mounting

Types of Pressure Vessels

Horizontal vessel – Used for storage and separation

Vertical vessel – Used in reactors and towers

Spherical vessel – Used for high-pressure gas storage

Heat exchanger vessel – Used for heating and cooling fluids

Design Considerations

Engineers calculate:

Design pressure

Design temperature

Material strength

Corrosion allowance

Weld efficiency

Safety factor

Materials Used

Carbon steel

Stainless steel

Alloy steel

Duplex steel (corrosive service)

Testing and Inspection

Before operation, pressure vessels are tested:

Hydrostatic test

Radiography test (RT)

Ultrasonic test (UT)

Dye penetrant test (PT)

Design Codes and Standards

Pressure vessels are manufactured as per safety standards:

ASME Section VIII

PED (Europe)

Indian Boiler Regulations (IBR)

TEMA (for exchanger vessels)

Simple Summary

A pressure vessel is a safety-critical equipment designed to store or process fluids under pressure.
Proper design, material selection, and testing are essential to prevent leakage or failure.