Pressure vessel

Pressure vessel is a container designed to hold gases or liquids at a pressure substantially different from the ambient pressure. They have a variety of applications in industry, including in petrochemical, oil and gas, and nuclear power plants.

Design and manufacture

The design and manufacture of pressure vessels is typically governed by design codes such as the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code in North America, the Pressure Equipment Directive of the EU (PED), Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS), CSA B51 in Canada, etc. These codes determine the materials, design, fabrication, inspection, testing and certification of pressure vessels.

Types of pressure vessels

Pressure vessels can be classified into three types: storage vessels, heat exchangers, and process vessels. Storage vessels are used to store fluids under pressure. Heat exchangers use a fluid to cool or heat another fluid. Process vessels are used to change the physical, or chemical properties of a substance.

Safety considerations

Safety is a major concern when designing and operating pressure vessels. They can potentially cause significant damage and loss of life if they fail. Therefore, pressure vessels are designed with safety factors and are equipped with safety devices such as pressure relief valves and rupture disks.

See also

• Boiler
• Piping and plumbing fitting
• Hydraulic machinery