THIN-WALLED

PRESSURE VESSELS
Pressure Vessels
• The pressure vessels (i.e. cylinders or tanks) are used to
store fluids under pressure.
• The pressure vessels are designed with great care
because rupture of a pressure vessel means an explosion
which may cause loss of life and property.
 The material of pressure vessels may be brittle such as
cast iron, or ductile such as mild steel.
Classification
 Thin-walled pressure vessel : the wall thickness of the
shell (t) is less than 1/10 of the diameter of the shell (D).
 Thick-walled pressure vessel : the wall thickness of the
shell (t) is greater than 1/10 of the diameter of the shell
(D).
Thin-Walled Pressure Vessels
t
Condition for Thin - wall pressure vessel :  0.1
D
 Stress in Cylinders due to Internal Pressure
Considering failure to happen along the longitudinal section:

F  pAapplication
where : p  internal pressure
Aapplication  area of application of p
Aapplication  DL
F  pDL
F
Tensile stress induced : St 
Ar
-stress along the longitudinal section where : Ar  resisting area  2tL
-transverse stress
F pDL pD
-circumferential stress S t   
2tL 2tL 2t
-hoop stress
-girth stress
Considering failure to happen along the transverse section:

F  pAapplication

Aapplication  D2
4
 
F  p D 2 
4 
F
Tensile stress induced : St 
Ar
where : Ar  resisting area  Dt
 
p D 2 
-stress along the transverse section
    pD
F 4
St 
-longitudinal stress Dt Dt 4t
Comparing the two stress equations, it shows that the stress along the
longitudinal section or the transverse stress is greater than that along the
transverse section or the longitudinal stress.
Thus, failure is likely to happen along the longitudinal section, i.e. the
longitudinal section is the critical section and is therefore the basis for
design.

For design considerat ion :

pD
St 
2t
If relative strength of joints or joint efficiency
of weld or rivets used is taken into account,
pD
St   S d ;  j  joint efficiency
2t j
Sy Su
S d or S allow.  or
N N
 Stress in Spheres due to Internal Pressure

F  pAapplication
Aapplication   D 2
4

F  p  D2
4

F
Tensile stress induced : St 
Ar
where : Ar  resisting area  Dt

St 
F

p 
 D2
4 
pD
Dt Dt 4t
pD
St 
4t j
For design of spherical vessels :
pD
St   Sd
4t j
Sy Su
S d or S allow.  or
N N

It can be concluded that stress induced on a cylindrical vessel is twice

that on spherical vessel. In other words, spherical vessels are twice
stronger than cylindrical vessels.
“Spherical vessels are the strongest vessels.”
Sample Problem:
A. A vessel is to contain 100 lbs. of Nitrogen gas at 150°F. The
diameter of the vessel is 2 ft. with a length of 3 ft. If the vessel is made of
AISI C1020, as rolled steel; and the factor of safety of 3 based on the
yield strength is used, recommend the vessel wall thickness.
B. Solve the above problem if the vessel is spherical in shape with the
same volume.
 A. For cylindrical vessel :

Solution: St 
pD
 S d ;  j  100% (not given)
2t j
Given : m  100lbs Sy
D  2 ft ; L  3 ft S d or S allow. 
N
temp.  150 F For p :
AISI C1020, as rolled PV  mRT
From AT7 : S y  48000 psi T  150  460  610 R
Su  65000 psi  
V D2L  2 ft 2 3 ft 
N S y  3 4 4
ft  lb f
1545
lbmol  R
R ; MW  28( Nitrogen gas )
lbm
MW ,
lbmol
 1545 
100 610  2
 28   1 ft 
P    2480.09 psia
 22 3  12in 
4
p  P  Patm  2480.09  14.7  2465.39 psi
Sy
S d or S allow. 
N
pD S y

2t j N

2465.39 psi2 ft 12in 

 1 ft  48000 psi

2t 1.0  3
t  1.85in
t 1.85 

 D 212   0 . 077   0.1
 
 thin  walled vessel, analysis is correct .
t  17 "
8
 Solution:
B. For spherical vessel of same volume :
Vcyl  Vsphere
 D 2 L   D3 pD S y
4 6 
4t j N

4
2 ft  3 ft    D 3
2
6
D  2.62 ft 2465.39 psi2.62 ft 12in 
 1 ft  48000 psi

St 
pD
 S d ;  j  100% (not given) 4t 1.0  3
4t j t  1.21in
Sy t 1.21 
S d or S allow.   
N  D 2.6212  0 . 038   0.1
 
t 11 "
4