ASME Section VIII Division 1, 2023 Edition horizontal pressure vessel, 24 inch outside diameter shell, designed for 1,440 psi at 130 °F with a design MDMT of -40 °F and chamber MAWP held to 1,440 psi by configuration and client requirement, not by material limits.
Reece Custom Manufacturing designed, registered, and fabricated this vessel under APEGA Permit 15926, with calculations to the 2023 Edition of ASME Section VIII Division 1 and CSA B51, RT2 radiography on the main seams, and a shop hydrostatic test at 1.3 times MAWP per UG-99(b) before nameplate and shipment.
This vessel is a typical small 24 inch OD horizontal pressure vessel for high-pressure oil and gas or industrial service where a compact drum is needed in the 1,440 psi class. It shows how Reece handles 2:1 semi-elliptical head thickness checks, hillside Class 600 nozzles in the heads, shell nozzles with WRC 537 / API 660 nozzle load checks, and small-bore CL6000 outlets on the shell while keeping the chamber rating and MDMT aligned with Canadian registration practice.
This vessel is designed to ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section VIII Division 1, 2023 Edition, in U.S. customary units, with CSA B51 applied for Canadian Registration Number practice. Design conditions are 1,440 psi internal pressure, 130 °F design temperature, and -40 °F design MDMT, with a corrosion allowance of 0.0625 in applied to the shell, heads, and nozzles.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Design pressure | 1,440 psi internal |
| Design temperature | 130 °F |
| Design MDMT | -40 °F |
| Chamber MAWP (hot, corroded) | 1,440 psi at 130 °F (user-limited MAWP) |
| Corrosion allowance | 0.0625 in pressure parts |
| Radiography | RT2 per UG-116(e) |
| Postweld heat treatment | None per UG-116(f) and thickness limits |
The UG-22 loading set includes internal pressure, the weight of the vessel and normal contents, supports such as saddles, wind reactions, seismic reactions, and the hydrostatic test pressure with coincident static head. Loads from internals, snow, cyclic and dynamic reactions, impact, temperature gradients, and abnormal pressures are not included, which matches the project scope and Engineering Notes in the calculation.
Toughness and MDMT are evaluated under UCS-66 and UCS-66.1 for SA-516-70 pressure parts, with Curve D used for shell and heads and bolt MDMTs set by Figure UCS-66 note (c) where applicable. Straight flange thickness and MDMT limits from UCS-66(b)(2) and UCS-66(b)(3) govern the rated -40 °F MDMT at 1,440 psi for the chamber, while CL6000 small-bore outlets qualify to much colder MDMTs on a component basis.
The shop hydrostatic test is defined per UG-99(b) at 1.3 times the chamber MAWP, with test liquid specific gravity of 1.00, maximum test stress limited to 90 percent of yield, and both nozzle intersection stresses and shell stresses verified to be within the allowable test stress in the Hydrostatic Test summary.
The pressure summary table shows S.E. head #1, S.E. head #2, the straight flanges, the 24 in OD shell, saddles, and each nozzle with design pressure, design temperature, component MAWP, and MDMT. Chamber MAWP is held at 1,440 psi at 130 °F by the user MAWP cap, with several components such as the heads and CL6000 small-bore nozzles capable of higher MAWP or colder MDMT in isolation.
| Component | Design P (psi) | Design T (°F) | MAWP (psi) | MDMT (°F) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S.E. head #1 | 1,440 | 130 | 1,571.94 | -40.4 |
| 24 in OD shell | 1,440 | 130 | 1,440 | -40.4 |
| S.E. head #2 | 1,440 | 130 | 1,440 | -40.9 |
| 3 in CL 600 LWN hillside nozzle in head | 1,440 | 130 | ≈1,444 | -55 |
| 4 in CL 600 LWN shell nozzle | 1,440 | 130 | ≈1,444 | -55 |
| 2 in NPS XXS shell nozzle | 1,440 | 130 | 1,441.72 | -55 |
| 1½ in CL6000 TOL shell outlet | 1,440 | 130 | 1,612.48 | -155 |
| 3⁄4 in CL6000 outlets | 1,440 | 130 | 1,612.48–1,612.91 | -155 |
The thickness summary shows 1.000 in nominal wall thickness on the shell and straight flanges, with design thickness around 0.9026 in including 0.0625 in corrosion allowance and E = 1.0, so circumferential stress from internal pressure governs under UG-27. Heads have a formed minimum thickness of 0.9375 in after forming and meet MAWP requirements for 1,440 psi design with margin.
Hydrostatic test pressures are based on 1.3 times MAWP, so the governing shell and flanges see about 1,872 psi plus small static head, and the test summary confirms that all components have test stresses below 90 percent of yield. No field hydrotest condition is specified, and UG-99(h) brittle fracture provisions are satisfied because the 70 °F test temperature is warmer than the recommended minimum of -10 °F.
The main pressure boundary uses SA-516-70 plate for the 24 in OD shell and both 2:1 semi-elliptical heads, with longitudinal seams at joint efficiency 1.0 and corrosion allowance of 0.0625 in. Saddles and wear plates are carbon steel sized to carry operating, hydrotest, wind, and seismic loads at the manufacturer’s location without controlling the pressure design.
| Component | Material | Size / rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shell | SA-516-70 | 24 in OD × 1.000 in nominal | 72 in straight length, E = 1.0 |
| Heads | SA-516-70 | 24 in OD, 2:1 S.E. | 0.9375 in min after forming |
| Shell nozzles | Carbon steel flanges and pipe | 4 in and 3 in CL 600 LWN | Set-in nozzles, fillet welds per UW-16 |
| Head nozzles | Carbon steel flanges and pipe | 3 in CL 600 LWN hillside | Hillside 6.5 in in both heads |
| Small-bore outlets | Carbon steel TOL and couplings | CL6000 threaded outlets | Instrument and utility connections |
| Saddles and wear plates | Carbon steel | Per saddle detail | Supports horizontal vessel on foundation |
The nozzle schedule in the calculation includes shell nozzles N-S-01 through N-S-08 and head nozzles N-H-01 and N-H-02, each with size, rating, projection, weld detail, and MAWP, along with an attached B16.9 elbow on one shell nozzle. Radiography is summarized as RT2, and no postweld heat treatment is required by thickness or service, so fabrication stays efficient while still meeting code marking requirements.
The calculation package documents a full Div. 1 design for this vessel, including shell and head thickness checks, nozzle reinforcement, local-load checks, supports, and hydrotest. The code clause index below matches the clauses applied in the registered calculation.
These examples are extracted from the registered calculation. Each shows the inputs, governing code equation, substitution, and result for one part of the vessel design.
Inputs: Internal pressure P = 1,440 psi, outside radius Ro = 12 in, allowable stress S = 20,000 psi, joint efficiency E = 1.0, corrosion allowance = 0.0625 in.
t_req (pressure) = P · Ro / (S · E + 0.4 · P)
t_req (pressure) = 1,440 · 12 / (20,000 · 1.0 + 0.4 · 1,440)
= 17,280 / 20,576
≈ 0.8399 in
t_design = t_req (pressure) + corrosion
= 0.8399 + 0.0625
≈ 0.9024 in
t_nominal = 1.000 in > t_design ≈ 0.9024 in
The 24 in OD shell with 1.000 in nominal wall and E = 1.0 therefore satisfies UG-27(c)(1) for 1,440 psi internal pressure at 130 °F with the specified corrosion allowance.
Inputs: 2:1 semi-elliptical head, SA-516-70, 24 in OD, minimum thickness after forming t = 0.9375 in, design pressure 1,440 psi, S = 20,000 psi, E = 1.0, K factor from Appendix 1-4(c) per 2:1 geometry.
For a 2:1 semi-elliptical head (Appendix 1-4(c)): t_req = (P · K · D_o) / (2 · S · E - 0.2 · P) Rearranging for MAWP with given t: MAWP = (2 · S · E · t) / (K · D_o + 0.2 · t) Substituting values from the head calculation: MAWP_head ≈ 1,571.94 psi > 1,440 psi design
The formed head thickness of 0.9375 in provides MAWP of about 1,572 psi at 130 °F, so the heads are not the governing component for the chamber MAWP of 1,440 psi.
Inputs: One 3 in Class 600 LWN shell nozzle with set-in detail, shell radius Ro = 12 in, shell nominal thickness t = 1.000 in, design thickness t_shell = 0.9026 in, nozzle nominal thickness tn = 1.000 in, corrosion allowance C = 0.0625 in, weld detail per UW-16 fillet, reinforcement limits per UG-40.
From the nozzle reinforcement summary:
Required area per UG-37(c):
A_req = 2.0365 in²
Available areas from Fig. UG-37.1:
A1 = 0.3976 in²
A2 = 4.7170 in²
A4 (weld, etc.) = 0.1406 in²
Total available area:
A_avail = A1 + A2 + A4
= 0.3976 + 4.7170 + 0.1406
= 5.2552 in²
Check:
A_avail = 5.2552 in² ≥ A_req = 2.0365 in² → OK
The nozzle is exempt from weld strength calculations per UW-15(b)(1) for the selected detail, and the fillet weld throat sized per UW-16 meets the required weld size while staying inside the UG-40 reinforcement limits.
Nozzle neck thickness (UG-45): The calculation also checks the nozzle neck required thickness by combining ta from internal pressure and tb from external loads and reinforcement.
ta (UG-27 / UG-22) = 0.2548 in
tb = 0.2883 in
t_UG45 = max(ta, tb) = max(0.2548, 0.2883)
= 0.2883 in
Available nozzle wall thickness (new):
tn = 1.16 in
tn = 1.16 in ≥ t_UG45 = 0.2883 in → OK
Inputs: 3 in Class 600 nozzle, internal pressure P = 1,440 psi, mean shell radius Rm = 11.5313 in, local shell thickness T = 0.9375 in, design factor 3, and the applied loads from the calculation (Pr = -740 lbf, Mc = 9,000 lbf·in, Vc = 930 lbf, ML = 11,400 lbf·in, VL = 930 lbf, Mt = 14,520 lbf·in).
Geometric parameters:
γ = Rm / T
= 11.5313 / 0.9375
≈ 12.3
β = 0.875 · r_o / Rm
= 0.875 · 2.31 / 11.5313
≈ 0.1753
Pressure stress intensity factor (from Division 2 Part 4.5):
I = 1.0822
Local circumferential pressure stress:
σ_θ ≈ I · P · R_i / T
≈ 18,389 psi
Local longitudinal pressure stress:
σ_L ≈ I · P · R_i / (2 · T)
≈ 9,195 psi
Maximum combined stress including external loads:
(PL + Pb + Q) ≈ 21,584 psi
Allowable combined stress:
(PL + Pb + Q)_allow = 3 · S = 3 · 20,000 = 60,000 psi
Check:
21,584 psi ≤ 60,000 psi → OK
Maximum local primary membrane stress PL ≈ 19,347 psi
Allowable PL_allow = 1.5 · S = 30,000 psi
Check:
19,347 psi ≤ 30,000 psi → OK
The WRC 537 / API 660 evaluation confirms that the nozzle and shell junction can carry the specified external loads and pressure with stress intensities well within the Division 2-based allowable limits used for the local-load check.
This 24 OD x 1,440 psi horizontal pressure vessel is a common configuration in Western Canada, and the registered calculation shows how Reece handles Div. 1 wall thickness checks, MDMT and UCS-66 toughness evaluation, nozzle reinforcement, and WRC 537 local-load checks within a single project. Buyers and engineers can see how a real CRN AA6159.213 project balances shell and head thickness, hillside nozzles, small-bore outlets, and hydrotest requirements at 1.3 times MAWP.