Stresses of Thin Walled Pressure Vessels

July 13, 2016

Thin walled storage containers are widely used in industry. They include many of the stationary vessels installed on large concrete plinths and the lightweight models that transport dangerous pressurised fluids across every nation on our fuel-obsessed globe. In detailing the stresses of thin walled pressure vessels, we're referring to a precisely engineered membrane. This geometrical profile is designed and fabricated with stress distribution in mind. Let's take a closer look at this important thin-skinned storage container.

End Cap Reinforcement

When we talk about the stresses of thin walled pressure vessels, we're referring to fluids exerting pressure on a sealed container, one that's fabricated from curved walls that are less than one-tenth of the diameter of the container. The rolled metal is capped by two heads, end caps that typically use a hemispheroidal form. Other common shapes used in end cap design include the ellipsoidal and torispheroidal form, although a hemisphere is closer to an ideal sphere than the other two shapes. Built to aid in distributing the fluid load, these caps are often reinforced with internal supports, bracing structures that ensure transitional flaws between the cylinder and the head sections are fully eliminated.

Assessing Common Stress Factors

Cylindrical symmetry works cohesively with the welded end caps to evenly distribute the pressurised gas or liquid. The condensed mix is corrosive and potentially explosive. It's also prone to flashing and state changes, so a certain amount of inbuilt flex is mandated here. Hoop stress causes the walls of the cylinder to evenly push outward, for example, while directional stress works on the end sections, thus working at an oblique angle. Therefore, the two different sectional elements should move outward at a different rate. Mechanical deformation would result, but design accountability offsets these competing forces by incorporating a physical continuity feature. Again, it's the shape of the end caps, the addition of internal reinforcing braces, and the quality of the fabrication materials that act as this physical continuity factor.

Of course, the expertise employed by the workshop fabrication facility is also directly influential here. The engineering division counteracts the stresses of thin walled pressure vessels by uniformly distributing pressurised forces. The engineer assesses every juncture, checks every weld point, and reinforces this labour-intensive task by inspecting the final product. The finalised pressure vessel is then certified as a storage unit that can safely deal with hoop stress, shear stress, and all of the other loading factors incurred by the grandly-scaled forces of fluid dynamics.

Contact Details

Fusion - Weld Engineering Pty Ltd
ABN 98 068 987619

1865 Frankston Flinders Road,
Hastings, VIC 3915

Ph: (03) 5909 8218

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