CH3205: Equipment Design

Problem Sheet
A. Problems on criteria of failure of process equipment
1. A full floating head condenser has 400 admiralty metal tubes. The floating tube sheet and
head assembly 4000 N when the head is filled water. If the tube support plate is located
0.45 m from the centre of the load of floating head assembly and assumed to behave as a
simple cantilever beam:
a) What bending stress is developed in the tubes as a result of this load?
b) What is the floating head deflection from the horizontal at the centre of the load?
c) Is the design satisfactory if the allowable stress is 4.1106 N/m2?
2. A horizontal stiffener supporting a bubble cap tray in a fractionating column may be
considered to act as a uniformly loaded, simply supported beam. The deflection equation
for such a beam is-

1 wlx 3 wx 4 wl 3 x

EI 12
24
24
Where,
y = deflection at a point x, m
x = distance from the
l = total length of stiffener, m
E = modulus of elasticity, N/m2
I = moment of inertia, m4
w = uniformly distributed load, N/m
The stiffener has a moment of inertia of 74.3010-8 m4 and a section modulus of
16.7210-6 m and is of steel (E = 2.061011 N/m2 ). The stiffener has a length l of 2.5 m
and carries a uniformly distributed load of 420 N/m. Determine:
a) The maximum deflection at the centre of span, x = 1.25 m.
b) The maximum stress at the centre of the span.
c) The stress at 0.5 m from the support.
d) The shear load at x = 0.5 m.
y

3. A copper fractionating column has vertical tray support rods between trays. The trays are
0.5 m apart and the rods are spaced so as to support a load of 445 N each, under column
action. What is the diameter of the rods required to limit the column loading to one half of
the critical column load if,
a) The rods are free to pivot at both ends.
b) The rods are fixed at both ends.
Data:
E = 1.031011 N/m2.

4. A vessel is to be fabricated of type 316 stainless steel. The vessel is intended to be used at
977.4 K for an expected service life of 5 years. The creep deformation permitted during
the service life of the unit is not to exceed 5%. Determine the allowable stress if the
allowable stress not to exceed either (a) two thirds of the stress to produce the creep rate
or (b) 50% of the stress to rupture. Also estimate the total creep and rupture life if the
allowable design stress as determined in this manner is used in the design of the vessel.
Data:
Creep and rupture of 316 SS is given in Fig-2.15 and 2.16 of Brownell & young.
B. Problems on shell under internal pressure
1. A cylindrical process vessel for non-lethal substance is to be designed for the maximum
operating pressure of 1000 kN/m2 and maximum operating temperature of 350C. The
nominal diameter of the vessel is 1.5 m. The vessel is to be fabricated of IS:2002-1962 2B
grade steel. The suggested corrosion allowance is 2 mm. Specify the standard plate
thickness for fabricating the shell of the vessel.
2. A cylindrical pressure vessel of 1.5 m nominal diameter is to be designed for 5106 N/m2
pressure and 400C. The material of construction is IS:2002-1962 grade 2B quality steel.
Corrosion allowance is 3 mm. if the vessel is used at room temperature service, what will
be the maximum working pressure that the vessel will with stand?
3. An autoclave of 1.5 m nominal diameter and 2 m tangent to tangent length is provided
with a steam jacket over a straight section 1.5 m long. The space between the jacket and
autoclave is 50 mm. The maximum working pressure inside the autoclave is 500 kN/m2
and working temperature 150C. The steam pressure inside the jacket is 350 kN/m2 . The
material of construction of autoclave and jacket is IS:2002-1962 grade 2B steel. Specify
the plate thickness for fabricating the autoclave shell and jacket shell.
4. The shell of a shell and tube heat exchanger of nominal diameter of 1.2 m is to be
fabricated from steel plate conforming to IS:2002-1962 grade 2B. Shell side fluid is steam
at 7 atm (g). Specify the standard plate thickness for fabricating the shell. Estimated
corrosion over the service life of the exchanger is 1.5 mm.
5. Specify the standard plate thickness required to fabricate the shell of a pressure vessel as
per IS:2825 code recommendations of the following specifications:
Nominal diameter
2.5 m
Design pressure
3.15106 N/m2
Design temperature
300C
Material
IS:2002-1962 2B grade steel
Corrosion allowance
1.5 mm
6. A cylindrical pressure vessel of 1.5 m nominal diameter is to be designed for 5106 N/m2
and 400C. The material of construction is IS:2002-1962 2B grade steel. Corrosion

allowance is 3 mm. If the vessel is used at room temperature service (25C), what will
be the maximum working pressure that the vessel will withstand?
C. Problems on closure under internal pressure
1. A pressure vessel of 1.2 m nominal diameter is provided with a welded flat plate cover on
one end and a torispherical cover on the other end. The maximum working pressure and
temperature are 500 kN/m2 and 250C respectively. Materials for shell and closures are
IS:2002-1962 grade 2B quality steel. Assume 2 mm corrosion allowance. Design the
heads. Do you recommend the welded flat plate closure for the vessel?
2. Design different types of end closures for a pressure vessel having the following
specifications:
Nominal diameter
1.5 m
Maximum working pressure
1000kN/m2
Design temperature
350C
Material
IS:2002-2A grade steel
Corrosion allowance
2 mm
The pressure vessel is to be used for non-lethal substance.
3. Design a torispherical closure for a pressure vessel subjected an internal pressure of 500
kN/m2 at 550 K. The nominal diameter of the vessel is 2 m. The torisperical closure is
having inside crown radius 0.8 times the outside diameter and inside corner radius 0.06
times the inside diameter. The material of construction of the vessel and the head is steel
conforming to IS:2002-1962 grade 2a.
4. A torispherical head having inside crown radius equal to the outside diameter is to be
fabricated. The head is provided with a 250 mm hole at its centre. Specify the standard
plate thickness for fabricating the head if (i) the hole is uncompensated and (ii) the hole is
fully compensated. The other specifications of the pressure vessel are:
OD of shell
2m
MWP
3.5106 N/m2
Shell wall thickness
50 mm
CA
3 mm
Allowable stress at the design temperature
96106 N/m2
5

A torisperical head of 1.5 nominal diameter is to be designed as per IS:2825 code

specifications. The maximum operating pressure (internal) and temperature are 8.0105
N/m2 (gage) and 300C. Material if steel conforming to IS:2002-1961 2B grade.
Corrosion allowance may be taken as 1.5 mm. Specify the standard plate thickness for
fabricating the head.

D. Problems on compensation
1. A pressure vessel is subjected to an internal working pressure of 3106 N/m2 at 550 K.
The outer diameter and tangent to tangent length are 1.5 m and 3 m respectively. The
vessel is provided with ellipsoidal heads with major to minor axis ratio of 2:1. The vessel

and the heads are fabricated from steel conforming to IS:2002-1962 grade 2B. The
estimated corrosion allowance over the service life of the vessel is 3 mm.
a) Calculate and recommend the plate thickness for fabricating the shell and heads.
b) An inlet nozzle is attached to the shell of the pressure vessel has an internal diameter
of 155 mm and outer diameter of 170 mm and is made from steel conforming to IS-19141961. The nozzle projects 20 mm inside the vessel and 75 mm outside the vessel. Suggest
a suitable reinforcement for the nozzle, if required.
2. A 200 mm internal diameter nozzle is welded on the cylindrical shell of a pressure vessel
of 1 m nominal diameter and 8 mm thick. The nozzle projects 50 mm inside and 100 mm
outside from the inner and outer surface respectively. The maximum operating pressure
and temperature are 1106 N/m2 and573 K respectively. Both the nozzle and the shell are
fabricated from steel conforming to IS:2002-1962 grade 2B. Calculate the nozzle
thickness if no external compensating pad is allowed.
3. Examine the data given below to evaluate the requirement of compensation for the nozzle
opening in a cylindrical shell.
OD of shell
2m
MWP
3.5106 N/m2
Shell wall thickness
50 mm
CA
3 mm
Allowable stress at the design temperature
96106 N/m2
OD of nozzle (seamless)
250 mm
Nozzle wall thickness
16 mm
Inside protrusion of nozzle
not required
Length of the nozzle above surface
100mm
4. A pressure vessel, subjected to a maximum working pressure of 3.5106 N/m2 and
maximum working temperature of 550 K, is provided with a torispherical head having a
fully compensated centrally located hole. The nominal diameter of the vessel is 2 m and
the hole diameter is 250 mm. The crown radius of the torispherical head is equql to the
outside diameter of the vessel and the corner radius is 0.1 times of inner diameter. Both
the vessel and the head are fabricated from steel conforming to IS:2002-grade I. specify
the dimensions of a suitable ring pad compensator for the hole. Assume 2 mm corrosion
allowance.
5. A pressure vessel of 1.2 m nominal diameter is subjected to a maximum operating
pressure of 500 kN/m2 at 250C.
a) Design a suitable torispherical closure having a centrally located uncompensated hole
30 cm diameter. The material of construction is IS:2002-1962 2B grade steel. CA may
be taken as 2 mm.
b) Examine the requirement of compensation of the hole and design a suitable ring pad
compensator, if required.
E. Problems on shells under external pressure
1. A vacuum crystallizer of 3.5 m nominal diameter is provided with a 60 apex angle
conical bottom and a torispherical head at the top. The distance from the junction of the
cone with the shell to the point of tangency of the top closure is 5.5 m. opearating

temperature is 350 K. Material of construction is IS:1570-1961 04Cr 19Ni9 stainless

steel. Specify the design of the shell, torispherical head and conical bottom.
2. An autoclave 2 m inside diameter has a tangent to tangent length of 4 m, and is provided
with ellipsoidal closures (2.6:1) at both ends. The working temperature of the process
fluid inside the autoclave is 150C and under vacuum. The autoclave has a steam jacket
0.5 m below the point of tangency from the top and steam pressure in the jacket is
3.5105 N/m2 (g). The space between the jacket and autoclave is 50 mm. The material of
construction of autoclave is stainless steel conforming to IS:1570-1961 04Cr 19Ni9.
Specify the thickness of standard plate to fabricate the autoclave shell and its closures.
3. A cylindrical vessel made of low carbon steel is provided with torisperical heads. The
inside diameter is 3 m and tangent to tangent length is 10 m. The thickness of the heads
and the shell are 10 mm. Working temperature is 120C.
a) Determine the maximum allowable vacuum that can be applied to the vessel.
b) Determine the minimum number of equally spaced stiffeners required to permit the
use of full vacuum in the vessel.
c) Specify the dimensions of suitable channel stiffener for part (b).
4. The shell for a vacuum crude tower 10 m diameter is constructed with low carbon steel
plate of 28 mm thick. Circumferential sheet stiffeners are used and located 2m apart.
Determine the required moment of inertia for the stiffeners, and suggest a possible design
for the stiffeners. A corrosion allowance of 3 mm is required.
5. A cylindrical vessel made of stainless steel is fabricated with torisperical heads. The
nominal diameter is 3 m and tangent to tangent length is 10 m. the thickness of the heads
and shell are 10 mm. Ro and ro of the torispherical heads 3 m and 0.3 m respectively.
Working temperature is 120C.
a) Determine the maximum allowable vacuum that can be applied to the vessel.
b) Can full vacuum be applied to the vessel by providing shell stiffeners? If so, find the
minimum number of equally spaced stiffeners.
6. A cylindrical vessel of nominal diameter 1.5 m and tangent to tangent length of 5 m and
provided with torispherical heads (Ri = 1.5 m and ri = 0.09 m) is to be designed for full
vacuum operation and 150C. The material of the vessel and heads are stainless steel. If
the vessel is designed with one circumferential stiffener, where you will locate the
stiffener and why? How much steel can be saved by providing the above stiffener over
that of the vessel without stiffener?
7. A vessel 4m nominal diameter and 6 m tangent to tangent length is provided with
ellipsoidal heads of 2.6:1 major to minor diameter (based on outside diameter) and 5
circumferential stiffening rings 1 m apart. The vessel is subjected to full vacuum at
200C. The material of construction of the shell and heads are stainless steel.
a) Specify the plate thickness required for fabricating the head and shell.
b) Can a 18 cm channel of the following specifications be used as stiffening rings?
18 cm channel specifications:
Weight
14.6 kg/m

I
AS
E

8.910-6 m4
1.8710-3 m2
1.871011 N/m2

F. Problems on tall towers

1. Make a preliminary estimate of the plate thickness required for the distillation column
specified below:
Height, between tangent lines
50 m
Nominal diameter
2m
Skirt height
3m
Sieve plates, equally spaced
100 Nos.
Operating pressure
10 bar (abs)
Operating temperature
200C
Insulation, mineral wool
75 mm thick
Material of construction
Stainless steel: Design Stress 135 N/mm2 at
design temperature 200C
Welded joint efficiency factor, J
1
2. A plate distillation column has the following specifications:
Nominal diameter
2m
Number of trays
30
Operating pressure
200 mm of Hg (abs)
Operating temperature
100C
Tray spacing
0.6 m
Top disengaging space
1.0 m
Bottom separator space
2.5 m
Skirt height
3m
Top and bottom closures
Torispherical with ho = 0.5 m
Tray loading (including liquid)
1.5103 N/m2
Insulation thickness
7.5 cm
Bulk density of insulation
800 kg/m3
Material of construction
Stainless steel: Allowable working stress at the
design temperature = 139 106 /m2 and E =
1.871011 N/m2
Accessories
One caged ladder, weight of which is 365 N/m
length
Design group specifies 10 mm standard plate for fabricating the entire shell (i.e. uniform
shell thickness) as well as torisperical heads. You are required to check only, based on
Maximum Principal Stress Theory, whether the recommended shell thickness is
adequate under actual operating conditions. You can use the following assumptions/
estimation for your calculations.

i) Effective wind area for the external attachments is estimated to be 20% of the
uninsulated column;
ii) Wind pressure upto 300 m height is 1000 N/m2 and shape factors is 0.7;
iii) Negligible seismic effect;
iv) Density of stainless steel is 7500 kg/m3 ;
v) Weight of accessories other than caged ladder is negligible;
vi) Weight of the head with insulation may be taken as 7500 n.
3. A packed absorption tower has the following specifications:
Inner diameter
1.5 m
Tangent to tangent length
15 m
Top and bottom cover
Ellipsoidal (2:1)
Packings
50 mm ceramic rashig ring
Bulk density of packing
595 kg/m3
Void fraction
0.74
Liquid
Water
Pressure (g)
1.0105
Temperature
320 K
Top empty space
1.0 m
Bottom empty space
0.8 m
Skirt length
2.5 m
Shell material
IS:2002-1962 grade 2A
Insulation
Nil
CA
3 mm
Based on maximum principal stress theory, calculate the thickness of the absorption
tower.
Data:
Maximum wind pressure (upto 20 m)
750 N/m2
Earthquake effect
Negligible
Effect of attachments and accessories may be neglected.
4. A rotating disc extraction column to extract pyridine from pyridine-water solution with
benzene has been designed and the information are recorded below. You are required only
to check the shell thicknesses recommended and comment on it.
Shell diameter
90 mm
Shell length, tangent to tangent
16.5
Design pressure
0.35 MN/m2
Design temperature
30C
Material of construction
Mild steel with allowable stress
96 MN/m2

CA
3 mm
Welded joint efficiency factor
0.8
Top and bottom heads
Torisherical
Straight flange length
50 mm
From working pressure consideration, the thickness including corrosion allowance for
shell and heads are recommended to be 10mm.
Skirt support height
1.8 m
Insulation
Nil
Sp. gr. of steel
7.85
Mean liquid density
980 kg/m3
Accessories: a 2.5 hp motor to be secured on top of the column; one caged ladder to the
motor; rotor; stator etc.
Weight of motor
5.0 kN
Weight of rotor, stator arrangement for rotating disc
500 N/m length
Weight of ladder
350 N/m length
Wind pressure for the entire tower height
1.0 kN/m2
Seismic load
negligible
G. Problems on vessel support
1. A cylindrical skirt and bearing plate is to be designed for a fractionating column to the
following specifications:
Skirt height
1.5 m
Effective diameter of the vessel
2.1 m
Length of the column, tangent to tangent
16 m
Weight of the column with its contents
465103 N
Skirt and bearing plate material
IS:2002-1962 grade 2B
Maximum wind pressure upto 20 m
750 N/m2
Seismic effect
negligible
a) Specify the standard plate thickness to fabricate the skirt.
b) Design a suitable bearing plate
H. Problems on storage tanks
1. An open top storage tank for storing 18,000 m3 of a liquid of specific gravity 1.2 is to be
designed. The tank will be fabricated from steel conforming to IS:2002 grade I. the land
and foundations are available free of cost. The annual cost of fabricated shell per unit area
is 1.3 times the annual cost of fabricated bottom per unit area.
a) Determine the optimum proportions of the tank.
b) Determine the number of shell courses and thickness of each course.
c) Suggest a suitable wind girder.

d) Suggest a suitable top curb angle.

2. A distillery producing 25 m3 of alcohol per day is required to hold the production of 60
days. A fixed roof storage tank fabricated from steel conforming to IS:2002 grade I is
recommended for the purpose.
a) Determine the optimum diameter and height of the tank if annual cost of fabricated shell,
roof, and installation and fabrication taken together are 1.8, 1.5 and 0.5 times the annual
cost of the fabricated bottom respectively.
b) Specify the plate thickness of bottom two and top two shell courses.
c) Do you recommend a self supported conical roof or a column supported roof for the tank?
Justify your recommendation.
3. A column supported roof of a mild steel storage tank of 24 m diameter is to be designed.
The thickness of the roof plate is 5 mm and roof slope is 1:16. Design the rafters for the
above roof support.
4. Design a suitable wind girder for an open tank of 40 m diameter and 24 m height.
5. A storage tank for concentrated nitric acid will be constructed from aluminum to resist
corrosion. The tank is to have an inside diameter of 6 m and a height of 17 m. The
maximum liquid level in the tank will be 16 m. estimate the plate thickness required at the
base of the tank. Take the allowable design stress for aluminum as 90 N/mm2.
[CR V6 4th Ed. P 13.9]
6. An open top storage tank for storing 10,000 m3 (design capacity) 0f liquid of specific
gravity 1.1 is to be designed. The tank will be fabricated steel conforming to IS:20021962 2B grade. The land and foundation are available free of cost. The annual cost of
fabricated shell per unit area is same as that of bottom.
a) Determine the optimum proportions for the tank.
b) Determine the number of shell courses and thickness of each course.
c) Suggest a suitable wind girder.
M. Miscellaneous problems
1. Make a preliminary estimate of the plate thickness required for the distillation column
specified below:
Height, between tangent lines
50 m
Diameter
2m
Skirt support, height
3m
100 sieve plates, equally spaced
Insulation, mineral wool
75 mm thick

Material of construction, stainless steel, design stress 135 N/mm2 at design temperature
200C.
Operating pressure 10 bar (abs)
Vessel to be fully radiographed (J = 1)
a) Make a preliminary estimate of the plate thickness required for the distillation
column.
b) Design a skirt support for the column.
[CR V6 4th Ed. E 13.3 & 13.4]
2. A jacked vessel is to be used as reactor. The vessel has an internal diameter of 2 m and is
fitted with a jacket over a straight section 1.5 m long. Both the vessel and jacket walls are
25 mm thick. The spacing between the vessel and jacket is 75 mm.
The vessel and jacket are made of carbon steel. The vessel will operate at atmospheric
pressure and the jacket will be supplied with steam at 20 bar. Check if the thickness of the
vessel and jacket is adequate for the duty.
Take the allowable design stress as 100 N/mm2 and the value of Youngs modulus at the
operating temperature is 180,000 N/mm2.
[CR V6 4th Ed. P 13.7]
3. A vacuum crystallizer 3.5 m nominal diameter is to be fabricated with stainless steel and
is to have a 60 cone (apex angle) at the bottom and a torispherical closure at the top. The
distance from the junction of the cone with the shell to the point of tangency of the top
closure is 5.5 m. Specify the design for (i) the torispherical head, (ii) the shell, and (iii)
the cone.