Design criteria of pressure vessels in Canada, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan and France

Abstract

This investigation discusses the design criteria of pressure vessels in different industrial countries to help engineers to understand the problems in working to an international standard. Most industrial countries have their own national standards (codes) of boilers and pressure vessels. Other countries adopt one of these codes for their own use. During the evaluation and development of boiler, piping, and pressure vessel codes, technical groups concerned in general, have adopted a primary goal of developing a set of rules that will assure public safety and reflect the many technological and economic factors of their environment. By adopting this goal, the codes have provided some protection against the different failure modes that must be considered by the pressure vessel designer, manufacturer, and user. In reviewing criteria for pressure vessel design, the investigation first introduces the basic theoretical formulae for thin and thick wall cylindrical shells under internal and external pressures. Also, the influence of design criteria on the economics as well as safety and reliability is considered. In the second part of the investigation, the scope, application and design philosophy of the national codes in Canada, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan and France are considered. The final section summarizes the national and international work which was done and is still in progress to tighten the widely varying views on some design factors.