Pressure Vessel Safety: How Do You Calculate If It Can Handle the Pressure?

I want to know the information about when we purchase the pressure vessel. If the company specifies the maximum working pressure and the working pressure, how can we determine if the pressure vessel can withstand that pressure? Finally, my question is: Is there any formula or calculation to check the pressure of the pressure vessel?

Regards,
Manjunatha MS

I don't think it's supposed to be a problem to get the data. You can find all the required information on the test certificate when purchasing a vessel. One more thing, we are not authorized or competent to calculate the pressure, etc. You need to contact your QA/QC team or the authorized/competent person for those particular operations in your company.

I don't have much exposure to boilers or vessels, but I hope I am providing the best response to your query. Let's see if some of our members will guide you on this matter.

Please go through the link below; you may find some information regarding your query. We have already discussed the same topic on various occasions in our forum.

pressure vessel

You haven't mentioned your role in the query you raised—whether from Purchase or Production/QA. Further to what Raghu mentioned, in the initial phase of selection of a pressure vessel, you will have to depend on the Data Sheets that accompany such equipment. Also, most such equipment have QC Reports mentioning at which pressures the unit was tested at the factory before being passed. Looking for what Standards (BIS, ASME, etc.) the manufacturer follows will ensure you are purchasing the right equipment, which leads to branded and well-known suppliers.

Testing and Verification

Coming to ascertaining if indeed the unit was tested with the pressures you are keen on, the only way is what Raghu mentioned—involve your QA/QC team, who would be able to contact the local Inspector of Boilers and Factories to do the necessary testing. But once the genuineness of the equipment supplier is ascertained, this may not be really necessary.

Also, the actual testing before purchasing depends on the pressure values you are talking about. In the case of high-pressure vessels, there will be clauses in the buying agreements that link a part of the payment to the successful installation and testing in-situ.

Hope that answers your query.

Regards,
TS

Dear Manjunath, Sorry for the inconvenience as my previous post could not be completed and got uploaded by mistake. What I meant was:

1. During procurement, the Hydropressure test is to be conducted usually at 1.5 times the working pressure.

2. This is witnessed by the customer, or else the supplier can send their Test Certificate (TC).

3. The vessels can be manufactured by IS standard, ANSI, or ASME. The weld tests and acceptance norms are specified.

4. The customer may also insist on tests like RT (Radiography Test), UT (Ultrasonic Test), or Magnetic Particle Test.

5. In addition, the basic steel plates can be of IS 2062 standard, BQ (Boiler Quality), or ASME grades. The manufacturer has to produce the Test Certificates from the Steel Plant with its identification number.

Once the above quality checks are taken care of, the pressure vessel can be tested by a competent person after 6 months as per provisions given in the Factories Act.

Hope this will help you. In case you need any more information, please let us know.

Thanks & Regards, Sudhir