Engineering Library

ASME Section VIII Div. 1 worked calculation examples

ASME Section VIII Division 1 worked calculation examples. Each entry shows the inputs, the code clauses applied, the equations, the substitutions with units, and the results. Generic configurations, written as reference material, not as project records.

The library covers shell wall thickness (UG-27), formed and flat heads (UG-32, UG-34), nozzle reinforcement (UG-37, UG-41, UG-44), pipe-cap closures (B16.9), Appendix 2 hub and manway flanges, fixed-tubesheet exchangers (Part UHX-12), Zick saddle analysis (Appendix G-1), external pressure and vacuum (UG-28, UG-29, UG-33), combined wind and seismic loads (UG-22, ASCE 7), low-temperature toughness (UCS-66, UCS-66.1), lethal service (UW-2), and joint efficiency (Table UW-12). The complementary engineering calculators run the same equations interactively.

Published

36 in Vertical Vessel, RT Joint Efficiency Comparison

Table UW-12 · E = 0.70 / 0.85 / 1.00 · cost trade-off

36 in OD vertical vessel at 250 psig as a Table UW-12 study. Same shell built three ways: no RT (0.4375 in), spot RT-4 (0.375 in), full RT-1 (0.3125 in). Shows the 30% shell-thickness range vs RT level and the breakeven analysis where the three options come within 7% on total cost (plate + RT) for a 10 ft vessel.

24 in Vertical Vessel with Hub-Flange End Closure

Appendix 2 hub flange · S_H hub stress governs · UG-34(c)(1) Sketch (m) cover

24 in OD vertical vessel at 285 psig with a top 2:1 SE welded head and a bottom Appendix 2 hub-flange end closure (4 in flange, 32 x 1-1/4 in B7 studs, 2.25 in bolted blind cover). Complements page #15 by applying Appendix 2 to a vessel END closure where the hub structural stresses (S_H, S_R, S_T) govern rather than the bolt area. Worked example 3 walks the iterative hub-neck thickness loop.

24 in OD Fixed-Tubesheet Heat Exchanger (UHX-12)

Part UHX-12 · thermal compatibility · UG-31 tubes · UW-20 joint

24 in OD vertical fixed-tubesheet shell-and-tube heat exchanger (TEMA BEM), shell 285 psig + tube 150 psig at 200 °F. 109 SA-179 tubes, 1.500 in SA-516-70 N forged tubesheets. Part UHX-12 walkthrough with the seven fixed-tubesheet load cases and a worked case 6 (shell-side P plus thermal differential) including the thermal-expansion compatibility analysis and tube tension stress check.

60 in Vessel with NPS 24 Bolted Manway

UG-46 inspection openings · Appendix 2 hub flange · UG-34(c)(1) Sketch (m)

60 in OD by 12 ft TT horizontal pressure vessel at 150 psig with an NPS 24 bolted manway on top of the shell for inspection access. Custom Appendix 2 hub-flange design with 28 x 1 in B7 studs, gasket factors m and y, full S_H/S_R/S_T flange-stress check, iterative bolt sizing, and the UG-34(c)(1) Sketch (m) bolted blind cover walkthrough.

36 in Tower with Wind, Seismic, and Vacuum

UG-22(j) combined loads · UG-28 vacuum · ASCE 7 wind/seismic · skirt + anchor bolts

36 in OD by 30 ft TT skirt-supported vertical tower at 150 psig internal and 15 psig vacuum, combined with ASCE 7 wind (100 mph) and seismic (S_DS = 1.0 g, R = 3). Walks the combined-load chain end to end: internal pressure, external pressure on a long cylinder (chart flattens at L/D > 4), wind and seismic moments at the base of the skirt, combined longitudinal stress check, and anchor-bolt sizing for seismic uplift.

12 in NPS x 150 psig Lethal-Service Vessel

UW-2 · RT-1 · Type 1 welds · PWHT · L stamp

12 in NPS vertical knockout drum in ASME lethal service per UW-2 (chlorine or H2S upstream of scrubber), SA-516 Grade 70 N PWHT'd, all five Class 150 flanges weld-neck only (slip-on prohibited). MAWP 240 psig flange-limited, L stamp. Complete UW-2 rule walkthrough including RT-1 radiography, Type 1 weld joints, mandatory PWHT, and the visual-leak hydrostatic test on the unpainted vessel.

24 in Hemispherical-Head Reactor at 1,000 psig

UG-32(f) hemi · high-pressure head comparison · Cl 600 flanges

24 in OD vertical reactor at 1,000 psig and 200 °F, SA-516-70 N shell at 0.875 in nominal, hemispherical heads at 0.500 in nominal. Demonstrates UG-32(f) hemi-head walkthrough and a side-by-side thickness comparison of hemi vs 2:1 SE vs F&D at high pressure (hemi 0.500 in nominal vs SE 0.750 vs F&D 1.250 on the same shell).

66 in Firetube Treater, Obround Manway

UG-36(c)(2) · UG-37 obround · repad sizing · UW-50

66 in OD horizontal firetube treater vessel at 110 psig and 450 °F, SA-516-70 N shell with 2:1 SE heads, 14 in x 28 in obround firetube manway (2:1 ratio, at the UG-36(c)(2) limit). UG-37 area replacement run separately in the hoop and longitudinal directions, with a 0.500 in x 4 in plate repad full-perimeter closing the hoop-direction deficit.

36 in OD Horizontal Three-Phase Separator

API 12J · Stokes settling · Zick (App. G-1) · ASCE 7

36 in OD by 12 ft TT horizontal three-phase separator at 200 psig and 200 °F, SA-516-70 N shell with 2:1 SE heads on two saddles, weir-controlled oil-water interface, six process flanged nozzles plus a level instrument bridle. Five worked examples cover UG-27 + UG-32(d) containment, API 12J gas capacity and liquid retention, Stokes settling for the 500 micron water-in-oil droplet, and Zick saddle stresses combined with ASCE 7 wind and seismic.

48 in OD Vertical Vessel, Full Vacuum (UG-28)

UG-28 · UG-29 · UG-33(e) · UG-33(f) · UG-100

48 in OD vertical pressure vessel under combined 30 psig internal and 15 psig external (full vacuum) at 100 °F. SA-516-70 N shell with one midspan vacuum-stiffening ring (0.5 in x 3 in flat bar), F&D top head + 2:1 SE bottom head. Chart-procedure UG-28(c) walkthrough with and without ring, UG-29 ring sizing, UG-33(e/f) heads under vacuum, UG-100 pneumatic verification.

60 in OD Vessel, Head Type Comparison

UG-32(c) · UG-32(d) · UG-32(f) hemi · UG-34 flat

60 in OD vertical pressure vessel at 400 psig and 100 °F, SA-516-70 N shell (1.000 in) with 2:1 SE heads (0.875 in) as the as-built closure (MAWP 496 psig). Side-by-side head-type study in section 5: hemispherical, 2:1 SE, F&D torispherical, and welded flat cover, each derived from first principles on the same shell at the same design point, with thickness, MAWP, head depth, and weight tabulated.

4 in NPS x 720 psig Low-Temp Vertical Vessel

UCS-66 · UCS-66(b)(3) · UCS-66(g) · UCS-66.1 · UG-34 · NACE MR0175

High-pressure small-diameter vertical vessel for sour-adjacent low-temperature service at -50 °F MDMT. NPS 4 Sch 160 SA-333 Grade 6 shell with SA-350 LF2 Class 1 forged flat covers welded both ends. The page demonstrates two parallel toughness pathways for the SA-105 couplings (the UCS-66(b)(3) standard-part exemption shortcut and the UCS-66.1 stress-ratio walkthrough with full 140 °F credit at stress ratio 0.138), plus NACE MR0175 hardness compliance.

12 in NPS x 150 psig Horizontal Separator

UG-27 · UG-32(d) · UG-37 · UG-44 · Zick (App. G-1)

Horizontal two-phase separator on two saddles, NPS 12 Sch 40 SA-516-70 N shell with 2:1 ellipsoidal heads and five Class 150 RFWN process nozzles. 150 psig at 200 °F design, MAWP 240 psig set by the Class 150 flange P-T rating (not the shell or heads, which both rate above 920 psig). Zick saddle analysis worked.

12 in NPS x 600 psig Vertical Pressure Vessel

UG-27 · UG-34 · UG-37 · UG-44 · B16.5 Cl 300 · UCS-66

Mid-pressure vertical vessel built from NPS 12 Sch 80 SA-53 Grade B pipe with a B16.9 cap and a 1.5 in SA-516-70 N welded flat cover, NPS 4 Class 300 RFWN process inlet. 600 psig at 200 °F design, MAWP 675 psig set by the Class 300 flange P-T rating (shell rates 1,030 psig, cover 888 psig). Demonstrates UG-44 flange-limited governance.

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