A Case for New Low Pressure Vessel (LPV) Codes for Design Pressures Below 15 psi (100 kPA)

Abstract Today the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section VIII (ASME Code) covers pressure vessels for design pressure above 15 psi (100 kPa) but not for design pressures below 15 psi. Manufacturers of pressure vessels under 10ft (3048mm) and with design pressure under 15 psi (100 kPa) design to the ASME Code but do not stamp them. The ASME Code is explicit in not allowing this. Manufacturers of low pressure vessels over 10 ft (3048 mm) in diameter, design and built to “good engineering practice” using Finite Element Analysis, the ASME Code, API and the AISC Manual of Steel Construction. This paper provides an overview of these existing codes, standards with their methods for design, fabrication and testing then provides an outline of a Code with two classes of low pressure vessels (LPV). The audience for the smaller pressure vessels would be small batch chemical, pharmaceutical, food, and beverage processing facilities who require small near atmospheric pressure vessels. The audience for the larger pressure vessels would be power plants, refineries, chemical plant, steel mills and concrete plants flue gas treatment and CO2 sequestration of exhaust products.