Investigations on Failure Analysis of Pressure Vessels Using Finite Element Methods

Abstract

ABSTRACT newlineThere is a tremendous increase in the requirement of global energy in the present scenario. Oil and Gas (Offshore and Onshore) sectors are almost always contributing toward fulfilling the energy requirements of the world. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has recently announced that the global oil refining capacity will increase at an average of more 1.5 million barrels a year through 2015, led by the expansions of all ongoing oil and gas projects. Currently there are many oil and gas plants that are running successfully for energy production. Many international codes and standards are being used to design and develop these plants. American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Det Norske Veritas (DNV), American Petroleum Institute (API), Tubular Exchanger Manufacturers Association, Inc. (TEMA), International Standard (IS), Norsk Sokkels Konkuranseposisjon (NORSOK), are the major design codes giving guidelines to design and develop these plants. Although having sufficient code guidelines, these industries are facing many types of mechanical and material failures because of incorrect design and appalling environmental conditions. Therefore, it is very essential to prevent and develop failure solutions to continue energy production without any interventions/problems. The nature of this research study is to give a finite, element-based failure solution for static process equipment, which is used in the oil and gas sectors. Pressure vessels, Tall Columns, Boilers, Heat Exchangers, and Storage Tanks are the main static equipment available in these industries. However, in this research, only the study failure analysis of pressure vessels is dealt with. Failure surveys have been conducted in various industries for identifying the different types of failures. New solutions have been developed based on the surveys, data collections, experiments, and analyses. The solutions found are in accordance with universal fracture mechanics failure theory and the vibration and finit