Simplified External Pressure Design of ASME Pressure Vessels Using Closed Form Solution

Abstract

The procedure of design of cylindrical shells under external pressure as outlined in ASME Sec VIII Div.1 is iterative and tedious, not suitable for quick hand calculations. This paper provides an alternative simplified procedure to calculate the required thickness for shells under external pressure, as well as to size the stiffeners as required using closed form solutions. An example is provided to demonstrate the working of the procedure and to validate the results with the current ASME Sec VIII Div.1 methodology.