Shakedown Limits for Hillside Nozzles in Cylindrical Vessels

Abstract

This research paper is concerned with the mechanical behavior of the cylindrical vessels with hillside nozzles when subjected to both pressure and nozzle bending loads in cyclic forms. The influence of hillside angle on shakedown (SD) limits of the connection under cyclic pressure and combined steady pressure with cyclic nozzle bending is investigated. A shell finite element analysis model is built for the assembly using five different hillside angles ranging from 0 deg to 40 deg. Shakedown limits are determined by a direct technique known as the nonlinear superposition method (NSM). Bree diagrams for cyclic out of plane opening (OPO)/in plane (IP) nozzle moments combined with steady internal pressure are determined. The results show an increase in both OPO and IP shakedown moments as the hillside angle is increased. In addition, the OPO shakedown limit moments for all hillside angles were found to be insensitive to the level of internal pressure; this differs from the IP shakedown moment which starts to decrease with pressure for the high pressures.