Design Guidelines of Cost-Effective Support System for Industrial Reactors

Abstract

This paper deals with the structural design aspects of support systems of industrial reactors. An overview of the geometric characteristics of vertical and horizontal reactors is presented. Finite element strategies to model the load transfer mechanism and soil/structure interactions are also described. Design parameters required for the foundation and pile supports are identified using various loading conditions. Design recommendations based on extensive analyses are proposed for vertical absorber stripper (VAS) and horizontal catalytic (HC) reactors. The proposed guidelines are cost-effective and can be utilized by engineers in practice to design the support system. The scope of the paper is limited to structural engineering design and construction aspects. The chemical and mechanical design aspects are not covered within the scope of this paper.