Designing for Vessel Contents

Designing a pressure vessel to hold the required internal pressure is just a start. The designer must also account for all other expected loads on the vessel. One important design consideration is the vessel contents. In a vertical vessel containing a liquid, the pressure on the bottom head is higher than the top head due to the static head pressure of the liquid. The bottom head often needs to be thicker. Also, the support system of the vessel needs to be strong enough to hold the weight of the vessel contents, which can easily weigh more than the vessel itself. Make sure your vessel design accounts for the expected contents of the vessel.

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