Steel Pressure Vessels for Nuclear Facilities

Abstract

Steel pressure vessels have been used to contain reactor designed for various nuclear power facilities in the world. The dimensions, loadings and materials used are dependent on the type of reactor systems adopted in the nuclear facilities. Some are core left standing covered by radiation shielding or embedded in thick concrete walls and slabs. A typical reactor pressure vessel for PWR is shown in Plate 4.1 Table 4.1 indicates design limit stresses for various pressure parts. This chapter begins with the general design criteria for pressure vessels. These vessels are first treated as thin shell surfaces. The equations of equilibrium of the element shell of revolution have been established. Equations are derived for cylindrical shell surfaces of the vessel.