Support Design and External Loads

Abstract

Supports for heat exchangers and pressure vessels have remained largely beyond the pale of any governing codes. Whereas detailed rules for the design of the pressure parts have been available in the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Codes for several decades [17.1.1–2], support design has received scant attention. Until recently, sizing of supports was generally left to the empirical judgement of the vessel designer. Since stresses due to dead weight, in most situations, amount to only a fraction of pressure-induced stress in the vessel, the effect of dead weight stress was deemed not critical. This situation changed radically with the advent of the commercial nuclear power industry. Equipment supports designed for use in nuclear power plants had to be checked for seismic loads, mechanical loads from attached piping, etc. Increased concerns about equipment reliability have resulted in the spillover of some of the nuclear power industry analysis requirements [17.1.3] into other sectors viz. fossil power, chemical, petrochemical and pharmaceutical industries. This chapter presents some introductory material and design data on sizing pressure vessel supports. Detailed treatment of specific support styles are found in subsequent chapters.