Pressure Vessel Relocation
Pressure Vessel Relocation
(OP)
Looking to relocate a 55 foot diameter sphere that is 1.25" thick. The work will involve cutting the sphere into pieces and reconstruct it in its new location. Here are a few questions I have.
1. What code will apply yo this job?
2. Would this work be a repair under API 510?
3. What is recommended as far as a hydro, will supports hold the weight of water?
4. Is PWHT required.
This job is new to me so any additional tips would be great.
1. What code will apply yo this job?
2. Would this work be a repair under API 510?
3. What is recommended as far as a hydro, will supports hold the weight of water?
4. Is PWHT required.
This job is new to me so any additional tips would be great.





RE: Pressure Vessel Relocation
Name plate design conditions?
New design conditions if any?
Welding procedure?
Are the supports the same at the new location?
RE: Pressure Vessel Relocation
A)The material is Carbon Steel, Possible SA-516
B)There is no nameplate on this sphere.
C)No new design conitions.
D)I have not yet seen a WPS, the job may start next year. Iam thinking E-7018?
E)Will be using the same supports.
Any additional Information please ask. Thank you.
RE: Pressure Vessel Relocation
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What was the original process fluid and what will be the fluid in the relocated vessel?
The reason for this question is that some process material can cause problems with the construction material which will require consideration when you move the vessel.
What pressure vessel code do you operate under?
Our 4 spheres were built under ASME VIII which I think your vessels may have been built under.
Can you dig into your records, like engineering projects, purchasing, etc to get more info on the vessel?
If it was built by one of the firms like CBI they will have all the design details and they can look it up by data and location.
Do you have access to a portable x-ray analyser for positive material identification?
RE: Pressure Vessel Relocation
This is a pretty striaght forward project, but I think you need to hire a competent pressure vessel consultant to assist you on the project.
Joe Tank
RE: Pressure Vessel Relocation
If I said this once I will say it again. If this is an ASME Section VIII, Div 1 stamped pressure vessel, before you do anything you need to contact the Boiler/Pressure Vessel Safety Division of where you intend to re-locate the object, especially in the US.
If you do not have the local Jurisdiction involved to inform them and work with them on a vessel re-location, straightforward job or not you will not be able operate the vessel. In other words, get the local Jurisdictional involved now, in additio to the other advice mentioned above.
RE: Pressure Vessel Relocation
The job will be done in Latin America so I have to research the Jurisdictional requirments. The sphere was used to hold butane. We will have a PMI machine here later, possibly in August. This week I will be researching more info on the vessel. Will this job be considered a repair under 510?
RE: Pressure Vessel Relocation
You are on target, plant and pressure vessel owners that refuse to keep records on thier equipment do not deserve a "break" in their code of construction.
Because this situation is so unique in terms of having an old, complex vessel relocated, I wonder if there was a financial study performed comparing the relocation with the purchase of a new vessel ?
Furthermore, must this vessel be of spherical shape ? Or are the owners trying to save a buck ??
Msr, you may want to consult the latest issue of "Hydrocarbon Processing" magazine (June 2008. Contained within this issue is an article about the difficulties in weld repairing of old "Horton Spheres" based on certain types of service (aggressive cracking induced by the flud contained and the vessel material)
One of the strong recommendations in the article is that, for C3/propylene service the SA537 carbon steel is much more susceptable to cracking than the more commonly used SA516 - Gr 60/70....
Msr...... what is the MOC of your sphere,....once again ?
-MJC
RE: Pressure Vessel Relocation
RE: Pressure Vessel Relocation
RE: Pressure Vessel Relocation
In relation to the support legs being suitable for the pressure test. do the strength calculations on it! Do not forget to check the quality and strength of the foundations where it is to be located. When full you will have 150 tonne of water!
MOC... Material of Construction!
I would tend to agree wiht roca, scrap it and start again!
Mark Hutton
RE: Pressure Vessel Relocation
RE: Pressure Vessel Relocation
I've been checking around with a few people I know that have worked on spheres. All had helped build, repair or worked on the demolition of same, none had ever seen a large one cut up and relocated. They knew of some smaller ones being moved but were not aware of the exact process. All agree with most of what has been posted and mentioned the amount of cutting, fitting, and welding that would be required to put one back together. This was based on the amount of work required for demolition of a sphere.
Two people who are familiar with API 510 said they didn't see where it would be prohibited but couldn't rationalize a move being a repair. I hope to hear back form them as they were kinda busy as management announced that they try to sell the company. They specifically mention the process of tank relocation under 653 but didn't go into details.
Here is a bulletin I've seen referenced on several occasions.
CBI The Storage of Volatile Liquids
Technical Bulletin #20
We have 2 spheres of your approximate size and we were persuaded not to try to move one in the 60's so the second one was built next to it. These were in anhydrous ammonia service and due to cracking and repairs have been derated to a liquid storage status.
RE: Pressure Vessel Relocation
I have been asked to do a feasibility study to relocate three 2,500 m3 butane storage spheres overseas. I can't believe it would be feasible, but I need to run the numbers to be sure. They are also looking to save time in construction. These are carbon steel, 1.1" wall thickness, and 55' diameter. Of course, they will have to be cut up and then re-welded at the job-site.
Anyway, did you successfully relocate a storage sphere?
Anyone else on this thread have any input?
Thanks
RE: Pressure Vessel Relocation
IMHO, there would, of course, be massive possible savings in material costs and in delivery times because of the unique vessel shape.
There would also be large construction risks because you will probably be faced with a low cost bidder who has never done this type of complex work before.
My first question would be....Has anyone ever done this before ?
Could you contact some of the majors in the USA (CBI, Matrix etc) and ask the marketing/repair people if there ever has been a relocation like your management is envisioning..?
In 1988,some clowns from Ashland Oil Company relocated a old (1940s)large API-650 tank on an nearby river some 20 years ago....then filled it with oil. It was rebuilt by somebody to some unknown standard
During the initial fill on January 1988, it failed...oil
overflowed the containment into the river....the MBA vice president said that this was a phenomena "unknown to man"
http://w
Be careful
Tell us more about your final decision
-MJC
RE: Pressure Vessel Relocation
The relocation never went through, it was an old sphere and cost played a big factor. The base metal was also found to have small fissures when examined under a microscope, so safety also came into play. The question I still have is what code would a re-built sphere fall under. I have ask around and I not got a for sure answer for pressure vessels. If any one knows for future reference let me know. Again thanks for all you input. Nice to get expert opinions. msr441
RE: Pressure Vessel Relocation
Also, in terms of the hydrotest. Normally, I would opt for a pressure test instead of a hydrotest for a vessel of this size or orientation. API-510 details the procedure.
RE: Pressure Vessel Relocation
assume you're going to cut the 55 ft sphere in half at the mid-point, then slice the top and bottom into quarters for movement. These would give you 8 "orange peels" 27 ft x 27 ft x 19 ft. Fairly large, but probably small enough to get across the facility (between/below/around all obstacles) to the rebuild site. Maybe. Your crane capacity and movement methods and load path will actually determine what is the largest chunk of steel you can handle. Do that first - what would I have to do to cut it, "move it," re-assemble it, and re-weld it - then worry about recert's on the tank on the welds.
But you'd need 836 linear feet of weld on a PV 55 foot in diameter over 1" thick. You have 1727 linear feet of weld prep to do. (Both sides of every weld needs a clean prep ground relatively smooth into a Vee shape. Get a weld expert to verify me though!) And all of this has to be done in the field on rough scaffolding 5 floors up.
Are you really sure you'd want to do that?