Radley Engineering Ltd can offer a full design and drafting service for a wide range of pressure and non-pressure vessels.

The design of pressure vessels, heat exchangers, reactors and process columns, among others, is carried out by experienced engineers using specialist pressure vessels modelling software PV Elite. Pressure vessel are designed in accordance to various industry accepted standards such as:

• ASME VIII Div 1
• PD 5500
• EN 13445
• TEMA
• ASME BPE

All pressure vessels are in compliance with the Pressure Equipment Directive PED 2014/68/EU and are CE marked after being reviewed and approved by a notified body such as:

• TUV
• Lloyds
• Irish/British Engineering Services

The design of non-pressure vessels and storage tanks is carried out in accordance to various industry accepted standards such as:

• API 650
• EN14015
• BS 799

Radley Engineering Ltd uses the latest in drafting and modelling software. Vessels and other fabrications are drafted using Autodesk Inventor Mechanical Design and 3D CAD Software. Pipework and Structural fabrications are drafted using Autodesk Plant Design Suite. All models can be exported as a 3D CAD file or a Step file which allows a client to integrate our model into an overall building or site model.

Design Considerations

The primary factors that influence material selection for pressure vessels include:

• Strength
• Corrosion Resistance
• Resistance to Hydrogen Attack
• Fracture Toughness
• Fabrication

The mechanical design of a pressure vessel can only proceed only after the materials have been specified. This mechanical design will take the following into consideration:

• Internal and external design pressure.
• Design temperatures.
• Corrosion allowances.
• Specific gravity of contents.

Other factors that need to be taken into account when designing a vessel include:-

• Weight of the vessel and its normal contents under operating or test conditions.
• Test pressure combined with hydrostatic weight.
• Superimposed static reactions from the weight of attached equipment (e.g., motors, machinery, other vessels, piping, linings, insulation).
• Nozzle loads due to attached piping or equipment.
• Loads at attached vessel supports.
• Wind, snow, and seismic reactions.
• Cyclic and dynamic reactions that are caused by pressure or thermal variations.
• Impact reactions such as those that are caused by fluid shock.
• Temperature gradients within a vessel component and differential thermal expansion between vessel components.