NOZZLE LOADS ON VESSELS

By KV Srinivasan, L&T Hazira Works, Surat, India

Introduction
The equipments in a Chemical / Process plants are interconnected by the piping. These
piping produce loads, due to their self-weight and due to constraints in their free
movement exert loads on the stationary equipment. The piping system is analyzed by
Finite Element Method using softwares like CAESAR. The output of such software is the
forces and moments that would be produced at the terminal points. The loads exerted by
the piping on the vessel are transmitted to the vessel through a nozzle with or without
special configurations. These ‘Nozzle Loads’ due to the piping are to be checked for the
stresses they produce at the junction of the vessel. In this article, some methods used to
get these loads using empirical formulas are given.
External Piping Loads
The piping department gives the piping loads as Forces and Moments for various load
cases. But in practice, the Equipment manufacturer parallely starts design of vessel and
nozzles. Thus a common formula needs to be used for piping load data meaning that 1)
The piping engineer should ensure that the piping routing produces lesser loads than this
formula 2) The equipment designer ensures that the nozzle, the vessel and reinforcement
design will withstand these loads.
Following METHODS are used to find these loads.

Method 1
This is the most commonly used method. These loads are at the junction of the nozzle to
the vessel.
Nozzle to Shells or Channels
Longitudinal bending moment ML= β 130 D2 , Nm
Circumferential bending moment MC= β 100 D2 , Nm
Resultant bending moment MR= (ML2+MC2)1/2 = β x 164 D2 , Nm
Torsional moment MT= β 150 D2 ,Nm
Axial force in plane of flange FL= β 2000 D ,N
Tangential force in plane of flange Fφ = β x 1500 D , N
Resultant shear force FR= (FL2+Fφ 2)1/2 = β 2500 D ,N
Radial tension or compression force FA= β 2000 D ,N

Nozzles to Formed Ends

Resultant bending moment Mb= β 164 D2 ,Nm
Where Mb is the resultant of the components MX and MZ
Torsional moment MT= β 150 D2 ,Nm
Resultant shear force FR= β 2500 D ,N
Where FR is the resultant of the components FX and FZ
Radial tension or compression force FA = β 2000 D ,N
In the above formulas:
The above mentioned loading shall be considered as being caused by 67% thermal and
33% dead weight load.
D = Nominal diameter in inches.
β value is as follows:
Flange Rating β - value of
β - value of Heat
ANSI NENNDRUCK Exchangers
Columns and
Drums
Class 150 PN 10 & 16 0.75 0.6
Class 300 PN 25 & 40 0.75 0.7
Class 600 PN 64 & 100 1.25 0.8
Class 900 PN 160 3.0 1.8
Class 1500 PN 250 & 320 4.0 3.0
Class 2500 PN 400 5.6 3.3

Notes for Method 1:

1. The positive or negative directions of the loads are not specified in these formulas. The moment
directions are assumed to follow the right-hand rule with respect to the positive directions of
forces assumed.
2. For nozzles to formed ends, only the resultant force, FR and resultant moment Mb
are given and not their components. To use the same in analysis (as in PVElite /
WRC), component forces are assumed to be equal, i.e.,
Mx = Mz = 0.707 Mb
Fx = Fz = 0.707 FR
3. The unit for D is inch while force and moments are in N and Nm.
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FR

CENT ERLI NE OF NOZ Z LE

FA

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Method 2
This is reproduced from Ref [1]. This is done in two steps:
Step 1 : Calculate allowable loads:
a) For intersection of nozzle to vessel:
1) Cylindrical Vessel
πλ πλ πλ
Fr = Ml = Mc =
ζ 2 Rn ζ ξ

2) Spherical portions of vessel

In the above equations:
3.6 λ 3.6λ
Fr = Mm =
Rn ψ

These four parameters are referred to as pseudo stress concentration factors.

λ = f (RnT )
2
RT
ζ = 1.5
ξ = 1 + 1.05 Rn RT
ψ = 2.0

b) For interface of nozzle with pipe flange:

Fr = πPB16.5 (1 − γ )G 2 4
M r = πPB16.5 (1 − γ )G 3 16

Where, γ = Pd PB16.5
Step 2: Check with actual loads:
The piping engineer should limit his terminal loads such that the following Load Fraction Rule is met.

For intersection of nozzle to vessel:

1) Cylindrical vessel:
( Fr / Fr ) + ( M l / M l ) + ( M c / M c ) ≤ 1.0
2) Spherical portions of vessel
( Fr / Fr ) + ( M m / M m ) ≤ 1.0
a) For interface of nozzle with pipe flange:
( Fr / Fr ) + ( M r / M r ) ≤ 1.0
2 2
where, Mr = Ml + Mc
Notations used in the equations of this method
Fr Actual radial thrust
Ml Actual longitudinal moment (in plane)
Mc Actual circumferential moment (out plane)
Mm Actual meridional moment
Mr Actual resultant moment at pipe flange
Fr Allowable radial thrust
Ml Allowable longitudinal moment (in plane)
Mc Allowable circumferential moment (out plane)
Mm Allowable meridional moment
Mr Allowable resultant moment at pipe flange
f Nominal design stress as per applicable code
λ , ξ , ζ ,ψ , π Auxiliary quantities
T Vessel thickness
R Mean radius of vessel
G Diameter at location of gasket load reaction as per ASME Sec VIII Div 1, Appendix 2
γ Ratio of internal design pressure to flange rated pressure
Pd Internal design pressure
PB16.5 Rated pressure as per ANSI B 16.47

Notes for Method 2:

1. Shear forces and torsion loads are neglected.
2. Check should be made at both ends of the nozzle – at the nozzle-vessel interface and at
the nozzle-flange interface.
3. In the case of nozzle with a pad, the Load Fraction Rule should be made two locations:
a) at junction of nozzle and shell – here, T is taken as the sum of thickness of vessel and
the pad, R is the average of the inside vessel radius and (outside vessel radius +pad
thickness) and Rn is the outside nozzle radius.
b) At the outer edge of the pad: here, T is taken as vessel thickness, R as mean vessel radius and Rn as the
outside pad radius.
4. Consistent system of units to be used in the above formulas.
5. Net conditions of dimensions to be used, i.e. excluding corrosion, tolerance allowances.

GENERAL NOTES:
1) Many Standards (for e.g., API 610, API 617, API618, NEMA-SM23) give the allowable loads on the
nozzle as a function of nozzle size, etc. These are applicable to the equipment concerned with those
Standards. The Load Fraction Rule also is specific to these Standards.
2) Equipment manufacturers (like those for Compressors, Pumps, etc.) specify the allowable loads on their
ends, if they are not as per Standards. The Load Fraction Rule again could be specific.

ILLUSTRATION

2: 1 Ellipsoidal Head with Nozzle

Design Details :
Code : ASME Sec VIII, Div 1, Ed 98, Addenda 2000
Internal pressure (gauge) : 3.3x106 Pa
Temperature : 315.5 °C
Head ID : 2.597 m
Head thickness : 0.0349 m
Nozzle outside radius : 0.18 m
Nozzle material : SA 350 LF2
In this case, the nozzle loads have been given by the customer as follows :
At the junction of nozzle to head
Fx=117433 N
Fy=146791 N
Fz=117433 N
Mx=74570 Nm
My=93213 Nm
Mz=74570 Nm

Flange rating: ANSI Class 300

The aim is to check whether these loads are within allowable limits as per above methods.

METHOD 1:
The Standard allowable nozzle loads are calculated as below:
With β=0.7 (ANSI Class 300 and for Vessel) and D=10”
Resultant bending moment Mb= β 164 D2 =0.7 x 164 x 102 = 11480 Nm
Where Mb is the resultant of the components MX and MZ
Torsional moment MT= β 150 D2 = 0.7 x 150 x 102 = 10500 Nm
Resultant shear force FR= β 2500 D = 0.7 x 2500 x 10 = 17500 N
Where FR is the resultant of the components FX and FZ
Radial tension or compression force FA = β 2000 D = 0.7 x 2000 x 10 = 14000 N
The corresponding actual loads are:
Resultant bending moment ,= sqrt(Mx2+Mz2) = sqrt(745702+745702) = 105458 Nm
Torsion moment = 93213 Nm
Resultant shear force = sqrt(Fx2+Fz2) = sqrt(1174332+1174332) = 166075 N
Radial tension or compressive force = Fy= 146791 N
So the loads are much higher than the standard loads.
Let’s check with the Load Fraction Rule :
( Fr / F r ) + ( Mm / Mm) ≤ 1.0
= (146791/14000) + (105458/11480) = 19.6
Thus nozzle loads are unacceptable.

METHOD 2:
Let’s calculate allowable loads at the intersection of nozzle to head.
For 2:1 ellipsoidal head, equivalent crown radius = 0.9D = 0.9 x 2.597 = 2.33 m
R =2.33/2 = 1.17 m
T =0.0349 m
F =1.26x108 Pa (Sm value for nozzle material at the above temperature)
Rn = 0.18 m
Pd = 3.3x106 Pa
PB16.5 = 3.8x106 Pa (From ANSI B16.5)

The parameters,
λ = f (RnT )
2
RT
ζ = 1.5
ξ = 1 + 1.05 Rn RT
ψ = 2.0
become,
λ = 24607
ζ = 1.5
ξ = 1.935
ψ = 2.0

The allowable loads are :

3.6 × 24607
Fr = = 492140. N
0.18
3.6 × 24607
Mm = = 44293. Nm
2
The actual loads are 146791 N and 105458 Nm. The moment is higher than the allowable while the force is
much lesser. Therefore, we have to decide with Load Fraction Rule:
( Fr / F r ) + ( Mm / Mm) ≤ 1.0
= (146791/492140) + (105458/44293) = 2.6

Therefore, again, the loads are unacceptable.

This example is done only to illustrate the application of the methods and not to decide which one is better.
The method to be used is usually specified by the Customer/Buyer of the equipment.

ANALYSIS USING NOZZLE LOADS

Once nozzle loads are available, the nozzle to vessel junction needs to be checked for the junction stresses.
1. Perform WRC (Welding Research Council) analysis. This analysis is based on the work of Prof.
Bijlaard published in WRC Bulletin 107 (1994). The restriction is in the range of diameter ratios
(nozzle / vessel) , the shape of nozzle (only cylindrical), with no pad or any type of reinforcement.
To perform these calculations, pressure vessel software like PVElite can be used. An supplement
to WRC 107 is WRC 297 which extends applicability of WRC 107.
2. In critical cases, perform Finite element method analysis. Some pressure vessel software also have
the option of FEA module. Otherwise software like IDEAS,ANSYS could be used. Though this is
accurate, it is expensive and time consuming.
3. The outputs of such software are stresses, displacements at various points which needs to be
within acceptable values. The allowable limits of the stresses at the vessel to nozzle junction is
specified in ASME Sec VIII Div 2 Appendix 4.
4. Actually, the piping design and nozzle design are inter-related in that the nozzle flexibility will
influence the piping routing. So while the piping engineer initially proceeds with an estimate of
these flexibilities, it has to be confirmed with nozzle designer.

REFERENCES:
1. W.J.Stikvoort, Proper Interface Design for Pressure Vessels, Chem Engg, June 1994.
2. PVEilte User’s manual