Mathematical Modelling of Engineering Problems

Vol. 6, No. 3, September, 2019, pp. 467-473

Journal homepage: http://iieta.org/journals/mmep

Spherical Storage Tank Development Through Mathematical Modeling of Constituent Sections

Adekunle T. Oyelami1*, Samuel O.O. Olusunle2
1
Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta 110124, Nigeria
2
Engineering Materials Development Institute, Km4 Ondo Road, Akure 340252, Ondo State, Nigeria

Corresponding Author Email: atoyelami@yahoo.com

https://doi.org/10.18280/mmep.060320 ABSTRACT

Received: 24 April 2019 Spherical shapes are known to be the ideal theoretical profile for a vessel that resists internal
Accepted: 1 September 2019 pressure mainly because the tensile stresses developed at the wall of a pressurized spherical
vessel is uniform in all directions. This makes a sphere very strong structure and the preferred
Keywords: shape for storing high pressure fluids since it is the only known shape that has no weak
modeling, pressurized sections, sphere and points. The major reason why spherical tanks are not commonly used is because of the
stresses complexity of the procedure for their development and the associated high cost of
production. This work has successfully developed a relatively simplified framework for the
design of the constituent sections of a spherical storage tank thereby providing a way out of
the difficulty normally associated with its development. The framework developed was
validated by using it to design and develop a 225 liter capacity spherical tank. Two models
of same capacity were developed and evaluated. The first model was developed through 10-
section members while the second model used 30-section members.

1. INTRODUCTION non-flammable liquids to dangerous flammable or toxic

chemicals with explosive nature and are installed almost in
A sphere is the optimal geometry for a closed pressure each sector of contemporary industry like nuclear, energy,
vessel in the sense of being the most structurally efficient chemical etc. [3]. During ordinary operation, the liquid storage.
shape. A cylindrical vessel is somewhat less efficient for two They are known to be usually subjected to high pressures and
reasons: (1) the wall stresses vary with direction, (2) closure temperatures which may be constant or cycling.
by end caps can alter significantly the ideal membrane state,
requiring additional local reinforcements. However the
cylindrical shape may be more convenient to fabricate and 2. CONVENTIONAL METHODS OF FABRICATING
transport. SPHERICAL SHAPES
Spherical storage tanks are preferred for storage of high
pressure fluids. A spherical tank is considered stronger than its The conventional method of manufacturing spherical
counterparts such as the common fixed roof tank, open top tanks/vessels involves forming of spherical petal blanks after
tank, and floating roof tank [1-3]. The even distribution of which the petal blanks are fabricated and welded to make
stresses on the sphere's surfaces, both internally and externally, spherical vessel. An approach previously developed involves
generally means that there are no weak points. Pressure inside integral forming after fabrication and welding, in which the
a true spherical tank is known to be identical on every axis. sheet metal will be first cut into predesigned shapes of flat
Common storage tanks are comprised of numerous blanks and thereafter fabricated and welded into a closed
components or pieces of metal that are welded or bolted single-curvature shell [6]. The shell will then filled be with a
together, in the field or in the shop. Welds and seams are liquid after which it will be hydro bulged where resulting
generally accepted as weak points in high pressure scenarios. internal pressure from the pressure pump will cause plastic
The spherical shape creates great strength in resisting these deformation in the shell under the effect of the hastening-circle
pressures and offers the least amount of exterior surface, moment which promotes the tendency of an internally
which reduces the transfer of warmer ambient temperatures on pressurized shell to be spherical.
the overall volume. Spherical storage tanks are more There were two other different procedures developed
expensive to fabricate than the other common types, and whereby pressure vessels can be manufactured. The first
become more economically feasible as the tank design gets method was described as a process of spin forming and
larger. Vertical cylindrical tanks resting on the ground are Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding as shown in Figure 1 while
however sometimes used in lieu of spherical tanks on account the second method involved blow forming together with solid-
of their low manufacturing cost and higher capacities [1]. state diffusion bonding process [7-9].
Spherical tank finds great use in applications involving Another method for the design and manufacturing process
pressure vessels and pressure vessels have been in wide use of a spherical tank as described involved manufacturing by the
for many years in petroleum, chemical, military industries and dieless hydra-bulging technology involving cutting, roll-
also in nuclear power plants [4, 5]. Other recorded uses of bending, assembling, welding, hydro-bulging, final inspecting
spherical tanks include storing of various liquids ranging from and tempering [9].

467
 𝑃𝑟
𝜎= (1)
2𝑡

where σ represents the tensile stresses in the wall of the vessel,

the fluid pressure is p and t is the wall thickness
Any section that passes through the center of the sphere
yields the same result.

3.2 Sections development

Mathematical modeling of spherical tank as previously

developed was derived based on the structure and the output
transfer function where the spherical tank system was
identified as a nonlinear complex structure [12]. The
framework developed in this work is however simplified and
has been successfully used to develop some prototypes.
Another previous Mathematical model of spherical screw lines
developed also involved the use of relatively complex single-
blade helicoid equation together with the equation of a curve
of crossing of surfaces of the sphere and helicoid [13, 14].
In this work however, the approach employed in developing
Figure 1. Hot spinning process of hemisphere for altitude the spherical tank involved dividing the sphere into two
control tank [7] hemispheres and subsequent division of each of the
hemispheres into sections. The material used is mild steel and
a simplified procedure was established for the section/profile
3. MATERIALS AND METHODS development and the number of sections needed to obtain a
near-perfect spherical shape established. Each of the sections
3.1 Stress assumptions in spherical vessels developed is as represented by the profile PCD in Figures 3
and 4.
The following assumptions are made when analyzing the The procedure for the sectional development (Figures 3 and
stresses in Spherical Vessels 4) involves the following
1. All shear stresses are zero: i. Divide the sphere into two hemispheres
ii. If the number of sections/profiles each hemisphere will
τrυ = τυr = 0, τrθ = τθr = 0 and τθυ = τυθ = 0. be divided into is represented by n1, then the arc length
CD in Figure 3 will be the ratio of the circumference of
one of the great circles by n1. That is, length of each of
2. The normal stress σrr varies from zero on the outside free
the base of the divided spherical section is
surface to the negative of the pressure p on the inside
surface. Again there is the need to neglect this value when
𝑋0 = 2𝜋𝑅⁄𝑛1 (2)
compared to the other normal stresses and justify this
assumption a posteriori.
The force generated on the shell (the surface of revolution) iii. If the angle subtended by the arc CD at the centre E of
360
due to axially symmetrical load can be represented by the sphere is α, then 𝛼 = ; (See Figure 6)
𝑛1
meridional force (Nφ) and circumferential force (NƟ) [6]. iv. The length of arc PQ (Figures 3c and 4) is 𝐿 =
90 𝜋𝑅
2𝜋𝑅 =
360 2
v. The development of the sectional profile PCD in Figure
3 with the arc length PQ transforming into the height of
𝜋𝑅
the bisecting line PQ of magnitude 𝐿 = is shown in
2
Figure 5
vi. In contrast to the basic mass-balance equation used by
others [1, 4, 5, 16] to analyze the minor circles in a
hemispherical shape, the method employed here is a
simple geometrical analysis of the shape. The arc
length AB of one of the minor circles of the sphere in
Figure 3a is represented by x5 in the development
shown in Figure 5 with a corresponding minor radius
of r5 and a vertical height h5 from the sphere horizontal
Figure 2. Tensile stresses σ in a spherical pressure vessel diametral plane as illustrated in Figure 4
[11] vii. The height PE in Figure 3a represents the radius R of
the sphere and can as well be divided into n2 number of
A more general approach at finding the Tensile Stress σ is sections with n2 representing the number of minor
by cutting the sphere into two hemispheres [10, 11] as shown circles in each hemisphere as illustrated in Figures 4
in Figure 2 which can be used to show that and 5
viii. The angle each arc of the minor circles such as arc AB

468
 in Figure 3a subtends at a distance of radius R from the
centre E of the sphere is represented by β as shown in
Figure 4.
ix. Analyses of such sectors of the minor circles described
in (viii) above are as shown in Figures 7 to 9 with the
accompanying Mathematical formulations.

Figure 7. First minor circle sectional analysis

a b c
Figure 3. Sectional development

Figure 8. Fifth minor circle sectional analysis

Figure 9. n2th minor circle sectional analysis

Figure 4. Hemisphere used for mathematical analysis
From Figure 6 and using the Cosine Rule for the cord length
C0 is

𝐶02 = 𝑅2 + 𝑅2 − 2. 𝑅. 𝑅𝐶𝑜𝑠𝛼

𝐶0 = √2𝑅2 (1 − 𝐶𝑜𝑠𝛼)

𝐶0 = √2𝑅2 (1 − 𝐶𝑜𝑠(360⁄𝑛1)) (3)

Length of the arc CD from Figures 5 and 6 is

2𝜋𝑅 𝛼
𝑥0 = = 2𝜋𝑅 (4)
𝑛1 360

Using Figures 7 to 9;
From the Cosine Rule, Cord length C1 corresponding to arc
length x1 is
Figure 5. Sectional divisions along minor circles
𝐶12 = 𝑅2 + 𝑅2 − 2. 𝑅. 𝑅𝐶𝑜𝑠𝛽1
𝐶1 = √2𝑅2 (1 − 𝐶𝑜𝑠𝛽1 ) (5)

where β1=90/n2 (see Figure 4)

From Figure 7, using Pythagoras theorem and taking h1 = h
= R/n2; 𝑑1 = √𝐶12 − ℎ2 ; 𝑟1 = 𝑅 − 𝑑1 (see Figure 8).
Similarly from Figure 8,

𝐶5 = √2𝑅2 (1 − 𝐶𝑜𝑠𝛽5 )

Figure 6. Major circle sectional analysis where 𝛽5 = 5𝛽1 = 5 ∗ 90/𝑛2 and

469
 𝑑5 = √𝐶52 − ℎ52 = √𝐶52 − (5ℎ)2 ; 𝑟5 = 𝑅 − 𝑑5 4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

For n2 number of divisions which is equivalent to the For our spherical shape to be well formed, the cord length
number of minor circles obtained for each of the two C0 must be approximately equal to the arc length x0.
hemispheres of the spherical shape of interest, Using Eqns. (3) and (4) and tabulating Cord Length C0 and
Arc Length L for different values of n1 results in Table 1. The
2 2 2 higher the number of sections n1 used, the closer is the value
𝑑𝑛2 = √𝐶𝑛2 − ℎ𝑛2 = √𝐶𝑛2 − (𝑛2 . ℎ)2 ; (6)
of C0 to L
𝑟𝑛2 = 𝑅 − 𝑑𝑛2 = 𝑅 − 𝑅 = 0
A more comprehensive analysis and comparisons of the
generated data from the developed Mathematical models are
since 𝑑𝑛2 = 𝑅 (7)
as shown in Table 2. Figure 10 shows some of the points of
reference on the developed section of the sphere as previously
Eq. (7) implies that there is no minor circle at the tip of the
depicted in Figure 3 while Figure 11 shows the variation of the
sphere. linearized sectional height to the actual equivalent sectorial arc
With reference to Eq. (6); length. Figures 12 and 13 illustrate the level of sphericalness
Since 𝑑𝑛2 = 𝑅; together with n2 and h are known achieved by using different number of sections, that is, n1=10
Eq. (6) becomes and n1=30 for spherical shapes formation which is equivalent
to n1=20 and 60 respectively for the corresponding
2
𝑅 = √𝐶𝑛2 − (𝑛2 . ℎ)2 or hemispherical shapes. The developed spherical tanks at
2𝜋𝑅
At 𝑥𝑜 = ; do = 0; ho = 0 different levels of welding/fabrication are as shown in Figure
𝑛1
14 to 20.

Table 1. Table of values of C0 approaching L as n1 increases

C0=sqrt((2*R^2)- L=(A*PI*R)
R n1 A=360/n1 L-C0
2*R*R*cosd(A)) /180
377.5 5 72.000 443.778 474.380 30.603
10 36.000 233.308 237.190 3.882
15 24.000 156.973 158.127 1.154
20 18.000 118.108 118.595 0.487
25 14.400 94.627 94.876 0.250
30 12.000 78.919 79.063 0.144
35 10.286 67.678 67.769 0.091
40 9.000 59.237 59.298 0.061
45 8.000 52.666 52.709 0.043
50 7.200 47.407 47.438 0.031
55 6.545 43.102 43.125 0.023
60 6.000 39.514 39.532 0.018

Table 2. More comprehensive results of mathematical analysis of sections of the developed sphere

n1 = n2= 20.00 R= 377.50 B= 90.00 x0=2.PI*R/n1

y=L/n2 B=90/n2 h= r= x=
n1(th) n2 n2(th) R L
R.Cos(90- B) R.Sin(90- B) 2.PI.r/n1
1 20 1 377.50 592.98 19.77 4.50 29.62 376.34 78.82 1.00
2 20 2 377.50 592.98 39.53 9.00 59.05 372.85 78.09 2.00
3 20 3 377.50 592.98 59.30 13.50 88.13 367.07 76.88 3.00
4 20 4 377.50 592.98 79.06 18.00 116.65 359.02 75.19 4.00
5 20 5 377.50 592.98 98.83 22.50 144.46 348.76 73.05 5.00
6 20 6 377.50 592.98 118.60 27.00 171.38 336.35 70.45 6.00
7 20 7 377.50 592.98 138.36 31.50 197.24 321.87 67.41 7.00
8 20 8 377.50 592.98 158.13 36.00 221.89 305.40 63.96 8.00
9 20 9 377.50 592.98 177.89 40.50 245.17 287.05 60.12 9.00
10 20 10 377.50 592.98 197.66 45.00 266.93 266.93 55.91 10.00
11 20 11 377.50 592.98 217.42 49.50 287.05 245.17 51.35 11.00
12 20 12 377.50 592.98 237.19 54.00 305.40 221.89 46.47 12.00
13 20 13 377.50 592.98 256.96 58.50 321.87 197.24 41.31 13.00
14 20 14 377.50 592.98 276.72 63.00 336.35 171.38 35.89 14.00
15 20 15 377.50 592.98 296.49 67.50 348.76 144.46 30.26 15.00
16 20 16 377.50 592.98 316.25 72.00 359.02 116.65 24.43 16.00
17 20 17 377.50 592.98 336.02 76.50 367.07 88.13 18.46 17.00
18 20 18 377.50 592.98 355.79 81.00 372.85 59.05 12.37 18.00
19 20 19 377.50 592.98 375.55 85.50 376.34 29.62 6.20 19.00
20 20 20 377.50 592.98 395.32 90.00 377.50 1.00 0.21 20.00

470
 Figure 14. First section being welded to the upper
hemisphere

Figure 10. Points of reference on the developed section of

the sphere

Figure 15. 10 section-sphere under development with lower

hemisphere

Figure 11. Variation of the linearized sectional height to the

actual equivalent sectorial arc length

Figure 16. Developed sphere of 10 sections

Figure 12. Sphericalness achieved with n1=10

Figure 17. 30-Section 225 liter capacity spherical tank under

Figure 13. Sphericalness achieved with n1=30 development

471
 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The authors acknowledge with gratitude, the efforts of the

Engineering Personnel of the Design, Modeling and
Simulation Department as well as the Technical Staff of the
Manufacturing Department of the Engineering Materials
Development Institute Akure Nigeria for the valuable roles
they played in fabricating the spherical tank.

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 A. (2017). Analyzing the performance of interacting NOMENCLATURE
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