Design, Manufacture and Maintenance of High-Parameter Pressure Vessels in China

With the rapid development of Chinese economy, the pressure vessels are developing towards the direction of high parameters and have at least one of the following characteristics, one is the use of advanced technology and process, diversification and deterioration of raw stock, causing extremalization of service conditions, which is represented by higher pressure, higher or lower temperature, stronger medium corrosiveness; the other is promoting presence of pressure vessels with extreme dimensions in order to improve economic benefit, which is represented by increased diameter, wall thickness, length or height. Service environment and high parameterization of equipment dimensions cause expansion of design boundary, whereas expansion of design boundary will cause changes in failure modes and design criteria. Therefore, a group of Chinese scholars have conducted effective exploration on design, manufacturing and maintenance of high-parameter pressure vessels. This paper describes the expansion of design boundary and changes in failure modes brought by extramalization of service environment and high parameterization of large-sized equipment, reviews technical advancement in design, manufacture and maintenance of Chinese pressure vessels in recent decade, and forecasts recent opportunities and challenges for high-parameter pressure vessel.