Skip to main content
Calcimator

Pressure Vessel Design Calculator

Design cylindrical pressure vessels per ASME Section VIII. Calculate minimum wall thickness, hoop stress, and longitudinal stress.

Inputs

psi
in
psi
in

Results

Min Wall Thickness

0.24 in

Selected Plate Thickness

0.38 in

Design Thickness (+ CA)0.37 in
Hoop Stress17,047 psi
Longitudinal Stress8,471 psi
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter the Internal Pressure (P) in psi — this is the maximum allowable working pressure (MAWP) including any overpressure scenario.
  2. Enter the Inner Radius (R) in inches — half the inside diameter of the cylindrical shell.
  3. Look up the Allowable Stress (S) in psi from ASME Section II for your material and design temperature: SA-516 Gr70 ≈ 17,500 psi at ambient.
  4. Set the Joint Efficiency (E): full radiography = 1.0, spot radiography = 0.85, no radiography = 0.70.
  5. Enter the Corrosion Allowance in inches to add service life margin — typically 1/16" to 1/8" for process vessels.
  6. Review the Minimum Wall Thickness and Selected Plate Thickness, then verify the Hoop Stress and Longitudinal Stress remain within the material allowable.

How the result changes with Allowable Stress (S)

Allowable Stress (S)Min Wall ThicknessSelected Plate Thickness
9,5000.45 in0.63 in
20,7500.21 in0.38 in
34,2500.12 in0.25 in
45,5000.09 in0.25 in

What each input means

Internal Pressure (P)
Maximum allowable working pressure (MAWP) including any overpressure considerations.
Inner Radius (R)
Inside radius of the cylindrical shell. Diameter / 2.
Allowable Stress (S)
Maximum allowable stress for the material from ASME Section II. SA-516 Gr70 ≈ 17,500 psi at ambient.
Joint Efficiency (E)
Weld joint efficiency per ASME. Full radiography = 1.0; spot radiography = 0.85; no radiography = 0.70.
Corrosion Allowance
Extra thickness added for corrosion/erosion over the vessel's design life. Typical: 1/16" to 1/8".

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Internal Pressure (P) = 150, Inner Radius (R) = 24, Allowable Stress (S) = 17500, Joint Efficiency (E) = 0.85 = 5 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Min Wall Thickness
    Min Wall Thickness
    0.2435 = 0.2435
  3. Calculate Selected Plate Thickness
    Selected Plate Thickness
    0.375 = 0.375
  4. Calculate Design Thickness
    Design Thickness
    0.3685 = 0.3685
  5. Calculate Hoop Stress
    Hoop Stress
    17047 = 17047

Related Calculators

The questions that sit next to this one — chosen by subject, including calculators filed under a different category.

Mechanical Engineering

Bolt Torque Calculator

Calculate required bolt tightening torque to achieve a desired clamping force using the T = K×D×F short-form torque equation.

Mechanical Engineering

Weld Strength Calculator

Calculate weld strength for fillet and groove welds per AISC. Determine effective area, allowable load, and shear capacity with directional effects.

Process Engineering

Pressure Vessel Sizing Calculator

Size pressure vessels per ASME Section VIII. Calculate shell and head wall thickness (UG-27), vessel volume, and weight estimate for hemispherical, ellipsoidal, or torispherical heads.

Injection Molding

Cooling Time Calculator

Estimate part cooling time from wall thickness, melt temperature, mold temperature, and material thermal properties.

Petroleum & Chemicals

Corrosion Allowance Calculator

Calculate required pipe or vessel wall thickness including corrosion margin per ASME standards.

More in Engineering.