ASME BPVC Section VIII • ASCE 7-22 §15 • ACI 318-19
Pressure Vessel Design Services
PE-stamped ASME pressure vessel design for storage, process, and industrial service. Section VIII Division 1 rules-based sizing, Division 2 design-by-analysis with FEA, plus seismic and wind anchorage of skirts, legs, and saddles per ASCE 7-22 and ACI 318-19. Compress, PV Elite, NozzlePRO, and ANSYS — stamped reports ready for U-stamp shops and AI review.
What is pressure vessel design?
Pressure vessel design sizes the shell, heads, nozzles, supports, and anchorage of a vessel containing pressurized fluid or gas — and proves the design meets the governing code's allowable stress, fatigue, and stability limits. In the US, that code is the ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC) Section VIII: Division 1 for rules-based design, Division 2 for design-by-analysis with FEA.
A complete ASME pressure vessel design package includes the calculation report, U-1A manufacturer's data report inputs, fabrication drawings, nozzle schedules, and seismic + wind anchorage of the vessel to its foundation. We deliver all of it stamped, ready for the fabricator's authorized inspector and the project AHJ.
Common pressure vessel design issues we fix
- • Nozzle reinforcement undersized — failed AI review
- • Skirt anchorage missing Ω0 amplification per §13.4.2
- • MDMT not impact-tested per UCS-66 — material rejected
- • Vortex shedding ignored on tall slender vertical vessels
- • Saddle wear plate too thin per Zick analysis
- • No fatigue check on cyclic-service Division 1 vessel above the screening limit
Pressure vessel design services
Full-stack ASME design from datasheet to stamped fabrication package — for U-stamp shops, OEMs, and EPC contractors.
ASME Section VIII Division 1
Rules-based design of shells, heads, nozzles, reinforcement, and supports with U-1A manufacturer's data report inputs.
Section VIII Division 2 — Design by Analysis
FEA-based Part 5 protection against plastic collapse, local failure, buckling, and fatigue per Annex 5.B for high-pressure or cyclic vessels.
Seismic & Wind Anchorage
ASCE 7-22 §15 non-building seismic, Ch. 29 wind, and ACI 318-19 Ch. 17 anchorage of skirts, legs, and saddles.
Fabrication-Ready Deliverables
PE-stamped calc report, GA and weld detail drawings, nozzle schedules, MTR references, and AI review response support.
Codes & standards
Rules-based pressure vessel design (most common)
Design-by-analysis with mandatory FEA and fatigue
Material allowable stresses (S, SU, SY)
Seismic design of non-building structures (vessels)
Anchorage of skirts, saddles, and legs to concrete
UK and EU pressure vessel codes (export projects)
Pressure vessel design — frequently asked questions
What is pressure vessel design and which code applies?
Pressure vessel design is the structural and mechanical analysis that sizes the shell, heads, nozzles, supports, and anchorage of a vessel containing pressurized fluid or gas. The governing US code is ASME BPVC Section VIII — Division 1 (rules-based, Pmax ≤ 3,000 psi typical) and Division 2 (analysis-based, higher allowable stress with mandatory FEA). International equivalents include PD 5500 (UK) and EN 13445 (EU).
What is the difference between ASME Section VIII Division 1 and Division 2?
Division 1 uses prescriptive design-by-rule formulas with conservative allowable stresses (typically S = SU/3.5) and is the default for most industrial vessels. Division 2 uses design-by-analysis with detailed FEA, fatigue evaluation, and higher allowable stresses (S = SU/2.4) — the additional engineering rigor pays off on large, high-pressure, or cyclic-service vessels where wall thickness savings exceed the analysis cost. We design to either path; selection drives cost trade-off.
Do you provide ASME pressure vessel design with the U-stamp?
Yes — we provide the engineering design, calculations, and stamped drawings ready for a U-stamp shop. The U-stamp itself is held by the fabricator's authorized inspection agency (per ASME accreditation). We work alongside U-stamp fabricators across the US and Asia, deliver the design package and U-1A manufacturer's data report inputs, and respond to AI (authorized inspector) review comments through fabrication.
Do you handle seismic and wind anchorage of the pressure vessel?
Yes. Vertical and horizontal vessels are analyzed per ASCE 7-22 §15 (non-building structures) using the appropriate R, Ω0, and Cd, with site-specific Sds and Sd1. Skirt, leg, and saddle anchorage is designed to ACI 318-19 Chapter 17 with Ω0 amplification on concrete-controlled limit states. Wind per ASCE 7-22 Ch. 29 (other structures) with vortex shedding screening for tall slender vessels.
What software do you use for pressure vessel design?
Compress (Codeware), PV Elite (Hexagon), and Inventor for the rules-based Division 1 sizing and U-1A datasheet. NozzlePRO and ANSYS Mechanical for nozzle local stress (WRC 107/297, Division 2 design-by-analysis), elastic-plastic protection against plastic collapse per Part 5, and fatigue per Annex 5.B. Caesar II for piping interface loads on the vessel nozzles.
What deliverables come with a pressure vessel design package?
PE-stamped calculation report (shell, heads, nozzles, reinforcement, supports, anchorage), U-1A manufacturer's data report inputs, fabrication drawings (general arrangement, weld details, nozzle schedules), MTRs and weld procedure references, and a code-compliance summary. Hospital and OSHPD vessels add HCAI submittal documentation and seismic certification of any active components per AC156.
How fast can you turn a pressure vessel design?
Standard storage tank or accumulator (Division 1, ≤ 5 ft diameter, ≤ 300 psi): 2–4 weeks for the stamped package. Mid-size process vessel with multiple nozzles, internals, and skirt: 4–8 weeks. Division 2 design-by-analysis with fatigue: 8–12 weeks. Send the process datasheet (P, T, fluid, corrosion allowance, MDMT, cycles) — fixed-fee quote in 48 hours.
Need a stamped pressure vessel design?
Send the process datasheet (P, T, fluid, corrosion allowance, MDMT, cycles). Fixed-fee quote in 48 hours, standard vessel turnaround in 2–4 weeks.