To Analyze the Effects of Geometric Misalignment in a Cylindrical Pressure Vessel

This particular work consider a pressurized vessel typically made of high strength low alloy steel and containing the geometric misalignment at the cylinder-to-cylinder junction. This misalignment produce in the vessel’s structure is because of girth weld that is evident in most of the fabrication of such type of structures apart from other factors which is beyond the scope of this study. This study evaluates the geometrical effects of mismatch on the structural integrity of the pressure vessel and prediction of stresses at the affected area of the cylinder. Analytical and Finite Element (FE) approaches are employed to analyze the configuration. FE analysis is performed by the use of ANSYS on one quarter of the structure due to symmetry. FE results are also compared with the analytical results of different authors. In addition, maximum allowable mismatch is also determined and is a part of this study.