A high pressure vessel is one that holds liquids or gases at pressure levels that are considerably different from the ambient pressure levels. This closed contained needs to be fabricated using the highest engineering expertise because the smallest fault could cause fatal consequences. These units play a vital role in the industrial sector today. A pressure vessel fabricator thus needs to be officially certified as one.
Did you know that they first came into use in Great Britain during the industrial revolution? They were employed as boilers to produce steam for powering steam engines and they played an important role in preventing the chances of explosions.
Today, they are used in geothermal plants, the food and beverage sector, ships, nuclear reactors, mining sites, oil and gas refineries and so on. They carry several liquefied gases such as ammonia, LPG, LNG, CNG, butane, propane, chlorine and so on. In fact, they are also used to store carry heated water for commercial as well as industrial processes.
Pressure vessels are critical in several different applications such as in steam separators, in reactors, and fractionation towers.
Thus, it is important to reiterate the importance of choosing an expert pressure vessel fabricator:
The chosen firm has to be an American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) code certified shop. A firm that holds critical stamps such as U, U2, U3, S and PP will certainly have the capabilities to honor your customized as well as standard requirements.
These codes are not just limited to manufacturing. Do remember to check if the firm holds the National Board R-Repair Stamp, as this will enable you engage the services of the same firm for future maintenance and repair. It is always advisable to appoint the original manufacturer for repair and maintenance.
There are certain firms that have the authority to certify equipment in accordance with the European Pressure Equipment Directive. They also carry the certification to stamp equipment with the CE stamp.
It is always advisable to partner with a firm that is more than just a pressure vessel fabricator. It also needs to carry out operations such as the manufacture of autoclaves, heat exchangers, cryogenic vessels, separators, reactors, vacuum chambers, weld overlay and clad vessels.
Do remember to check the test facilities of your chosen pressure vessel fabricator. It is important to verify the performance of every manufactured unit. For this, it is vital that the chosen firm carries the latest testing capabilities. These include in-house NDT inspection procedures such as industrial radiography.
So, if your firm has a proven track record of manufacturing several thousands of ASME certified pressure vessels, you can rely on their expertise.
