Session: DA-01-02 Design and Analysis of Pressure Vessels and Components-2

Paper Number: 123472

123472 - Elastic Modeling and Analysis of Atmospheric Liquid Storage Tanks Under Hydrostatic Loads 

A study is presented to model and analyze atmospheric liquid storage tanks using the general elasticity theory of cylindrical shells subject to axisymmetric load. Radial deformation of the shell is derived from the complete solution form of the governing differential equation for various boundary conditions, including simply supported, fully constrained, or flexibly constrained. The corner joint between the tank shell and bottom floor plate is investigated for the flexible constraint condition to the tank shell by elastic beam theory. An equivalent rotational spring is used as the flexible constraint to the bottom of tank shell. Further, the procedure is expanded to tank shells consisting of multiple courses with different thicknesses. Stresses and strains at tank shell and bottom floor plate can be derived from the solutions. For computer implementation, the solution equations are transformed into matrix form.

This study is an investigative effort by assuming the tank is placed on a foundation with perfectly flat and leveled rigid surface. However, for an in-service tank, the actual boundary condition at its bottom floor could be complicated and may depend on additional external factors, predominantly, foundation elasticity or settlements, etc. Additional efforts are necessary in order to include the foundation effects under such condition.

Presenting Author: Mingxin Zhao Enterprise Products

Presenting Author Biography: Mingxin Zhao, Ph. D.
Senior Staff Engineer
Mechanical Integrity Engineering - Pressure Vessels, Heat Exchangers, Piping, API 650 Storage Tanks
Enterprise Products
Houston, Texas

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