Pressure Vessel Design Tools
The pressure vessel design tools are a series of Excel 2010 spreadsheets (not compatible with Excel 2003 and may or may not work with Excel 2007) that allow a user to create a preliminary design of a vessel that meet the general rules and guidelines of ASME VIII Division 1. The spreadsheets do not contain all aspects of the VIII-1 code (see notes on each sheet to determine what is missing). The spreadsheets can only be used for interior pressure calculations. The design tools will help the user select preliminary sizes, estimate materials and determine vessel properties such as weight and volume.
Important: Users should read all notes and comments at the bottom of the spreadsheet before beginning to design a vessel or vessel component. Instructional comments can also be found by hovering over a cell with a red triangle in the top right corner.
Note: The download process is easier if you choose the "save" or "save as" option in your web browser instead of trying to open these files directly in Excel.
These calculations are meant for educational use only. We use PVElite, Compress or Design Calcs to run regular code compliant design calculations. We use other spreadsheets to fill in where the commercial software cannot be used. We do not use these spreadsheets for code compliant or safety based calculations. Do not use these design tools for pressure vessel design.
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Download: Material Database Ver E4.01A convenient database with the allowed design stress for internal pressure of some common pressure vessel materials at varying temperatures. This data is required to run many of the other programs on this page. The design temperature must be input. |
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Download: Pipe and Shell Design Tool ver E4.02Calculate the required wall thickness or the maximum allowed working pressure of an ASME VIII-1 pipe or straight rolled shell. Also calculates the volume and weight. Internal pressure only! |
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Download: Elliptical Head Design Tool ver E4.01Calculate the required wall thickness or the maximum allowed working pressure of an ASME VIII-1 2:1 ratio elliptical head. Also calculates the volume and weight. Internal pressure only! |
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Download: F&D Head Design Tool ver E4.01Calculate the required wall thickness or the maximum allowed working pressure of an ASME VIII-1 Flanged and Dished Head. Suggested dimensions are provided to calculate a standard ratio head. Also calculates the volume and weight. Internal pressure only! |
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Download: Hemispherical Head Design Tool ver E4.01Calculate the required wall thickness or the maximum allowed working pressure of an ASME VIII-1 hemispherical head. Also calculates the volume and weight. Internal pressure only! |
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Download: Cone Design Tool ver E4.01Calculate the required wall thickness or the maximum allowed working pressure of an ASME VIII-1 conical section. Also calculates the volume and weight. Internal pressure only! |
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Download: Cone Layout Tool ver E4.02Develop a fully thickness corrected flat layout of a conical transition that meets corner to corner at the welds. |
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Download: Nozzle Design Tool ver E4.01Run area replacement calculations on ASME VIII-1 nozzles WITHOUT repads. Internal pressure only! |
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Download: Nozzle with Repad Design Tool ver E4.01Run area replacement calculations on ASME VIII-1 nozzles WITH repads. Internal pressure only! |
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Download: Vessel Weld Efficiency ver 2.10Calculation ASME Section UW allowed weld efficiencies. Read the instruction prior to use. Macros must be enabled. |
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Download: Sample Calculations and DrawingDownload a sample vessel calculation and drawing set showing how to use some of these spreadsheets. |
