Structural Evaluation of an AISI 304 Horizontal Separator Pressure Vessel Using ASME and Finite Element Analysis

Abstract

Pressure vessels require reliable structural performance to ensure safe operation under high-pressure conditions. This study evaluates the structural integrity of an AISI 304 stainless steel horizontal separator pressure vessel by integrating ASME-based design calculations and Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The pressure vessel model, including shell, ellipsoidal heads, nozzles, manholes, flanges, and saddle supports, was developed using SolidWorks 2020. Static simulation was performed under 250 psi internal pressure to analyze Von Mises stress, displacement, equivalent strain, and factor of safety. The results showed that the maximum Von Mises stress occurred at the shell-to-head transition region with a value of 17,773.430 psi. The maximum displacement was 0.502 mm, the maximum equivalent strain was 4.82 × 10⁻⁴, and the minimum factor of safety was 1.688, indicating elastic structural behavior. This study is limited to static internal pressure loading without considering thermal, fatigue, and external operational loads. The findings provide practical guidance for preliminary pressure vessel evaluation, while the originality lies in integrating ASME-based verification with three-dimensional FEA of a complete horizontal separator configuration.