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PVElite - Pressure Vessel and Heat Exchanger Design and Rating (ASME/BS/TEMA/PD5500/EN13445)
Windows 2000/XP
PVElite is a graphical based, easy-to-use software program that provides
engineers, designers, estimators, fabricators and inspectors with complete
design capabilities of tall towers, horizontal vessels, heat exchangers
(mechanical design), individual vessel and heat exchanger components. PVElite
has a component analysis module, CodeCalc, which is also available as a separate
program.
The program can be used to design, bid or re-rate a wide variety of vessels and
vessel components in accordance with ASME Code Section VIII
 Division
1, Division 2, ASME UHX, TEMA, PD5500 (British) and EN-13445 (European) rules. Fitness for
Service (FFS) per API-579 can be performed for the in-service equipment.
The Graphical User Interface (2D, 3D), which collects the model description,
ensures that the model is correct. Analysis is interactive with intermediate
results conveniently displayed on the screen. Errors and warning are prompted.
Context-sensitive help provides instant technical assistance for each data
field. Output is presented in an orderly and concise format with reports
available for every step of the analysis. Information can be shared with other
applications such as MS Access and MS Word.
PVElite is also developed by engineers for engineers. The engineering staff of
PVElite have worked in industry, for engineering and consulting firms. This
experience not only guides program development, but provides users with
knowledgeable support. This allows PVElite to work the way a typical engineer
thinks and solves a problem. This also means that the technical support provided
to users by the engineering staff is almost instantaneous. Users talk straight
to the developers, ensuring an accurate and timely answer.
Input/Operational capabilities:
Building even complex vessel models in PVElite is quick and easy. As each major
element is added, the graphical display is updated to show the new element in
relation to the others. This image confirms the content of the model. Clicking
on the element in the plot brings up the tabular data for that element. As
details (such as nozzles, insulation or trays) are added they too are
illustrated, and clicking on them will bring up their data for review.
Other geometries can also be confirmed graphically, namely basering layout and
nozzle-shell junction closeup. Both the 3D and the 2D graphics are available in
the input.
PVElite has following basic elements:
- Cylindrical Shells
- Elliptical, Spherical, Torispherical, Conical and Flat heads
- Conical Sections (including knuckles)
- Body Flanges
- Skirts with Basering details
The
following details can be attached on the basic elements:
- Stiffening Rings
- Nozzles (nozzles can also be attached on other nozzles)
- Sump (modeled as a special nozzle)
- Dead weight and applied loads
- Platform (both circular and rectangular) and Ladder
- Trays and Packing
- Saddles, Legs and Lugs
- Fluid
- Insulation and Lining
- Half-Pipe Jackets
- Heat Exchanger components like tubesheet, tubes, expansion joint and floating
heads.
With a simply click on an icon, the component is added to the vessel. This
provides a logical and intuitive modeling of the vessel. Vessels diameters can
specified based on either ID or OD.
Status bar displays important results for the elements, such as required
thickness and maximum allowable pressures, as well as informational values
 such
as design length, cone half apex angle, and flange rating etc. Results are also
displayed for the attachments like nozzle and stiffening rings. Any failures are
highlighted in red color. This insures that you are always aware of how changes
to a design are affecting the vessel.
There are options that can speed-up the design process, such as automatic
selection of wall thickness, stiffening rings, reinforcement pads and skirt
basering.
Default values for material, diameter, wall thickness, corrosion allowances,
temperatures and pressures can be set, these are used as a starting point for
new models.
PVElite includes complete material property databases, for ASME Sec. VIII, Div.
1 and Div. 2, TEMA, ASME UHX and PD5500 (British code, formerly BS5500). The program also
includes material database editors for ASME and PD5500 materials, which allow
the user to create new materials.
Features like automatic carrying forward of the relevant data for newly added
elements, copying input from one detail to another and 1-click sharing of data
among elements aid in faster modeling.
The program allows users to enter data in English, SI or any user-defined units.
Using the Create/Review facility users can create their own units and then
change units on fly. The unique List Processor provides a concise method to
review specific data sets, for example all the nozzles in the model. The fields
in the List Processor tables are active, allowing user modification of the data.
The on-line help facility provided with PVElite gives the user access to very
specific information about the current input cell or menu selection. The help
facility, details exactly what is expected, when appropriate contains
explanatory diagrams and external reference.
Other features include toolbars that can be positioned any way on the screen for
optimum usability. The program documentation is available in a hard copy and
within the program in a portable document format (PDF). Acrobat Reader software
needed for viewing the on-line documentation can be installed from the PVElite
CD .
Design Codes and Analysis Capabilities:
PVElite is a comprehensive solution for a complete, structural design of tall
process towers and horizontal vessels.
Design Codes and Standards Implemented
PVElite keeps pace with the development of vessel design codes and standards by
incorporating code changes and releasing product updates as these changes become
mandatory.
The codes and standards implemented in PVElite include:
- ASME BPV Code Section VIII, Division 1 & 2 - Rules for the Construction of
Pressure Vessels includes ASME UHX Heat Exchangers
- British Standard PD 5500 - Unfired fusion welded pressure vessels (formerly
known as BS 5500)
- ASCE 7 - Minimum Design Loads for Buildings & Other Structures
- International Building Code 2000
- Uniform Building Code
- National Building Code of Canada
- British wind code 6399
- Indian standard (for Wind and Seismic load)
- Mexican Wind code
- ASME/ANSI B 16.5 - Pipe Flanges and Flanged Fittings
- Standards of the Tubular Exchanger Manufacturers Association (TEMA)
- API-579 (Fitness for Service)
- ASME B31.3 - Process Piping
The program includes following databases:
- Material properties- Including the Allowable Stress and Yield Stress tables
from ASME Sec. VIII, Div1and Div 2, PD5500 and TEMA.
- AISC structural steel database.
- ANSI flange dimension database.
- ANSI pipe schedule database.
- Default Basering dimension database.
- Forged Vessel Connection catalog
Analysis Capabilities:
PVElite has a Component Analysis Module (also known as CodeCalc) and a complete
integrated vessel modeling module.
The integrated vessel module of PVElite can perform both new design and re-rate
of an existing design. For new Vessel design, this program can quickly set
required wall thickness for heads, shells and cones, and size components for
valid combinations of pressure (internal and external), deadweight (erected,
operating and hydrostatic test conditions), user applied loads, and wind and
seismic live loads. The program sums the weights of each element and all its
details to calculate the compressive stresses in the vessel wall. The live loads
tend to bend the vessel, creating both tensile and compressive stresses in the
vessel wall. Pressure, too, causes either tensile or compressive longitudinal
stresses in the vessel wall. PVElite combines these stresses and adjusts the
vessel wall on an element-by-element basis to ensure that this new vessel meets
the minimum requirements for both tension and compression.
Vertical or horizontal heat exchangers can be designed or analyzed per ASME,
TEMA or PD5500 codes. The exchanger can be built along with the vessel supports
and other pressure vessel items such as nozzles, rings platforms etc. It is easy
to switch between different design codes.
PVElite is also quick with vessel re-rates. Simply update the corrosion
allowance or change the temperature and pressure requirements to have the
program re-calculate the vessel's MAWP-- including the MAWP of attached flanges.
Fitness for service applications can be addressed per API-579 which is
implemented in the Component part of PVElite (CodeCalc).
A complete vertical vessel analysis will perform the following calculations
(a horizontal vessel would contain fewer steps):
- Internal pressure for each element: Req. thickness, MAWP, MAPnc, MDMT, %
Elongation and hydrotest pressures and stresses.
- External pressure for each element: Req. thk., EMAWP, Max. Stiffened length is
computed. Stiffening rings if present, are checked
- Weight of elements & their details: Weight and details acc. to the user
specified installation options. Lists weight of each attachment and element.
- ANSI B 16.5 flange: Computes Pressure rating based on Class, Grade and design
temperature.
- Vessel Natural Frequency: Computes Natural frequency of the vessel in filled,
empty and operating conditions (offers both the analytical and more accurate
modal analysis method).
- Vortex Shedding loads: Computes fatigue stresses and number of hours of safe
operation, based on loads generated by dynamic wind vibration (wind flutter).
- Wind and Seismic loads: Based on user selected Wind and Seismic Codes, the
program computes the vessel load.
- Wind Deflection: Computes the elemental deflection, angular rotation and
critical speed
- Vessel cross sectional areas and moment of inertia checks: Performs the checks
as needed by the code such as for Stiffening Rings and Cone
- Allowable Stresses: Tensile and Compressive stress allowables are computation
for each element.
- Nozzle check: Program performs all the nozzle checks. Results are given for
each individual item and a nozzle summary is provided. Spacing between multiple
nozzles is checked.
- Vessel Longitudinal stress check: Tensile and Compressive Stresses due to the
combined effect of pressure, live loads, user loads and weights, are checked.
- Vessel support check: For vertical vessels basering or legs and/or lugs are
analyzed, for horizontal vessels saddle check is performed. Baseplate can also
be checked.
- Fatigue Analysis: Cyclic pressure load condition can be evaluated per British
code, PD5500, Annex C. (more information)
- Rigging Analysis: Bending and shear stresses, generated in a vessel, while its
being lifted, are computed. These stresses are compared to their allowables,
graphical results are also provided.
- Vessel center of gravity: Computes the center of gravity of the vessel in new,
corroded conditions; and while in field and in shop.
- Heat Exchanger components: In case of a heat exchanger, tubesheet, expansion
joint, floating heads etc are checked as well.
Output and Export Features:
PVElite compiles output into a set of logical reports such as input echo,
intermediate and final results for overall vessel thickness and the evaluation
 of
details and attachments. These reports contain tables that list and summarize
the results. Color highlighting is used in the output to enhance the
readability, e.g. failures are red, warnings/notes are blue, heading are bold.
Along with other reports, there is a report listing all the vessel failures and
warnings and a vessel summary report. Results can be printed directly to a
printer, exported to MS Word or exported to a text file.
The picture of the vessel can printed both in 2D and 3D. The 3D model of the
vessel can be exported in html format. The drawing can also be saved in PCX
image formats.
PVElite can also generate CAD drawing of the vessel, and provide the Bill of
Material and Nozzle Schedule information.
The data can be export to a Microsoft Access database. This opens up the
PVElite's data for sharing with other programs. A utility program can be
developed within Access to generate a custom bill of materials or to do
cost-estimation.
PVElite also has a Foundation3D interface, with which users can automatically
export the data for foundation design, from a PVElite file to a Foundation3D
file. Foundation3D software is developed by Dimensional Solutions, Inc.
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