APPENDIX A — API 579 - FFS

Thickness, MAWP And Stress Equations For

A FFS Assessment

Issued January, 2000

 Contents of Appendix-A

A.1. General 
A.2. Calculation of MRWT 
A.3. Pressure Vessel-Internal Pressure 
A.4. Pressure- External Pressure 
A.5. Piping Components 
A.6. API 650 – Storage Tanks 
A.7. Thickness Equations for Supplemental
Loads
A.8. Stress Calculation Equation for Ring
Stiffeners
A.9. References 
 Contents of A.2: Calculation of MRWT

A.2.1 Minimum required wall thickness and MAWP (MFH)

A.2.2 Code Revision
A.2.3 Determination of allowable stresses
A.2.4 Treatment of weld joint efficiency or quality factor
A.2.5 Treatment of damage in formed heads
A.2.6 Thickness of supplemental loads
A.2.7 Determination of the future corrosion allowance
A.2.8 required thickness for future operation
A.2.9 Treatment of shell distortion
Contents of A.3: Pressure Vessel – Internal Pressure

A.3.1 Overview
A.3.2 Metal loss
A.3.3 Symbol definitions
A.3.4 Cylindrical shell
A.3.5 Spherical shell or hemispherical head
A.3.6 Elliptical head
A.3.7 Torispherical head
A.3.8 Conical shell
A.3.9 Toriconical head
A.3.10 Conical Transition
A.3.11 Nozzles connections in shells
A.3.12 Junction reinforcement requirements at conical
transition
A.3.13 Other components
Symbol Definitions

The following symbols defined below are used in this section.

 Co = Outside Crown radius of a torispherical head (mm:in),

 Cr = Inside crown radius of a tonspherical head (mm:in),
 Crc = Cr + LOSS + FCA (mm:in),
 D = Inside diameter of the shell under consideration (mm:in),
 Dc = D+2(LOSS+FCA)(mm:in).
 Do = Outside diameter of cylindrical shell (mm:in),
 DL = Cone outside diameter, large end (mm:in),
 Ds = Cone outside diameter, small end (mm:in),
 E = Weld joint efficiency from the original construction code, if
unknown use 0.7,
 Ey = Modulus of elasticity at the assessment temperature
(MPa:psi),
 F = Applied net axial force, use a negative value if the axial force
produces a compressive stress at the location of the
assessment point (N:Ibs),
 FCA = Specified future corrosion allowance (see paragraph A.2.7)
(mm:in),
 Lc = Total length of a conical transition (see Figure A.3 and A.4)
(mm:in),
 LOSS = Metal loss in the shell prior to the assessment equal
to the nominal (or furnished thickness if available) minus the
measured minimum thickness at the time of the inspection
(mm:in),
 P = Internal design pressure (MPa:psi),
 M = Applied net-section bending moment, use a negative value if
the bending moment produces a compressive stress at the
location of the assessment point (N-mm:in-lbs),
 MAWP = Maximum allowable working pressure (MPa:psi),
 R = Inside radius; R = D/2 (mm:in),
 Rc = R+LOSS+FCA (mm:in),
 Rell = Ratio of the major-to-minor axis of an elliptical head
(see Figure A.1),
 RL = Inside radius of large cylinder at a conical transition (mm:in),
 Rlc = RL+ LOSS+ FCA (mm:in),
 Ro = Shell outside radius (mm:in),
 Rs = Inside radius of small cylinder at a conical transition (mm:in),
 Rsc = Rs + LOSS + FCA (mm:in),
 rk = Inside knuckle radius of a tonspherical head, toriconical
head, or conical transition (mm:in),
 rkc = rk + LOSS + FCA (mm:in),
 rf = Inside radius of the flare at a conical transition (mm:in),
 Rfc = rf + LOSS + FCA (mm:in),
 S = Allowable tensile stress of the shell material evaluated
at the design temperature per the applicable construction code (MPa:psi),
 t = Nominal or furnished thickness of the shell, or cylinder
thickness at a conical transition for a junction reinforcement calculation
(mm:in),
 tc = t – LOSS - FCA(mm:in)
 Tk = Nominal or furnished thickness of the knuckle (mm:in),
 tkc = tk - LOSS - FCA (mm:in),
 tf = Nominal or furnished thickness of the flare at a conical transition (mm:in),
 tfc = tf – LOSS - FCA (mm:in),
 tmin = Minimum required thickness (mm:in),
 tsl = Thickness required for supplemental load based on the longitudinal
stress (see paragraph A7), (mm:in),
 t s = Nominal or furnished small end cylinder thickness in a conical transition
(mm:in).
 tcs = ts - LOSS - FCA (mm:in).
 tc = Nominal or furnished cone thickness in a conical transition (mm:in),
 tcc = tc - LOSS - FCA (mm:in).
 Σm = Nominal membrane stress (MPa:psi), and
 α =One-half apex angle of the cone in a conical shell or toriconical head
(degrees).