High Pressure Vessels Used in Gas Recovery

Pressure vessels are containers designed to work at pressure levels significantly higher than ambient pressure. One of their uses is to recover, treat, and extract gas. If you ask a high pressure vessel manufacturer, you’ll know these vessels are inherently hazardous. Getting a vessel certified by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is one way to avoid possible dangers.

The Potential Dangers Of High Pressure Vessels

Most pressure vessels are made of steel and stainless steel. These are ideal because of their durability and high resistance to heavy impact and extreme temperatures. They are also easy to clean and maintain.

However, accidents can still happen even when the most reputable industrial hydrogen compressor manufacturers use the best materials and employ the most advanced technologies to reduce the safety hazards that come with pressure vessels.

Some of the main risks of such vessels are explosion, rupture of their enclosures, and fluid leakage. When any of these occur, it can cause injury to the surrounding personnel and damage nearby equipment.

Tank explosion and rupture of an enclosure can happen when the internal pressure goes beyond the vessel’s threshold. Another culprit is the decrease in the vessel material’s resistance against extreme pressure level differences. Wrong material choices, subpar manufacturing processes, or poor operating conditions can cause this decline in resistance.

When there are cracks or gaps in the vessel, leakage can happen. And the process liquid that leaks can cause harm to the skin and/or eyes of an employee working around the vessel. Leakage failure can also cause suffocation, depending on the nature of the fluid.

Other damages that can bring forth danger include elastic deformation, corrosion, and a brittle fracture.

Finding The Right High Pressure Vessel Manufacturer

There are different pressure vessels. Storage vessels are meant to store gases or liquids at high pressure. On the other hand, process vessels are where different production processes occur (e.g., filtration, extraction). Heat exchangers are pressure vessels that facilitate heat transfer between liquids and/or gases without the involved media having direct contact with one another.

No matter what kind of vessel you need, it’s imperative to find an ASME pressure vessel manufacturer. These manufacturers ensure that their products pass stringent industry standards and tests, minimizing the risk of vessel-related accidents.

For manufacturers to keep potential dangers to a minimum, they must consider various design elements when designing and fabricating a high pressure vessel. These include:

Design pressure and temperature

Maximum permitted working pressure

Maximum tolerated stress

Joint effectiveness

Corrosion allowance

Apart from ensuring that your vessels come from high quality hydrogen compressor manufacturers, you must implement various safety precautions.

Know that pressure vessels demand timely and periodic maintenance. Doing this identifies any burgeoning issues and ensures that your tanks remain at their optimum performance.

Additionally, you must let concerned personnel undergo proper training. Everyone involved in operating these vessels must know how to use them — including their various thresholds and working capacities.

Lastly, you should invest in protective equipment. Equip your vessels with safety valves and install warning devices. Similarly, your employees must wear protective gear so that injuries can be minimized should an accident occur.