Plant Engineering: Pressure Vessels
Pressure Vessel Design Services
We provide custom pressure vessel engineering for global EPCs and fabricators. Our fabrication-ready packages are fully code-compliant, built for U-Stamp and Non-U-Stamp inspection, and developed under strict NDA protocols.
100+ ASME vessels & heat exchangers, fully detailed
Nozzle reinforcement, FEA, and Zick analysis in-house
Vertical, horizontal, domed, and column configurations
18,000+
Engineering hours
100+
Vessels & exchangers
250 in.
Max vessel OD
Industries served
Across Global Sectors
Oil & gas
Upstream & downstream
Petrochemical
Refineries
Chemical processing
Process plants
Food & beverage
Storage & processing
Scope of Work - Vessel Scale & Metallurgy
We provide custom pressure vessel design across a broad range of vessel scales, operating conditions, and metallurgies.
| Diameter (OD) | 6 in. ā 250 in. |
| Length (Tan-to-Tan) | up to 700 in. |
| Empty Weight | 355 lbs ā 52,300 lbs |
| Materials (MOC) | SA-516 Gr.70, SA-36, SS304/304L, SS316/316L |
| Configurations | Vertical, horizontal, domed, distillation columns |
Detailed engineering services we offer
Our Pressure Vessel Design & Analysis Process
Beyond basic geometric layouts, we run advanced structural and mechanical verification across four distinct engineering stages:
Local
Stress & Nozzle Reinforcement
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WRC 107/537 and FEA verify shell integrity
against piping loads, before they become a field problem.
Horizontal
Vessel Cradles
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Zick analysis optimizes saddle support
placement and mitigates structural sagging on long horizontal runs.
Vacuum
& Collapse Prevention
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Custom vacuum rings and external ribbing
engineered for full-vacuum design conditions.
Blast Load
Calculations
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Structural deformation limits and peak
overpressure response, so control rooms and skirts survive accidental shockwaves.
Vessel
Process Design Calculation
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Process datasheet preparation, vessel
control scheme development, and vessel assessment reporting, completed alongside the
mechanical design so process and mechanical requirements stay aligned from the start.
What you receive
A complete, construction-ready package
Mechanical design calculation reports, nozzle reinforcement analysis, and internal FEA data, followed by 3D models, GA drawings, fabrication blueprints, and exact bills of materials.
Plus OSHA-compliant platform, ladder, and access structural drawings, so nothing's missing when materials hit the shop floor.
Design calc reports
GA & fab drawings
BOM
Access structures
From Engineering Reports to Fabrication Drawings
Knock out drum, three phase separator, slug catchers, and ASME Section VIII
vessels, fully documented
Project history
Equipment we design
A sample of the ASME vessel types we've delivered, grouped by application.
Slug Catchers
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Large-diameter vessels separating liquid slugs from gas in
two-phase pipeline flow, sized to project flow conditions.
Slop Oil Drums
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Recovery vessels for off-spec or recovered oil streams within
refinery and upstream process units.
Residue Gas Scrubbers
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Scrubbing vessels removing entrained liquid from residue gas
streams before downstream compression or transport.
Reactor Vent Knock-Out Pots
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Knock-out vessels protecting downstream piping and equipment from
liquid carryover in reactor vent service.
Propylene Rail Drums
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Pressure vessels designed for propylene rail transport and
transfer service, to ASME Section VIII requirements.
Instrument Air Receivers
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Pressure vessels buffering instrument air supply to maintain
stable control system air pressure.
Butane / Nā Compressor Trailers
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Trailer-mounted compression packages for butane and nitrogen
service, designed for mobile or temporary deployment.
NG Booster Compressors
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Natural gas booster compressor packages and associated vessels,
sized to project suction and discharge conditions.
Air Gas Transloaders
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Transfer systems and associated vessels for loading and unloading
compressed air and gas between transport and storage.
Methyl Chloride Storage Vessels
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Pressure vessels for methyl chloride storage, designed with
materials and seals suited to the stored chemical's properties.
Flash Vessels & Letdown Tanks
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Pressure-reduction vessels separating flashed vapor from liquid as
process streams move to lower-pressure conditions.
Water Multimedia Filter Vessels
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Filtration vessels for multimedia water treatment, designed to the
flow rate and media bed requirements of the system.
Accumulator Skids
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Skid-mounted accumulator vessels buffering process flow or
pressure fluctuations ahead of downstream equipment.
Condensate & Recovery Solids Vessels
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Vessels for condensate collection and recovered-solids handling
within process and utility systems.
New build or existing asset
Two ways we support your vessel
New vessel design
Fatigue, fracture & life prediction at welds,
fillets, and other stress-concentration points
Dynamic load checks for wind,
seismic, and lifting
conditions during transport and installation
Existing vessel support
Repair, alteration, and modification
engineering for
in-service vessels
Re-rating and de-rating assessments
to extend safe
operating life
Why work with us
Add vessel design capacity without adding
headcount
Engineers who work ASME Div 1 & 2
calculations daily
Full documentation handed off for your own
client compliance
Responsive engineering support throughout
the project lifecycle
Confidential white-label engineering
support
We design products for demanding customers
Quality assurance
Our team is dedicated to making sure all the design is up to your
quality and expectations.
Decade of experience
Over 0+
products designed and delivered.
Intellectual property
Go through a strict onboarding process; we don't keep any
intellectual property. Our design, your patent.
On-time deliveries
Our teams monitor the progress and provide daily updates to ensure
that deliveries are always on time.
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"Acufore and their employees are very professional and show good
knowledge. They are always keen to help us and resolve any issues /
queries quickly and efficiently. When a timescale is given for a task
it is generally always achieved. A great company to work with."
Project Manager
UK
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"We enjoyed working with your team! Thank you for the support! We
will work together again."
Director of Engineering
US
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"Acufore is a very professional company which we have done many
projects with. The team is great to work with and always get the job
done to a very high standard."
Project Coordinator
South Africa
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do you offer pressure vessel design services, or only standalone calculations?
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Yes ā our pressure vessel design services cover the full scope from process input through fabrication-ready drawings: calculation reports, 3D models, GA and fabrication drawings, and bills of materials, not calculations alone.
Can you handle field-erected pressure vessel projects, not just shop-fabricated ones?
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Yes. Alongside shop-built vessels, we support field-erected pressure vessel design ā including large-diameter, large-length units built up to 700 in. in length that can't ship as a single shop-fabricated piece.
What does your pressure vessel design engineering scope typically include?
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Our pressure vessel design engineering scope spans nozzle reinforcement (WRC 107/537), FEA, Zick saddle analysis, vacuum and collapse design, and blast load calculations ā delivered as a construction-ready package.
Can we outsource pressure vessel design to your India engineering team?
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Yes. our pressure vessel design engineering team in Bengaluru works as an extension of your team, on US/UK working hours overlap, at offshore cost efficiency with the same ASME Section VIII compliance
What ASME codes do you design to?
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ASME Section VIII Division 1 and 2, with TEMA and API 660 for heat
exchangers, and WRC 107/537 for nozzle and local stress analysis.
How do you catch errors before they become expensive?
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Nozzle load, stress, and support checks run at the calculation stage,
using WRC 107/537 and FEA, before a design is released for fabrication.
Will I see the design before it's finalized?
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Yes. You'll see calculation reports and model reviews as they're
produced, not just a finished package at the end. Adjustments happen during design review,
before fabrication starts.
Ready to start? Fill out the form to your right, or call +1 (281) 491-1281.