Number of Course shell designed to API 650 1

[richissa]

Can anyone advise how to calculate the number of course shell required in a Tank design based on the 1 foot method described in API 650?

Thanks,

Richard

 

[pennpiper]

Tank plate is normally 8'-0" wide. When turned on its side the 8'-0" plate width becomes a vertical dimension.
A 48 foot high tank has 6 courses (6 times 8' = 48')
A 40 foot high tank has 5 courses (5 times 8' = 40')
etc.
The tank capacities are adjusted by the number of courses and the diameter of the tank.

prognosis: Lead or Lag

 

[richissa]

Thanks for the explanation!

 

[JStephen]

If it's an existing tank, you go count the shell plate rings that are in place.
If it's a new tank, you consider what steel you can get. I've seen some foreign situations where the available steel was 1.5m, for example.
If it's a small tank and all the shell will be the same thickness, it won't matter in the design, and one- 32' course would be the same as eight 4' courses. If the courses differ in thickness, that's not the case.