Possibility of using a transparent cover for a small rectangular test chamber

[mkdjssteel]

Hi All,

I have designed a rectangular test chamber inside sizes of 320 mm (12.6")(L) x 220 mm (8.66")(W) x 110 mm (4.33")(H) in aluminium
DP =2 bar (29 psi), DT = 32 deg C. On the current design I have a solid 316 SS lid secured with swing bolts for easy opening and closing.

Customer prefer to have a plastic transparent lid made out of polycarbonate or similar material so that they can have visual confirmation whether there are any leakage of the pouches they are testing by watching for bubbles. Testing media outside the pouch is water. The pouch is connnected to a differential pressure monitor for more accurate testing results than visual confirmation of bubbles. I can have a say 6 mm thick (thicker) and 2" wide metallic frame around the transaprent lid to distribute the bolt load across the lid and to avoid any damage to the plastic during tightening of the swing bolts to secure the lid.

Could anyone point me to the any standrad or guideline (In ASME sec VIII or similar standard) where I can work out allowable stress for a transparent Polycarbonate or similar material so that I can check whether I can use plastic lid for this test chamber from a thickness available in the market?

 

[Heaviside1925]

OP,
Is there a reason for you wanting to marry this to BPVC? You are well under pressure or volume requirements. Are you in a jurisdiction that requires it or is this customer driven? I am asking this because the chamber is being used for hydrostatic testing, so I am not seeing a catastrophic failure mode from what you are describing. Maybe I'm missing something, but this seems like a standard "strength of materials' build, add a safety factor and move on.

 

[TGS4]

You can check out Appendix 48 in ASME Section VIII, Division 1.

Or you can refer to PVHO for other window designs.