Trunnion support for distillation column

[Umar107]

I have to design the trunnion support for 50 ton distillation column. Can anyone please guide me which software to use and what are the major design considerations?

 

[MJCronin]

Let the question and answer games begin !!!!..... Time to feed the hungry little bird !!!

First, is this the first time you have ever done this work ?

Second, can you provide any more details ?

Third, are you designing legs for a pressure vessel or something else ?

Fourth, if you are designing legs, why must you be using a trunnion configuration? ...

Oh, wait, ... the boss told you trunnions were required

There is virtually ZERO information here

MJCronin
Sr. Process Engineer

 

[Umar107]

1. yes. This is the first time I'm doing this work.
2. It is a distillation column of 110 ft height and it is skirt supported.

I need to design the trunnions for lifting of the column during installation. I'm using PV elite 2018 and it doesn't have this option as far as I know.
& yes, my boss gave me just the sketch provided by the client and in it there's trunnions at two elevations.
Please ask me any details you need to answer this query.

 

[SnTMan]

Covid107, trunnions are an attachment to a shell similar to a process nozzle and are normally designed per WRC-107 or one of its' variants.

You are designing for heavy loads and SERIOUS consequences of failure. You will want in-house mentoring for this task.

Regards,

Mike

The problem with sloppy work is that the supply FAR EXCEEDS the demand

 

[MJCronin]

This is perhaps the WORST POSSIBLE ASSIGNMENT for a pressure vessel design newbie who has never done this crucially important work before !

Lifting lugs and lifting trunnions have been discussed many times on this forum before. They should only be designed by an experienced competent professional engineer, and, in my opinion, for a 100ft+ column, the calculations should be checked and have professional engineer certification. !!!!

All of this, of course, is new ground to any MBA with a concentration in Finance !!!!

I can only conclude that your boss is an incompetent, uncaring and heartless MBA who will, of course, take ZERO responsibility for any failure !!! .... understand that you are on your own

I strongly agree with SnTman who states: "You are designing for heavy loads and SERIOUS consequences of failure"...

Anybody out there "on the interwebs" agree with this old-man's rants ???

MJCronin
Sr. Process Engineer

 

[r6155]

@ Covid107
Suppose you have a computer program to design a complete tall tower. Do you consider yourself a responsible man?

I agree with SnTMan and MJCronin

Regards

 

Anybody out there "on the interwebs" agree with this old-man's rants ???

You can't rule out the possibility that the boss is an architect.

Otherwise you nailed it (but maybe curb your enthusiasm just a little!)

"Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but they are not entitled to their own facts."

 

[DriveMeNuts]

Yep, this is not a step by step how-to guide forum.
The best you will get is a few tips and some direction to fill gaps in your existing knowledge. It sounds like you have none.

 

[RJW000]

If you have to ask here... you definitely need a calculation review, especially for a vessel of this size.

Here is a good book for reference on pressure vessel design ..

https://www.amazon.com/Pressure-Vessel-Design-Manual-Dennis/dp/0123870003

Also see ... WRC 537

https://www.techstreet.com/standards/wrc-537?product_id=2190387

 

[MJCronin]

https://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=184855

https://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=470892

https://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=190602

https://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=372688

https://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=359435

https://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=151395

https://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=343538

https://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=375020

You also state:

......."yes, my boss gave me just the sketch provided by the client and in it there's trunnions at two elevations."


Two sets of lifting trunnions is probably not the best or even the most common way to lift a massive skirted column as you have described.

The most typical way to make this engineered lift is to have two trunnions located near the upper head. The upper trunnions must be designed to function with a properly sized and engineered spreader bar and properly sized and selcted slings/chains and clevises.

On the bottom of the vessel, a tailing lug (commonly attached to the skirt or column anchorage ring) is used by a second crane to manipulate and rotate the column during the lift.

This is a place to begin to understand the complexity of the overall task and understand about a tailing lug:

http://www.maximumreach.com/Design Of Tail Lug & Basering Reinforcement.pdf

and here .......

https://www.mecaenterprises.com/mecalug-software/

When will you begin to ask questions about the tailing lug you will require ?

When will you actually cooperate and share client drawings of the lifting scheme they proposed ?

When will you share design details and drawings of the column configuration ?

Is this a new or existing column ?

........ or, once you get what you want, will you abandon this thread altogether ???

You are welcome ....

MJCronin
Sr. Process Engineer