Eng-Tips is the largest engineering community on the Internet

Intelligent Work Forums for Engineering Professionals

  • Congratulations waross on being selected by the Tek-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!

Vessel engineering software 2

Status
Not open for further replies.

titanproj

Mechanical
Jan 6, 2003
4
0
0
NL
Could someone give me some good names of software for vessel engineering, sofware should be applicable on multiple codes for pressure vessels.

Many thanks in advance
 
Replies continue below

Recommended for you

Hi titanproj (Mechanical)

COMPRESS: "YES"

YES: HEAT EXCHANGER TEMA & ASME
YES: TUBE SHEET LAYOUT
YES: FE-NOZZLE
YES: VDP VESSEL DRAFTER AUTO CAD 14 & 2000
YES: VESSEL COSTER
YES: XML PDMS & PDS
YES: FOR API 579 FITNESS OF SERVICES LEVEL I, LEVEL II
YES: (FE/NOZZLE)FOR API 579 FITNESS OF SERVICES LEVIE III

Please look at the home of COMPRESS.

Take a look at the brochure

Click on the link to the left to download a copy of the COMPRESS 6 Demo, which has the following limitations: only 60" and 120" ID shells and 5" and 10" nozzles are allowed. Besides those two limitations, the demo version is fully capable. The demo version includes both Div 1 and Div 2.

COMPRESS is a true 32-bit Windows 98/NT/2000/Me/XP application, the world's most internationally recognized program for ASME pressure vessel design and analysis.

COMPRESS considers ASME section VIII Division 1 and Division 2. It is used by fabrication shops, process plants, engineering companies, end users and consultants. COMPRESS considers internal and external pressure; wind, seismic and other external loads; nozzle design and various support types. Properties for all of the ASME materials and AISC structures are in the program. Many help screens and user-error traps are included. A vessel design wizard takes user friendliness to the next level. By supplying minimal vessel details, users can quickly build standard vessels more quickly than ever. Also, the vessel details can be saved to build libraries of template vessels and any current vessel file can be converted into a wizard template file. Yet with all its power and flexibility, COMPRESS is very easy to learn and use.

The report is written in HTML format --the language of the Internet. Hotlinking allows you to "surf the report" to quickly find calculations supporting a given result or to find the limiting condition for a thickness. Users can specify an expanded report to see all the details or a shortened report showing just the bottom lines. You can save the report in a self-expanding exe file transmittable by email. The recepient does not have to have COMPRESS to read the report. You can use Adobe Acrobat to generate the report in pdf format, not only electronically transmittable but also capable of being edited by you and notated by your customer.

Click here for a sample COMPRESS report. (Choose option to run file from current location)

Leonard@thill.biz
 
Sorry, but I respectfully disagree with the strong referral to Compress. I find the program both cumbersome and illogical (NOT a Spock thing) in input and output. The HTML report prints across pages without any planning or reason. It simply splits calculations in the middle and resumes on the next page. I found the pre-HTML version much easier to input and read.

Additionally, the 'learning curve' for the idiosyncracies of this program are excessive. It is NOT intuitive and forces you to enter data to the nth degree if you want it to be accurate.


 
BEWARE! Software is not the "end-all" answer. Although helpful,it is not a good subsitute for sound engineering and knowledge of the Code. You must still have all the required Code books. The AIA must still accept the calcs. and you are required to verify accuracy [there are mistakes in every program]. The salesman will always tell you his is best. Ask how they reference the Interpretations,Code Cases,and Appendices. Are your updates and erratas free or do you pay more? Do they address Appendix AA,how will they handle UHX? So,there are some"OK" programs out there,but don't expect miracles.
 
We currently use PV Elite from COADE whilst in the past we used APV from Computer Engineering in the USA.

We find PV Elite to be a good all round piece of software with sufficient functionality for us, as we only do straight forward shell, nozzle, flange and support calulations.

It can do ASME VIII Div 1 and Div 2 as well as PD5500.

PV Elite can do wind and nozzle loadings, although we haven't used these capabilities extensively and so can't comment on how easy they are to use.

One problem we find with PV Elite is that its printout is a bit cumbersome, and is not especially intuitive.

APV by Computer Engineering, when we used it, only did ASME VIII Div 1 - however it was a great piece of software and its printed output was really good and easy to understand. It was sold in module form so that you could choose the parts that you needed - at the time we found this to be an economical solution.

You might also look at Finglo, although when we looked at it we found it sold in modules which can make it expensive, depending on what you think expensive is.



 
"Hi Halket (Mechanical)
What is your PRESSURE VESSEL application software chose?"

Over the last 25+ years, I have used virtually all of the US programs (though some of them long ago), including DISASU, APV, CodeCalc and TowerCalc, Compress, IRIS, ProVessel, etc.
Personally, I really liked the old Compress, before they went tried to become the 'everything' program.

Though my office uses Compress (currently, I will likely change shortly), I find that I use my own developed programs (pressure, thickness, windload, Zick, flanges, reinforcement, etc.) when possible.

 
I have used APV, PV Elite, Compress, and Disasu.

APV, PV Elite, and Compress are good programs. Compress seems to have a few more abilities than APV or PV Elite and would get my recommendation.

APV is a good program, even better since converting to a windows based application. They have the best output by a long shot.

Compress has added Paulin's NozzlePro as a processesing FEA engine for nozzles. Some work could be easier, such as input for items, loads, etc.

I don't care for the node-to-node input that PV Elite uses, besides that it is OK.

In my mind, Disasu is not on the same level as the rest. It's transition to a windows application has not been pretty. Disasu still uses an editable input card format for its saved data. Some of the features can only be turned on by editing this text file like old input cards!

It is still plauged with errors that are difficult to hunt down. I would not suggest investing in this product when better programs exist. The output is terrible at best. Many calculations are not shown in full and some not at all.

Keep in mind, all applications perform the same code calcs. On this basis they should all be equal. The difference is how easy it is for you to navigate the program, interpret the input forms, and review the output. Disasu is none of these.

 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top