Design of a steam-heated sterilizer based on finite element method stress analysis

A steam-heated sterilizer is a pressure vessel of rectangular cross section externally reinforced by members welded to the flat surfaces of the vessel . These members are pressure vessels too with rectangular cross section. Th e ASME code provides alternative rules (Division 2) for the design of press ure vessels based on a Design By Analysis route. The stresses on the steril izer were computed by the finite element method followed by the calculation of the stress fields according to the classification established in the AS ME code. Structural members with shell intersections (as in the present cas e) present difficulties due to problems of linearisation and categorisation . In the present work the shell stress resultants were used instead of smoo thed stresses. The operating conditions of the vessel involve cyclic applic ation of loads requiring design based on fatigue analysis. (C) 2001 Elsevie r Science Ltd. All rights reserved.