A 3-dimensional finite element transient heat transfer, stress and fatigue analysis was performed to predict the stresses due to internal pressure, self-weight, contents-weight, wind, seismicity, nozzle loads, and thermal fluctuations through a typical operating cycle of a liquid process dryer vessel.

The figures below show results of the transient heat transfer analysis, with temperatures varying over the various phases of the normal operating cycle. The temperature field at each time step was used to solve for the thermal stresses, which were in turn used to solve the alternating thermal stresses.

An evaluation of the thermal cyclic loading on the vessel predicted that the cumulative fatigue damage due to these loads was within the design life of the vessel , using the methodology of ASME Section VIII, Division 2 Mandatory Appendix 5.

An evaluation of the design loads predicted that all of the primary and secondary stresses, both general and localized, were within the ASME Section VIII, Division 2 Mandatory Appendix 4 allowable values.