CHAPTER 2

Pressure Equipment Types and

Components
2.1 What is pressure equipment?
Aunanimously agreed definition of what constitutes pressure equipment is
hard to find. The terms pressure equipment, pressure vessel, and pressure
system, while appearing technically straightforward, are bound up as the
subject matter of discussion by the numerous technical committees that draft
legislation, regulations, and technical standards. Due to the way that various
international and national directives, standards, etc., are structured, there are
often differences and contradictions in meaning between technical terms.
The end result is that definition of what does, or does not, constitute pressure
equipment may differ between countries, industry, and technical application.
It is a complex and ever-changing picture.
Thankfully, fundamental technical aspects of pressure equipment do not
change that quickly. Design and manufacturing practices have been
developed over the past 100 years and the technology of pressure equipment
is well supported by technical standards and codes of practice from many of
the worlds developed countries.

2.2 Pressure equipment categories

Table 2.1 shows the scope of some common technical categories of pressure
equipment used in the mainstream engineering industries. Note that these
categories represent arbitrary technical divisions only and have no direct
relevance to the inclusion of the equipment under any directives or regulations.
From the engineering viewpoint, pressure equipment types, and
components are all surprisingly similar. Their characteristics are outlined in
Table 2.2.
12 Engineers Guide to Pressure Equipment

Table 2.1 Pressure equipment categories*

Simple pressure
vessels
Simple receivers
(unfired)
Air
Nitrogen
Low-pressure/
atmospheric tanks

Gas cylinders
LPG cylinders
(transportable)
Two-piece cylinders
Three-piece cylinders

Unfired pressure
vessels
Complex air receivers
Boiler drums
Pressurized storage
containers
Condensers
Liquid cooled
Air cooled
Superheaters
Desuperheaters
Economizers
Heat exchangers
High-pressure feed
heaters
Tube type exchangers
Plate type exchangers
Contact exchangers
Chemical
process/reaction
vessels
Metal vessels
GRP vessels
Nuclear vessels

Boilers
Heating boilers
Package shell
boilers
Coal/oil-fired power
boilers
General water tube
boilers
HRSGs
Fired HRSGs
Unfired HRSGs
Forced circulation
HRSGs
Natural circulation
HRSGs
Single-pressure

HRSGs
Multiple-pressure
HRSGs

Valves
Stop valves
Plug
Globe
Gate
Butterfly
Check valves
Stop check
Lift check
Tilting disc check
Swing check
Safety valves
Pressure relief
Vacuum relief
Control valves
Two-way valves
Three-way valves
Regulating valves
Metering valves
Needle valves
Diaphragm valves

Pipework
Pipelines
Power piping
Service piping
Flanges
Pipework
fittings
Pressurized
accessories

Miscellaneous
Turbines
Autoclaves
Road transport
vehicles
Road and rail vehicle
components
(brakes, etc.)
Portable tools
Domestic heating
systems
Aircraft components
Gas-loaded hydraulic
accumulators
Vapour compression
refrigeration
systems
Engine cooling
systems

* Note that these only show broad technical categories of pressure equipment. This table does not infer the applicability of any directives,
regulations, or technical standards this is covered in Chapter 11.