What Does
Fired Pressure Vessel Mean?
A fired pressure vessel is a type of pressure vessel used to hold liquids or gases at a pressure different from the ambient pressure, usually at a high pressure of 15 PSIg or more. A fired pressure vessel uses an external heat source (direct or indirect) to maintain a liquid or gas at a high pressure. These vessels are designed and manufactured per the ASME standard specifications.
Corrosionpedia Explains Fired Pressure Vessel
A pressure vessel contains fluids that are subjected to pressure and is connected to other machinery. It can be a single chamber or composed of several pressure vessels.
There are two types of pressure vessels that are commonly used in industrial processes:
- Fired pressure vessels
- Unfired pressure vessels
A fired pressure vessel is partially or totally subjected to a direct or indirect heat source, often provided by coal, gas or oil fired boilers. Special precautions are required when working with fired pressure vessels to prevent overheating. Examples of fired pressure vessels include thermal oil heaters for organic liquid piping systems and boilers that are used to generate electricity and hot water or steam.
Conversely, unfired pressure vessels can act like heat exchangers to cool or heat a fluid when combined with another fluid. These usually consist of several adjacent chambers and tube bundles. Another example of an unfired pressure vessel is a steam generator that is associated with piping systems.
Fired pressure vessels are commonly seen in the following industrial settings:
- Machinery (pressurized equipment)
- Automation
- Electricity
- Fire protection
- Oil and gas
- Petrochemicals
- Fertilizer