Verifying Structural Integrity of Repaired Cylindrical Pressure Vessels by Partitioning Method

Pressure vessels that undergo repairs are normally pressure tested to verify their structural integrity before returning into service. Conventionally, the entire vessel is pressure tested, according to the relevant construction code. In this paper, partitioning the pressure vessel is suggested as an equivalent alternative test arrangement, where pressure testing is limited to the zone where a repair has been performed. Use of such an arrangement would alleviate potential concerns associated with the conventional testing method. Procedures are provided to specify the position of the partition relative to the repair location, in order to maintain the state-of-stress to that achieved in a conventional pressure test. Validity of this approach has been demonstrated for a repaired full-circumferential welded joint in the wall of a cylindrical pressure vessel.