Can the oval pipe analysis be used for external pressure or vacuum conditions?
A. No. “Haigh’s” analysis is strictly for internal pressure systems. Although in principle there is only a sign change for external pressure the problem is more complex as cylinders subject to external pressure can collapse due to buckling, especially with increasing amounts of out-of-roundness. The major pressure vessel codes have rules for cylinders subjected to external pressure.
Related Questions
- Can the oval pipe analysis be used at pipe bends where the ovality can be high compared to the rest of the pipework system?
- In the oval pipe analysis the stresses are non-linear with pressure, are the material properties also non-linear?
- In the oval pipe analysis what sort of materials bulge or become oval when subjected to internal pressure?
