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Limits of High Temperature Pressure Vessels

A pressure vessel is a container used to hold gases or liquids. The pressure at which the liquid or gas is held is more often than not much higher than the pressure outside the container. This means that the containers are susceptible to exploding and must be handled very carefully. Some pressure vessels are designed specifically to withstand very high temperatures. These too have limits. These devices are typically governed by the American Society of Mechanical Engineer.

Boltless Vessels
- Some high temperature pressure vessels come equipped with an apparatus to facilitate easy opening. These devices typically hold between 60 milliliters and 4,000 milliliters. They can hold pressures between 1,100 and 3,300 pounds per square inch at 850 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bolted Pressure Vessels
- Bolted pressure vessels, while more difficult to open and close, can withstand much higher pressures than the easy-to-open vessels. Standard volumes for these devices are between 300 milliliters and 7,500 milliliters. They have a pressure rating of between 2,000 and 6,000 pounds per square inch at 72 degrees Fahrenheit. They are able to withstand temperatures of up to 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit at reduced pressure.
Zipper Pressure Vessels
- Pressure vessels equipped with an industrial strength zipper are the easiest to open and close, with no tools necessary. They typically hold between 500 milliliters and 4,000 milliliters. They have a pressure rating of between 2,200 pounds per square inch at 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Metal Seal Pressure Vessels
- These pressure vessels can withstand very high temperatures and pressures and are equipped with a metal seal. They typically hold between 100 milliliters and 2,000 milliliters. They can withstand pressures of between 10,000 and 30,000 pounds per square inch at a temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit. The vessel withstands temperatures up to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit at reduced pressures.
O-Ring Pressure Vessels
- O-Ring pressure vessels have standard volumes of between 100 milliliters and 2,000 milliliters. They can withstand pressures between 10,000 and 60,000 pounds per square inch at 72 degrees Fahrenheit. They can also withstand temperatures up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit at reduced pressures.

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