Square or Rectangle 30 psi storage tank

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the design of a square or rectangular storage tank intended to hold water under a pressure of 30 psi while also being subjected to vacuum conditions. Participants explore the feasibility of such a design, particularly focusing on the structural integrity and deflection limits of the tank walls.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses a desire to create a rectangular tank with specific dimensions and deflection limits, indicating a need for flat and smooth walls.
  • Another participant raises concerns about the structural challenges of designing a pressure vessel of that shape, suggesting that the forces involved would require significant reinforcement or thick materials.
  • A participant questions the maximum length for the tank, indicating confusion about the relationship between water depth and pressure.
  • Some participants argue that cylindrical or spherical shapes are more suitable for pressure vessels due to the distribution of forces, while rectangular designs may lead to structural issues, particularly at the edges.
  • There is a suggestion that if the project is a real design, it should adhere to established pressure vessel design practices to avoid safety hazards.
  • One participant mentions the need for rounded corners to mitigate stress concentrations in the design.
  • Another participant proposes a mental exercise in designing such a tank but emphasizes the impracticality of construction and suggests using concrete with steel reinforcement as a potential solution.
  • Concerns are raised about the participant's understanding of the necessary analysis for safe construction, indicating that the project may exceed their current capabilities.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally disagree on the feasibility and safety of constructing a rectangular pressure tank, with some advocating for alternative shapes and others exploring the idea of a rectangular design. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the practicality of the proposed design.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight limitations in understanding the relationship between water depth and pressure, as well as the implications of using non-cylindrical shapes for pressure vessels. There are also concerns about the adequacy of the proposed materials and construction methods.

notinthebox
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If I want to make a Square or Rectangle storage tank 5 feet deep and 22 feet long and 1 foot wide. The tank will be under 30 psi and also vacuum. That’s not hard to do what I want is the walls not to deflect more then .001 of an inch. The walls can be plastic, plywood with a steel sheet or steel. I want the walls to be flat and smooth. Thanks for any help
 
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Ummmm...I'm no stress analysis expert, but it seems you want to design a pressure vessel. 30 psi on such a long span of 22 feet and you want deflection to be max of 0.001 inch? Let's see...30 lbf/in^2 X (5 ft X 12 in) X (22 ft X 12 in) = a whole heck of a lot of force. You'll either have to internally/externally reinforce this thing or make the walls as thick as a battleship hull plate. And a cubic-shaped vessel...well, there's all kinds of problems with that concept. Butane tanks, etc., are cylindrical or spherical for a reason.

Either way, this should be governed by pressure vessel design practices (for example, ASME Pressure Vessel Codes), else you will construct a bomb. Tread lightly there, sport, there be nasty beasties about.
 
Its for water what would the max lenth I should go with then?
 
This sounds more like a homework problem... If this is a real design, you really must use a cylinder... any other shape proves you have no clue and should not construct such a thing.
 
notinthebox said:
If I want to make a Square or Rectangle storage tank 5 feet deep and 22 feet long and 1 foot wide. The tank will be under 30 psi and also vacuum. That’s not hard to do what I want is the walls not to deflect more then .001 of an inch. The walls can be plastic, plywood with a steel sheet or steel. I want the walls to be flat and smooth. Thanks for any help

Start with the basic fact that a pressure of 1 atmosphere is about 1 ton per square foot. So 30 psi is about 2 tons per square foot. That's more that 200 tons pushing out the 5 ft x 22 ft side of your rectangular tank.

That's why you don't find many rectangular pressure tanks - and certainly not many made out of plywood or plastic.
 
notinthebox said:
Its for water what would the max lenth I should go with then?

I don't see the connection between "a 5 ft depth of water" and "30 psi and also a vacuum".
Even a 22 ft depth of water is only about 10 psi at the bottom (and zero at the top).
 
It a piston for a pump
 
The real problem- and the real reason you don't see rectangular tanks- is the edges. Along edges there will be a large force pushing the sides away from each other.
 
Yes I know the corners will need to be inside rounded and I will have to make the size 5 to 7 feet deep and 11" x 14" and add them up to the max.
 
Last edited:
  • #10
We could certainly design such a thing as a mental exercise, but the result would be completely unreasonable and impractical to build. It sounds like he wants to build a square piston to pump water. If that be a real need, then find a seal that will enable you to loosen up that .001 number as much as possible. Then build a box out of anything you want and cast it in concrete. Use lots of steel in the concrete and arrange it to best take the loads. Prestessing the steel would reduce the amount of material required.

If you don't understand how to do that analysis, then this project exceeds your ability to do it safely.
 

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