compress quick start guide en

© 2010 Codeware, Inc. www.codeware.com

QUICK START GUIDE


Codeware, Inc.5224 Station WaySarasota, Florida 34233United States

Telephone(941) 927-2670

Fax(941) 927-2459

[email protected]

[email protected]

Websitewww.codeware.com

Version02-2010


Getting Started

With COMPRESS you can easily produce pressure vessel and heat

exchanger designs that meet ASME Code requirements. This guide

outlines one possible way to model a pressure vessel in COMPRESS.

To learn more about COMPRESS, we encourage you to visit the

Support Center, available from www.codeware.com/support. In the

Support Center you can search FAQs, view video tutorials and read

the COMPRESS Power User’s Guide.

The COMPRESS Modeling Approach

COMPRESS offers two approaches to modeling vessels: Wizards and

free form design. For quick model creation, COMPRESS includes

a Wizard interface which requires only basic information to model

typical vessels. For unparalleled flexibility, COMPRESS also offers a

component by component free form design approach. This method

is useful when designing vessels which do not fit typical parameters

and when modifying vessels created by Wizards.

Whether you are building new vessels or rating existing equipment,

you can build your model using a specially tailored input mode. In


design mode, COMPRESS selects sizes, thicknesses and ratings to

meet Code requirements. In rating mode, COMPRESS calculates

the MAWP and minimum thickness while allowing you to input your

existing geometry. In both modes, inputs are re-evaluated during the

modeling process and updated as necessary to reflect applicable

Code dependencies. In selected circumstances, warnings and good

engineering practice reminders are presented.

Suggested Vessel Modeling Sequence

Any vessel may be modeled using the following input sequence.

Please note, the below sequence is just one of many ways to model

in COMPRESS. Components and loads may be modeled in any order

and individual components designed without specifying the entire

vessel.

1. Begin a new design by selecting File > New > Division 1

Vessel (or Division 2 Vessel). Alternatively, you can begin a new

design by clicking on the Division 1 or Division 2 icon. All

required information for each model is saved in a single file.


2. COMPRESS automatically uses the latest ASME Code Edition/

Addenda when creating a new file. You may change this default

setting to any ASME Code Edition/Addenda from 1995 through

to the present by selecting Codes > ASME.

3. If wind or seismic loads are present, add the applicable loads by

selecting Codes > Wind or Codes > Seismic.

4. Specify the datum line location and vessel orientation by

selecting Action > Set Datum.

5. Set design options, such as units, hydrotest and nozzle design

basis, by selecting Action > Set Mode Options (F7). These

options can be updated later if required.

6. Design the vessel.

• COMPRESS builds the model by working sequentially

down from the top of the vessel. Begin with the top head

(left head for horizontal vessels) and work down (or left to

right). Components can be added to the model from the

Component menu, from the Component toolbar

or by pressing the “Insert” key.


• Add the pressure boundary components (cylinders and

formed heads) before adding nozzles. If external pressure

is specified and vacuum rings are required, ring spacing

should be finalized before adding nozzles.

• If operating liquid is present, set the desired liquid level(s)

by selecting Loads > Liquid Level.

• If external forces or loads are present, add them by

selecting Loads > Lateral Force or Loads > Vertical Load.

Note that vertical loads are treated as a mass and affect

the natural frequency of the vessel.

• Add the major attachments such as platforms/ladders,

trays and packed beds. These items are located under the

Attach menu.

• Add the supports (skirt, lugs, saddles, legs etc.), located

under the Support menu.

• Add nozzles to the vessel. Select Nozzle > Quick Design

to have COMPRESS select wall thicknesses and add pads

automatically.


• Add any remaining attachments. These items generally will

not affect the nominal thickness of shell components and

may be left until the design is almost completed.

7. Reports can be generated at any time during the operation of

COMPRESS by pressing F3. Click the icon to toggle between

a file’s design and report windows. You can control how reports

are displayed within the Report Defaults dialog. This area can

be reached by selecting Action > Reports > Report Defaults.

8. To assist you with organizing, viewing and backing-up files,

COMPRESS offers a project feature. This feature allows a

variety of file types to be stored as one project. For instance,

the COMPRESS file as well as related items, such as purchase

orders and drawings, can be stored together. A new Project may

be created by selecting File > New > New Project or by clicking

the Project icon.


COMPRESS Tips

1. Every open file has two (or more) windows associated with

it: the design (graphic) window and the report (calculation)

window. To toggle between a file’s various windows, click the

corresponding toolbar icon ( HTML report, PDF report,

general arrangement drawing).

2. Learn to use the COMPRESS shortcut keys. Examples include:

• “Insert” to insert a component

• “Delete” to delete a component

• “F2” for nozzle design

• “Ctrl”+ “F3” to run FEA on nozzles

• “F3” to generate Code reports

• “F4” to edit a component

• “F7” to set mode options

• “F8” to set the datum


3. COMPRESS can perform dimensional conversions automatically.

For example, when you input 6’7” and press the “Tab” key,

COMPRESS converts your input to 79”. Similarly, you can also

enter data as a basic mathematical expression. For example, an

input of 1/16” will be automatically converted to 0.0625” when

you press the “Tab” key.

4. COMPRESS provides a database of all materials listed in Section

II, Part D. Any of these may be added to the material lists in the

component dialogs.

5. COMPRESS provides a database of all structural sections from

the AISC Manual of Steel Construction such as angles, wide

flanges, WTs, channels, flat bars and pipes. These items may

be added to the lists that appear for stiffener rings and support

legs as needed.

6. Applying external loads on flanges results in a reduced pressure

capacity for that flange. By selecting Component > Body Flange

> ASME B16.5/16.47 and checking “Consider external loadings

on flange MAWP rating,” COMPRESS automatically reduces the

pressure rating of ANSI/ASME flanges based on the “equivalent

pressure” related to the external loads.


7. Support skirts may be comprised of multiple segments, both

tapered and cylindrical. This assists with designing a skirt made

of different materials.

8. The MAWP of a nozzle may be limited by any one of a number

of criteria. COMPRESS determines the nozzle MAWP by

iteratively performing the Code calculations: the pressure is

increased incrementally until one of the Code criteria is met.

The corresponding pressure is by definition the MAWP.

9. You can shorten the Code reports generated by COMPRESS

within the Report Defaults dialog. This command can be

reached by selecting Action > Reports > Report Defaults.

10. The Undo (“Ctrl”+ “Z”) and Redo (“Ctrl”+ “Y”) buttons

enable quick design changes.

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