Every vessel must transfer its weight and its operating, wind, and seismic loads safely to the foundation, and the support is what makes that possible. Roben Manufacturing designs and fabricates skirt, bracket, lug, and ring supports engineered for the full set of load conditions a vessel will see over its life.
Supports are not an afterthought; they are a load-bearing element whose failure can be as serious as a shell failure. We design them as an integral part of the vessel and fabricate them to carry the loads with appropriate margin.
Supports Engineered for the Full Load Path
Skirt supports are the standard choice for vertical vessels and tall columns. A cylindrical or conical skirt welded to the vessel bottom carries the load to a base ring and anchor bolts at the foundation. We design the skirt for the compressive, wind, and seismic loads, size the base ring and chairs, and detail the anchor bolts so the entire load path is sound from shell to foundation.
Bracket and lug supports carry vessels from surrounding structural steel, transferring the load through brackets welded to the shell. We design these for the local stresses they impose on the shell — adding reinforcement where needed — and for the structural connections that carry the load away. Lug supports are common for vessels mounted in steel structures or on legs.
Ring supports and saddle supports serve other configurations: ring supports distribute load around a vessel, while saddles cradle horizontal vessels and spread the load over a wide contact area to limit local shell stresses. Each support type is designed for the controlling load combination across operating, empty, and test conditions.
Because supports impose concentrated loads on the shell, we evaluate the local stresses they create and provide reinforcement where the analysis calls for it. Supports are fabricated integral with the vessel under one quality system and documented as part of the design package.
Why Choose Roben Manufacturing
- Full range of support types. We design and fabricate skirt, bracket, lug, ring, and saddle supports for every vessel configuration.
- Complete load-path design. Supports are designed from shell to foundation for compressive, wind, and seismic loads.
- Local-stress evaluation. We evaluate the concentrated loads supports impose on the shell and add reinforcement where needed.
- All load conditions considered. Operating, empty, and test conditions are evaluated for the controlling combination.
- Integral fabrication. Supports are fabricated with the vessel under one quality system and documented in the design package.
Key Features & Capabilities
- Skirt support design for vertical vessels and columns
- Base ring, chair, and anchor-bolt detailing
- Bracket and lug supports for structure-mounted vessels
- Ring supports for load distribution
- Saddle supports for horizontal vessels
- Local shell-stress evaluation and reinforcement
- Design for wind and seismic load combinations
- Operating, empty, and test load cases
- Integral fabrication with the vessel
- Documented support design in the project package
Applications & Industries Served
- Vertical reactors and process vessels on skirts
- Tall distillation and absorption columns
- Horizontal vessels and drums on saddles
- Structure-mounted vessels on lugs or brackets
- Elevated equipment requiring engineered supports
- Replacement or modified supports for existing vessels
Codes, Standards & Quality Assurance
Roben Manufacturing fabricates under a controlled quality system and holds the ASME U Certificate of Authorization, with registration through the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors. Every applicable project is supported by material test reports, qualified welding procedures, nondestructive examination records, and complete documentation.
Relevant standards and resources include: ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Certification; API Standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
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