Code-stamped vessels for the most demanding service
A pressure vessel is unforgiving. A weld defect, a bad PMI report, a missed PWHT cycle — any one of these compromises a 25-year operating life. HAIL fabricates pressure vessels under a full ASME U-stamp QA system: design verification, material PMI on every plate and forging, qualified WPS/PQR, qualified welders, controlled welding parameters, 100% radiography on Category A & B joints, hydrotest at 1.3× MAWP, post-weld heat treatment with chart records, and final stamp with the U designator.
Our leadership team has delivered 40+ PESO certified mounded bullets across 7 major projects for refineries and LPG storage facilities — plus columns, reactors and exchangers for IOCL, Thyssenkrupp and large EPC clients.
What we fabricate
Heat exchangers
Shell-and-tube, U-tube, kettle and floating-head exchangers to TEMA classes R, C and B. Re-tubing and re-bundling on shutdowns.
Reactors & converters
Catalytic reactors, hydrocrackers, sulphur converters and ammonia converters in CS, SS and clad construction.
Distillation columns
Tall distillation, fractionation and absorber columns — multi-section, multi-tray with full internal trays/packing.
Drums & separators
Knock-out drums, reflux drums, three-phase separators, flash drums, deaerators and accumulator vessels.
Mounded bullets & spheres
PESO certified LPG mounded bullets, propane and butane storage. ASME / IS 2825 / SMPV(U) compliant.
Condensers, reboilers, air-fins
Surface condensers, vacuum condensers, kettle reboilers, thermosiphon reboilers and air-cooled exchangers.
Codes & quality
- Design: ASME Section VIII Div. 1 & 2, PD 5500, EN 13445, IS 2825, TEMA, PESO/SMPV(U).
- Welding: ASME Section IX qualified WPS/PQR for SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, SAW & FCAW.
- NDT: 100% RT on Category A & B joints, UT, MT, PT, PMI, hardness survey, hydrotest at 1.3× MAWP.
- Heat treatment: Local and full PWHT with calibrated chart records.
- Statutory: PESO licence, IBR registration, third-party inspection (Lloyd's, BV, T×V, RINA).
Reference projects
- 40+ PESO mounded bullets across 7 major LPG storage and refinery projects (leadership-led).
- N-Butanol Project — IOCL Gujarat Refinery for Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions: process piping fabrication, coatings, pre-commissioning support inside live refinery.
- IOCL Barauni Coker-B Revamp: equipment erection support, multi-discipline EPCC.
- Lime Kiln Duct Fabrication — Nirma Ltd., Bhavnagar: workshop fabrication, blasting, painting, third-party inspection.
Materials we work in
Carbon steel (SA 516 Gr.70, IS 2062), low-temp carbon steel (SA 333), stainless steel (SA 240 304/304L/316/316L/321/347), duplex (2205, 2507), Inconel 600/625, Monel 400, Hastelloy, clad and weld-overlay plates, refractory-lined vessels.
Why HAIL for pressure vessels
- ASME U-stamp authorised, with documented quality manual.
- 33,000 sq.ft. workshop at Kalol with plate rolling, CNC profile cutting and PWHT capacity.
- RINA Consulting consortium for third-party design verification.
- WPS/PQR-qualified welders; in-house DPT, pneumatic and hydrostatic testing.
- Owned crane fleet (200 / 100 / 50 / 20 MT) for site fabrication and erection of large columns.
The pressure vessel fabrication process — 14 steps under U-stamp QA
Every ASME U-stamp pressure vessel HAIL fabricates follows the same end-to-end QA sequence. The U-stamp is not a one-time approval — it is a continuous quality system that the Authorised Inspector (AI) audits at each stage:
- Design review & calculation. Shell, head, nozzle, flange, bolt and saddle calculations per ASME Section VIII Div. 1 (or Div. 2 for cyclic / high-pressure). Wind/seismic/external pressure check. Pressure-Temperature design rating finalised.
- Authorised Inspector engagement. Independent third-party AI (Lloyd's, BV, T×V, RINA) signs off the design package before fabrication starts.
- Material procurement to MTC. Plate, forging, fitting, bolt, gasket — every item with mill test certificate, PMI verification on receipt, ultrasonic check on plates > 25 mm.
- Welding qualification. ASME Section IX qualified WPS/PQR for SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, SAW, FCAW. Welders pre-qualified on test coupons.
- Plate marking, cutting & forming. Plate cutting per nesting layout, plate rolling for shell courses, dished-end forming (hot or cold), nozzle hole cutting.
- Fit-up & tack welding. Shell courses fitted with longitudinal & circumferential alignment within ASME tolerance. Nozzle alignment verified. AI hold-point.
- Weld out. Root pass + fill + cap on all Category A, B, C, D joints. Heat input controlled. Inter-pass temperature monitored.
- Non-destructive examination (NDE). 100% RT (or UT for thicker sections) on Cat A & B joints, MT/PT on Cat C & D, hardness survey on heat-affected zone, ferrite check on duplex, PMI confirmation.
- Post-Weld Heat Treatment (PWHT). When required by code or service: local or full-vessel PWHT in temperature-calibrated furnace. Chart records preserved.
- Hardness & mechanical testing. Tensile, impact (Charpy), bend tests on production test plates. Hardness survey post-PWHT.
- Hydrotest at 1.3× MAWP. Vessel filled with potable water, pressure raised to 1.3× MAWP per ASME (1.43× for Div. 2), held minimum 30 minutes, leak inspection at all welds and joints.
- Internal cleanliness & passivation. Stainless and exotic alloy vessels passivated with citric or nitric acid. Surface inspected for cleanliness per ASTM A380.
- Painting & insulation (where applicable). External surface preparation, primer + intermediate + topcoat. Insulation cladding per project spec.
- U-stamping & data report. AI signs Form U-1 / U-1A. Vessel nameplate stamped with 'U' symbol, MAWP, design temperature, year built. Manufacturer's Data Report filed with National Board (where applicable).
Pressure vessel types we fabricate
HAIL fabricates the full range of ASME pressure vessels for the Indian process industry:
| Vessel type | Typical service | Code base |
|---|---|---|
| Shell-and-tube heat exchanger | Oil cooler, condenser, chiller, reboiler | ASME Section VIII Div.1 + TEMA R/C/B |
| U-tube heat exchanger | High-pressure interchanger, refinery preheater | ASME Section VIII Div.1 + TEMA |
| Kettle-type reboiler | Distillation column reboiler | ASME Section VIII Div.1 + TEMA K |
| Air-fin cooler | Refinery / petrochemical condensing | ASME Section VIII Div.1 + API 661 |
| Distillation / fractionation column | Crude distillation, debutaniser, depropaniser, splitter | ASME Section VIII Div.1 / Div.2 |
| Catalytic reactor | Hydrocracker, hydrotreater, sulphur converter, ammonia reactor | ASME Section VIII Div.2 |
| Knock-out drum / separator | 3-phase separator, flash drum, accumulator | ASME Section VIII Div.1 |
| Mounded LPG bullet | Buried horizontal LPG / propane / butane storage | ASME Section VIII + IS 2825 + SMPV(U) |
| Spherical pressure vessel | Above-ground LPG / propylene / ammonia / hydrogen | ASME Section VIII + IS 2825 |
| Deaerator | Boiler feed water deaerator | ASME Section VIII + HEI |
| Steam drum | Boiler steam drum, mud drum | ASME Section I (boiler code) |
Materials & metallurgy for pressure vessels
Pressure vessel materials are chosen by service temperature, fluid, corrosion mechanism and statutory framework. HAIL works in all common (and several specialised) metallurgies:
| Material | Specification | Typical service |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon steel | SA 516 Gr.60/65/70, SA 105, SA 106 Gr.B | General service, mild hydrocarbons, water |
| Low-temp carbon steel (LTCS) | SA 333 Gr.6, SA 350 LF2, SA 420 WPL6 | Refrigerated LPG, ammonia, low-temp hydrocarbons (-46 ×C) |
| Carbon-Mo / Cr-Mo | SA 387 Gr.11/22, SA 691, SA 335 P11/P22 | Hydrocracker, FCC reactor, high-temp hydrogen service |
| Stainless steel 304/304L/316/316L/321 | SA 240 | Acid service, chemical reactors, food/pharma |
| Duplex 2205 / Super duplex 2507 | SA 240 UNS S31803/S32750 | Chloride-rich, urea, brackish water, acidic crude |
| Inconel 600/625/800 | SA 240, SB 168, SB 409 | High-temp corrosive, sulphur converter, sour service |
| Monel 400 | SB 127 | Hydrofluoric acid (HF alkylation) |
| Hastelloy C-276 | SB 575 | Severe corrosion, mixed acid, oxidising chlorides |
| Clad / explosion-bonded plate | SA 263 / SA 264 / SA 265 | Cost-optimised heavy walls — CS base + SS/duplex/Inconel cladding |
| Weld-overlay vessels | SA 516 + 309L/308L/Inconel 625 overlay | Refinery vessels with corrosion barrier on inside surface |
Pressure vessel codes & standards comparison
| Code | Scope | Stamp / Mark | Indian use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASME Section VIII Div.1 | Pressure vessels < 3,000 psi (~207 bar). Most common. | U-stamp | Refinery, petrochemical, fertiliser — most projects |
| ASME Section VIII Div.2 | Higher pressure, cyclic service, more refined design margin. | U2-stamp | Hydrocrackers, FCC reactors, high-pressure reactors |
| ASME Section VIII Div.3 | Very high pressure (> 10,000 psi). | U3-stamp | Specialised — petrochemical reactors, polyethylene |
| ASME Section I | Boilers (steam generation). | S-stamp | Captive power plant boilers |
| IS 2825 | Indian code for unfired pressure vessels. | — | Mandatory minimum for many domestic vessels |
| PD 5500 (BS) | British pressure vessel code. | — | Some legacy specifications, UK influence |
| EN 13445 | European pressure vessel code (PED 2014/68/EU). | CE-mark | Vessels for European-spec projects, exports |
| SMPV(U) Rules 2016 | Indian Static and Mobile Pressure Vessels (Unfired). | PESO licence | LPG, ammonia, propane, butadiene, ethylene |
| IBR (Indian Boiler Regulations) | Steam-bearing equipment. | IBR registration | Boilers, deaerators, steam drums, IBR piping |
Reference projects — mounded bullets & major vessels
- 40+ PESO-certified mounded bullets across 7 major LPG storage and refinery projects — leadership-led. Capacities ranged 200—2,500 m×, lengths 30—80 m, materials SA 516 Gr.70 with SA 333 Gr.6 dished ends for refrigerated service.
- N-Butanol Project — IOCL Gujarat Refinery for Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions. Process piping fabrication, equipment erection support, application of industrial protective coatings, complete pre-commissioning & commissioning support inside a live refinery.
- IOCL Barauni Coker-B Revamp (ongoing). Equipment erection, multi-discipline EPCC including heat exchangers, drums, and associated piping.
- Lime Kiln Duct Fabrication — Nirma Ltd., Bhavnagar for Tuaman Engineering. Workshop fabrication of straight DE ducts (IS 2062 Gr. B), abrasive blasting, protective coating, third-party inspection.
- Phosphoric Acid Storage Tank — Krishna Phoschem, Jhabua MP. Large-diameter chemical storage (19.5 m × 12.6 m), turnkey civil + tank fabrication.
Cost & lead-time guide for pressure vessels
Pressure vessel pricing is driven by three big variables: weight (drives plate cost), pressure-temperature design rating (drives wall thickness), and metallurgy (drives plate $/kg). Indicative ranges:
- Carbon steel separator vessel, 5 m×, 10 bar: —15—25 Lakh, 8—12 weeks.
- Carbon steel reactor, 50 m×, 50 bar: —1—2 Crore, 16—24 weeks.
- Heat exchanger shell-and-tube, 800 m× area, CS shell + SS tubes: —40—80 Lakh, 14—20 weeks.
- Stainless steel 316L reactor, 30 m×, 25 bar: —2—4 Crore, 20—28 weeks.
- Hydrocracker reactor, 2.25Cr-1Mo, 200 bar: —15—40 Crore, 36—60 weeks.
- PESO mounded LPG bullet, 1,500 m×: —3—6 Crore, 24—32 weeks (vessel + civil + earthwork mound).
- PESO LPG sphere, 2,000 m×: —4—8 Crore, 28—40 weeks.
Lead times are heavily influenced by plate & forging procurement (8—20 weeks) and the AI inspection schedule. We strongly recommend long-lead-item booking at FEED stage.
Frequently asked questions
Is HAIL ASME U-stamp certified?
Yes — we design, fabricate and stamp pressure vessels to ASME Section VIII Div. 1 and Div. 2 with U-stamp authorisation, with continuous Authorised Inspector (AI) oversight, full PMI traceability, NDT & hydrotest documentation, and Manufacturer's Data Report (Form U-1 / U-1A) at handover.
What pressure vessels does HAIL fabricate?
Shell-and-tube heat exchangers (TEMA R/C/B), U-tube exchangers, kettle reboilers, air-fin coolers, distillation & fractionation columns, catalytic reactors, hydrocrackers, hydrotreaters, knock-out drums, separators, accumulators, deaerators, steam drums, PESO-certified LPG mounded bullets and spherical pressure vessels.
Which metallurgies do you work in?
Carbon steel (SA 516/A105/A106), low-temp carbon steel (SA 333/SA 350), Cr-Mo alloy (SA 387 Gr.11/22), stainless steel (304/304L/316/316L/321), duplex (2205, 2507), Inconel (600/625/800), Monel 400, Hastelloy C-276, clad and weld-overlay plates. Full PMI traceability end-to-end.
Are you PESO certified for mounded bullets?
Yes. Our leadership has fabricated and erected 40+ PESO-certified mounded bullets across 7 major LPG storage and refinery projects. We follow ASME Section VIII + IS 2825 + SMPV(U) Rules 2016 + CCOE/PESO licensing.
Workshop or site fabrication?
Both. Smaller vessels (up to ~50 MT) workshop-fabricated at our 33,000 sq.ft. Kalol facility with full ITP. Large columns, reactors, and mounded bullets are site-fabricated under the same ASME QA system, supported by our owned 200/100/50/20 MT crane fleet.
What is ASME U-stamp and why does it matter?
The U-stamp is an ASME-issued certification that authorises a fabricator to design, build and stamp pressure vessels to ASME Section VIII. Without a U-stamp, your vessel cannot be sold to a refinery or petrochemical client in India — it will fail the QA audit. The stamp is renewed via triennial joint review by ASME and the National Board.
What is the difference between ASME Section VIII Div.1 and Div.2?
Div.1 is the most common code, used for general pressure vessels up to ~3,000 psi (207 bar) with conservative design margins. Div.2 has more refined design rules, allowing thinner walls and higher allowable stresses for cyclic, fatigue or high-pressure service. Div.2 vessels typically need fatigue analysis, fracture mechanics evaluation and FEA. Div.3 covers very high pressure (> 10,000 psi).
Do you do post-weld heat treatment (PWHT)?
Yes — both local PWHT (with electrical resistance pads) and full furnace PWHT in our Kalol facility. PWHT charts are recorded with calibrated thermocouples at multiple locations and submitted as part of the data dossier.
What is hydrotest pressure for ASME vessels?
1.3× MAWP for Section VIII Div.1 vessels (1.43× for Div.2). The vessel is filled with potable water, pressurised to test value, held for minimum 30 minutes, and inspected at all welds for leaks. Test gauges are calibrated and traceable.
Do you handle clad & weld-overlay vessels?
Yes — explosion-bonded clad plate (SA 263/264/265 — typically CS base + SS or Inconel cladding) and weld-overlay (309L, 308L, Inconel 625) on shell & head interior surfaces. Common for refinery hydrotreaters and high-temp sour service vessels.
What is PESO certification and which vessels need it?
PESO (Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation) is the Indian statutory body that licenses storage and handling of compressed/liquefied gases. SMPV(U) Rules 2016 require PESO licence for any unfired pressure vessel storing LPG, propane, butane, propylene, ethylene, ammonia, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen above specified capacities. We handle the full PESO documentation and inspection liaison.
What is the typical cost of an ASME pressure vessel?
Indicative ranges: CS separator vessel 5 m× 10 bar — —15—25 Lakh; CS reactor 50 m× 50 bar — —1—2 Cr; SS 316L reactor 30 m× 25 bar — —2—4 Cr; Cr-Mo hydrocracker reactor 200 bar — —15—40 Cr; PESO mounded bullet 1,500 m× — —3—6 Cr; LPG sphere 2,000 m× — —4—8 Cr. Pricing depends mainly on weight, design pressure and metallurgy.
How long does pressure vessel fabrication take?
Heat exchangers: 14—20 weeks. CS reactors: 16—24 weeks. SS or duplex reactors: 20—28 weeks. Hydrocracker / Cr-Mo reactors: 36—60 weeks (long-lead forging). Mounded bullets: 24—32 weeks (incl. civil + mound). LPG sphere: 28—40 weeks. Plate & forging procurement is the dominant long-lead item.
Do you provide IBR-registered vessels?
Yes. Boilers, deaerators, steam drums and IBR-class piping are fabricated under Indian Boiler Regulations with IBR Form III certification, third-party inspection by Chief Inspector of Boilers (state-wise), and IBR-traceable plate & weld documentation.
What inspection & testing happens during fabrication?
100% radiography (or ultrasonic for thicker sections) on Cat A & B joints, MT/PT on Cat C & D, hardness survey on heat-affected zone, ferrite check on duplex, PMI on every plate batch and after every weld, hydrotest at 1.3× MAWP, helium leak test on critical service, and full mechanical testing (tensile, impact, bend) on production test plates.
Can HAIL handle ammonia, hydrogen and severe sour service vessels?
Yes. We fabricate ammonia service vessels in LTCS or carbon steel with NACE MR0175/ISO 15156 compliance. Hydrogen service: high-temperature hydrogen attack (HTHA) protection per API 941 with appropriate Cr-Mo metallurgy. Severe sour service: NACE-compliant carbon steel with hardness control and PWHT.
Do you offer pre-FEED engineering for pressure vessels?
Yes — basis-of-design support, code selection (Div.1 vs Div.2), metallurgy advisory, weight optimisation, lead-time analysis. Engaging us at pre-FEED typically saves 10—15% of CAPEX through better design choices.