A spherical pressure vessel that must hold compressed air is to be designed with a given inner radius r1, and the wall thickness t may vary with material choice. The vessel must resist a pressure p such that there is a safety factor X against the material exceeding its failure strength.
(a) Considering weight and cost, and any other factors that you believe to be important, make a preliminary materials selection from Table 3.13 for this application.
(b) Calculate the vessel thickness required for each material. Assume a vessel inner radius of r1 = 2 m, a pressure of p = 0.7 MPa, and a safety factor on the material strength of X = 3. Comment on the values obtained. Why are some much larger than others?
