INTEGRAL PRESSURE VESSEL PENETRATIONS AND SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR USING AND FABRICATING THE SAME

Pressure vessels have full penetrations that can be opened and closed with no separate valve piping or external valve. A projected volume from the vessel wall may house valve structures and flow path, and these structures may move with an external actuator. The flow path may extend both along and into the projected volume. Vessel walls may remain a minimum thickness even at the penetration, and any type of gates may be used with any degree of duplication. Penetrations may be formed by installing valve gates directly into the channel in the wall. The wall may be built outward into the projected volume by forging or welding additional pieces integrally machining the channel through the same volume and wall. Additional passages for gates and actuators may be machined into the projections as well. Pressure vessels may not require flanges at join points or material seams for penetration flow paths.