Strength analysis of LNG tank container for trains under inertial force

Abstract As transportable pressure vessel, LNG tank container used in trains bears not only the static load, but also inertial load during transportation. The finite element method is commonly used in the design of tank containers subjected to inertial force. In this paper, a finite element model for 1AA LNG tank container was established using the ANSYS software, stress analysis and strength assessment under five load cases were performed for the tank container. The results show that the Mises equivalent membrane stress at the frame is controlled by the inertial force but at the inner vessel, however, it depends on the internal pressure although it may be significantly affected by the inertial force in some cases.