Standard No.:	GB/T 12337-2026
English Name:	Steel spherical tanks
Chinese Name:	钢制球形储罐
Professional Classification:	GB    National Standard
Source Content Issued by:	SAMR, SAC
Issurane Date:	2026-9-28
Implementation Date:	2027-4-1
Status:	to be valid
Replacing:	GB/T 12337-2014 Steel spherical tanks GB/T 17261-2011 Steel spherical tanks type and dimension data base
Target Language:	English
File Format:	PDF
Word Count:	65500 words
Translation Price(USD):	1965.0
Delivery:	via email in 1~5 business day

GB/T 12337-2026 Steel spherical tanks Steel spherical tanks 1 Scope 1.1 This document specifies the construction requirements for steel spherical tanks (hereinafter referred to as "spherical tanks"), as well as the requirements for materials, design (including design by rules and design by analysis), manufacture, assembly welding, inspection and acceptance of spherical tanks. Note: "Assembly welding" in this document also refers to "field manufacturing". 1.2 This document applies to the construction of orange‑peel type or mixed type single‑wall or double‑wall spherical shell structure spherical tanks supported by columns, with a design pressure of less than 10.0 MPa, a design temperature range according to the allowable service temperature of the steel, and a design temperature of -269 °C to 300 °C. The construction of spherical tanks supported by skirts may refer to this document. 1.3 This document does not apply to the following spherical vessels: a) Spherical tanks in nuclear energy installations; b) Spherical tanks subjected to relative motion (such as vehicle‑mounted or ship‑mounted); c) Spherical tanks with a nominal volume of less than 50 m3. 1.4 The boundary scope of spherical tank is as follows: a) Connection between spherical tank and external piping: 1) The groove end face of the first circumferential joint for welded connections; 2) The first flange sealing face for flanged connections. b) Pressure‑bearing heads, flat covers, gaskets and their fasteners of nozzles, manholes, etc. of spherical tank. c) The connecting weld between non‑pressure parts and the spherical shell. d) Non‑pressure parts directly connected to the spherical tank, such as pad plates, columns, tie rods and base plates. e) Safety accessories, safety protection devices, instruments and auxiliary facilities directly connected to the spherical tank. 2 Normative references The following normative documents contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies. GB/T 150.1 Pressure vessels - Part 1: General requirements GB/T 150.1 Pressure vessels - Part 1: General requirements GB/T 150.2 Pressure vessels - Part 2: Materials GB/T 150.2-2024 Pressure vessels - Part 2:Materials GB/T 150.3 Pressure vessels - Part 3: Design GB/T 150.3-2024 Pressure vessels - Part 3: Design GB/T 150.4 Pressure vessels - Part 4: Fabrication, inspection and testing, and acceptance GB/T 150.4-2024 Pressure vessels - Part 4: Fabrication, inspection and testing, and acceptance GB/T 228.1 Metallic materials - Tensile testing - Part 1: Method of test at room temperature GB/T 229 Metallic materials - Charpy pendulum impact test method GB/T 567 (all parts) Bursting disc safety devices GB/T 699 Quality carbon structure steels GB/T 713.2 Steel plate, sheet and strip for pressure equipments - Part 2: Non-alloy and alloy steel with specified temperature properties GB/T 713.3 Steel plate, sheet and strip for pressure equipments - Part 3: Low alloy steel with specified low temperature properties GB/T 713.4 Steel plate, sheet and strip for pressure equipments - Part 4: Nickel-alloy steels with specified low temperature properties GB/T 713.6 Steel plate, sheet and strip for pressure equipments - Part 6: Quenched and tempered high strength steel GB/T 713.7 Steel plate, sheet and strip for pressure equipments - Part 7: Stainless steel and heat resisting steel GB/T 985.1 Recommended joint preparation for gas welding manual metal arc welding gas-shield arc welding and beam welding GB/T 985.2 Recommended joint preparation for submerged arc welding GB/T 1220 Stainless steel bars GB/T 3077 Alloy structure steels GB/T 3965 Determination of diffusible hydrogen in deposited metal GB/T 4213 Pneumatic control valves GB/T 4226 Cold finished stainless steel bar GB/T 4732.1 Pressure vessels design by analysis - Part 1: General requirements GB/T 4732.2 Pressure vessels design by analysis - Part 2: Materials GB/T 4732.3 Pressure vessels design by analysis - Part 3: Formulae method GB/T 4732.4 Pressure vessels design by analysis - Part 4: Stress classification method GB/T 4732.5 Pressure vessels design by analysis - Part 5: Elastic plastic analysis method GB/T 4732.6 Pressure vessels design by analysis - Part 6: Fabrication, inspection and testing and acceptance GB/T 6803 Test method for drop-weight test to determine nil-ductility transition temperature of ferritic steels GB/T 7735-2016 Automated eddy current testing of seamless and welded (except submerged arc-welded) steel tubes for detection of imperfections GB/T 8163 Seamless steel pipes for liquid service GB/T 8923.1 Preparation of steel substrates before application of paints and related products - Visual assessment of surface cleanliness - Part 1:Rust grades and preparation grades of uncoated steel substrates and of steel substrates after overall removal of previous GB/T 9948 Seamless steel tubes and pipes for petrochemical and chemical facilities GB/T 13296 Seamless stainless steel tubes for boiler and heat exchanger GB/T 13305 Method for determining content of the α-phase in stainless steels GB/T 13550 Molecular sieve 5A and its determination GB/T 13927 Industrial valves - Pressure testing GB/T 14976 Seamless stainless steel pipes for fluid transport GB/T 18442 (all parts) Static vacuum insulated cryogenic pressure vessels GB/T 18443 (all parts) Testing method of performance for vacuum insulation cryogenic equipment GB/T 18591 Testing method of performance for vacuum insulation cryogenic equipment GB/T 20801.1 Pressure piping code - Part 1:Industrial piping GB/T 21433 Detecting susceptibility to intergranular corrosion in stainless steel pressure vessels GB/T 26929 Terminology for pressure vessels GB/T 31481 Guidance for gas/materials compatibility of cryogenic vessels GB/T 39255 Gases and gas mixtures for welding and cutting processes GB/T 42594 Guidelines for classification on hazard of medium in pressure equipment GB/T 46630 Safety valves for cryogenic vessels GB/T 46656 Valves for cryogenic vessels GB 50009 Load code for the design of building structures GB/T 50011 Code for seismic design of buildings GB 50017 Standard for design of steel structures GB50160 Fire prevention code of petrochemical enterprise design AQ 3059-2023 Specification for safety management of liquefied hydrocarbon storage tank farm of chemical industrial enterprises HG/T 2690 Molecular sieve 13X JB/T 6896 Surface cleanliness of air separation plants JB/T 13369 Powder thermal-insulating low-pressure cryogenic liquid storage tank JC/T 1020 Expanded perlite for thermal isolation of low temperature equipment NB/T 10558 Coating and packing for pressure vessels transport NB/T 11882 Static vacuum-insulated liquid hydrogen pressure vessels NB/T 47002.1 Clad plate for pressure vessels - Part 1:Stainless steel-steel clad plate NB/T 47003.1 Atmospheric pressure vessels - Part 1: Steel welded atmospheric pressure vessels NB/T 47008 Carbon and alloy steel forgings for pressure equipment NB/T 47009 Alloy steel forgings for low temperature pressure equipment NB/T 47010 Stainless and heat-resisting steel forgings for pressure equipment NB/T 47013.1 Nondestructive testing of pressure equipments - Part 1: General requirements NB/T 47013.2 Nondestructive testing of pressure equipments - Part 2: Radiographic testing NB/T 47013.3 Nondestructive testing of pressure equipments - Part 3: Ultrasonic testing NB/T 47013.4 Nondestructive testing of pressure equipments - Part 4: Magnetic particle testing NB/T 47013.5 Nondestructive testing of pressure equipments - Part 5: Penetrate testing NB/T 47013.7 Nondestructive testing of pressure equipments - Part 7: Visual examination NB/T 47013.8 Nondestructive testing of pressure equipments - Part 8: Leak testing NB/T 47013.10 Nondestructive testing of pressure equipments - Part 10: Ultrasonic time of flight diffraction technique NB/T 47013.11 Nondestructive testing of pressure equipments - Part 11: Digital radiographic testing NB/T 47013.14 Nondestyuctive testing of pressure equipments - Part 14: Computed radiographic testing NB/T 47013.15 Nondestructive testing of pressure equipments - Part 15: Phased-array ultrasonic testing NB/T 47014 Welding procedure qualification for pressure equipments NB/T 47015 Welding specification for pressure vessels NB/T 47016 Mechanical proper tests of product welded test coupons for pressure equipments NB/T 47018.1 Technical permission of welding materials for pressure equipment - Section 1: General rule NB/T 47018.2 Technical permission of welding materials for pressure equipment - Section 2: Electrodes for steel NB/T 47018.3 Technical permission of welding materials for pressure equipment - Section 3: Steel electrodes and rods for gas shielded arc welding NB/T 47018.4 Specification of welding materials for pressure equipment - Section 4: Electrodes and fluxes for submerged arc welding NB/T 47018.5 Technical permission of welding materials for pressure equipment - Section 5: Stainless steel strip electrodes and fluxes for overlay welding NB/T 47019.1 Purchase technical specification for boiler & heat exchanger tubes - Part 1: General requirements NB/T 47019.4 Purchase technical specification for boiler & heat exchanger tubes - Part 4: Low alloy steel for low-temperature service SH/T 3022 Design standard for anticorrosion coating of equipment and piping in petrochemical industry SH/T 3548 Code for construction and acceptance of anticorrosion engineering of petrochemical coatings TSG 21 Supervision regulation on safety technology for stationary pressure vessel TSG 92 Safety technology regulation for safety accessories of special pressure equipment YS/T 599 Super fine palladium oxide powder ISO 21013-3 Cryogenic vessels -pressure-relief accessories for cryogenic service - Part 3: Sizing and capacity determination 3 Terms, definitions, symbols and names 3.1 Terms and definitions For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in GB/T 150.1~GB/T 150.4, GB/T 4732.1~GB/T 4732.6, GB/T 18442 (all parts), GB/T 18443 (all parts) and GB/T 26929 and the following apply. 3.1.1 pressure force acting vertically on the unit surface area of the spherical tank Note: Unless otherwise indicated, it refers to gauge pressure in this document. 3.1.2 volume geometric space of the spherical tank that accommodates the medium Note: It is calculated based on the dimensions indicated on the design drawings (regardless of fabrication tolerances) and rounded off. Generally, the volume of internal components permanently connected inside the spherical tank shall be deducted. 3.1.3 operating pressure maximum pressure that may be reached at the top of the spherical tank under normal operating condition 3.1.4 design pressure set maximum pressure at the top of the spherical tank Note: Design pressure, together with the corresponding design temperature, is taken as the basic design load conditions for the spherical tank, and its value shall not be lower than the operating pressure. 3.1.5 calculation pressure pressure used, at the corresponding design temperature, to determine the thickness of the spherical shell plates or other pressure parts Note: Including additional loads such as liquid static head. 3.1.6 test pressure pressure at the top of the spherical tank during the pressure test or leakage test 3.1.7 maximum allowable working pressure; MAWP maximum pressure permitted at the top of the spherical tank at the specified corresponding temperature Note: This pressure is calculated based on the effective thickness of each pressure part of the spherical tank, taking into account all loads borne by that part, and the minimum value shall be taken. When the design documents of the spherical tank do not provide the maximum allowable working pressure, the design pressure of the spherical tank shall be considered as the maximum allowable working pressure. 3.1.8 design temperature set metal temperature of the component (the average temperature along the metal cross‑section of the component) of the spherical tank under normal operating conditions Note: The design temperature and design pressure together serve as the design load conditions. The upper limit of the design temperature is called the maximum design temperature, and the lower limit is called the minimum design temperature. 3.1.9 test temperature metal temperature of the spherical shell during the pressure test or leakage test 3.1.10 required thickness thickness calculated according to the corresponding formula in this document Note: The thickness required for other loads shall be included, if necessary (see 5.3.2). For spherical tanks subjected to external pressure, it refers to the minimum thickness satisfying the stability requirements. 3.1.11 design thickness sum of the required thickness and the corrosion allowance 3.1.12 nominal thickness sum of the design thickness and the lower deviation of the steel plate thickness, rounded up to the thickness of the standard specification for steel plates Note: This is the thickness indicated on the drawings. 3.1.13 effective thickness result of nominal thickness subtracting the corrosion allowance and the lower deviation of the steel plate thickness 3.1.14 loading factor ratio of the design storage quantity at the design temperature to the geometric volume of the spherical tank when storing liquefied gas, 3.1.15 base metal base material in composite metal 3.1.16 cladding metal cladding material in composite metal 3.1.17 crossroots weld weld between base metals 3.1.18 cladding weld weld between cladding metals 3.1.19 transition layer weld deposited metal layer with a different chemical composition or structure added between the base weld layer and the cladding weld layer, serving for transition welding 3.1.20 regenerative spherical tanks spherical tanks that store and release thermal energy 3.1.21 double-layer spherical shell structure spherical tanks spherical tanks consisting of an inner spherical shell, an outer spherical shell and an insulation layer, etc. Note: Including vacuum‑insulated double‑wall spherical tanks and bulk‑insulated double‑wall spherical tanks. 3.1.22 double-wall vacuum insulated spherical tanks spherical tanks consisting of an inner spherical shell for storing the medium and an outer spherical shell maintaining a vacuum insulation space Note: Including high‑vacuum multilayer insulated double‑wall spherical tanks and vacuum powder insulated double‑wall spherical tanks.

Contents Foreword Introduction 1 Scope 2 Normative references 3 Terms, definitions, symbols and names 4 Failure modes 5 General 6 Materials 7 Structure 8 Calculation 9 Manufacture 10 Assembly welding, inspection and acceptance Annex A (Normative) Declaration of conformity with the standard and revisions Annex B (Normative) Safety accessories, safety protection devices, instruments and auxiliary facilities Annex C (Normative) Risk assessment report Annex D (Normative) Spherical tanks designed by analysis Annex E (Normative) Low‑temperature spherical tanks Annex F (Normative) Double‑wall spherical shell structure spherical tanks Annex G (Normative) Safety technical requirements for liquefied hydrocarbon spherical tanks Annex H (Informative) Types and basic parameters of steel spherical tanks Annex I (Informative) Groove type and dimensions of butt welds of spherical shells Annex J (Informative) Classification of site categories