Pressure vessels are specialized containers used to store or transport gases and liquids under pressure, either significantly higher or lower than the surrounding atmospheric pressure. These containers are highly regulated and must meet strict safety standards to ensure they can withstand the extreme pressures they are subject to. Examples of pressure vessels include boilers, compressed air tanks, propane tanks, heat exchangers, and chemical reactors. In addition to steel, pressure vessels can also be made from aluminum or composite materials. Pressure vessels can be either spherical or cylindrical in shape and range in size from small tanks one person can carry to massive industrial vessels several stories tall. Regardless of their size or shape, all pressure vessels share one common goal: safely contain their contents at high pressures. Pressure vessels are used on space vehicles to store a variety of consumable commodities in liquid or gaseous form over a wide range of pressures and temperatures. The stored commodities can be used as pressuring, propellants, pneumatic gases, hydraulic fluids, power reactants, coolants, purge gases, or sources of breathable atmosphere. The pressure vessels themselves can be designed with any geometry; however, due to packaging efficiency and manufacturing considerations, they are typically spherical or cylindrical in shape and designed primarily for the storage of pressurized fluids.

Damage Mechanisms Affecting Fixed Equipment in the Refining Industry, is a recommended practice developed and published by the American Petroleum Institute (API) that provides an in-depth look at nearly 70 different damage mechanisms that can occur to process equipment in refineries. According to the third edition of this recommended practice, its purpose is “to describe the wide variety of service-induced damage and deterioration mechanisms, including corrosion and other types of metallurgical damage, that are most likely to affect the condition of the materials of construction commonly used in refinery equipment.” However, much of the information included in this document can also be applied to petrochemical and other industrial applications, as the user deems appropriate. API RP 571 was originally published in 2003, and the third edition was released in March of 2020. This RP is intended to supplement API RP 580, API RP 581, and API RP 579, and is nearly 400 pages long.

<div> Types of Industrial Pumps Used in the Oil and Gas Industry </div> <div> Various types of industrial pumps are utilized for fluid transfer in the oil and gas industry. Pumps used in O&G can be classified based on their design and construction and generally fall into 6 major categories: </div> <div> <span>Centrifugal pumps</span> </div> <div> Reciprocating plunger pumps </div> <div> Progressive Cavity pumps </div> <div> Gear Pumps </div> <div> Diaphragm pumps </div> <div> Metering pumps </div> <div> <span>1. Centrifugal Pumps</span> </div> <div> Centrifugal pumps are the most common types of pumps used in the oil and gas industry. Centrifugal pumps use centrifugal force through the rotation of the pump impeller to draw fluid into the intake of the pump and force it through the discharge section via centrifugal force. The flow through the pump is controlled by discharge flow control valves. </div> <div> <span>Single stage centrifugal pumps are primarily used for transferring low-viscosity fluids that require high flow rates. They are typically used as part of a larger pump network comprising other centrifugal pumps like horizontal multistage pump units for crude oil shipping or water injection pumps used in secondary oil and gas recovery.</span> </div>

Joint efficiency is a factor required in all head and shell calculations that accounts for how closely a finished weld joint approximates the quality of the seamless parent material. Without further inspection it is assumed the welded joint is weaker than the material around it due to potential defects such as porosity, slag inclusions, and others. Shell thickness and therefore weld quantity is increased to account for this reduction in strength. Code welders following a qualified weld procedure are tested to weld a finished joint that maintains 100% of the parent material strength, but without further testing the allowed strength of a production joint is reduced to 70%. For some design conditions, such as lethal service, the Code requires the designer to specify full radiography. However, when not required, the designer can specify optional radiographic examination to increase joint efficiency and reduce the required thickness of shells and heads. The designer weighs the material and welding costs against inspection costs to determine which course is best suited for the application.  The figures below show the ASME VIII-1 joint efficiency values based on Type 1 joints (butt joints fully welded from both sides or equivalent) and degree of radiographic examination. The information is generated using the radiography logic diagrams and samples from Part 7 of PTB-4-2013 ASME Section VIII – Division 1 Example Problem Manual – the PTB-4 ‘E7.1’ through ‘E7.4’ example numbers are indicated where applicable. Radiography test is a nondestructive testing method of inspecting some hidden cracks in the material by using radio magnetic radiation to penetrate through the materials. The purpose is to ensure the structural integrity of the weld joint. As per ASME, there are four types of Radiography test (RT), i.e. RT1, RT2, RT3 and RT4. Joint efficiency is the number used to define welded joint strength which basically depends on the RT type. This Joint efficiency plays a vital role in determining the thickness of the pressure vessel components in Mechanical calculation. For RT1 and RT2 joint efficiency is 1.0, for RT3 efficiency is 0.85 and for RT4 efficiency is 0.70. The Weld Joint Category is how each weld on a Pressure Vessel Engineering is classified to a Joint category, based on the criticality. As per ASME there are four types of weld joint categories, Category A, Category B, Category C, and Category D. Now we can see how these three are interlinked as per ASME Sec VIII Div.1 As per ASME Sec VIII Div.1 the RT type 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 will be selected based on the type of weld joint category A or B or C or D. In turn the type of RT 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 will decide the Joint efficiency value 1.0 or 0.85 or 0.7. So this is how the Radiography test, Joint efficiency and Weld Joint category are interlinked as per ASME Sec VIII Div.1. To give an example, we have detailed the RT type with Joint efficiency based on weld category. Category A and D butt welds shall be fully radiography (RT1) hence the Joint efficiency is 1.0. Category B and C butt welds shall be spot radiography (RT3) hence the joint efficiency is 0.85. This is because longitudinal joints are more critical than circumferential joints. In general, heads connecting with shell will fall on Category B (RT-3 Spot Radiography), however in case of hemispherical head, the head with shell joint will fall on Category A (RT-2 full radiography), because this joint is more critical or it will be under double stress.

<div> Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a source of clean energy with stable long-term supplies that was first </div> <div> introduced into Japan in 1969. Since that time, sixty-six in-ground tanks for the storage of LNG, with a total </div> <div> capacity of 5,540,000 kiloliters, have been constructed in the country. Rapid developments in the technology </div> <div> used to construct these in-ground tanks, including the introduction of the super-deep slurry wall method and </div> <div> large-scale vertical NATM, have led to ever-increasing storage capacity — rising from 10,000 kiloliters in </div> <div> the early days to 200,000 kiloliters today. Completely buried tanks with concrete dome roofs have been </div> <div> constructed, and today’s technology is such that tanks with rigid side wall to bottom connections are being </div> <div> constructed in large numbers for cost reduction while enhancing reliability and safety. This paper describes </div> <div> trends in LNG tank technology and the latest technological developments, as achieved by the author in his </div> <div> work at Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. </div> <div> <br> </div> <div> Keywords: LNG in-ground tank; slurry wall; reinforced concrete dome roof; prestressed concrete; </div> <div> non-linear analysis; self-compacting concrete; rigid connection between side wall and bottom slab </div> <div> <br> </div>

This paper examines the role of human capital and organizational culture in promoting innovation in small and medium-sized companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a specific focus on mentoring and informal education, career development, external communication with clients, and the formalization of internal processes. The aim is to determine which internal organizational factors most effectively stimulate innovative behavior in the context of a transition economy. The study applies a quantitative research design based on a structured questionnaire distributed to managers in 304 SMEs across different sectors. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation, multiple and logistic regression, and comparative group tests, supported by visual data representations. The results reveal that mentoring, informal education, external client communication, and formalized procedures have a significant positive impact on innovation, whereas career paths and coaching do not exibit statistical significance. These findings highlight the importance of interpersonal knowledge transfer, customer-driven innovation, and structured processes in building an innovative organizational culture. Theoretical implications include the integration of human capital and organizational culture perspectives into SME innovation literature, while practical implications suggest that managers should invest in internal mentoring systems, informal learning opportunities, and simplified but clear internal procedures. The study is limited to SMEs operating in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with sectoral distribution potentially affecting generalizability. Data are based on self-reported perceptions, which may introduce bias. Future studies should expand to comparative regional analyses and include longitudinal data. This research contributes to the relatively scarce empirical evidence on innovation drivers in SMEs in transition economies, by integrating human capital and organizational culture perspectives. It offers actionable recommendations for managers and policymakers to enhance innovation capacity without relying solely on costly R&D investments.

Introduction: Coinfection with HIV and tuberculosis (TB) represents a significant clinical and public health challenge, as tuberculosis remains one of the leading opportunistic infections among people living with HIV. Immunosuppression caused by HIV infection increases the risk of developing active tuberculosis as well as disseminated and severe clinical forms of the disease. The aim: This study aimed to analyze the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of HIV-tuberculosis coinfection among patients treated at a tertiary care center in the Republic of Srpska. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted, including patients diagnosed with HIV infection between 2016 and 2026 who were treated at the Clinic for Infectious Diseases, University Clinical Center of the Republic of Srpska. Demographic data, clinical characteristics, CD4 lymphocyte counts, the presence of active or latent tuberculosis, comorbidities, and treatment outcomes were analyzed. Results: The study included 103 patients with HIV infection. Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection was confirmed in 21 patients (20.38%). Active tuberculosis was diagnosed in 5 patients (4.85%), while latent tuberculosis infection was identified in 16 patients (15.53%) using the IGRA test. All patients with active tuberculosis were male, predominantly aged 20-40 years, with a mean CD4 lymphocyte count of 48 cells/µL. The most common clinical form was cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis. Latent tuberculosis was more frequently detected in patients aged 40-60 years, with a mean CD4 count of 295 cells/µL. Conclusion: Although the overall prevalence of tuberculosis among people living with HIV is relatively low, coinfection remains a significant clinical challenge due to its association with advanced immunosuppression and severe clinical forms of disease. Early screening for latent tuberculosis and timely initiation of preventive therapy represents key strategies for reducing morbidity and mortality in this population.

Introduction: Respiratory manifestations of ANCA vasculitis (manifestations of the upper and lower respiratory tract) are a common clinical presentation of this type of vasculitis. The aim: Show the frequency and type of respiratory manifestations in 3 clinical presentations of ANCA vasculitis as well as the impact on patient survival (1-year, 3-year and 5-year) for all patients together as well as the differences in survival in 3 clinical presentations of ANCA vasculitis. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 27 patients with ANCA vasculitis who were admitted to the nephrology department of the Internal Medicine Clinic of the University Clinical Center in the period from 2007-2023. The clinical presentations of ANCA vasculitis, differences in the involvement of individual organ systems between the 3 most important clinical presentations, respiratory manifestations of the disease and their impact on patient survival were analyzed. Results: There were 27 patients, 14 men and 13 women, the average age of patients at the time of diagnosis of the disease was 57. 8 years. The follow-up time was from 8 months to 16 years. The clinical presentation of patients with ANCA vasculitis was microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) in 17 patients, granulomatosis with angiitis (GPA) in 7 patients and isolated renal vasculitis in 4 patients. 13 patients had respiratory manifestations of the disease, 3 with manifestations of the upper respiratory tract, 10 with pulmonary manifestations, 3 with the most severe clinical picture of pulmonary syndrome. Fatal outcome because there were 4 patients, all with MPA. Cumulative 1-year, 3-year and 5-year survival times were 96. 3%, 92% and 88. 2%. Conclusion: Respiratory manifestations of the disease at the time of diagnosis of ANCA vasculitis did not have a statistically significant effect on patient survival. There was no significant difference in survival in the 3 clinical presentations of ANCA vasculitis.

The paper examines the role of revolutionary and mass songs in music instruction and musical activities in elementary schools in PR/SR Bosnia and Herzegovina. Although the educational system underwent various reform processes that affected the curriculum of music lessons, the revolutionary songs retained their continuity. Drawing on research of the archival materials, curricula in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1948-1980), and songbooks, we present some of the revolutionary songs included in the children’s repertoire, as well as compositions inspired by the national liberation struggle by Yugoslav and Bosnian-Herzegovinian composers. The paper aims to highlight the importance of this repertoire for shaping the musical identity of elementary school students in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Artificial intelligence systems increasingly shape not only what information citizens access but the interpretive frameworks through which they perceive public affairs, posing a governance challenge that public administration scholarship has yet to theorise. Through conceptual and normative analysis, the paper develops the construct of perceptual infrastructure – the cognitive and informational substrate of democratic deliberation – drawing on information theory, public administration and regulatory-governance scholarship, and tests it against the EU regulatory architecture. The analysis shows that the algorithmic construction of perceptual frameworks constitutes a distinct governance domain that the EU AI Act and the Digital Services Act do not reach, owing primarily to a regulatory omission rather than an implementation deficit: existing provisions take systems, use cases and identifiable harms as their object, not the cumulative, longitudinal construction of perception. An accountability framework is proposed – incorporating aggregate transparency, perceptual sovereignty as a citizen right, proportional responsibility and meta-perceptual literacy – with concrete implications for administrative accountability, regulatory capacity and democratic resilience.