WIRE WRAPPED PRESSURE VESSELS

• US 20090095796A1
• Filed: 09/23/2008
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WireTough Cylinders, LLC
• Original Assignee: WireTough Cylinders, LLC
• Inventors: Prakash, Amit
• Granted Patent: US 9,939,108 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 228/184
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 1/06 built-up from wound-on bands or filamentary material, e.g. wires
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/035 with substantially horizontal main axis
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/054 medium (>1 m3)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/056 Small (<1 m3)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/058 portable (<30 l)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/012 on or in the wall, e.g. ribs
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0604 Liners
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0619 with two layers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0636 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0639 Steels
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0646 Aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0656 in form of filaments
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0658 Synthetics
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/066 Plastics
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0663 in form of fibers or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2209/2154 Winding
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/011 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/012 Hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/033 Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/035 : Propane butane, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0123 : gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0153 : Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/036 : Very high pressure (>80 bar)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/011 : Improving strength
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/012 : Reducing weight
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/042 : Reducing risk of explosion
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/053 : Reducing corrosion
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0168 : by vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0186 : in the air or in space
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 : Hydrogen storage

Abstract

A pressure vessel (2) for the storage of fluid has a core (10) made of metal or polymer and is wrapped either completely or partially from outside with a high strength fibers (21, 22) for reinforcement wherein one of the reinforcing fibers is a metal wire (21) of a single filament or cables of multi filaments having strength from 2000 MPa to 6000 MPa. The wire has a plastic ductility of over 20% in reduction in area (RA) at tensile fracture. The metal wire (21) is made of steel or nickel or titanium or their respective alloys. The core (10) of the vessel (2) is first wrapped with a resin covered ceramic fibers such as carbon, fiberglass and subsequently wrapped with the metal wire (21) with or without other fibers (22). The metal wires (21) can be of different diameters in parallel or cabled forms.

Claims

1. A pressure vessel for the storage of fluid comprising a core made of metal or polymer and is wrapped either completely or partially from outside with a high strength fibers for reinforcement and where one of the reinforcing fiber is a metal wires and/or its cables of strength from 2000 MPa to 6000 MPa and where the wire has a plastic ductility of over 20% in reduction in area (RA) at tensile fracture and the metal wire is made of steel or nickel or titanium or their respective alloys.

2. The pressure vessel of claim 1 wherein the core liner of the vessel is first wrapped with a resin covered ceramic fibers such as carbon, fiberglass and subsequently wrapped with a metal wire with or without other fibers.

3. The pressure vessel of claim 1 wherein metal wires are of different diameters in parallel or cabled forms.

4. The pressure vessel of claim 1 wherein the wire is made of steel and its alloys, in diameter range 0.05 mm to 2.5 mm, strength 2000 to 4200 MPa, RA ductility of over 20% and are of round, flat, oval or flat with rounded corner shapes.

5. The pressure vessel of claim 1 wherein the wires are plated with copper, zinc, tin, brass or nickel.

6. The pressure vessel of claim 1 wherein the metal wire wrap runs substantially circumferentially on the cylindrical portion of the vessel only.

7. The pressure vessel of claim 1 wherein the wrap comprises of one or more substantially flat tapes, each tape having multiple metal wire filaments with or without other fibers all running substantially parallel to each other.

8. The pressure vessel of claim 1 wherein the winding density of reinforcing wires is higher on inner layers compared to outer layers with respect to the core of the vessel.

9. The pressure vessel of claim 1 wherein the inner wraps on a cylindrical section of the vessel extends farther along the longitudinal axis of the vessel compared to subsequent outer wraps.

10. The pressure vessel of claim 1 wherein the metal wires are covered with a polymer having more than 5% elongation at break.

11. A pressure vessel of claim 1 wherein the metal wires are covered with a polymer having metal powders such as zinc or aluminum which provide cathodic corrosion protection.

12. The pressure vessel of claim 1 wherein multiple metal wires and cables are calendered in a rubber or polymer, proper width cut and wrapped over the core of the pressure vessel with wires running substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vessel and wherein the start and end lines of the calendered treatment has an over lap of over 5 cm.

13. The pressure vessel of claim 1 wherein multiple metal wires and cables are calendered in a rubber or polymer, proper length cut and wrapped over the core of the pressure vessel with wires running approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vessel.

14. The pressure vessel of claim 1 wherein two or more rings of metal or polymer are placed on the core to facilitate winding and retention of wrap fibers.

15. The pressure vessel of claim 1 wherein polymer or metal ferrules are used to retain the starting and finishing portions of the wrap fiber.

16. The pressure vessel of claim 1 wherein the core is made of a polymer or metal and is coated or plated with copper or nickel from inside.

17. The pressure vessel of claim 1 wherein the core is made of a steel alloy having 0.2 to 1.5% chromium and is coated or plated with copper or nickel from inside.

18. The pressure vessel of claim 1 wherein the core comprises multiple segments all assembled by a brazing process wherein the brazing is conducted at a temperature substantially below the melting temperature of the core metal by using a brazing alloy and wherein joints are of an overlap type.

19. The pressure vessel comprising:

a core made of steel, titanium alloy, aluminum alloy or polymer, wherein the core is plated from inside with copper or nickel or an alloy of copper or nickel to retard damage from hydrogen and other environment.

20. The pressure vessel comprising:

the core is made of steel or steel alloys and wherein the core has a cathodic protection applied by the use of an aluminum alloy sheet or wire or wire net in electrical or conductive contact with the outer surface of the metal tank and subsequently wrapped with high strength fibers