PRESSURE VESSEL LINER VENTING VIA NANOTEXTURED SURFACE

• US 20180363853A1
• Filed: 08/28/2018
• Published: 12/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hexagon Technology AS
• Original Assignee: Hexagon Technology AS
• Inventors: Newhouse, Norman L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,677,390 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 13/00 Etching, surface-brightening or pickling compositions for glass C03C15/00, C03C25/66; for mortars, concrete, artificial or natural stone or ceramics C04B41/5338 ; for metallic material C23F, C23G1/00, C25F1/00; for semi-conductors H01L
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/00 Etching metallic material by chemical means manufacture of printing surfaces B41C; manufacture of printed circuits H05K
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 4/04 by physical dissolution
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 1/06 built-up from wound-on bands or filamentary material, e.g. wires
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 1/16 constructed of plastics materials shaping of plastics B29C
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/002 for vessels under pressure F17C13/008 and F17C13/02 - F17C13/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/056 Small (<1 m3)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0604 Liners
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0619 with two layers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0621 with three layers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0636 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/066 Plastics
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0663 in form of fibers or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/067 helically wound
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0305 Bosses, e.g. boss collars
• 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 2221/014 : Nitrogen
• 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 2223/033 : Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/035 : High pressure (>10 bar)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/011 : Improving strength
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/037 : Handling leaked fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/038 : Detecting leaked fluid
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 : Hydrogen storage

Abstract

A pressure vessel has a first end with a first boss, the first boss having a first outer surface. The vessel includes a liner having a second outer surface, a shell disposed over the second outer surface, and a first vent. The first vent is formed onto at least a portion of the first outer surface and at least a portion of the second outer surface. The first vent includes a texture that provides a higher rate of gas flow through the first vent than through a portion of an interface of the liner and shell lacking the texture. In another aspect, a pressure vessel has a first end and a second end, a plurality of first longitudinal vents and a plurality of second longitudinal vents. At least one of first longitudinal vents is circumferentially offset around the pressure vessel from at least one of the second longitudinal vents.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A pressure vessel including:

a liner having an outer surface;

a shell disposed over the outer surface; and

a vent formed onto at least a portion of the outer surface, the vent including a texture that provides a higher rate of gas flow through the vent than through a portion of an interface of the liner and shell lacking the texture.

22. The pressure vessel of claim 21 wherein the vent includes a nanotextured portion of the outer surface.

23. The pressure vessel of claim 21 wherein the vent is elongated.

24. The pressure vessel of claim 23 wherein the vent is aligned substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the pressure vessel.

25. The pressure vessel of claim 21 wherein the pressure vessel has a cylindrical portion, and wherein the vent extends at least from the cylindrical portion to an end of the pressure vessel.

26. The pressure vessel of claim 25 wherein the vent extends at least to a longitudinal midpoint of the pressure vessel.

27. The pressure vessel of claim 21 wherein an end of the vent is disposed on a neck of a boss.

28. The pressure vessel of claim 21 wherein an end of the vent is open to the atmosphere.

29. The pressure vessel of claim 21 wherein the texture includes a plurality of peaks and valleys, and wherein a distance between adjacent peaks is in a range between about 5 micrometers and about 20 micrometers.

30. A pressure vessel having a first end and a second end, the vessel including:

a liner having an outer surface;

a shell disposed over the outer surface;

a first longitudinal vent formed onto a first portion of the outer surface and including a texture that provides a higher rate of gas flow through the first longitudinal vent than through a portion of an interface of the liner and shell lacking the texture; and

a second longitudinal vent formed onto a second portion of the outer surface and including the texture, which provides a higher rate of gas flow through the second longitudinal vent than through a portion of the interface lacking the texture;

wherein the first longitudinal vent is circumferentially offset around the pressure vessel from the second longitudinal vent.

31. The pressure vessel of claim 30 wherein at least one of the longitudinal vents is aligned substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the pressure vessel.

32. The pressure vessel of claim 30 wherein at least one of the first and second longitudinal vents includes a nanotextured portion on a boss.

33. The pressure vessel of claim 30 wherein the pressure vessel has a cylindrical portion, and wherein at least one of the first or second longitudinal vents extends at least from the cylindrical portion to a boss.

34. The pressure vessel of claim 30 wherein an end of at least one of the first or second longitudinal vents is disposed on a neck of a boss.

35. The pressure vessel of claim 30 wherein an end of at least one of the first or second longitudinal vents is open to the atmosphere.

36. The pressure vessel of claim 30 wherein at least one of the longitudinal vents extends at least to a longitudinal midpoint of the pressure vessel.

37. The pressure vessel of claim 30 wherein the texture includes a plurality of peaks and valleys, and wherein a distance between adjacent peaks is in a range between about 5 micrometers and about 20 micrometers.

38. A method for forming a pressure vessel including:

forming a liner having an outer surface;

imparting a texture on a portion of the outer surface to form a vent; and

forming a shell over the outer surface;

wherein the vent is configured to allow a higher rate of gas flow therethrough than through a portion of an interface of the liner and shell lacking the texture.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein imparting the texture includes laser etching.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein imparting the texture includes chemical etching.