HYBRID PRESSURE VESSEL WITH PLASTIC LINER

• US 20200132252A1
• Filed: 10/23/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amtrol Licensing Inc. (Worthington Enterprises, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amtrol Licensing Inc. (Worthington Enterprises, Inc.)
• Inventors: SILVA VIEIRA, PEDRO ALEXANDRE QUEIROS OLIVEIRA, OLIVEIRA, CARLOS ALBERTO, REGO DE OLIVEIRA, TIAGO TEIXEIRA
• Granted Patent: US 11,293,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 1/02 involving reinforcing arrangements F17C1/14, F17C1/16 take precedence
• 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 13/00 Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/04 Arrangement or mounting of valves valves per se F16K ; snap-coupling of nipples F16L37/00
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/032 with substantially vertical main axis
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/056 Small (<1 m3)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/011 Reinforcing means
• 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 2203/0629 Two walls
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/066 Plastics
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0663 in form of fibers or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0675 with details of composition
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0115 Dismountable protective hulls
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0165 with handgrip
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0169 stackable
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0176 with ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0192 : with external bearing means
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0196 : with shock absorbing means
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0305 : Bosses, e.g. boss collars
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0323 : Valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/05 : Vessel or content identifications, e.g. labels
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/054 : by bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/057 : by chips
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/058 : by Radio Frequency Identification
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2209/2118 : by injection
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2209/2154 : Winding
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2209/221 : Welding
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2209/232 : of walls
• 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 2223/035 : High pressure (>10 bar)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/036 : Very high pressure (>80 bar)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/012 : Reducing weight
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/032 : Avoiding freezing or defrosting
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/036 : Avoiding leaks
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/048 : Refurbishing
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0168 : by vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 : Hydrogen storage

Abstract

The innovation described herein generally pertains to a system and method related to a pressure vessel including a tank formed of an injected tank liner with co-injected boss and permeation barrier film surrounded by a layer of thermoplastic composite filament winding and a protective jacket disposed thereon that facilitates stacking and portability of the pressure vessel and provides an air passage for convective heat transfer between the tank and the environment.

Claims

1. A pressure vessel, comprising:

a tank, including;

i) a tank liner fabricated from thermoplastic material;

ii) a valve fitting assembly; and

ii) an outer reinforcing layer disposed on the tank liner, the outer reinforcing layer defining at least a portion of an outer surface of the tank; and

a protective jacket adapted to surround and engage the tank, the protective jacket including;

i) an upper support rim defining a top aperture, wherein the valve fitting assembly extends through the top aperture, and a space between the upper support rim and the valve fitting assembly defines a first airflow opening;

ii) a lower support rim having a second airflow opening therethrough; and

iii) a substantially cylindrical wall connecting the upper support rim to the lower support rim, the wall defining an inner surface disposed radially outwardly from the outer surface of the tank, the inner surface of the wall and the outer surface of the tank cooperating to define a flow channel in fluid communication with the first airflow opening and the second airflow opening, wherein the first and second airflow openings and flow channel are adapted to permit a convective flow to pass therethrough to facilitate heat transfer between the tank and an environment in which the pressure vessel is situated.

2. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the tank liner includes a first endcap and a second endcap, wherein the first and second endcaps are injected Polymeric domes circumferentially welded, and having a barrier film to increase impermeability.

3. The pressure vessel of claim 2, wherein the tank liner further comprises a boss co-injected on one of the first endcap or the second endcap.

4. The pressure vessel of claim 2, wherein the barrier film includes multiple layers.

5. The pressure vessel of claim 4, wherein the barrier film includes at least one layer comprising polyethylene, at least one layer comprising polyamide, and a layer comprising ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH).

6. The pressure vessel of claim 5, wherein the layer comprising EVOH has a thickness greater than or equal to 8 micrometers.

7. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the protective jacket is separable into at least two sections.

8. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the protective jacket includes at least one handle and wherein the lower support rim includes a base configured and is adapted to form a non-permanent mating engagement with the at least one handle of another pressure vessel when stacking multiple pressure vessels.

9. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the outer reinforcing layer includes a thermoplastic matrix with glass fiber reinforcement.

10. The pressure vessel of claim 9, wherein the thermoplastic material includes polypropylene.

11. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the tank liner includes a substantially cylindrical tube defining first and second rims and opposing dome shaped first and second endcaps secured to the first and second rims of the tube.

12. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the tank liner includes opposing dome shaped first and second endcaps secured directly to each other.

13. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the tank liner includes a co-injected boss for receiving the valve fitting assembly therein.

14. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the flow channel is substantially annular.

15. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the first airflow opening encircles the valve fitting assembly.

16. A method of manufacturing a pressure vessel comprising:

a) fabricating a tank liner with at least one boss co-injected, wherein the tank liner includes a first endcap and a second endcap, and the boss is on one of the first endcap or the second endcap;

b) utilizing an in-mould barrier film in the injection process while fabricating the tank liner;

d) creating a reinforcing layer on the tank liner with a composite material made of at least one of thermoplastic or glass onto the tank liner under application of at least one of heat or pressure to form a tank having an outer surface;

e) encasing the tank liner having the reinforcing layer with a protective jacket having an upper support rim removably coupled to a lower support rim; and

d) storing a gas material in a volume of the tank liner protected by the reinforcing layer and protective jacket.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the protective jacket includes:

i) an upper support rim defining a top aperture, wherein the valve fitting assembly extends through the top aperture, and a space between the upper support rim and the valve fitting assembly defines a first airflow opening;

ii) a lower support rim having a second airflow opening therethrough; and

iii) a substantially cylindrical wall connecting the upper support rim to the lower support rim, the wall defining an inner surface disposed radially outwardly from the outer surface of the tank, the inner surface of the wall and the outer surface of the tank cooperating to define a substantially annular flow channel in fluid communication with the first airflow opening and the second airflow opening, wherein the first and second openings and flow channel are adapted to permit a convective flow to pass therethrough to facilitate heat transfer between the tank and an environment in which the pressure vessel is situated.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the barrier film includes at least one layer comprising polyethylene, at least one layer comprising polyamide, and a layer comprising ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH).

19. The pressure vessel of claim 18, wherein the layer comprising EVOH has a thickness greater than or equal to 8 micrometers.

20. A pressure vessel comprising:

a) a tank including a tank liner constructed from a thermoplastic material having a boss co-injected therewith, a valve fitting assembly coupled with the boss, a reinforcing layer disposed on the tank liner, a top region, a bottom region disposed opposite the top region, and a middle region disposed between the top region and the bottom region;

b) a protective jacket surrounding the tank, the protective jacket including an upper support rim that defines a top aperture, wherein the valve fitting assembly extends through the top aperture such that a space between the upper support rim and the valve fitting assembly defines a first airflow opening, and the protective jacket further including a second airflow opening in fluid communication with the first airflow opening, wherein the protective jacket is spaced apart radially from the middle region; and

c) means for directing a downward convective airflow between the middle region of the tank and the protective jacket, wherein the means for directing a flow are in fluid communication with an ambient environment external to the pressure vessel via the at least one upper vent and the at least one lower vent.