Plastic Omnium New Energies France

Plastic Omnium Advanced Innovation and Research

Plastic Omnium New Energies

Geert Nouwen

Axel Seifert

Bjorn Criel

Philippe Willems

Dries Devisscher

Els Mahieu

Khanh-Hung Nguyen

A pressure vessel including an internal fluid storage chamber, and an outer composite structure enclosing or encasing the internal fluid storage chamber. The outer composite structure has a thickness containing both helical layers and hoop layers of reinforcing fibers, wherein at least 20% of a combined thickness of all of the helical layers are located within a 25% innermost thickness of the outer composite structure. The internal fluid storage chamber is defined by a liner including a generally cylindrical central portion having a first outer diameter at a first longitudinal end, and a first dome-shaped longitudinal end portion having a base portion and a first intermediate portion located between the generally cylindrical central portion and the base portion for connecting the first longitudinal end of the generally cylindrical central portion to the base portion of the first dome-shaped longitudinal end portion.

Pressure vessel with optimized outer composite structure

A reinforcement element, suitable for composite pressure vessel, may be configured to be inserted and to fill in a hollow shaft of a plastic liner of the composite pressure vessel, the hollow shaft connecting opposite walls of the liner. The reinforcement element may include a central part and two external parts constituted by a plurality of continuous fibres impregnated with a first resin. The central part of the reinforcement element may have a dimension substantially equal to the dimension of the hollow shaft and being a full part. The two external parts may be able to be unfolded and fixed on the external surface of opposite walls of the liner. A composite pressure vessel may include such a reinforcement element.

Composite pressure vessel with reinforcement element

A plastic tank liner for the storage of a pressurized fluid includes: two ends; two elongated cylindrical sections, the two cylindrical sections having different diameters; and one connecting section connecting the two cylindrical sections. The connecting section has a concave portion connected to the cylindrical section of smaller diameter, and a convex portion adjacent to the cylindrical section of larger diameter. The convex portion has an isotensoid shape. Two convex domes are located on both ends of the plastic tank liner so that each of the domes is connected to a different cylindrical section.

Tank liner having two cylindrical sections

A composite pressure vessel includes: a body including an inner liner which includes a cylindrical portion extending along a longitudinal axis, and which is made of a thermoplastic polymer material; and an outer thermoset reinforcing structure wrapped around the body and made of a continuous fiber reinforced thermoset matrix composite, including reinforcing fibers and a thermoset matrix. The body further includes a thermoplastic reinforcement layer made of a continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite, including reinforcing fiber and a thermoplastic matrix, which is adhered to the cylindrical portion of the inner liner.

Composite pressure vessel with reinforced inner liner and process for the production thereof

A pressure vessel for storing a fluid at high pressure includes: a liner and a composite laminate shell coupled to an outer surface of the liner. The liner has an inner surface delineating an inner wall of a cavity and the cavity includes a dome-shaped region having a central opening. An access channel is traversing the composite laminate shell for providing an access to the cavity. The central opening is facing an entrance of the access channel. A boss connector, located or partly located within the access channel, includes an inner bore part configured for receiving a valve or a plug, and an outer neck part including a plurality of interspaced rib elements protruding into the composite laminate shell for optimizing a pressure distribution in the laminate shell.

Growing community of inventors

Alken, Belgium

Geert Nouwen