Hexagon Technology As

Technical Products Group, Inc.

Hexagon Technology H2 As

John Allen Eihusen

Brian Christopher Yeggy

Brad James Moutray

Norman Lynn Newhouse

Brian M Burks

John David Makinson

Joel R Johnson

Zack Prather

Tyler Perkins

Troy Otto

Nicholas N Kleinschmit

Nicholas Noel Kleinschmit

A pressure vessel assembly incudes a pressure vessel and a gas density gauge. The pressure vessel includes a vessel wall defining an interior cavity. The gas density gauge includes a parallel plate capacitor having a pair of plates. Opposing surfaces of the plates are separated by a distance across an open gap. A capacitance of the capacitor is related to a density of a gas within the open gap.

Compressed gas cylinder gas density measurement

Disclosed is a sensor for monitoring a composite structure. The sensor includes multiple sensing elements of different sizes, each configured for different respective monitoring tasks. Also disclosed are methods of fabricating the sensor, designing and manufacturing the sensor, and attaching the sensor to the composite structure.

Systems and methods for monitoring composite structure

The disclosure describes a pressure vessel having a first end with a first boss and a cylindrical portion. The vessel includes a liner, a composite shell disposed over the liner, and a first longitudinal vent disposed between the liner and the composite shell. The first longitudinal vent includes an elongated vent defining element and extends at least from the cylindrical portion of the vessel to the first boss.

Pressure vessel longitudinal vents

A boss configured for attachment to a pressure vessel includes a first bore therein and a bearing disposed at least partially within the first bore. A system for supporting a pressure vessel on a vessel mount includes a boss, a bearing, and an attachment element. The boss is attached to the pressure vessel and has a first bore therein. The bearing is disposed at least partially within the first bore and has a second bore therethrough. The attachment element is configured to be affixed to the vessel mount, wherein a portion of the attachment element extends through the second bore and is slidable within the first and second bores substantially along a longitudinal axis of the pressure vessel. A method is described for supporting a pressure vessel on a vessel mount.

Boss with internal bearing

A system and method of predicting impending failure of a pressure vessel include a pressure vessel, a fluid source, a line coupled to the pressure vessel and to the fluid source, an apparatus, a sensor and a controller. The apparatus includes a conduit and a containment structure. The containment structure includes a cavity separated from an interior of the conduit by a portion of a conduit wall of the conduit. The sensor is configured to determine a value of a physical property in the cavity. The controller is in signal communication with the sensor and configured to detect a change in the value. The method includes determining a first value of a physical property in the cavity, experiencing a failure of the conduit wall, determining a second value of the physical property in the cavity, and detecting a difference between the first and second values.

Inline cycle fuse

A boss assembly for a pressure vessel includes a boss, a fitting, a first seal and a second seal. The boss includes a bore with an inner surface and a first stop feature. The fitting is configured for at least partial insertion into the boss to prevent fluid communication between an interior and an exterior of the pressure vessel, the fitting including an outer surface and a second stop feature. Each of the first and second seals is positioned along the outer surface. The fitting is movable between first and second positions. In the first position, the first seal is sealingly engaged between the inner and outer surfaces and the second seal is not sealingly engaged therebetween. In the second position, the first seal is not sealingly engaged between the inner and outer surfaces, the second seal is sealingly engaged, and the first and second stop features mutually contact.

Blind boss fitting with redundant seal

This disclosure describes an apparatus having a valve and an elongated shape memory alloy element. The valve has a lever in a first position, whereby the valve is closed. The elongated shape memory alloy element has a first end connected to the lever. The shape memory alloy element has been strained to have a first length, wherein exposure of at least a portion of the shape memory alloy element to a temperature at or exceeding its austenite transformation temperature causes the shape memory alloy element to shorten to a second length, the second length being less than the first length, thereby causing the first end of the shape memory alloy element to pull the lever to a second position, whereby the valve is opened.

Shape memory alloy trigger for pressure relief valve

Structures for securing a fluid containment cylinder at the neck portion of the cylinder include a mounting frame having a bore disposed therein and a slot disposed orthogonally to the central axis of the bore. The neck of the cylinder passes through the bore and a u-bolt passes through the slot, registering against a shoulder on the neck of the cylinder, thereby securing the cylinder within the block. In other embodiments, the securing structure includes a collar for preventing rotation of the cylinder or for accommodating a certain degree of misalignment of the cylinder with respect to the securement structure.

Method and apparatus for mounting a fluid containment cylinder

A thermally responsive pressure relief system is provided for a receptacle such as a pressure vessel. The system includes a thermally responsive pressure relief device on the vessel at a given location in communication with the interior of the vessel for venting the vessel in response to the pressure relief device being subjected to a given excess temperature. A heat pipe has one end thermally coupled to the pressure relief device and extends therefrom to a location remote from the given location. The heat pipe rapidly transmits heat from the remote location to the pressure relief device for venting the vessel in response to an excess temperature at the remote location.

Growing community of inventors

Lincoln, NE, United States of America

John Allen Eihusen