Flexible material testing device, system and method

Abstract

The invention relates to a flexible material testing device, system and method, and relates to the technical field of underground engineering. The device comprises a barrel body, a sealing cover and a movable cylinder, wherein the barrel is cylindrical, an air outlet is formed in the bottom of the barrel, and the sealing cover is matched with an opening of the barrel; an air inlet hole is formed in the sealing cover; the movable cylinder is arranged in the barrel, and a connecting rod is arranged at the bottom of the movable cylinder and penetrates through the air outlet to be exposed out of the barrel. The target flexible material is cylindrical, the interiors of preset areas at the upper end and the lower end of the cylinder are coated with viscous materials, the preset area at the upper end of the target flexible material is bonded with the inner wall of the cylinder body through the viscous materials, and the preset area at the lower end of the target flexible material is bonded with the inner wall of the movable cylinder. The space of the barrel is divided into a first space and a second space which are relatively independent. According to the invention, the tensile test can be repeatedly carried out on the flexible material.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of underground engineering technology, and in particular to a flexible material testing device, system and method. Background Technology

[0002] Large-scale energy storage technology is crucial for addressing the issues of wind and solar power curtailment, significantly improving the absorption of renewable energy, and promoting the shift of the primary energy source from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Among these technologies, compressed air energy storage is considered the most promising physical energy storage technology, characterized by its large scale, low cost, long lifespan, and environmental friendliness. Furthermore, it involves the storage and conversion of multiple energy forms, including cold, heat, and electricity, facilitating the coupling of various thermal systems and improving operational flexibility and system efficiency.

[0003] Traditional compressed air energy storage compresses and stores air using excess electrical energy. When electricity is needed, the high-pressure stored air drives an expander to perform work, while fuel is used to heat the high-pressure stored air before it enters the expander to increase power density. In recent years, many scholars have proposed high-pressure air storage technology using artificial chambers and flexible sealing materials to reduce the limitations imposed by geographical conditions on compressed air energy storage systems, improve the airtightness of gas storage facilities, and promote their large-scale application. For high-pressure air storage technology using artificial chambers and flexible sealing materials, the load generated by the high underground air pressure is mainly borne by the surrounding rock. However, the geological structure of rock layers inevitably contains discontinuous structures such as joints and fissures, making it impossible to achieve a complete seal of compressed air. For artificial caves with concrete lining, cyclical pressure and temperature loads can easily cause cracks in the hard and brittle lining layer, leading to seal failure. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a sealing layer that is low-cost, easy to install, has strong sealing performance, and meets mechanical performance requirements. In particular, it is necessary to verify the sealing performance of the sealing layer under tension and with cracks appearing on the base surface to prevent gas storage leakage and expand the application scenarios of artificial underground compressed air energy storage chambers. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Embodiments of this disclosure provide a flexible material testing apparatus, system, and method.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a flexible material testing device, comprising: a cylinder, a sealing cap, and a movable cylinder; wherein the cylinder is cylindrical with an air outlet at the bottom, and the sealing cap is adapted to the opening of the cylinder; the sealing cap has an air inlet; the movable cylinder is disposed inside the cylinder, and a connecting rod is provided at the bottom of the movable cylinder, the connecting rod passing through the air outlet and protruding from the cylinder; the target flexible material is cylindrical, and an adhesive material is coated in preset areas at the upper and lower ends of the cylinder, the upper preset area of ​​the target flexible material is adhered to the inner wall of the cylinder by the adhesive material, and the lower preset area of ​​the target flexible material is adhered to the inner wall of the movable cylinder, thereby dividing the space of the cylinder into a relatively independent first space and a second space by the target flexible material.

[0006] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a flexible material testing system, comprising: a flexible material testing apparatus as described in the first aspect, an air supply device, a pressure monitoring device, and a water storage tank; the air supply device is connected to the air inlet of the flexible material testing apparatus and is used to supply gas into the flexible material testing apparatus to increase the air pressure inside the flexible material testing apparatus; the pressure monitoring device is disposed inside the flexible material testing apparatus and is used to monitor the air pressure inside the flexible material testing apparatus; the water storage tank contains water, and the pressurized flexible material testing apparatus is placed inside the water storage tank.

[0007] Thirdly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a flexible material testing method applied to a flexible material testing system as described in the second aspect. The method includes: determining the tensile length during the test based on the target flexible material; determining the thickness of the buffer material based on the tensile length; performing preset operations on the flexible material testing device based on the thickness to carry out the test; determining the length of the connecting rod exposing the pores during the test; and determining the tensile properties of the target flexible material based on the length.

[0008] By applying the technical solution disclosed herein, the performance of flexible materials can be repeatedly tested, thereby enabling the monitoring of the airtightness of flexible materials under high-pressure air.

[0009] It should be understood that the description in this section is not intended to identify key or essential features of the embodiments of this disclosure, nor is it intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Other features of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0010] The accompanying drawings are provided to better understand this solution and do not constitute a limitation of this disclosure. Wherein:

[0011] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of one embodiment of the flexible material testing apparatus disclosed herein;

[0012] Figure 1a This is a schematic diagram of the bonding area of ​​the target flexible material 104 in the flexible material testing device of this disclosure;

[0013] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the flexible material testing apparatus disclosed herein;

[0014] Figure 2a This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the cylinder in the flexible material testing device of this disclosure;

[0015] Figure 2b This is a top view of the cylindrical body in the flexible material testing apparatus of this disclosure;

[0016] Figure 2cThis is a top view of the sealing cover in the flexible material testing apparatus of this disclosure;

[0017] Figure 2d This is a plan view of the sealing cap in the flexible material testing apparatus of this disclosure;

[0018] Figure 2e This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the movable cylinder in the flexible material testing device of this disclosure;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of one embodiment of the flexible material testing system disclosed herein;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an application scenario of the flexible material testing system disclosed herein;

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic flowchart of one embodiment of the flexible material testing method disclosed herein;

[0022] Figures 6a-6d This is a schematic diagram of the preset operation of the flexible material testing method disclosed herein. Detailed Implementation

[0023] It should be noted that the following detailed descriptions are exemplary and intended to provide further illustration of this disclosure. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains.

[0024] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to this disclosure. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms “comprising” and / or “including” are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0025] Where there is no conflict, the embodiments and features described herein can be combined with each other.

[0026] To make the technical solutions and advantages of this disclosure clearer, the following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, will provide a more detailed account of this disclosure.

[0027] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of one embodiment of the flexible material testing apparatus of this disclosure is shown. Figure 1The flexible material testing apparatus 100 shown includes: a cylindrical body 101, a sealing cap 102, and a movable cylinder 103. The cylindrical body 101 is cylindrical and has an air outlet 1011 at the bottom. The sealing cap 102 is adapted to the opening of the cylindrical body 101, and can seal the cylindrical body 101 through the sealing cap 102. The sealing cap 102 has an air inlet 1021, through which air can be injected into the cylindrical body 101.

[0028] The movable cylinder 103 is installed inside the cylinder 101. The bottom of the movable cylinder 103 is provided with a connecting rod 1031, which passes through the air outlet 1011 and protrudes from the cylinder 101.

[0029] The target flexible material 104 is cylindrical. Adhesive material is applied to predetermined areas at both the upper and lower ends of the cylinder. The upper predetermined area of ​​the target flexible material 104 is adhered to the inner wall of the cylinder 101 using the adhesive material, and the lower predetermined area of ​​the target flexible material 104 is adhered to the inner wall of the movable cylinder 103. The target flexible material 104 divides the space of the cylinder 101 into relatively independent first and second spaces. The adhesion areas of the target flexible material 104 are as follows: Figure 1a As shown.

[0030] The target flexible material used in this embodiment is the flexible material to be tested. During the test, after the target flexible material is pasted on, the cylinder can be sealed with a sealing cap. Then, air is injected into the cylinder through the air inlet. Under high pressure, the movable cylinder will move towards the bottom of the cylinder, achieving stretching of the target flexible material. The stretching length of the target flexible material is determined by the length of the connecting rod protruding from the cylinder. Finally, the tensile properties of the target flexible material are determined using the stretching length.

[0031] The flexible material testing apparatus provided in the above embodiments of this disclosure can repeatedly test flexible materials, thereby enabling the testing of the tensile properties of flexible materials and providing a data basis for the sealing materials used in the construction of artificial chambers.

[0032] See also Figure 2 This illustrates a structural schematic diagram of another embodiment of the flexible material testing apparatus according to the present disclosure. Figure 2 As shown, the flexible material testing device 200 in this embodiment includes: a cylindrical body 201, a sealing cover 202, and a movable cylinder 203. The cylindrical body 201 is cylindrical with an air outlet 2011 at the bottom. The sealing cover 202 is adapted to the opening of the cylindrical body 201. The sealing cover 202 has an air inlet 2021.

[0033] The movable cylinder 203 is installed inside the cylinder 201. The bottom of the movable cylinder 203 is provided with a connecting rod 2031, which passes through the air outlet 2011 and protrudes from the cylinder 201.

[0034] The target flexible material 204 is cylindrical, and an adhesive material is applied to the preset areas at the upper and lower ends of the cylinder. The upper preset area of ​​the target flexible material 204 is attached to the inner wall of the cylinder 201 by the adhesive material, and the lower preset area of ​​the target flexible material 204 is attached to the inner wall of the movable cylinder 203. The target flexible material 204 divides the space of the cylinder 201 into a relatively independent first space and a second space.

[0035] In this embodiment, to ensure the stability of the movable cylinder 203 within the cylinder 201, and to ensure that the measured tensile properties of the target flexible material are in the vertical direction, the outer diameter of the movable cylinder 203 can be slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the cylinder 201, with the difference being a preset value. In some specific practices, the preset value is 2mm, thus the gap between the movable cylinder 203 and the cylinder 201 is 1mm.

[0036] In this embodiment, to ensure sufficient space for the movable cylinder 203 after inflation into the cylinder 201, a cushioning material 205 can be provided at the bottom of the cylinder 201, i.e., the contact area with the movable cylinder 203. This ensures that the bottom of the outer wall of the movable cylinder 203 does not directly contact the bottom of the inner wall of the cylinder 201 during inflation. This prevents deformation of the movable cylinder 203 or the cylinder 201, and also prevents the restricted movement of the movable cylinder 203 from causing incorrect exposed length of the connecting rod, which could lead to incorrect tensile properties of the target flexible material.

[0037] In some optional implementations of this embodiment, the cylinder 201 is integrally formed. This improves the load-bearing capacity of the cylinder 201.

[0038] In some optional implementations of this embodiment, the cylinder 201 includes a cylindrical portion, a trapezoidal portion, and a flange portion, and its cross-section is as follows: Figure 2a As shown, its top view is as follows Figure 2b As shown in the diagram. The cylindrical section houses the movable cylinder 203 and the target flexible material 204. The trapezoidal section connects the flange section and the cylindrical section; the flange section is used to connect to the sealing cover 202. The sealing cover 202 is a flange cover, which is connected to the flange section of the cylinder 201 via screws for a sealed connection. A top view of the sealing cover 202 is shown below. Figure 2c As shown, its plan view is as follows Figure 2d As shown.

[0039] In some optional implementations of this embodiment, the sealing cover 202 is also connected to a support rod 2022, one end of which is fixed to the sealing cover 202, and the other end contacts the bottom of the movable cylinder 203. This can prevent air leakage inside the cylinder 201 from causing the movable cylinder 203 to move in the opposite direction and damage the sealing cover 202.

[0040] In some optional implementations of this embodiment, the thickness of the buffer material and the length of the support rod 2022 can be determined based on the target flexible material 204. Specifically, if different flexible materials correspond to different lengths of support rods, the aforementioned lengths can be adjusted by adjusting the length of the support rod screwed into the nut.

[0041] In some optional implementations of this embodiment, to prevent the cylinder port of the movable cylinder 203 from damaging the target flexible material 204, the cross-section of the cylinder port of the movable cylinder 203 can be set as a bevel. Its cross-section is as follows: Figure 2e As shown.

[0042] The flexible material testing device provided in the above embodiments of this disclosure provides a simple testing platform for the sealing layer of compressed air storage tanks, and tests the airtightness of flexible rubber materials or polymer materials under high pressure.

[0043] See also Figure 3 This illustrates a structural schematic diagram of one embodiment of the flexible material testing system according to the present disclosure. Figure 3 As shown, the flexible material testing system 300 may include: a flexible material testing device 301, an air supply device 302, a pressure monitoring device 303, and a water storage tank 304.

[0044] The gas supply device 302 is connected to the air inlet of the flexible material testing device 301 and is used to supply gas into the flexible material testing device 301 to increase the gas pressure inside the flexible material testing device 301.

[0045] The pressure monitoring device 303 is connected to the flexible material testing device 301 and is used to monitor the air pressure of the flexible material testing device 301.

[0046] The water tank 304 contains water, and the pressurized flexible material testing device 301 is placed inside the water tank. This allows for the determination of whether the flexible material testing device 301 leaks air by observing whether air bubbles are generated inside the water tank 304. If there are no leaks, the flexible material testing device 301 can be gradually pressurized. By increasing the pressure inside the flexible material testing device 301, the movable cylinder can be continuously moved, achieving the stretching of the target flexible material.

[0047] In some optional implementations of this embodiment, the flexible material testing system may further include at least one image acquisition device. Each image acquisition device can acquire images of the flexible material testing device 301 inside the water tank 304, and determine whether the flexible material testing device 301 is leaking by analyzing the images.

[0048] In some optional implementations of this embodiment, since the flexible material testing device 301 generally contains high-pressure gas, to ensure the safety of the testing personnel, the distance between the personnel activity area and the flexible material testing device 301 can be set to no less than 5 meters. Furthermore, isolation measures are provided between the personnel activity area and the flexible material testing device 301.

[0049] Figure 4 A schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario of the flexible material testing system of this embodiment is shown. Figure 4 In this application scenario, the flexible material testing device is placed inside a water tank containing a large amount of water. Multiple monitoring cameras are installed above the water tank to capture real-time images of the device. These images are then analyzed to determine if the device is leaking. If there are no leaks, an air supply device can be controlled to continuously increase the air pressure within the device, thereby enabling the testing of the tensile properties of the target flexible material.

[0050] The flexible material testing system provided in the above embodiments of this disclosure can test flexible materials and ensure the sealing of the flexible material testing device during the test, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the performance test of flexible materials.

[0051] See also Figure 5 This illustrates a process 500 of one embodiment of a testing method for flexible materials according to this disclosure. For example... Figure 5 As shown, the method in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0052] Step 501: Determine the tensile length during the test based on the target flexible material.

[0053] In this embodiment, after determining the target flexible material, the tensile length for this tensile test on the target flexible material can be determined first. This tensile length can be preset by technicians. Different flexible materials can correspond to different tensile lengths. By querying the above correspondence, the tensile length corresponding to the target flexible material can be determined.

[0054] Step 502: Determine the thickness of the cushioning material based on the stretch length.

[0055] In this embodiment, after determining the stretching length, the thickness of the buffer material can be further determined. Specifically, the sum of the stretching length and the preset length can be used as the thickness of the buffer material. In some specific practices, the sum of the stretching length and 2mm can be used as the thickness of the buffer material. This ensures that after the target flexible material reaches the stretching length, there is still 2mm of buffer material between the bottom of the movable cylinder and the bottom of the inner cylinder.

[0056] Step 503: Based on the thickness, perform preset operations on the flexible material testing device to carry out the test.

[0057] After determining the thickness of the cushioning material, preset operations can be performed on the flexible material testing device to conduct the test. Here, the preset operations can be a series of preset operations. For example, they may include: laying the cushioning material of the above thickness at the bottom of the cylinder; placing the movable cylinder into the cylinder and inserting the connecting rod into the vent; attaching the target flexible material to the inner wall of the cylinder and the inner wall of the movable cylinder respectively; sealing the sealing cap on the cylinder; inflating the cylinder, etc.

[0058] By performing the above-mentioned preset operations, tests can be conducted on the target flexible material.

[0059] Step 504: Determine the length of the connecting rod exposed through the vent during the test.

[0060] Images acquired by an image acquisition device can be analyzed to determine the length of the vent holes exposed on the connecting rod during the experiment. Specifically, feature extraction can be performed on the images to identify the connecting rod region. Based on the length of this region, the length of the vent holes exposed on the connecting rod can be determined. In essence, the length of the vent holes exposed on the connecting rod represents the actual tensile length of the target flexible material during the experiment.

[0061] Step 505: Determine the tensile properties of the target flexible material based on its length.

[0062] After determining the aforementioned length, the tensile properties of the target flexible material can be determined by further applying the calculation formula for the tensile properties of flexible materials. The aforementioned calculation formula can be an existing one.

[0063] In some optional implementations of this embodiment, the above-mentioned preset operation may include Figure 5 The following steps (not shown) are as follows: a thick buffer material is laid at the bottom of the cylinder of the flexible material testing device, and the movable cylinder is placed inside the cylinder so that the connecting rod passes through the air outlet of the cylinder; the target flexible material is attached to the inner wall of the cylinder and the inner wall of the movable cylinder respectively, and the cylinder is sealed with a sealing cap; gas is introduced into the cylinder through the air inlet through the air supply device to increase the pressure inside the cylinder to a preset value and maintain it for a preset time.

[0064] In this implementation, it can be combined with Figures 6a-6d Understand the above preset operations. Specifically, such as... Figure 6a As shown, a cushioning material can be laid at the bottom of the cylinder first. Here, h represents the tensile length of the target flexible material, and the thickness of the cushioning material is h+2mm. Then, as... Figure 6b As shown, place the movable cylinder into the cylindrical body. Next, as... Figure 6cAs shown, the target flexible material is adhered to the inner wall of the movable cylinder and the inner wall of the cylindrical body. Finally, as shown... Figure 6d As shown, the sealing cap is sealed to the cylinder. Here, nuts are used to secure the flange cover and the cylinder.

[0065] In some specific practices, after the flexible material testing device is sealed, the test can be conducted through the following steps:

[0066] (1) Connect the air inlet of the flexible material testing device to the air supply device, and install a pressure monitoring device. Here, the pressure monitoring device can be connected to the air inlet.

[0067] (2) Perform a sealing check on the flexible material testing device. First, pressurize to 0.2 MPa and observe whether there is continuous leakage at the air outlet of the flexible material testing device.

[0068] (3) Pressure test on the flexible material testing device. Place the flexible material testing device flat in water for pressure test and subsequent pressure testing. The test pressure is 2 MPa, and the pressurization rate does not exceed 0.2 MPa / min. After the pressure test is completed, the device and its connected pipelines and valves need to be leak-checked, and the pressure is maintained for 20 minutes. Pressurization can only be continued after the pressure gauge shows no drop.

[0069] (4) Cyclic loading shall be applied to the flexible material testing device. The upper limit of the cyclic loading is 24 MPa, and it is recommended to perform no less than 10 cycles. The pressure shall be maintained at 24 MPa for no less than 12 hours. The specific number of cycles and the pressure holding time can be adjusted according to the test conditions.

[0070] (5) Explosion-proof isolation measures should be set up during the test, and the distance between the personnel activity area and the test device should be no less than 5m. It is recommended to set up isolation measures between the personnel area and the test device.

[0071] The testing method for flexible materials provided in the above embodiments of this disclosure can detect the airtightness of flexible rubber materials or polymer materials under high pressure air.

[0072] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this disclosure and is not intended to limit this disclosure. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A flexible material testing device, comprising: Cylinder body, sealing cover, movable cylinder; The cylinder is cylindrical with an air vent at the bottom, and the sealing cap is adapted to the opening of the cylinder. The sealing cap is provided with an air inlet; The movable cylinder is disposed inside the cylinder, and a connecting rod is provided at the bottom of the movable cylinder. The connecting rod passes through the air outlet and protrudes from the cylinder. The target flexible material is cylindrical, and an adhesive material is coated on the upper and lower predetermined areas of the cylinder. The upper predetermined area of ​​the target flexible material is adhered to the inner wall of the cylinder through the adhesive material, and the lower predetermined area of ​​the target flexible material is adhered to the inner wall of the movable cylinder. The target flexible material divides the space of the cylinder into a relatively independent first space and a second space.

2. The flexible material testing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The outer diameter of the movable cylinder is smaller than the inner diameter of the cylinder, and the difference between the two is a preset value.

3. The flexible material testing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, A cushioning material is provided between the bottom of the movable cylinder and the bottom of the cylindrical body.

4. The flexible material testing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The cylindrical body is integrally formed.

5. The flexible material testing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The sealing cover is also connected to a support rod, one end of which is fixed to the sealing cover and the other end is in contact with the bottom of the movable cylinder.

6. The flexible material testing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, The cross-section of the cylinder opening of the movable cylinder is an oblique surface.

7. A flexible material testing system, comprising: The flexible material testing apparatus, air supply device, pressure monitoring device, and water storage tank as described in any one of claims 1-6; The gas supply device is connected to the air inlet of the flexible material testing device and is used to supply gas into the flexible material testing device to increase the gas pressure inside the flexible material testing device. The pressure monitoring device is installed inside the flexible material testing device and is used to monitor the air pressure of the flexible material testing device; The water storage tank contains water, and the pressurized flexible material testing device is placed inside the water storage tank.

8. The flexible material testing system according to claim 7, wherein, The system also includes at least one image acquisition device for acquiring images of the flexible material testing device during the testing process.

9. A method for testing flexible materials, applied to the flexible material testing system as described in claims 7-8, the method comprising: Determine the tensile length during the test based on the target flexible material; The thickness of the cushioning material is determined based on the stretch length; Based on the thickness, the flexible material testing device is pre-programmed to perform the test; Determine the length of the connecting rod that protrudes from the vent during the test; The tensile properties of the target flexible material are determined based on the length.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The step of performing preset operations on the flexible material testing device according to the thickness to carry out the test includes: A buffer material of the specified thickness is laid at the bottom of the cylinder of the flexible material testing device, and the movable cylinder is placed inside the cylinder, so that the connecting rod passes through the air outlet of the cylinder; The target flexible material is attached to the inner wall of the cylinder and the inner wall of the movable cylinder respectively, and the cylinder is sealed with the sealing cap. Gas is supplied into the cylinder through the air inlet via the air supply device, increasing the pressure inside the cylinder to a preset value and maintaining it for a preset duration.

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