Pressure Vessel Protector Assembly for Rigid Dome End Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The structural rigidity of TYPE 4 pressure vessels, particularly at their dome-shaped side parts, is compromised due to difficulties in winding a carbon fiber composite material with sufficient thickness, leading to challenges in ensuring the vessels' safety and reliability against impact and damage.
Innovation Solution
A pressure vessel assembly and protector system where dome-shaped protectors with elastic layers are integrated around the nozzle members, providing structural support and impact absorption, and including screw thread portions for secure fastening and tool seats for easy handling, enhance the rigidity and durability of the pressure vessel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If carbon fiber composite material is wound around the dome-shaped side parts of the pressure vessel, then the structural rigidity is improved, but it is difficult to achieve sufficient thickness due to the dome shape characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure vessel is divided into three distinct parts: a cylindrical main body and two dome-shaped side parts. This segmentation allows the cylindrical part to be manufactured with standard carbon fiber winding techniques while the dome parts can be separately formed and integrated, solving the manufacturing difficulty of winding carbon fiber on curved surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
A protector is introduced as an intermediary component that surrounds the dome-shaped side parts. The protector provides the necessary structural rigidity and impact protection without requiring complex carbon fiber winding on the dome surfaces, thus resolving the contradiction between strength and manufacturability.
2Strength
If the carbon fiber layer thickness is increased to ensure structural rigidity, then the strength is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the pressure vessel into cylindrical and dome parts, the design allows the cylindrical section to carry the primary structural load with optimized carbon fiber thickness, while the dome sections are protected by separate protector components, reducing overall manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The protector surrounding the dome-shaped side parts serves as a protective enclosure that can be manufactured from alternative materials more suitable for curved surfaces, providing necessary structural support without the complexity of thick carbon fiber winding.
3Reliability
If the dome-shaped side parts are designed with sufficient structural rigidity, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation for winding carbon fiber deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protector acts as an intermediary structure that provides the necessary reliability and impact protection for the dome-shaped side parts without requiring direct carbon fiber winding on these curved surfaces, thus maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure vessel employs composite construction combining cylindrical and dome parts with different structural approaches. The cylindrical part uses carbon fiber winding while the dome parts utilize protectors, creating a composite structure that achieves reliability while maintaining operational ease.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively enhances the structural rigidity of the pressure vessel's side parts, minimizes impact transmission, and reduces the risk of damage and breakage, thereby improving safety and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic layer provided on the protector body and configured to come into contact with the respective outer surface
Data Source
AI summary
A pressure vessel assembly including a pressure vessel including a cylinder part and a first side part and a second side part, the first side part and the second side part each having a dome shape and being provided at two opposite ends of the cylinder part, nozzle members respectively provided on the first side part and the second side part, and a plurality of protectors connected to the nozzle members and configured to surround a respective outer surface of the first side part or the second side part.