Method for manufacturing high-pressure tank
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing high-pressure tanks using the filament winding method result in air bubbles within the carbon-fiber layer, leading to surface unevenness, reduced strength, and potential cracking, as well as the presence of antifoaming agents that do not contribute to the carbon-fiber layer's strength.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the formation of an uncured carbon-fiber layer, followed by a glass-fiber layer, with a tubular pin inserted through the glass-fiber layer to remove bubbles by gas suction, allowing for thermally-curing treatment without damaging the carbon fibers, and subsequent gas discharge through the formed hole in the glass-fiber layer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a carbon-fiber layer is formed by winding carbon fibers impregnated with thermosetting resin around a liner using the filament winding method, then the high-pressure tank can be manufactured with reinforced structure, but air bubbles remain inside the stacked carbon fibers causing surface unevenness and strength deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
A vacuum treatment is applied to the carbon-fiber layer before the thermosetting resin cures, creating a vacuum state that draws out air bubbles from between the stacked carbon fibers. This preliminary bubble removal prevents surface unevenness and strength deterioration while maintaining the reinforced structure benefits of the filament winding method
Solution Approach 2:
A porous material is placed within the carbon-fiber layer to facilitate bubble extraction. The porous structure provides pathways for air bubbles to escape during vacuum treatment, effectively removing trapped air while preserving the structural integrity and strength of the carbon-fiber reinforcement
2Reliability
If gases are generated during the curing reaction of thermosetting resin, then the resin can be cured to form the carbon-fiber layer, but projections and depressions are formed on the surface layer due to bubbles
Solution Approach 1:
Vacuum treatment is applied before and during the curing process to maintain a vacuum state that prevents curing-generated gases from forming surface bubbles. This ensures complete curing while maintaining surface smoothness by continuously drawing out evolving gases through the porous material
Solution Approach 2:
A vacuum environment is created and maintained during the curing reaction, providing an inert atmosphere that prevents gas accumulation. The vacuum state allows curing gases to be continuously evacuated through the porous material, preventing projection and depression formation on the surface
3Productivity
If bubbles remain inside the carbon-fiber layer, then the layer can be formed quickly, but the strength of the carbon-fiber layer deteriorates and cracking may occur under impact
Solution Approach 1:
Vacuum treatment is applied immediately after the carbon fibers are wound and before the resin fully cures, efficiently removing bubbles from between the stacked carbon fibers. This preliminary extraction prevents strength deterioration and impact-induced cracking while maintaining quick manufacturing throughput
Solution Approach 2:
The porous material provides efficient bubble extraction pathways during vacuum treatment, rapidly removing trapped air from the carbon-fiber layer. This enables effective bubble removal without significantly extending manufacturing time, preserving both productivity and structural strength
4Object-generated harmful factors
If an opening is formed in the carbon-fiber layer to prevent gas accumulation, then gas can escape between liner and carbon-fiber layer, but the strength of the carbon-fiber layer deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of forming openings that compromise structural integrity, a porous material is embedded within the carbon-fiber layer. This porous structure provides internal pathways for gas escape while maintaining the continuous, intact nature of the carbon-fiber layer, preserving its strength and load-bearing capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The porous material acts as an intermediary structure within the carbon-fiber layer, providing gas escape pathways without requiring actual openings. This mediator enables gas accumulation prevention while the surrounding continuous carbon-fiber matrix maintains structural strength
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
This method effectively removes bubbles from both the surface and interior of the carbon-fiber layer, maintaining the strength of the carbon-fiber layer, preventing defective appearances and size variations, and ensuring the high-pressure tank has excellent structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a pin inserting step of inserting a tubular pin with a porous metal disposed therein from an uncured glass-fiber layer side to an interface of the uncured carbon-fiber layer; a gas sucking step of sucking a gas from the pin
Implementation Method 2
a thermally-curing treatment step of forming a glass-fiber layer and a carbon-fiber layer by performing a thermally-curing treatment after pulling out the pin
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a high-pressure tank, capable of removing bubbles inside a carbon-fiber layer and those on an outer surface thereof without deteriorating a strength of the carbon-fiber layer, preventing a defective appearance, reducing variations in size, and thereby manufacturing a high-pressure tank having an excellent strength is provided. A method for manufacturing a high-pressure tank includes an uncured carbon-fiber layer forming step of forming an uncured carbon-fiber layer around a liner, a glass-fiber layer forming step of forming an uncured glass-fiber layer around the uncured carbon-fiber layer, a pin inserting step of inserting a tubular pin disposed therein from an uncured glass-fiber layer side to an interface of the uncured carbon-fiber layer, a gas sucking step of sucking a gas from the pin, and a thermally-curing treatment step of forming a glass-fiber layer and a carbon-fiber layer.