Design and Analysis of Filament Wound Composite Pressure Vessel with Integrated-end Domes

Abstract

Filament-wound composite pressure vessels are an important type of high-pressure container that is widely used in the commercial and aerospace industries. The pressure vessels with integrated end domes develop hoop stresses that are twice longitudinal stresses and when isotropic materials like metals are used for realizing the hardware, the material is not fully utilized in the longitudinal/meridonial direction resulting in over weight components. On the other hand FRP composite materials with their higher specific strength and moduli and tailoribility characteristics will result in reduction of weight of the structure. The determination of a proper winding angle and thickness is very important to decrease manufacturing difficulties and to increase structural efficiency. In this study, material characterization of FRP of carbon T300/Epoxy for various configurations as per ASTM standards is experimentally determined using filament winding and matched die mould technique. The mechanical and physical properties thus obtained are used in the design of the composite shell. The design of the composite shell is described in detail. Netting analysis is used for the calculation of hoop and helical thickness of the shell. A balanced symmetric ply sequence for carbon T300/epoxy is considered for the entire pressure vessel. Progressive failure analysis of composite pressure vessel with geodesic end domes is carried out. A software code SHELL Solver is developed using Classical Lamination-theory to determine matrix crack failure, burst pressure values at various positions of the shell. The results can be utilized to understand structural characteristics of filament wound pressure vessels with integrated end domes.

Defence Science Journal, 2009, 59(1), pp.73-81, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.59.1488