Organic composite gas storage tank

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12209705-B2
Application number	US-202318200614-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2023
Priority date	Oct 13, 2020
Publication date	Jan 28, 2025
Grant date	Jan 28, 2025

Abstract

An organic composite gas storage tank 300 comprises a hollow central portion 306 which is substantially cylindrical and formed integrally with first and second end portions 302, 304 , and which defines a longitudinal tank axis 301 . The first end portion comprises a hollow truncated conical region which meets the hollow central portion at a first end thereof. The hollow central portion comprises first and second hollow truncated conical portions 306 A, 306 B, the external radius of a given hollow truncated conical portion decreasing in a direction towards a corresponding end portion. The tank comprises an organic composite fibre winding extending between first and second positions along the length of the tank which coincide with the first and second hollow truncated conical portions of the hollow central portion respectively, biassing these portions together and increasing the axial strength of the central portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An organic composite gas storage tank having an axial length, comprising:
a hollow central portion formed integrally with first and second end portions and which defines a longitudinal tank axis;
the hollow central portion comprising first and second hollow truncated conical portions, the first and second hollow truncated conical portions being connected to each other, at a largest diameter portion of each, at a connecting portion located substantially at a middle of the axial length of the tank, and the external radius of each of the first and the second hollow truncated conical portions decreasing from substantially the middle of the axial length at the connecting portion to an end of the respective hollow truncated conical portions in a direction along the longitudinal tank axis;
the first end portion connecting to the hollow central portion at an end of the first hollow truncated conical portion of the hollow central portion, the first end portion comprising a hollow truncated conical region wherein the outer and inner radii of the hollow truncated conical region decreasing in a direction along the longitudinal tank axis away from the hollow central portion; and
wherein the tank comprises a first organic composite fiber winding portion extending at least between first and second positions along the length of the tank which coincide with the hollow truncated conical region of the first end portion and the first hollow truncated conical portion of the hollow central portion respectively, and a second organic composite fiber winding portion extending between third and fourth positions along the length of the tank which coincide with the first and second hollow truncated conical portions of the hollow central portion respectively, and including the connecting portion, the first and the second organic composite fiber winding portions each having windings in planes which are inclined to the longitudinal tank axis.

2. An organic composite gas storage tank according to claim 1 wherein the hollow truncated conical region of the first end portion has a wall thickness, defined at a given position along the longitudinal tank axis by the difference between the outer and inner radii of the tank at that position, which decreases in a direction along the longitudinal tank axis away from the hollow central portion.

3. An organic composite gas storage tank according to claim 1 , wherein the first end portion further comprises a cylindrical region which meets an end of the hollow truncated conical portion remote from the hollow central portion of the tank.

4. An organic composite gas storage tank according to claim 3 comprising a hollow metal end-fitting having a hollow cylindrical portion the outer surface of which is in contact with the inner surface of the cylindrical region of the first end portion, and a hollow truncated conical portion extending from the hollow cylindrical portion towards the hollow central portion of the tank, the hollow truncated conical portion of the metal end-fitting being embedded within the wall of the hollow truncated conical region of the first end portion.

5. An organic composite gas storage tank according to claim 1 further comprising a polymer liner in contact with an internal surface of the tank.

6. An organic composite gas storage tank according to claim 1 wherein the hollow truncated conical region of the first end portion has a semi-vertical angle less than or equal to 45°.

7. An organic composite gas storage tank according to claim 1 wherein a ratio of a length of the hollow central portion to a maximum external diameter of the hollow central portion is at least 10.

8. An organic composite gas storage tank according to claim 1 wherein a ratio of a length of the hollow central portion to a maximum external diameter of the hollow central portion is at least 20.

9. An organic composite gas storage tank according to claim 1 wherein a ratio of a length of the hollow central portion to a maximum external diameter of the hollow central portion is at least 50.

10. An organic composite gas storage tank according to claim 1 wherein the tank comprises a laminate material.

11. An organic composite gas storage tank according to claim 1 wherein loops of the first and the second organic composite fiber winding portions are inclined to the longitudinal tank axis at an angle between 45 and 600.

12. An organic composite gas storage tank according to claim 1 wherein the first and second hollow truncated conical portions of the hollow central portion each has a semi-vertical angle in the range 1° to 10°.

13. An organic composite gas storage tank according to claim 1 wherein the first and the second organic composite fiber winding portions are a same winding.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Plc

Inventors

• Dean Eric W

Classifications

• F17C2201/01

  Shape · CPC title

• F17C2201/0147

  complex · CPC title

• F17C2270/01

  for fluid transport or storage · CPC title

• F17C2260/036

  Avoiding leaks · CPC title

• F17C2221/012

  Hydrogen · CPC title