System and method for a conformable pressure vessel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016363265-A1
Application number	US-201615183614-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 15, 2016
Priority date	Jun 15, 2015
Publication date	Dec 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vessel for storing fluid, the vessel including a liner having a liner body that defines: a liner cavity; a plurality of flexible connector portions that include a corrugated length that provides for flexibility of the respective connector portions, the connector portions having a first maximum diameter; a plurality of elongated tubing portions between the respective flexible connector portions, the elongated tubing portions having a second minimum diameter that is larger than the first maximum diameter of the flexible connector portions; and a plurality of taper portions coupling adjoining flexible connector portions and tubing portions configured to provide a transition between a smaller diameter of the connector portion and a larger diameter of the tubing portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A pressure vessel for storing pressurized fluid, the pressure vessel comprising:
an elongated polymer liner having a liner body that defines:
a liner cavity;
a plurality of flexible connector portions that include a corrugated length that provides for flexibility of the respective connector portions, the connector portions having a first maximum diameter;
a plurality of elongated rigid tubing portions between the respective flexible connector portions, the elongated tubing portions having a second minimum diameter that is larger than the first maximum diameter of the flexible connector portions;
a plurality of taper portions coupling adjoining flexible connector portions and rigid tubing portions configured to provide a transition between a smaller diameter of the connector portion and a larger diameter of the tubing portion; and
a first and second end;
a rigid resinated braid that contiguously covers the flexible connector portions, the rigid tubing portions, and the taper portions; and a first and second end-coupling respectively coupled at the first and second end configured to provide for pressurized fluid entering and leaving the cavity.

2 . The pressure vessel of claim 1 , wherein the elongated polymer liner is configured to assume a straight configuration with the flexible connector portions, the rigid tubing portions, and the taper portions aligned along a common axis; and
wherein the liner is configured to assume a folded configuration with the rigid tubing portions disposed along separate and parallel axes, with a plurality of the flexible connector portions being bent in a C-shape.

3 . The pressure vessel of claim 1 , wherein the liner body comprises a plurality of layers that comprise a different polymer material.

4 . The pressure vessel of claim 1 , wherein the first and second ends are respectively defined by flexible connector portions; and
wherein the first and second end-coupling respectively comprise a crimp fitting that surrounds and is coupled about an elongated corrugated portion of the respective flexible connector portions that respectively define the first and second ends.

5 . A vessel for storing fluid, the vessel comprising:
a liner having a liner body that defines:
a liner cavity;
a plurality of flexible connector portions that include a corrugated length that provides for flexibility of the respective connector portions, the connector portions having a first maximum diameter;
a plurality of elongated tubing portions between the respective flexible connector portions, the elongated tubing portions having a second minimum diameter that is larger than the first maximum diameter of the flexible connector portions;
a plurality of taper portions coupling adjoining flexible connector portions and tubing portions configured to provide a transition between a smaller diameter of the connector portion and a larger diameter of the tubing portion; and
a first and second end.

6 . The vessel of claim 5 , further comprising a braid that covers the flexible connector portions, the tubing portions, and the taper portions, and at least a portion of the braid being disposed in a rigid resin.

7 . The vessel of claim 5 , further comprising a first and second end-coupling respectively coupled at a respective flexible connector defining the first and second end, the first and second end-coupling configured to provide for fluid entering and leaving the cavity.

8 . The vessel of claim 5 , wherein the liner is configured to store compressed natural gas within the liner cavity.

9 . The vessel of claim 5 , wherein the liner is configured to store hydrogen within the liner cavity.

10 . The vessel of claim 5 , wherein the liner body comprises a plurality of separate layers defined by a different first and second polymer material.

11 . The vessel of claim 10 , wherein the different first and second polymer material comprise one of nylon, ethylene vinyl alcohol and polyethylene.

12 . The vessel of claim 5 , wherein the liner is configured to assume a straight configuration with the flexible connector portions, the tubing portions, and the taper portions aligned along a common axis; and
wherein the liner is configured to assume a folded configuration with the tubing portions disposed along separate and parallel axes, with a plurality of the flexible connector portions being bent at the corrugated lengths.

13 . The vessel of claim 5 , wherein the tubing portions comprise a corrugated portion.

14 . A method of manufacturing a vessel for storing fluid, the method comprising:
molding an elongated liner having a liner body that defines:
a liner cavity;
a plurality of flexible connector portions that include a corrugated length that provides for flexibility of the respective connector portions, the connector portions having a first maximum diameter;
a plurality of elongated tubing portions between the respective flexible connector portions, the elongated tubing portions having a second minimum diameter that is larger than the first maximum diameter of the flexible connector portions;
a plurality of taper portions coupling adjoining flexible connector portions and tubing portions configured to provide a transition between a smaller diameter of the connector portion and a larger diameter of the tubing portion; and
a first and second end.

15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the molding comprises extruding a polymer tube through first and second sets of rotating dies that are configured to rotate in concert such that corresponding dies mate about the extruded polymer tube to form the liner.

16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising applying a braid over the elongated liner.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising applying a liquid resin to the braid and treating liquid resin so that it hardens about the braid.

18 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising folding the liner from an unfolded configuration into a folded configuration with the tubing portions disposed along separate and parallel axes, with a plurality of the flexible connector portions being bent at the corrugated lengths.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising treating the liner in the folded configuration such that the liner becomes rigid and unable to assume the unfolded configuration.

20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the molding generates a liner having a plurality of separate layers defined by a different first and second polymer material.

21 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the molding is performed in a vertical configuration such that a main axis of the liner is disposed parallel to gravity during the molding.

Assignees

• Other Lab Llc

Inventors

• Griffith Saul
• McCumber Rustie
• Maikranz Shara
• Ward Jonathan
• Gilman Tucker

Classifications

• F17C2203/0619

  with two layers · CPC title

• F17C2201/056

  Small (<1 m3) · CPC title

• F17C2270/0168

  by vehicles · CPC title

• F17C2221/033

  Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG · CPC title

• F17C2201/0138

  tubular · CPC title