A high-pressure tank includes a liner for storing a fluid, and a reinforcing layer covering an outer surface of the liner and including a fiber wound around the liner and a resin. The reinforcing layer includes a helical layer group including laminated helical layers, and a large-angle layer provided adjacent to the helical layer group and on the liner-side. The helical layer group includes an innermost layer that is closest to the liner and that is one of first and second helical layers respectively having the largest and second largest fiber winding angles, an outermost layer that is closest to an outer surface of the high-pressure tank and that is the other one of the first and second helical layers, and an intermediate layer disposed between the innermost and outermost layers and including a helical layer that is smaller in winding angle than the innermost and outermost layers.

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.

Provided is a high-pressure vessel manufacturing method including: molding a liner having a pleated part; forming a fiber-reinforced part on an outer circumferential side of the liner; curving the liner and the fiber-reinforced part; and pressurizing and heating the liner and the fiber-reinforced part. In the molding the liner, the height of first pleats of the pleated part that are disposed on the inner side of the curve relative to an axis is set to be smaller than a height of second pleats of the pleated part that are disposed on the outer side of the curve relative to the axis.

A pressure vessel has an interior chamber and includes an outer shell, a boss, and an internal liner disposed within the outer shell. The boss includes a port extending between the interior chamber and an exterior of the pressure vessel; and an annular flange extending radially from the port and having an exterior surface and an interior surface. The liner includes an exterior portion adjacent the exterior surface of the flange; an interior portion adjacent the interior surface of the flange; and a vent in the interior portion. A method for forming a pressure vessel includes mounting a boss on a mandrel, flowing a non-metallic polymer around a flange of the boss to form an internal liner of the pressure vessel, forming a vent in an interior portion of the liner; and forming an outer shell surrounding the liner and at least a portion of the flange of the boss.

A method of manufacturing a high-pressure composite pressure vessel for high-pressure being at or above 70 bar (1000 PSI or 7 MPa) includes providing an expandable core vessel defining a hoop section between end domes. An aligned discontinuous fiber composite material is wrapped over the expandable core vessel aligning with a plurality of load paths present in the expandable core vessel being over the hoop section and end domes. The aligned discontinuous fiber composite material has fibers in a prepreg tape that are at least 5 mm in length to 100 mm in length or less. Next, a continuous fiber-reinforced composite is wrapped over the aligned discontinuous fiber-reinforced composite along the hoop section and not wrapped along the end domes. The expandable core vessel may be pressurized and heated to consolidate the composite overwrap. Finally, the vessel is cooled under pressure resulting in the high-pressure composite pressure vessel.

The present invention provides a lightweight high pressure vessels that are made from a liner or a liner housing that is overwrapped with a composite material. Unlike conventional high pressure vessels, the lightweight high pressure vessel of the invention includes a liner that comprises a plurality of liner sections without using welding or crimping. In particular, the lightweight high pressure vessels of the invention include a plurality of elements that are combined to form a liner housing and a composite overwrap that provides structural and mechanical strength to maintain integrity of the high pressure vessel. In one particular embodiment, the high pressure vessel of the invention is a diaphragm accumulator.

A pressure vessel has an interior chamber and includes an outer shell, a boss, and an internal liner disposed within the outer shell. The boss includes a port extending between the interior chamber and an exterior of the pressure vessel; and an annular flange extending radially from the port and having an exterior surface and an interior surface. The liner includes an exterior portion adjacent the exterior surface of the flange; an interior portion adjacent the interior surface of the flange; and a vent in the interior portion. A method for forming a pressure vessel includes mounting a boss on a mandrel, flowing a non-metallic polymer around a flange of the boss to form an internal liner of the pressure vessel, forming a vent in an interior portion of the liner; and forming an outer shell surrounding the liner and at least a portion of the flange of the boss.

A pressure vessel includes a shell, a liner, and a boss. The liner is positioned within the shell and defines the interior environment. The boss is located at a first interface between the shell and the liner. The boss includes a cavity and a venting structure located in the cavity. The cavity is located at a second interface between the liner and the boss, and the cavity is located at an interior surface of the boss in communication with the interior environment. A gas vent path is defined from the first interface, through the venting structure, and into the interior environment of the pressure vessel. The disclosure also describes a boss for a pressure vessel and a method of manufacturing the boss. The boss includes a port, a flange, a cavity and a gas venting structure. The cavity and gas venting structure are located on an interior of the flange.

A structural component having an internal support structure extending between outer wall portions of the component with one or more compartments included within the support structure. The support structure has support members including internal walls positioned between and/or defined by the compartments. At least one support member connects between the outer wall portions of the component to enhance the structural integrity of the component. The structural component, including the internal support, are cast from a molten material, and in some cases the support members of the internal support structure are formed with a rectilinear configuration. In some cases the cast structural component is a container and the one or more compartments are configured to store a fluid, such as a gas or a liquid. One or more preforms can be used to form a container and may be retained or eliminated from the container after casting.

A composite pressure vessel assembly includes a plurality of lobes, each of the lobes having at least one interior wall and at least one curved wall, the plurality of lobes being positioned in a side by side arrangement and extending in a longitudinal direction from a first end to a second end. Also included is a plurality of end caps disposed at the ends of the lobes, wherein the plurality of lobes and end caps are formed of at least one fiber-reinforced polymer. A method of manufacturing a composite pressure vessel assembly is provided. The method includes forming a plurality of lobes consisting of at least one fiber-reinforced polymer. The method also includes forming a main body with the plurality of lobes, the lobes disposed in a side by side arrangement.