A gas storage structure includes: a container and a continuous coiled pipe supported by the container, the continuous coiled pipe including a major portion formed of thin walled pipe and a thick walled pipe defining an end of the continuous coiled pipe, the thick walled pipe having a wall thickness thicker than the thin walled pipe, the thick walled pipe being welded at a welded joint to the major portion to place an inner diameter of the thick walled pipe into communication with an inner diameter of the major portion and the thick walled pipe being connected to the container, while the major portion is free of any rigid, such as welded, connections to the container.

A high-pressure tank in a method of manufacturing a high-pressure tank includes a liner and a fiber. The manufacturing method includes: preparing a dome and a pipe each having a general portion and a joining end portion formed to be thicker than the general portion such that an outer diameter at least at an end face is larger than an outer diameter of the general portion by an estimated level difference amount; joining the joining end portion of the dome and the joining end portion of the pipe together in an axial direction; cutting off portions on the further outer side in a radial direction than a reference plane, with an outer peripheral surface of the general portion of the dome having a large outer diameter at the joined surface as the reference plane; and winding a carbon fiber around the outer peripheral surface of the liner in helical winding.

An embodiment pressure vessel includes a liner including a cylinder part and dome-shaped side parts at both ends of the cylinder part, and a carbon fiber layer including a first hoop layer surrounding a part of an outer circumferential surface of the cylinder part, and second hoop layers surrounding remaining parts of the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder part, each of the second hoop layers having a thickness that gradually decreases in a direction from the cylinder part to a respective one of the side parts.

An organic composite gas storage tank 100 comprises a hollow central portion 106 which is substantially cylindrical and formed integrally with first and second end portions 102, 104, 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 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. An organic fibre winding 107 extends at least between axial positions which coincide with the hollow truncated conical region of the first end portion and the hollow central portion respectively. The first end portion has a higher axial strength than that achievable for hemispherical end portion of a tank of the prior art.

A pressure vessel includes: a liner made of a resin and configured to store a pressurized fluid; and a reinforcing layer made of a fiber-reinforced resin provided around an outer peripheral surface of the liner. The liner includes a body portion having a tubular shape and a pair of side-end portions each having a domical shape. One of the side-end portions extends continuously from one of two ends of the body portion, and the other one of the side-end portions extends continuously from the other one of the two ends of the body portion. The liner includes a restriction portion provided at a center of the liner in an axial direction of the body portion. The restriction portion is configured to restrict displacement of the reinforcing layer in the axial direction.

A sectional inner liner of a pressure vessel comprising the sectional inner liner and an outer layer disposed around the sectional inner liner, the sectional inner liner comprising: at least two inner liner sections, wherein each inner liner section comprises an internal network structure; and at least two cap sections, wherein, the at least two cap sections and at least two inner liner sections are configured to assemble into a sectional inner liner.

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 306A, 306B, 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.

An organic composite gas storage tank 100 comprises a hollow central portion 106 which is substantially cylindrical and formed integrally with first and second end portions 102, 104, and which defines a longitudinal tank axis 101. The first end portion 102 comprises a hollow truncated conical region 102A which meets the hollow central portion at a first end thereof, and a cylindrical region 102B which meets an end of the hollow truncated conical portion remote from the hollow central portion. An organic fibre winding 107 extends at least between axial positions which coincide with the hollow truncated conical region of the first end portion and the hollow central portion respectively. A hollow metal end-fitting 120 has a hollow truncated conical portion 124 embedded within the wall of the hollow truncated conical region of the first end portion, providing a long leakage path around the metal end-fitting.

A method for manufacturing a vessel configured for housing a fluid within, the method including: providing at least two at least partially cured fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) structures with complementary shapes configured for matching with each other such that an interior volume is defined when the at least partially cured FRP structures are coupled to each other; coupling the at least partially cured FRP structures to each other such that the interior volume is defined; winding at least one layer of FRP material onto at least a portion of the at least partially cured FRP structures once coupled to each other; and applying a curing cycle to cure the resulting assembly.

The invention relates a pressure vessel (100) configured for storing a fluid under pressure, said pressure vessel comprising: a thermoplastic liner (40) having a cylindrical section (41), a first rounded end section (42) and a second rounded end section (42); a reinforcement structure (50) made of a composite material, said reinforcement structure surrounding at least the cylindrical section of the thermoplastic liner; and a local reinforcement layer (20).