High Pressure Tank Having Hoop Layer and Helical Layer Wound Thereon and Method of Manufacturing Same

Abstract

Provided is a high-pressure tank wound with a hoop layer and a helical layer. According to the present invention, the high-pressure tank includes: a liner which includes a cylinder portion and two dome portions respectively formed at both ends of the cylinder portion; and a composite material layer which includes a hoop layer and a helical layer, wound on an outer circumferential surface of the liner, wherein the helical layer includes a twist portion wound on a junction portion of the cylinder portion and the dome portion, and the twist portion is twisted and wound while wrapping on an end portion of the hoop layer when the helical layer passes by the hoop layer and is then wound toward the dome portion.

Claims

1. A high-pressure tank comprising: a liner including a cylinder portion and two dome portions respectively formed at both ends of the cylinder portion; and a composite material layer including a hoop layer and a helical layer, wound on an outer circumferential surface of the liner, wherein the helical layer includes a twist portion wound on a junction portion of the cylinder portion and the dome portion, and the twist portion is twisted and wound while wrapping on an end portion of the hoop layer when the helical layer passes by the hoop layer and is then wound toward the dome portion.

2. The high-pressure tank of claim 1, wherein the helical layer includes a main wound portion wound on the cylinder portion, and an angle θ of the main wound portion is defined by Equation 1 below: $\begin{array}{cc}\theta ={\tan }^{-1}\left(\frac{\pi D}{2A}\right)& \left[\mathrm{Equation}1\right]\end{array}$ D: Diameter of cylinder portion A: Length of cylinder portion in length direction

3. The high-pressure tank of claim 2, wherein the cylinder portion has the diameter including a thickness of the hoop layer in a state where the hoop layer is wound on the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion.

4. The high-pressure tank of claim 1, wherein each of the hoop layer and the helical layer is formed of towpreg.

5. A manufacturing method of a high-pressure tank including a liner which includes a cylinder portion and two dome portions respectively formed at both ends of the cylinder portion, and a composite material layer wound on an outer circumferential surface of the liner, the method comprising: winding a hoop layer of winding a continuous composite material on an outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion; and winding a helical layer of winding the continuous composite material on the hoop layer and an outer circumferential surface of the dome portion, wherein the winding of the helical layer includes winding a twist portion of winding the continuous composite material on a junction portion of the cylinder portion and the dome portion, and in the winding the twist portion, the continuous composite material is twisted and wound while the continuous composite material presses an end of the hoop layer when the continuous composite material passes by the hoop layer and then is wound toward the dome portion.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a prior high-pressure tank wound with a hoop layer and a helical layer.

[0022] FIGS. 2A and 2B are views respectively showing that the hoop layer and helical layer of a composite material layer are wound, in the high-pressure tank wound with the hoop layer and the helical layer.

[0023] FIG. 3 is a view showing a void caused by a step occurring in the prior high-pressure tank wound with the hoop layer and the helical layer.

[0024] FIGS. 4A and 4B are views each showing that the helical layer is wound by using a filament winding method according to the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 5 is a development view of a cylinder portion for calculating an angle at which the helical layer is wound according to the present invention.

[0026] FIGS. 6 to 7B are views each showing a high-pressure tank on which the fibers are wound on all of the cylinder portion and a dome portion, without any twist portion, at the same angle as a main wound portion when the helical layer is formed by winding the fibers on a surface of the liner by using the filament winding method.

[0027] FIGS. 8A and 8B are views comparing the high-pressure tanks wound with the hoop layer and the helical layer to each other, each including or not including the twist portion of the present invention.

[0028] FIGS. 9A and 9B are views comparing whether the void occurs over a junction portion of cylinder and dome portions when a prior filament winding method and the filament winding method according to the present invention are respectively applied.

[0029] FIGS. 10 and 11 are flowcharts each schematically showing a method manufacturing of a high-pressure tank wound with a hoop layer and a helical layer according to the present invention.

MODE FOR INVENTION

[0030] Hereinafter, the present invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to exemplary embodiments described herein. Furthermore, it should be understood that the accompanying drawings are provided only in order to allow the exemplary embodiments of the present invention to be easily understood, and the scope of the present invention is not limited by the accompanying drawings, and includes all the modifications, equivalents, and substitutions included in the scope of the present invention. In addition, in the drawings, portions unrelated to the description are omitted to clearly describe the present invention, the size, type and shape of each component shown in the drawings may be variously modified and same/similar portions are denoted by same/similar reference numerals throughout the specification.

[0031] Throughout the present specification, in case that any one part is referred to as being “connected (contacted, combined or coupled) to” another part, it means that any one part and another part are “directly connected (contacted, combined or coupled) to” each other or are “indirectly connected (contacted, combined or coupled) to” each other with another member interposed therebetween. In addition, unless explicitly described to the contrary, “including (comprising or having)” any component will be understood to imply “including (comprising or having)” other components rather than excluding any other components.

[0032] Terms used in the present specification are used only to describe specific exemplary embodiments rather than limiting the present invention. Singular forms used herein are intended to include plural forms unless explicitly indicated otherwise, and components implemented in a distributed form may also be implemented in a combined form unless there is a special limitation. It should be further understood that terms “include” or “have” used in the present specification specify the presence of features, numerals, steps, operations, components, parts mentioned in the present specification or combinations thereof, and do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numerals, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

[0033] Terms including an ordinal number such as first or second, used in the present specification may be used to describe various components. However, these components are not limited to these terms. The terms are used only to distinguish one component from another component. For example, a ‘first’ component may be named a ‘second’ component and the ‘second’ component may also be similarly named the ‘first’ component, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0034] FIGS. 4A and 4B are views each showing that the helical layer is wound by using a filament winding method according to the present invention. In addition, FIG. 5 is a development view of a cylinder portion for calculating an angle at which the helical layer is wound according to the present invention.

[0035] Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, a high-pressure tank wound with the hoop layer and the helical layer according to the present invention may include a liner 10 and a composite material layer 20 reinforcing an outer circumferential surface of the liner 10.

[0036] In detail, the composite material layer 20 wound on the outer surface of the liner 10 can be formed by winding continuous composite material fibers having a predetermined width. Here, the continuous fibers forming the composite material layer 20 can be prepared in advance before performing the winding, and can be wound on the outer circumferential surface of the liner 10 at an angle determined by a winding device. In detail, the winding device (not shown) may be moved to form the predetermined angle with respect to the liner in a state where the pre-injected liner 10 is fixed, and the continuous composite material fibers having the predetermined width can be wound on an outer circumferential surface of the liner 300 while having a predetermined tension to form the composite material layer 20.

[0037] The liner 10 may include a cylinder portion 11 formed on the high-pressure tank in a central axis direction, and two dome portions 12 respectively formed at both ends of the cylinder portion 11. The cylinder portion 11 and the two dome portions 12 may have approximately the same diameter as each other.

[0038] The cylinder portion 11 may have a cylindrical shape and form a liner 10 and a body of the high-pressure tank including the liner 10 as its component, and the dome portion 12 may have a hemispherical shape and positioned at each of two end portions of the cylinder portion 11. Referring to the developed view of the cylinder portion 11 as shown in FIG. 5, the cylinder portion 11 may have a straight line with no curvature and formed on the high-pressure tank in the axis direction, based on the developed view of the cylinder portion 11. However, the cylinder portion 11 may have a curvature formed on the high-pressure tank in a circumferential direction, based on a three-dimensional shape of the cylinder portion 11. On the other hand, the dome portion 12 of the high-pressure tank may be a surface of the high-pressure tank, having a curvature in each of the axis direction and the circumferential direction.

[0039] Referring back to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the composite material layer 20 may include a hoop layer 21 and a helical layer 22. Here, the hoop layer 21 can be formed by winding the continuous composite material fibers on the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion 11 in a direction substantially perpendicular to a central axis. The hoop layer 21 may serve to withstand stress of high pressure, acting in the circumferential direction. The helical layer 22 may be formed by continuously winding the continuous composite material fibers on the outer circumferential surfaces of the hoop layer 21 and dome portions 12 to be inclined with the central axis. The helical layer 22 may serve to mainly withstand the stress acting in the high-pressure tank in the axis direction. That is, the hoop layer 21 may be wound on the cylinder portion 11 of the high-pressure tank, and may not be wound on the dome portion 12 of the high-pressure tank. On the other hand, the helical layer 22 may be wound on the hoop layer 21 wound on the cylinder portion 11 of the high-pressure tank and the dome portions 12 of the high-pressure tank.

[0040] In addition, referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the helical layer 22 may include a main wound portion 221 and a twist portion 222.

[0041] The main wound portion 221 may be formed on a body region of the cylinder portion 11, and wound at a predetermined angle determined by a diameter of the cylinder portion 11 and a length of the cylinder portion 11 in the central axis direction. In addition, the twist portion 222 can be formed on a junction portion 13 of the cylinder portion 11 and the dome portion 12, and wound at an angle different from that of the main wound portion 221.

[0042] Here, the main wound portion 221 and the twist portion 222 may be a portion of the helical layer 22. The main wound portion 221 partially cross from the helical layer 22 to the cylinder portion 11 at the predetermined angle. The twist portion 222 may be wound at an angle changed to be different from the angle at which the main wound portion 221 is wound. Here, the twist portion 222 may be twisted and wound on the junction portion 13 of the cylinder portion 11 and the dome portion 12 while wrapping the junction portion 13. An end portion of the hoop layer 21 may be positioned on the junction portion 13, the twist portion 222 can be wound while pressing the end portion of the hoop layer 21.

[0043] In addition, the present invention uses a method in which the continuous composite material fibers having the predetermined width are wound by using a winding device. The main wound portion 221 and twist portion 222 may thus repeatedly appear when the continuous composite material fibers are wound on the liner 10 to form the helical layer.

[0044] Meanwhile, in the present specification, the junction portion 13 of the cylinder portion 11 and the dome portion 12 may include not only a junction point on which the cylinder portion 11 and the dome portion 12 are joined to each other but also a surrounding area of the junction point in a certain range, formed between the hoop layer 21 and the helical layer 22, in which a void may occur due to a step caused by the end portion of the hoop layer 21.

[0045] Here, referring to FIG. 5, a predetermined angle θ at which the main wound portion 221 is wound may be appropriately set based on a predetermined diameter D of the cylinder portion 11 and a length A of the cylinder portion 11 in a length direction. For example, the angle θ can be defined based on Equation 1 as below.

[00002]$\begin{array}{cc}\theta ={\tan }^{-1}\left(\frac{\pi D}{2A}\right)& \left[\mathrm{Equation}1\right]\end{array}$ [0046] D: Diameter of cylinder portion [0047] A: Length of cylinder portion in length direction

[0048] For example, a general high-pressure tank may have the cylinder portion 11 having a length of about 580 mm and a diameter of about 322 mm. In this case, an angle of approximately 40 degrees may be an angle of the main wound portion 221 wound on the most area of the body region of the cylinder portion 11. Here, the main wound portion 221 except for the twist portion 222 can generally maintain the predetermined angle.

[0049] Here, the main wound portion 221 of the helical layer 22 may be wound on the hoop layer 21 wound on the body region of the cylinder portion 11. It is thus necessary to consider that a winding diameter of the main wound portion 221 is to be increased as the hoop layer 21 is wound thereon. To this end, it is preferable to calculate the angle θ of the main wound portion 221 considering that the cylinder portion 11 has a diameter including a thickness of the hoop layer 21 in a state where the hoop layer 21 is wound on the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion 11.

[0050] FIGS. 6 to 7B are views each showing a high-pressure tank on which the fibers are wound on all of the cylinder portion and the dome portion, without any twist portion, at the same angle as the main wound portion when the helical layer is formed by winding the fibers on a surface of the liner by using the filament winding method.

[0051] Referring to FIG. 6, the main wound portion 221 may be wound at the angle determined by the diameter of the cylinder portion 11 and the length of the cylinder portion 11 in the central axis direction, that is, the predetermined angle θ of the main wound portion 221 as defined above for example. Here, the main wound portion 221 may be wound at an angle crossing a first end 2211 and a second end 2212 each positioned on the junction portion of the cylinder portion and the dome portion. Here, the first end 2211 and the second end 2212 of the main wound portion 221 may each be a portion of the helical layer 22, corresponding to each of two ends of a straight line diagonally crossing the central axis and a radius of the cylinder portion, based on the developed view of the cylinder portion shown in FIG. 5.

[0052] However, as shown in FIG. 7, when the main wound portion 221 of the helical layer 22 is wound at the predetermined angle θ obtained based on the development view shown in FIG. 5, the helical layer 22 may be diagonally wound across the cylinder portion 11 from the first end 2211, and its end portion may then pass by the second end 2212 of the main wound portion 221, may be wound over the junction portion 13 of the second dome portion 122 and may then reach the dome portion 12. That is, when the main wound portion 221 is wound at the predetermined angle θ, unlike the cylinder portion 11, the dome portion 12 may have the approximately hemispherical shape, and thus be affected by a curvature caused by the hemispherical shape. Accordingly, both the end portions of the helical layer 22, reaching the two dome portions 12 respectively formed at the two end portions of the cylinder portion 11 may be wound close to the protruding ends of the dome portion 12 beyond the junction portion 13.

[0053] As shown in FIGS. 6 to 7B, a pressure of the helical layer 22, which may be applied to the junction portion 13, may be limited when the helical layer 22 is wound at the same angle as the predetermined angle of the main wound portion 221 without the twist portion 222. Such a configuration may make it difficult for the helical layer 22 to sufficiently press the step-type step which may be caused by the end portion of the hoop layer 21. It may thus be difficult to completely prevent the void which may occur over the junction portion 13 of the cylinder portion 11 and the dome portion 12 due to the end portion of the hoop layer 21.

[0054] For this reason, the present invention uses not only the main wound portion 221 which is wound on the body region of the cylinder portion at the predetermined angle, but also the twist portion 222 which is wound on the junction portion 13 of the cylinder portion 11 and the dome portion 12 at the angle changed to be different from the angle at which the main wound portion 221 are wound.

[0055] FIGS. 8A and 8B are views comparing the high-pressure tanks wound with the hoop layer and the helical layer to each other, each including or not including the twist portion 222 of the present invention. FIG. 8A shows a configuration without the twist portion 222 of the present invention, FIG. 8B shows a configuration with the twist portion 222 of the present invention.

[0056] Referring to FIG. 8B, another angle at which the twist portion 222 is wound may be, for example, an angle larger than the angle θ of the main wound portion 221, calculated based on the development view of the cylinder portion, as shown in FIG. 8A. However, based on a side of the development view of FIG. 5, another angle at which the twist portion 222 is wound, may not be a fixed angle, and may be an angle changed while being wound.

[0057] The intermediate angle of approximately 40 degrees can be the predetermined angle θ of the main wound portion 221 of the helical layer 22 in FIG. 8A when the cylinder portion 11 has the length of about 580 mm and the diameter of about 322 mm. Here, the helical layer 22 may be diagonally wound across the cylinder portion 11 from the first end 2211, and its end portion may then pass by the second end 2212 of the main wound portion 221, may be wound over the junction portion 13 of the second dome portion 122 and may then reach the dome portion 12. Here, an approximate circle can be derived when connecting the end portions of the plurality of helical layers 22, each wound toward the dome portion 12, and may have a diameter S of about 207 mm.

[0058] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8B, the helical layer 22 according to the present invention may surround a circumference of the junction portion 13 because the twist portion 222 is twisted on and wound up to a portion of the dome portion 12, on which the hoop layer 21 is not wound, and the main wound portion 221 is wound on the hoop layer 21 of the cylinder portion 11 at the predetermined angle θ. Here, an approximate circle can be derived when connecting portions of the twist portion 222, surrounding the junction portion 13, and may have a diameter S′ of about 270 mm.

[0059] Meanwhile, the hoop layer 21 may have a predetermined thickness. Accordingly, when the hoop layer 21 is wound on the cylinder portion 11, the step-type step may occur between the hoop layer 21 and the helical layer 22 wound on a certain area of the dome portion 12, on which the hoop layer 21 is not wound, beyond the cylinder portion 11. The void can occur between the helical layer 22 and the hoop layer 21 due to such a step-type step.

[0060] In order to solve this problem, the present invention shows that the twist portion 222 is twisted and wound while pressing the end of the hoop layer 21 when the helical layer 22 passes by the hoop layer 21 and then is wound on the dome portion 12. Accordingly, the twist portion 222 can effectively press the end portion of the hoop layer 21 while wrapping the junction portion 13 of the cylinder portion 11 and the dome portion 12, thereby preventing the void caused by the end portion of the hoop layer.

[0061] Referring to FIG. 8B, the twist portion 222 may include a twist switch portion 2221 having a winding direction switched based on the central axis of the high-pressure tank in a range in which the helical layer 22 entirely maintains its contact with the dome portion 12 when the helical layer 22 is wound on the dome portion 12. The twist switch portion 2221 may be formed in a process in which the twist portion 222 is twisted and wound while pressing the end of the hoop layer 21 as described above. However, the twist switch portion 2221 may be a portion where a winding direction of the helical layer 22 is switched to the other direction opposite to the one direction rather than a portion continuously wound along the central axis of the high-pressure tank in one direction to the end of the dome portion 12.

[0062] Here, twist switch portion 2221 may be positioned on the junction portion 13 of the cylinder portion 11 and the dome portion 12. Most of the tension of the helical layer 22 can be concentrated on the twist switch portion 2221 in a process of being twisted and wound, and the concentrated tension may allow the twist switch portion to withstand the stress caused by the internal pressure of the tank acting on the junction portion 13. It is thus possible to prevent the tank from busting due to the junction portion 13 which becomes a weak point.

[0063] In addition, referring to FIG. 8B, the helical layer 22 may be continuously wound on the hoop layer 21 and the outer circumferential surface of the dome portion 12 by using the winding device, and may thus be wound for a plurality of twist switch portions 2221 to appear by the continuous winding. Here, the helical layer 22 may be wound while the plurality of twist switch portions 2221 surround the junction portion 13. Accordingly, the plurality of twist switch portion 2221 may wrap as many areas of the junction portion 13 as possible while entirely pressing the end portion of the hoop layer 21, thereby preventing the void caused by the end portion of the hoop layer 21.

[0064] In addition, here, the helical layer 22 can be formed of a towpreg having tackiness. It is thus possible to minimize sliding or distortion occurring between the twist portion 222 and the dome portion 12 even when the helical layer 22 is twisted and wound on the curved dome portion 12.

[0065] FIGS. 9A and 9B are views comparing whether the void occurs over the junction portion of the cylinder portion and dome portion when a prior filament winding method and the filament winding method according to the present invention are respectively applied. FIG. 9A is a view showing that the void occurs when using the prior filament winding method, and FIG. 9B is a view showing that the void is prevented when using the filament winding method according to the present invention.

[0066] That is, the void may be prevented when using the filament winding method of the present invention because the helical layer 22 may more strongly press the step-type step which may occur on the junction portion 13 of the hoop layer 21 and the helical layer 22. In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to effectively prevent a void 30 while using existing materials as they are without having any separate component supporting the junction portion 13, or without stacking the helical layer 22 several times to have a great thickness, as in the prior art.

[0067] FIGS. 10 and 11 are flowcharts each schematically showing a manufacturing method of a high-pressure tank wound with a hoop layer and a helical layer according to the present invention.

[0068] The description briefly describes the manufacturing method of a high-pressure tank wound with a hoop layer and a helical layer, configured as described above, with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. Omitted is a description of each component of the high-pressure tank to which the above-described filament winding method is applied for convenience. However, the same component can be applied to the manufacturing method of the high-pressure tank as it is.

[0069] Referring to FIG. 10, the manufacturing method of a high-pressure tank wound with a hoop layer and a helical layer may include winding the hoop layer (S10), winding the helical layer (S20), winding a main wound portion (S21), and winding a twist portion (S22).

[0070] The winding of the hoop layer (S10) may include winding the hoop layer 21 on an outer circumferential surface of a cylinder portion 11 in a direction perpendicular to a central axis of the tank. Next, the winding of the helical layer (S20) may include continuously winding the helical layer 22 having the main wound portion 221 and the twist portion 222 on the hoop layer 21 and an outer circumferential surface of the dome portion 12 to be inclined with respect to the central axis.

[0071] Here, the winding of the helical layer (S20) may include the winding of the main wound portion (S21) and the winding of the twist portion (S22).

[0072] The winding of the main wound portion (S21) may include winding the main wound portion 221 on a body region of the cylinder portion 11 at a predetermined angle determined by a diameter of the cylinder portion 11 and a length of the cylinder portion 11 in a central axis direction.

[0073] The winding of the twist portion (S22) may include winding the twist portion 222 on a junction portion 13 of the cylinder portion 11 and the dome portion 12 at an angle different from that of the main wound portion 221.

[0074] In addition, the winding of the twist portion (S22) may include twisting and winding the twist portion 222 while allowing the twist portion 222 to press the end of the hoop layer 21 when the helical layer 22 passes by the hoop layer 21 and then is wound on the dome portion 12, thereby preventing a void which may occur over the junction portion 13 of the cylinder portion and the dome portion due to an end portion of the hoop layer.

[0075] Referring to FIG. 11, the winding of the twist portion (S22) may further include switching the helical layer (S221) and winding the junction portion (S222).

[0076] The switching of the helical layer (S221) may include a winding direction of a twist switch portion 2221 is switched based on the central axis of the high-pressure tank in a range in which the helical layer 22 entirely maintains its contact with the dome portion 12 when the helical layer 22 is wound on the dome portion 12.

[0077] In addition, the winding of the junction portion (S222) may include positioning the twist switch portion 2221 on the junction portion 13 of the cylinder portion 11 and the dome portion 12.

[0078] The scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the descriptions and expressions of the exemplary embodiments explicitly described above. In addition, it is added once again that the scope of the present invention cannot be limited due to obvious changes or substitutions in a technical field to which the present invention pertains.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS

[0079] 10: liner [0080] 11: cylinder portion [0081] 12: dome portion [0082] 13: junction portion [0083] 20: composite material layer [0084] 21: hoop layer [0085] 22: helical layer [0086] 221: main wound portion [0087] 222: twist portion [0088] 2221: twist switch portion [0089] 30: void [0090] θ: angle of main wound portion