LARGE COMPOSITE CYLINDER BOSS DESIGN

Abstract

A fibre composite cylindrical tank containing a pressurized fluid sealed by a boss seal, has at least one opening with diameter D0, and having an inner surface, sealed by a boss seal, wherein the boss seal includes a first boss section with diameter D1 larger than the opening diameter D0 and second boss section of diameter D0 equal to the opening diameter D0, and wherein the first section is leaned against the inner surface of the tank by the pressurized fluid, the second section fits the opening and a gasket of diameter D2 larger than the opening diameter D0 is placed on the second boss section.

Claims

1. A fibre composite cylindrical tank for containing a pressurized fluid, having at least one opening with an opening diameter D.sub.0, and having an inner surface A.sub.1, sealed by a boss seal, wherein the boss seal comprises: a first boss section with diameter D.sub.1 larger than the opening diameter D.sub.0 and a second boss section of diameter D.sub.0 equal to the opening diameter D.sub.0, and wherein the first boss section is leaned against the inner surface of the fibre composite cylindrical tank by the pressurized fluid, the second boss section fits the opening and a gasket of diameter D.sub.2 larger than the opening diameter D.sub.0 is placed on the second boss section, and the first and second boss sections are separated into two distinct parts fitting each other.

2. The fibre composite cylindrical tank according to claim 1, wherein the first boss section is made up of at least two subparts, the at least two subparts having its larger dimension smaller than the diameter D.sub.0 allowing these at least two subparts to pass through the opening.

3. The fibre composite cylindrical tank according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface A.sub.1 at the opening has a moulded shoulder.

4. The fibre composite cylindrical tank according to claim 1, wherein the boss seal is a metallic or overmolded metallic part.

5. The fibre composite cylindrical tank according to claim 1, wherein the tank is made of a composite material mixing fibre and resin, with the inner surface of the tank being a separate polymer liner.

6. The fibre composite cylindrical tank according to claim 1, wherein the fibre composite cylindrical tank is made of a composite material mixing fibre and resin, having either the inner surface of the fibre composite cylindrical tank being a homogeneous liner made from the same resin as the fibre composite cylindrical tank or no liner at all.

7. The fibre composite cylindrical tank according to claim 1, wherein the second boss section has a groove fitting the gasket-.

8. The fibre composite cylindrical tank according to claim 1, wherein the fibre composite cylindrical tank is wound by a fibre composite.

9. The fibre composite cylindrical tank according to claim 1, wherein the fibre composite cylindrical tank is for containing a pressurized fluid.

Description

LIST OF FIGURES

[0035] The invention is further elucidated in the appending figures and figure description explaining preferred embodiments of the invention. Note that the figures are not drawn to scale. The figures are intended to describe the principles of the invention.

[0036] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a first embodiment being a tank's sealing apparatus being made of a single boss seal.

[0037] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a second embodiment, the tank's sealing apparatus being made of two separate boss section parts, having an individual first boss section.

[0038] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the FIG. 2.

[0039] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a third embodiment, the tank's sealing apparatus being made of two separate boss section parts, the first boss section being divided into two subparts.

[0040] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] Unless stated otherwise, a same element appearing on different figures presents a single reference.

[0042] Furthermore, the terms first, second, and the like in the description and in the claims, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequential or chronological order.

[0043] A first embodiment of the invention is a fibre composite cylindrical tank 5 containing a pressurized fluid, having at least one opening 2 with diameter D.sub.0, and having an inner surface A.sub.1, sealed by a boss seal 1. This first embodiment is shown on FIG. 1.

[0044] A shoulder 6 consisting of a circular reinforcement thickening the tank 5 opening 2 is used as a reinforcement. This shoulder 6 may also have a cylindrical top section to act as an opening collar. Such a shoulder is usually moulded to the tank around the opening 2.

[0045] The boss seal 1 comprising a first boss section with diameter D.sub.1 larger than the opening diameter D.sub.0 and a second boss section with diameter D.sub.0 equal to the opening diameter D.sub.0.

[0046] A gasket 3 is placed on the second boss section to prevent any leaks and to ensure tightness.

[0047] A spring retaining ring 4 is placed over the second boss section to hold the boss seal 1 at the opening 2 when the tank is empty (i.e. when the boss seal 1 is not held up by pressurized fluid).

[0048] The first boss section is leaned against the inner surface of the tank by the contained pressurized fluid, and on the moulded shoulder 6. As the first boss section has a diameter D.sub.1 larger than the opening diameter D.sub.0, the first boss section would not pass through the opening 2 and would remain in place and would therefore seal the tank opening 2.

[0049] The second boss section is plugged in the tank's opening 2 and is the outer part of the boss seal 1, that is farthest to the contained fluid.

[0050] The boss seal 1 may have at least one opening allowing devices to be inserted. As an example, a gauge, pipe, or catalyser can be put in that opening.

[0051] The tank 5 is identified in that it is made of a composite wound. Such a tank can be obtained by rotor-moulding or blow-moulding. The tank 5 is therefore produced over a mould.

[0052] The boss seal 1 comprising the first boss section and second boss section is put in the tank with the mould tooling before the tank's production. The boss seal part 1 is placed with the production tooling (mould) before the start of the production stage in order to place and keep the boss seal part 1 inside the tank 5 when it is produced. Indeed, after production, the boss seal part 1 would remain inside the tank 5.

[0053] The pressurized fluid contained in the tank 5 may, for example, be a gas, a liquid, a mix of gas and liquid or a mix of liquid and solid.

[0054] In a second embodiment, the first boss section 10 and the second boss section 11 are two separate boss parts fitting each other. As the diameter of the separate first boss section part 10 is bigger than the opening 2, the separate first boss section part 10 would be put inside the tank before production, as it is the case in the first embodiment, whereas the separate second boss section part 11 may be inserted when needed as the separate second boss section part 11 can pass through the opening 2.

[0055] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the apparatus where the first boss section 10 and the second boss section 11 are two separate parts.

[0056] FIG. 3 shows the same embodiment as the one presented on FIG. 2, with the assembled boss seal parts.

[0057] In this second embodiment, the separate first boss section part 10 is placed with the production tooling (i.e. mould) when the filament wound is done to produce the cylindrical tank 5. Similarly to the boss seal part 1 placement in the first embodiment, the separate first boss section part 10 would remain inside the tank 5 after the production stage of said tank 5. The separate second boss section part 11 however may be introduced later as it has a diameter D.sub.0 equal to the opening diameter.

[0058] In a third embodiment where the first boss section 10 and the second boss section 11 are separate parts, the separate first boss section part 10 may be made of at least two subparts 100 and 101 allowing a more convenient insertion of the boss seal, as shown on FIG. 4 and FIG. 5.

[0059] Having two subparts 100 and 101 allows for an even easier set up as no boss seal apparatus needs to be inserted with the tooling during the production stage as the subparts 100 and 101 can pass through the opening 2 and be inserted at any time. Indeed, the subparts 100 and 101 having a length smaller to the diameter D.sub.0 make the insertion and passing through of these subparts 100 and 101 in the opening 2 feasible.

[0060] FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 show this third embodiment, with two first section subparts 100 and 101. The number of first boss section subparts is not limited to two, but having two subparts is a preferred embodiment.

[0061] For the first embodiment described above and shown on FIG. 1, the sealing process is performed by taking the boss seal part 1 from inside the tank and placing it at the opening 2.

[0062] For the second embodiment described above and shown on FIGS. 2 and 3, the sealing process is performed by taking the separate first boss section part 10 from inside the tank and interlocking it with the separate second boss section part 11, placing the complete boss seal at the opening 2. The separate second boss section part 11 may be out of the tank 5 prior to the tank's sealing.

[0063] For the third embodiment described above and shown on FIGS. 4 and 5, the sealing process is performed by firstly inserting the at least two first boss section subparts 100 and 101 into the tank 5 if these subparts weren't inside the tank 5, then assembling these subparts together, and finally interlocking the assembled separate first boss section part 10 with the separate second boss section part 11, placing the complete boss seal at the opening 2. The separate second boss section part 11 as well as the at least two first section subparts may be out of the tank 5 prior to the tank's sealing.

[0064] For all three embodiments mentioned, the boss seal remains at the opening 2 by means of either the pressurized fluid contained in the tank 5 or the spring retaining ring 4.

[0065] Although the invention relates to cylindrical pressure tanks, these tanks may alternatively be polymorph or toroid shaped.

[0066] While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is important to note that combinations of embodiments is feasible and may be considered.