Towpreg-based design and manufacture of multisupply filament-wound composite pressure vessels

Abstract

Hydrogen-powered vehicles enable an emission-free mobility. One of the main hindrances to a wide spread application of these systems, is the component costs, e.g. the hydrogen storage. In order to facilitate a broad deployment of hydrogen vehicles, emerging high-productive manufacturing technologies are preferred. In this paper, the design and manufacture of composite pressure vessels (CPV) based on pre-impregnated fibers, so-called towpregs, is investigated. For the manufacturing, the novel multi-supply filament winding (MFW) technology is used. MFW allows the processing of up to 48 towpregs simultaneously and is especially suited for towpregs. Initially, the influence of the winding parameters on the mechanical properties are analyzed. Suitable process parameters are selected for the calculation of the laminate layout through finite element analysis and as machine input parameters. After consolidation, the manufactured vessel is subjected to internal pressure to ascertain the failure pressure and failure mechanism. Samples of the dome and cylindrical part are analyzed via computer-tomography to determine the void content of the laminate. In summary, a novel and an effective manufacturing process for CPV is illustrated with emphasis on its process parameters for an industrial implementation. Further, a sufficient laminate layup for the processing of towpregs is developed.