Composite Reinforcement of Cylindrical Pressure Vessels

MAE 661
Laminated Composite Materials
Spring 2008

1
Cylindrical Pressure Vessels

Cylindrical pressure vessels are in widespread use for a variety of applications

• SCBA and SCUBA tanks

• Propane tanks

• Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and hydrogen for Alternative Fuel Vehicles

• Medical oxygen tanks

• Laboratory gas tanks

Depending on the application, primary design considerations include:

• Weight

• Cost

• Pressure capacity

• Storage capacity

• Safety and durability

2
Design and Analysis Considerations

First, consider a metallic, thin-walled cylindrical vessel

For preliminary design/analysis, and for today’s discussion, we will restrict

ourselves to the following conditions and assumptions:

• Vessels are thin-walled (t < R/10)

– Stresses are uniform through the wall thickness (membrane loading, no bending)

– Stress normal to the wall thickness is much less than membrane stresses

• Material (typically steel or aluminum) is elastic-perfectly plastic

σ
– von Mises yield criterion applies
σy
• We will consider the cylinder portion only

– End closures (domes) are beyond today’s scope

Note that the vessel is axisymmetric about cylinder axis

ε
Applied pressure loading is also axisymmetric

3
Equibrium in Hoop and Axial Directions

Consider a slice of length L:

σh
Notation
p, internal pressure
p Sum forces in
R, radius p horizontal (vertical)
direction:
t, wall thickness R
σ htL − pRL = 0
σ, stress
σh pR
h, hoop direction σh =
t
a, axial direction

σa
Sum forces in
horizontal direction:

σ a (2πR )t − p (πR 2 ) = 0
p
pR
σa =
2t

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 Summary of Stresses

Biaxial state of stress

σh
• Normal stress in the hoop direction
pR
σh =
t σa
• Normal stress in the axial direction
pR
σa =
2t
• No shear stress σa
σy
τ ah = 0
• Therefore, σh and σa are principal stresses σy
σy σh
• von Mises yield criterion in two dimensions:
σ y2 = σ 12 − σ 1σ 2 + σ 22 σy
σ y2 = σ h2 − σ hσ a + σ a2
• Failure occurs when load line reaches the von Mises ellipse

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 Design Equation

Failure criterion:

σ y2 = σ h2 − σ hσ a + σ a2
Substitute for the hoop and axial stresses, set p = pf , and simplify:
2 2 2
⎛ p R ⎞ ⎛ p R ⎞⎛ p R ⎞ ⎛ p R ⎞ ⎛ p R ⎞ ⎛ 1 1 ⎞
σ y2 = ⎜⎜ f ⎟⎟ − ⎜⎜ f ⎟⎟⎜⎜ f ⎟⎟ + ⎜⎜ f ⎟⎟ = ⎜⎜ f ⎟⎟ ⎜1 − + ⎟
⎝ t ⎠ ⎝ t ⎠⎝ 2t ⎠ ⎝ 2t ⎠ ⎝ t ⎠ ⎝ 2 4 ⎠

3 pf R
σy =
2 t

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Example

Given:

• Tank Dimensions Pressure at failure:

– Diameter = 12 in. • pf = (3600)2.25 = 8100 psi
– Length of cylinder section = 3 ft. = 36 in.
3 pf R
• Load σy =
2 t
3 (8100 )(6 )
– Service pressure = 3600 psi
3 pf R
– Factor of safety against burst = 2.25 ⇒t = =
2 σy 2 112,000
• Material is 4130 steel

– E = 30 x 106 psi
t = 0.376 in. (< R/10)

– Poisson’s ratio, ν = 0.25 Weight of tank (cylinder section):

– Yield stress, σy = 112,000 psi

W = ρV = ρ (2πR )tL
– Weight density, ρ = 0.283 lb/in3 W = 0.283(2π 6 )(0.376 )(36)
Determine the required wall thickness W = 144 lb.

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 Some Observations

pR pR
σh = σa =
t 2t
σa
The hoop stress is twice as large as the axial stress
σy
If we apply reinforcement in the hoop direction, maybe we can

• Reduce the tank load in the hoop direction σy

σy σh
• Make hoop stress more nearly equal to the axial stress

• Enable reduction in tank wall thickness σy

• Reduce the weight of the tank (improved structural efficiency)

Wrap the cylinder section with continuous fiber composite in the hoop direction

• With all reinforcing fibers in the hoop direction, we will initially assume that the
composite carries load in the hoop direction only

• Assume that the composite is linearly elastic to failure

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Equilibrium Considerations

Notation: subscript w denotes the hoop-wrap reinforcement

pR
Equilibrium in the axial direction is unchanged σa =
2t
Equilibrium in the hoop direction:

σw
σh
(tσ h + t wσ w )L − pRL = 0
⇒ tσ h + t wσ w = pR
p
The problem is now statically indeterminate

To determine how the hoop load is divided between the

tank and the wrap, we need an additional equation: hoop
σw σ
h strain in tank and wrap must be equal
As long as the tank has not yielded, Hooke’s law applies:
1
ε h = (σ h − υσ a )
1
εw = σw
E Ew
1 1
⇒ (σ h − νσ a ) = σ w
E Ew
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Solution to the Elastic Equations

1 1
σa =
pR tσ h + t wσ w = pR (σ h − νσ a ) = σ w
2t E Ew
⇓ ⇓
pR − tσ h 1⎛ pR ⎞ 1 pR − tσ h
σw = ⇒ ⎜ σ h −ν ⎟=
tw E⎝ 2t ⎠ Ew tw

ν
Et + E w t w pR
pR pR − tσ h
σa = σw = and σh = 2
2t tw Et + E w t w t

(equilibrium) (equilibrium) (Hooke’s Law)

These equations are valid as long as the wrap has not failed:
σ w < σ fw

and the tank has not yielded:

σ vm = σ h2 − σ hσ a + σ a2 < σ y

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Following Tank Yield

Once the tank has yielded (assuming the wrap is still intact):
pR
σa = still, from axial equilibrium
2t
But now the tank hoop stress is obtained from the yield criterion
σ y 2 = σ h2 − σ hσ a + σ a2 ⇒ σ h2 − σ hσ a + σ a2 − σ y 2 = 0
Solve for the hoop stress using the quadratic formula:

σ a + σ a2 − 4(σ a2 − σ y2 ) 1 ⎡ pR
2⎤
⎛ pR ⎞
σh = ⇒ σh = ⎢ + 4σ y2 − 3⎜ ⎟ ⎥
2 2 ⎢ 2t ⎝ 2t ⎠ ⎥⎦
⎣
And get the stress in the wrap from equilibrium in the hoop direction:
pR − tσ h
σw =
tw
Note from the equation for σh, the value inside the square root must be ≥ 0:
2
⎛ pR ⎞ 3 pR
4σ y2 − 3⎜ ⎟ ≥0⇒t ≥
⎝ 2t ⎠ 4 σy

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 What’s it All Mean?

σa
σy After wrap
σh
σvm
σa σy Before wrap
σw
σy σh

p σy

As the pressure increases up to tank yield, hoop stress and axial stress in the tank, as well as the
stress in the wrap, increase linearly.
After the tank yields:

• Axial stress in the tank continues to increase linearly (axial equilibrium)

• Hoop stress decreases, keeping σh and σa on the von Mises ellipse (yield criterion)

• Stress in the wrap must increase at a faster rate (hoop equilibrium)

Two possible failure modes:

• Failure of the wrap (preferred)

• Failure of the tank

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Example
Given:
Minimum tank thickness
• Tank Dimensions
3 pf R 3 (8100)(6 )
t≥ = = 0.188 in.
– Diameter = 12 in. 4 σy 4 112,000
– Length of cylinder section = 3 ft. = 36 in.
Set t = 0.200 in.
• Load
At burst pressure,
– Service pressure = 3600 psi
σa =
pf R
=
(8100)(6) = 121,500 psi
– Factor of safety against burst = 2.25 2t 2(0.200 )
• Material is 4130 steel Tank has yielded; use post-yield equations
– E = 30 x 106 psi for σh and σa at burst pressure:
⎡ ⎛ ⎞
2⎤
– Poisson’s ratio, ν = 0.25 1 ⎢ pf R p R
σh = + 4σ y2 − 3⎜⎜
f
⎟⎟ ⎥ = 99,121 psi
⎢
2 2t ⎝ 2t ⎠ ⎥⎦
– Yield stress, σy = 112,000 psi ⎣
– Weight density, ρ = 0.283 lb/in3 p f R − tσ h p f R − tσ h
σ fw = ⇒ tw = = 0.107 in.
• Hoop wrap with T300 carbon fiber/epoxy tw σ fw
– Ew = 22 x 106 psi Weight of tank (cylinder section):
– Failure stress σfw = 270,000 psi W = 2πRL(ρt + ρ wt w )
– Weight density, ρω = 0.056 lb/in3 W = (2π 6 )(36 )((0.283)(0.200 ) + (0.056 )(0.107 ))
Determine thickness of tank and wrap W = 85 lb.
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Closing Comments

Governing equations are readily entered into a spreadsheet

• Examine the effects of different material selections, thicknesses, tank geometries
• For a given tank radius, material selection, and pressure requirement find the thicknesses that give
optimum design (minimum weight)
Minimum weight design is achieved by enforcing the condition that both tank and wrap fail
simultaneously at the required burst pressure (82 lb. in previous example)
Additional considerations
• Compare pressure at which tank yields to service pressure (5618 psi vs. 3600 psi in previous
example)
– Autofrettage (intentionally pressurize beyond the elastic limit) to increase the elastic range and
improve fatigue strength
• Thermal effects: tank and wrap have different coefficients of thermal expansion
– Processing-induced residual stresses due to elevated temperature composite cure
– Operation at elevated and reduced pressures
The next steps to reduce weight :
• Fully-wrapped with load-sharing metallic liner
• Fully-wrapped with plastic liner

14
Filament Winding of Cylindrical Tanks

Continous fibers under tension are applied to a

mandrel

Carbon fiber bundles (tows) consist of 12k

fibers provided on a spool; four tows
constitute a band

Wet-winding vs. pre-preg winding

Helical layers cover cylinder plus domes

Hoop plies cover cylinder section only

Oven curing to harden the resin follows

winding

Mandrel doubles as an impermeable barrier to

the stored high-pressure gas

15
Prototype Testing

Hydroburst test conducted remotely

Painted white with stripes for visibility

Instrumented with strain gages on

overwrap and domes

Filmed with high-speed camera

Burst at 4530 psi (90% of target)

Failure initiated in overwrap near one end

Both cells ruptured in cylinder region,

extending to the dome

Examination of carcass revealed some

waviness in fibers of overwrap

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Safety Testing

Safety requirements dictated by industry standard ANSI-NGV2

• Operating pressure

– 3600 psi for CNG, 5000 psi for hydrogen

• Burst pressure

– 2.25 safety factor

• Cycle life

• Bonfire

• Bullett impact

• Pendulum impact

• Drop

• Environmental exposure

• Permeation

• Flaw tolerance

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