Composite overwrapped pressure vessel

A composite overwrapped pressure vessel (COPV) is a vessel consisting of a thin, non-structural liner wrapped with a structural fiber composite, designed to hold a fluid under pressure. The liner provides a barrier between the fluid and the composite, preventing leaks (which can occur through matrix microcracks which do not cause structural failure) and chemical degradation of the structure. In general, a protective shell is applied for protective shielding against impact damage.[1][2] The most commonly used composites are fiber reinforced polymers (FRP),[3] using carbon and kevlar fibers. The primary advantage of a COPV as compared to a similar sized metallic pressure vessel is lower weight, but this may be offset by the increased costs of manufacturing and certification.

Casing of the Altair rocket stage, essentially a fiberglass composite overwrapped pressure vessel

Testing

Various tests and inspections are performed on COPVs, including burst test, stress-rupture lifetime, and nondestructive evaluation.[4][5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Protective shells for composite overwrapped pressure vessels
  2. ↑ Metal-Lined Composite-Overwrapped Pressure Vessel
  3. ↑ A STRUCTURAL HEALTH MONITORING SYSTEM FOR COMPOSITE PRESSURE VESSELS
  4. ↑ Vessel Testing
  5. ↑ Stress-rupture lifetime testing
  6. ↑ Pat B. McLaughlan; Scott C. Forth; Lorie R. Grimes-Ledesma (March 2011). "Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels, A Primer" (PDF). NASA.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/12/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.