TY - JOUR A1 - Mair, Georg A1 - Hoffmann, Martin A1 - Scherer, Florian A1 - Schoppa, André A1 - Szczepaniak, Mariusz T1 - Slow burst testing of samples as a method for quantification of composite cylinder degradation JF - International journal of hydrogen energy N2 - The current practise to focus periodic retesting of composite cylinders primarily on the hydraulic pressure test has to be evaluated as critical. The test itself always causes a certain amount of micro damage to the cylinders but does not necessarily deliver sufficient and evaluable information. Thus BAM Federal Institute of Materials Research and Testing (Germany) moves the focal point to a new approach for validation of composite cylinders, based on destructive sample tests parallel to operation. Statistical assessment of results of these destructive tests is employed for the estimation of remaining safe service life, based on reliability demands. The estimated service life is also used for the determination of re-test periods of the examined population of composite cylinders. An essential aspect of this approach is the validation of current residual strength and its prediction at any point of service life. In cases of gas cylinders with very high cycle strength, residual strength cannot be quantified statistically by means of hydraulic load cycles. As a replacement, creep tests or burst tests may be employed. BAM suggests the 'slow burst test SBT' as a combination of these two test procedures. This is a compromise between the practicability of the (conventional) burst test and the practical relevance of sustained loads during service, to be tested in creep rupture tests. In this paper, a variety of 99 burst results of a cylinder design type used for breathing apparatus (CFRP with PE-liner) is evaluated. The influence of test procedure parameters and nature and intensity of artificial ageing on the test sample strength are analysed statistically. This leads to an evaluation of different procedures of artificial ageing and the recommendation to substitute conventional burst tests by slow burst tests for the assessment of composite pressure receptacles. KW - Slow burst test KW - Sample testing KW - Residual strength KW - Scatter KW - Mean value KW - Degradation KW - Pressure rate PY - 2014 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2014.04.016 SN - 0360-3199 VL - 39 IS - 35 SP - 20522 EP - 20530 PB - Elsevier CY - Oxford AN - OPUS4-30732 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -