Slow burst testing of samples as a method for quantification of composite cylinder degradation
(2014)
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.
We present the results of distributed fiber optic strain sensing for condition monitoring of a hybrid type IV composite fully wrapped pressure vessel using multilayer integrated optical fibers. Distributed strain sensing was performed for a total number of 252,000 load cycles until burst of the vessel. During this ageing test material fatigue could be monitored and spatially localized. Critical material changes were detected 17,000 cycles before material failure. Results have been validated by acoustic emission analysis.
Fibre-reinforced plastics (FRP) especially carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) and glass-fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) are commonly used materials in high pressure vessels and storage units for automotive and aerospace purposes. Optical fibres are suitable to be integrated or directly applied to the surface of FRP components. Using optical fibres it is possible to monitor the distributed strain profiles and changes within the fatigue life of a pressure vessel to ensure the operational safety. Within artificial ageing experiments we used swept wavelength interferometry (SWI) based distributed strain sensing for the monitoring of commercial high-pressure composite cylinder. This artificial ageing was performed using test conditions of 503bar pressure load (service pressure 300 bar) and 89 °C for 100 h. The polyimide coated optical fibres were glued to the surface externally in circumferential and axial direction. Using distributed strain sensing (DSS) material expansion of over 0.5% were monitored with sub-centimetre spatial resolution. Within the circumferential direction we observed up to 10 % local fluctuation compared to the median strain caused by inhomogeneous material expansion, which could cause local material fatigue. In addition, we determined material degradation manifested itself as localized remaining material expansion and/or contraction. Results have been validated by other non-destructive methods like digital strip projection.
Current standards governing the design, qualification and in-service inspection of carbon fibre composite cylinders do not facilitate to optimise cylinder design. The requirements have been adapted from standards for metallic cylinders and cannot easily quantify the degradation processes in composite materials. In this article, the results of hydraulic and hydrogen pressure cycle life tests performed on composite reinforced tanks with a metal liner (type 3) and with a high density polymer liner (type 4) are shown. Moreover, the degradation measured by means of residual strength of the tanks after the cycling tests have been compared. It has been found that the most critical aging for metal based composite cylinder is the gaseous cycling while type 4 designs seem to be more sensitive to hydraulic cycling at high temperature.
Within a current research project at the Federal Institute for Materials Testing and Research (BAM), the degradation process of composite pressure vessels is studied to be able to give more accurate lifetime predictions in future. The presented research is based on type III pressure vessels consisting of an aluminium tank which is fully wrapped with carbon fibre reinforced plastics. Focus is set on the analysis of residual stresses which are induced into the pressure vessel during manufacturing process in order to increase high cycle fatigue. However, with increasing lifetime residual stress conditions do change. To be able to measure and monitor stress conditions, the application of a non-destructive measurement method is aspired.
In this paper, potential of an experimental modal analysis is worked out to capture and monitor aging and degradation effects in pressure vessels. With the presented method, information about changes in residual stress can be obtained via an analysis of the modal parameters. To realize an application, first, a finite element simulation is used to prove and evaluate potential capability and validity. In the following, a test bench is set up and successively optimized in its accuracy and efficiency. Sensitivity of the applied measurement technique is experimentally ascertained trough the measurement of several prestress modified pressure vessels. Finally, experimental results are interpreted and evaluated with the help of numerically gained findings.
15 identical off-the-shelf propane cylinders (m = 11 kg liquid propane) were underfired. The infrared Radiation of the Explosion, that occurred in the aftermath of the vessel failure, was recorded using four bolometers. These measurements are compared with an estimation of the Maximum intensity gained by an Analysis of the Video data, an Extended Version of the Stefan-Boltzmann law and a BLEVE model.