Pressure vessel, hydrogen storage tank and method for manufacturing pressure vessel

Abstract

A pressure vessel has an airtight liner and a shell. The shell made of fiber reinforced plastic is formed by curing resin impregnated fiber bundles wound outside of the liner. The pressure vessel has a cylindrical portion, a domed end portion on each end of the cylindrical portion and a boss provided at the center of each domed end portion. The shell includes at least two fiber bundle layers which are formed by the resin impregnating fiber bundles and at least one shape correction member arranged between the fiber bundle layers at each domed end portion.

1 . A pressure vessel comprising: 
 an airtight liner; and    a shell made of fiber reinforced plastic and formed by curing resin impregnated fiber bundles wound outside of the liner, wherein the pressure vessel has a cylindrical portion, a domed end portion on each end of the cylindrical portion and a boss provided at the center of each domed end portion, wherein the shell includes at least two fiber bundle layers which are formed by the resin impregnating fiber bundles and at least one shape correction member arranged between the fiber bundle layers at each domed end portion.    
   
   
       2 . The pressure vessel according to  claim 1 , wherein the shape correction member has a smaller outside diameter than a portion of the fiber bundle layer on a body portion of the liner.  
   
   
       3 . The pressure vessel according to  claim 1 , wherein the shape correction member has a surface adjacent to the liner, the surface being shaped along a surface of the fiber bundle layer adjacent to the liner, and wherein the shape correction member is arranged so as to fill in a recess of the surface of the fiber bundle layer adjacent to the liner in a cross-section of the pressure vessel taken along an axis of the pressure vessel.  
   
   
       4 . The pressure vessel according to  claim 3 , wherein the shape correction member has a rounded surface on a side opposite to the liner, the rounded surface having a smaller curvature than an outer surface of a dome of the liner.  
   
   
       5 . The pressure vessel according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the shape correction members are arranged between the fiber bundle layers.  
   
   
       6 . The pressure vessel according to  claim 1 , wherein the shape correction member has a softer side adjacent to the liner than a side opposite to the liner.  
   
   
       7 . The pressure vessel according to  claim 1 , wherein the fiber bundle layer which forms the domed end portion is formed only by fiber bundles which are wound in contact with the boss.  
   
   
       8 . The pressure vessel according to  claim 1 , wherein the fiber bundle layer wound at the domed end portion is formed only by fiber bundles which are wound by helical winding in contact with the boss.  
   
   
       9 . The pressure vessel according to  claim 1 , wherein the fiber bundle layer wound at the domed end portion is formed by helical winding and/or in-plane winding.  
   
   
       10 . The pressure vessel according to  claim 1 , wherein the shape correction member has a surface adjacent to the liner, the surface having a recess which extends radially.  
   
   
       11 . The pressure vessel according to  claim 1 , wherein the shape correction member has a through hole.  
   
   
       12 . The pressure vessel according to  claim 1 , wherein the shape correction member is made of resin.  
   
   
       13 . The pressure vessel according to  claim 12 , wherein the shape correction member is made of epoxy resin.  
   
   
       14 . The pressure vessel according to  claim 12 , wherein the shape correction member is made of fiber reinforced plastic.  
   
   
       15 . The pressure vessel according to  claim 1 , wherein the shape correction member is made of metal or ceramics.  
   
   
       16 . A hydrogen storage tank comprising the components of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       17 . A method for manufacturing a pressure vessel having a cylindrical portion, a domed end portion on each end of the cylindrical portion and a boss provided at the center of the domed end portion, wherein resin impregnated fiber bundles are wound outside of an airtight liner by filament winding, comprising the steps of: 
 fixing the liner at a rotation support portion of a filament winding apparatus so as to rotate integrally therewith;    performing the filament winding while an annular shape correction member for adjusting a shape of a fiber bundle layer formed at the domed end portion is prepared at a saving position, which does not interfere the filament winding, between the rotation support portion and the liner;    moving the shape correction member prepared at the saving position to contact the fiber bundle layer wound by then in the mid course of winding the fiber bundles; and    continuing the filament winding.    
   
   
       18 . A method for manufacturing a pressure vessel having a cylindrical portion, a domed end portion on each end of the cylindrical portion and a boss provided at the center of the domed end portion, wherein resin impregnated fiber bundles are wound outside of an airtight liner by filament winding, comprising the steps of: 
 performing filament winding in a state where the liner is fixed at a rotation support portion of a filament winding apparatus so as to rotate integrally therewith;    arranging a shape correction member on the outside of the fiber bundle layer wound by then when an outline of the fiber bundle layer formed by fiber bundles wound at the domed end portion becomes a shape by which pressing force from the fiber bundles wound outside of the fiber bundle layer is less than a predetermined value; and    forming the fiber bundle layer by winding the fiber bundles on the shape correction member.