US 11,926,109 B2
Method of manufacturing a composite vessel assembly
Andrzej Ernest Kuczek, Bristol, CT (US); Ellen Y. Sun, South Windsor, CT (US); and Wenping Zhao, Glastonbury, CT (US)
Assigned to RTX CORPORATION, Farmington, CT (US)
Appl. No. 16/095,587
Filed by RTX CORPORATION, Farmington, CT (US)
PCT Filed Apr. 22, 2016, PCT No. PCT/US2016/028937
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 22, 2018,
PCT Pub. No. WO2017/184171, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 26, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2020/0353704 A1, Nov. 12, 2020
Int. Cl. B29C 70/42 (2006.01); B29C 33/52 (2006.01); B29C 33/54 (2006.01); B29C 70/34 (2006.01); B29C 70/68 (2006.01); B29C 70/70 (2006.01); B29C 70/84 (2006.01); F17C 1/06 (2006.01); F17C 1/16 (2006.01); B29L 31/00 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 70/42 (2013.01) [B29C 33/52 (2013.01); B29C 33/54 (2013.01); B29C 70/345 (2013.01); B29C 70/682 (2013.01); B29C 70/70 (2013.01); B29C 70/84 (2013.01); F17C 1/06 (2013.01); F17C 1/16 (2013.01); B29L 2031/7156 (2013.01); F17C 2201/0152 (2013.01); F17C 2203/0604 (2013.01); F17C 2203/0621 (2013.01); F17C 2203/0663 (2013.01); F17C 2209/232 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing a composite vessel assembly comprising: placing a first liner in a first pre-form fixture prior to filling with a first granulated material; filling a first chamber defined by the first liner with the first granulated material through a first orifice in the first liner; applying a vacuum to the first chamber; plugging the first orifice; enveloping the first liner with a first layer for structural rigidity, wherein the first liner lines and is in contact with the first layer, and wherein the first liner is flexible and collapsible without the first layer; curing the first layer before relieving the vacuum from the first chamber; and relieving the vacuum, wherein the first layer adheres to an outer layer of the first liner and maintains a shape of the first liner after the vacuum is relieved, wherein the first layer becomes structurally rigid before relieving the vacuum from the first chamber within the first liner, and wherein the composite vessel is configured to store a pressurized fluid in a cavity formed by an interior surface of the first liner after curing.