Development of a filament winding process for full-scale production of type IV composites pressure vessels

• Grant number: 23/06503-6
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: November 01, 2023
• End date: April 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Daniel de Almeida Pereira
• Grantee: Daniel de Almeida Pereira
• Company: Forza Composites Tecnologia em Materiais Compósitos Ltda
• CNAE: Fabricação de artefatos de material plástico não especificados anteriormente ; Testes e análises técnicas ; Pesquisa e desenvolvimento experimental em ciências físicas e naturais
• City: São José dos Campos
• Associated research grant: 20/13901-0 - Manufacturing of pressure vessel using composite materials through Filament Winding process, AP.PIPE

Abstract

This PIPE Invest project is a technological development focused on the filament winding process, with specific objectives and defined methodology to enhance and scale the current manufacturing process of Type IV pressure vessels using composite materials. This project is intrinsically related to "PIPE Fase 1" (already completed) and "PIPE Fase 2" (submitted/under review) projects, with a specific focus on improving the full-scale manufacturing process of pressure vessels through filament winding. While the PIPE Fase 1 and Phase 2 projects focus on advancing the technology of Type IV pressure vessels in terms of Technology Readiness Level (TRL), the PIPE Invest project aims to increase the Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) of the vessel manufacturing process through specific updates and improvements. Therefore, the goal of this PIPE Invest proposal is to achieve MRL 6 for the process, in order to support the ongoing development funded by "PIPE Fase 1" (completed at TRL 3) and "PIPE Fase 2 (TRLs 4-6)". The proposal is presented in four stages. In Stage 1, a technical study of process scalability and capability will be conducted. Sensitivity analyzes of winding parameters will be performed to assess their influence on the obtained vessels, as well as quantitative analysis of output data to determine the Cp index. The objective is to quantify the needings on process upgrades in relation to the prototypes to be produced at higher TRLs. In Stage 2, hardware upgrades will be specified and implemented, including replacing the current stepper motors with more precise servo motors, implementing a carbon fiber tape tensioning system, incorporating basic safety features (missing in current version) such as collision sensors and e-stop button, and upgrading the machine structure to improve stiffness and reduce vibrations. In Stage 3, a new software compatible with the design requirements will be implemented and integrated, enabling the integration of design and manufacturing and allowing for more complex structural optimization and mechanical designs. Finally, in Stage 4, effectiveness tests of the upgrades will be performed, including manufacturing of prototype pressure vessels to validate the enhanced filament winding equipment. (AU)