Recent advances in lightweight, filament-wound composite pressure vessel technology

A review of recent advances is presented for lightweight, high performance composite pressure vessel technology that covers the areas of design concepts, fabrication procedures, applications, and performance of vessels subjected to single cycle burst and cyclic fatigue loading. Filament wound fiber/epoxy composite vessels were made from S glass, graphite, and Kevlar 49 fibers and were equipped with both structural and nonstructural liners. Pressure vessels structural efficiencies were attained which represented weight savings, using different liners, of 40 to 60 percent over all titanium pressure vessels. Significant findings in each area are summarized

Hybrid composite laminate structures

An invention which relates to laminate structures and specifically to essentially anisotropic fiber composite laminates is described. Metal foils are selectively disposed within the laminate to produce increased resistance to high velocity impact, fracture, surface erosion, and other stresses within the laminate

Hygrothermomechanical evaluation of transverse filament tape epoxy/polyester fiberglass composites

The static and cyclic load behavior of transverse filament tape (TFT) fiberglass/epoxy and TFY fiberglass/polyester composites, intended for use in the design of low-cost wind turbine blades, are presented. The data behavior is also evaluated with respect to predicted properties based on an integrated hygrothermomechanical response theory. Experimental TFT composite data were developed by the testing of laminates made by using composite layups typical of those used for the fabrication of TFT fiberglass wind turbine blades. Static properties include tension, compression, and interlaminar shear strengths at ambient conditions and at high humidity/elevated temperature conditions after a 500 hour exposure. Cyclic fatigue data were obtained using similar environmental conditions and a range of cyclic stresses. The environmental (temperature and moisture) and cyclic load effects on composite strength degradation are subsequently compared with the predictions obtained by using the composite life/durability theory. The results obtained show that the predicted hygrothermomechanical environmental effects on TFT composites are in good agreement with measured data for various properties including fatigue at different cyclic stresses

Acoustic emission testing of composite vessels under sustained loading

Acoustic emissions (AE) generated from Kevlar 49/epoxy composite pressure vessels subjected to sustained load-to-failure tests were studied. Data from two different transducer locations on the vessels were compared. It was found that AE from vessel wall-mounted transducers showed a wide variance from those for identical vessels subjected to the same pressure loading. Emissions from boss-mounted transducers did, however, yield values that were relatively consistent. It appears that the signals from the boss-mounted transducers represent an integrated average of the emissions generated by fibers fracturing during the vessel tests. The AE from boss-mounted transducers were also independent of time for vessel failure. This suggests that a similar number of fiber fractures must occur prior to initiation of vessel failure. These studies indicate a potential for developing an AE test procedure for predicting the residual service life or integrity of composite vessels

Titanium/beryllium laminates: Fabrication, mechanical properties, and potential aerospace applications

The investigation indicated that structural laminates can be made which have: a modulus of elasticity comparable to steel, fracture strength of comparable to the yield strength of titanium, density comparable to aluminum, impact resistance comparable to titanium, and little or no notch sensitivity. These laminates can have stiffness and weight advantages over other materials including advanced fiber composites, in some aerospace applications where buckling resistance, vibration frequencies, and weight considerations control the design

Advanced fiber-composite hybrids--A new structural material

Introduction of metal foil as part of matrix and fiber composite, or ""sandwich'', improves strength and stiffness for multidirectional loading, improves resistance to cyclic loading, and improves impact and erosion resistance of resultant fiber-composite hybrid structure

Boron/aluminum graphite/resin advanced fiber composite hybrids

Fabrication feasibility and potential of an adhesively bonded metal and resin matrix fiber-composite hybrid are determined as an advanced material for aerospace and other structural applications. The results show that using this hybrid concept makes possible a composite design which, when compared with nonhybrid composites, has greater transverse strength, transverse stiffness, and impact resistance with only a small penalty on density and longitudinal properties. The results also show that laminate theory is suitable for predicting the structural response of such hybrids. The sequence of fracture modes indicates that these types of hybrids can be readily designed to meet fail-safe requirements

Superhybrid composite blade impact studies

The feasibility of superhybrid composite blades for meeting the mechanical design and impact resistance requirements of large fan blades for aircraft turbine engine applications was investigated. Two design concepts were evaluated: leading edge spar (TiCom) and center spar (TiCore), both with superhybrid composite shells. The investigation was both analytical and experimental. The results obtained show promise that superhybrid composites can be used to make light weight, high quality, large fan blades with good structural integrity. The blades tested successfully demonstrated their ability to meet steady state operating conditions, overspeed, and small bird impact requirements

Tensile and flexural strength of non-graphitic superhybrid composites: Predictions and comparisons

Equations are presented and described which can be used to predict bounds on the tensile and flexural strengths of nongraphitic superhybrid (NGSH) composites. These equations are derived by taking into account the measured stress-strain behavior, the lamination residual stresses and the sequence of events leading to fracture. The required input for using these equations includes constituents, properties (elastic and strength), NGSH elastic properties, cure temperature, and ply stress influence coefficients. Results predicted by these equations are in reasonably good agreement with measured data for strength and for the apparent knees in the nonlinear stress-strain curve. The lower bound values are conservative compared to measured data. These equations are relatively simple and are suitable for use in the preliminary design and initial sizing of structural components made from NGSH composites

Fabrication of low-cost Mod-OA wood composite wind turbine blades

The wood composite blades were fabricated by using epoxy resin-bonded laminates of Douglas fir veneers for the leading edge spar sections and honeycomb-cored birch plywood panels for the blade trailing edge or afterbody sections. The blade was joined to the wind turbine hub assembly by epoxy resin-bonded steel load take-off studs. The wood composite blades were installed in the Mod-OA wind turbine test facility at Kahuku, Hawaii. The wood composite blades have successfully completed high power (average of 150 kW) operations for an eighteen month period (nearly 8,000 hr) before replacement with another set of wood composite blades. The original set of blades was taken out of service because of the failure of the shank on one stud. An inspection of the blades at NASA-Lewis showed that the shank failure was caused by a high stress concentration at a corrosion pit on the shank fillet radius which resulted in fatigue stresses in excess of the endurance limit