Design Guide has been prepared for pressure vessel engineers concerned with specific glass fiber reinforced metal tank design or general tank tradeoff study. Design philosophy, general equations, and curves are provided for safelife design of tanks operating under anticipated space shuttle service conditions

Landes, R. E.

English

The Engineering Guide presents curves and general equations for safelife design of lightweight glass fiber reinforced (GFR) metal pressure vessels operating under anticipated Space Shuttle service conditions. The high composite vessel weight efficiency is shown to be relatively insensitive to shape, providing increased flexibility to designers establishing spacecraft configurations. Spheres, oblate speroids, and cylinders constructed of GFR Inconel X-750, 2219-T62 aluminum, and cryoformed 301 stainless steel are covered; design parameters and performance efficiencies for each configuration are compared at ambient and cryogenic temperature for an operating pressure range of 690 to 2760 N/sq cm (1000 to 4000 psi). Design variables are presented as a function of metal shell operating to sizing (proof) stress ratios for use with fracture mechanics data generated under a separate task of this program

NASA Technical Reports Server

Glass Fiber Reinforced Metal Pressure Vessel Design Guide

December 1973
	 B73-10311 
•	 NASA TECH BRIEF 
Lewis Research Center 	
_4V 
NASA Tech Briefs announce new technology derived from the U.S. space program. They are issued to encourage 
commercial application. Tech Briefs are available on a subscription basis from the National Technical Information 
Service, Springfield, Virginia 22151. Requests for individual copies or questions relating to the Tech Brief program may 
be directed to the Technology Utilization Office, NASA, Code KT, Washington, D.C. 20546. 
Design Guide for Glass Fiber

Reinforced Metal Pressure Vessel 
.
The potential of glass fiber reinforced (GFR) metal 
tanks for space applications has been demonstrated by a 
continuing series of technology development programs 
conducted during the past ten years. GFR metal tanks 
consist of a metal inner shell overwrapped with a glass 
filament composite shell which together comprise a load 
sharing structure. GFR metal tanks offer maximum 
operating performance at reduced weight compared to all 
metal construction, and provide a comparable or im-
proved safelife (guaranteed specific lifetime). 
A Design Guide has been prepared for pressure vessel 
engineers concerned with a specific GFR metal tank 
design or a general tank tradeoff study. Design 
philosophy, general equations, and curves are provided for 
the safelife design of GFR metal tanks operating under 
anticipated Space Shuttle service conditions. The high 
weight efficiency of the composite vessel is shown to be 
relatively insensitive to shape, providing increased flexi-
bility to designers establishing spacecraft configurations. 
Spheres, oblate spheroids, and cylinders constructed of 
GFR Inconel X-750, 2219-T62 aluminum, and cryo-
formed 301 stainless steel overwrapped with S-901 con-
tinuous glass filaments impregnated with an epoxy resin, 
are covered in the Guide. Design parameters and per-
formance efficiencies for each configuration are compared 
at ambient and cryogenic temperature for an operating 
pressure range of 690 to 2760 N/cm2
 (1000 to 4000 psi). 
Design variables are presented as a function of metal shell 
operating to sizing (proof) stress ratios for use with 
fracture mechanics data developed for this purpose. 
Application of the fracture mechanics data of this Guide 
provides a basis for selection of vessel proof test levels and 
safelife design configurations.
Notes: 
1. Further information is available in the following 
reports: 
NASA CR-120917 (N73-18932), Glass Fiber Rein-
forced Metal Pressure Vessel Design Guide 
NASA CR-120918 (N73-28889), Development of a 
Fracture Control Method for Composite Tanks 
with Load Sharing Liners 
Copies may be obtained at cost from: 
Aerospace Research Applications Center 
Indiana University 
400 East Seventh Street 
Bloomington, Indiana 47401 
Telephone: 812-337-7833 
Reference: B73-10311 
2. Specific technical questions may be directed to: 
Technology Utilization Officer 
Lewis Research Center 
21000 Brookpark Road 
Cleveland, Ohio 44135 
Reference: B73-10311 
3. Data contained in this Design Guide were prepared 
using the computer program described in NASA Tech 
Brief 68-10405, "Analysis of Filament Reinforced 
Metal-Shell Pressure Vessels." 
Patent Status: 
NASA has decided not to apply for a patent. 
Source: R.E. Landes
Structural Composites Industries 
under contract to
Lewis Research Center

(LEW. 12042) 
Category 08 
.
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States
Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
will be free from privately owned rights.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19730000311 2020-03-17T06:59:11+00:00Z


Design Guide for glass fiber reinforced metal pressure vessel

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