Pressure Vessels, Design and Method of Manufacturing Using Additive Printing
OwnerIgor K. Kotliarinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Method and design of a pressure vessel having an internal supportive structure that reduces pressure forces applied to the external shell of the vessel by distributing such forces via internal bonds mostly connected to a central supporting element. The method and design allow making much lighter and stronger pressure vessels and containers using additive manufacturing technology, known as 3D printing.
Claims54
A method of making a vessel for holding fluid at a pressure substantially different from the ambient pressure, said method comprising:
- providing a hermetically sealed external wall structure having at least one opening for acting as at least one of a filling device and a release device;
- and
- providing at least one supporting bond within said external wall structure for supporting said external wall structure, said at least one supporting bond being positioned to perform at least one of the functions of distributing and reducing pressure forces applied to said external wall structure;
- whereby the provision of said at least one supportive bond inside the vessel provides a strong connection between walls of the vessel, which allows the vessel to be exposed to a much greater pressure differential with the ambient pressure than the same vessel without said at least one supporting bond would be able to accommodate.
A method of making a segment of a pipeline for transporting fluid under pressure, the segment having a generally cylindrical shape and first and second open ends, the method comprising:
- forming a hermetically sealed external wall structure;
- forming an internal supportive structure within said wall structure, said internal supportive structure including a plurality of cells which extend between the first open end of the segment and the second open end thereof, said cells being formed to carry the fluid as it is transported through the segment and to provide support to the wall structure to distribute the pressure differential between the fluid and the ambient pressure being exerted on the exterior of said wall structure;
- forming a first connection mechanism on the first open end of the segment configured to couple the segment to one of a supply for the fluid and an adjacent pipe segment;
- and
- forming a second connection mechanism on the second open end of the segment configured to couple the segment to one of a receiver for the fluid and an adjacent pipe segment;
- whereby the provision of said internal supportive structure inside the segment supports said wall structure, which allows the segment to be exposed to a much greater pressure differential with the ambient pressure than the same segment without said internal supportive structure would be able to accommodate.
A method of producing a vessel for holding fluid at a pressure substantially different from the ambient pressure, said method comprising:
- printing, layer-upon-layer via 3D printing, a hermetically sealed external wall structure having at least one valve for acting as at least one of a filling device and a releasing device;
- forming, in a single printing process, an internal supportive structure within said external wall structure for supporting said external wall structure via supporting bonds for distributing and reducing pressure forces applied to said external wall structure, said internal supportive structure having at least one central supporting element;
- forming a cavity within said central supporting element, said cavity communicating with the interior of the vessel and selectively communicating with an environment outside of the vessel during at least one of the filling and release processes.
A pressure vessel for holding a fluid at a pressure substantially different from the ambient pressure, the vessel comprising:
- a hermetically sealed external wall structure having at least one opening for acting as at least one of a filling device and a releasing device;
- and
- at least one supporting bond for supporting said external wall structure, said at least one supporting bond being connected to at least first and second portions of the interior of said external wall structure;
- whereby said at least one supporting bond reduces pressure forces applied on said first portion of said external wall structure by distributing said pressure forces to at least said second portion of said external wall structure.
A pressure vessel for holding fluid at a pressure substantially different from the ambient pressure, the vessel comprising:
- a hermetically sealed external wall structure having at least one opening for acting as at least one of a filling device and a releasing device;
- a central supporting element having an internal cavity which communicates with the interior of the vessel and selectively communicates with an environment outside of the vessel through said opening;
- and
- at least one supporting bond for supporting said external wall structure, said at least one supporting bond being connected to the interior of said external wall structure and to said central supporting element;
- whereby said at least one supporting bond reduces pressure forces applied on a first portion of said external wall structure by distributing said pressure forces through said central supporting element to a second portion of said external wall structure.
A segment of a pipeline for transporting fluid at a pressure substantially different from the ambient pressure, the segment comprising:
- a generally cylindrical hermetically sealed external wall structure, having open first and second ends;
- an internal supportive structure for supporting said wall structure against a pressure differential between the pressure of the fluid and the ambient pressure;
- and
- whereby said internal supportive structure reduces pressure forces applied on a first portion of said external wall structure by distributing said pressure forces through said internal supportive structure to a second portion of said external wall structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.