Experimental Characterization of the Structural Deformation of Type IV Pressure Vessels Subjected to Internal Pressure

The investigations deal with the experimental characterization of the structural deformation of type IV pressure vessels subjected to internal pressure. For the widespread use of hydrogen technology in transport industries, the development of cost-effective storage systems is a crucial step. State of the art in the field of hydrogen storage are type IV pressure vessels, which consist of a polymeric liner and an enforcing winding of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP). For the development of material-optimized and high-safety pressure vessels, the acquisition of reliable experimental data in order to validate numerical simulations is a necessity. In a specially designed test chamber subscale vessels are clamped and subjected to internal pressure. At defined pressure stages the vessel’s deformation is recorded and analyzed. Consequently, the overall structural deformation is assessed with regard to the used structural mass, the burst pressure and the resulting failure. The results can be used for structure optimization purposes as well as for the optimization of numerical simulation models.