Thermal protection system for filament wound pressure vessels

摘要

Thermally actuated pressure relief is provided for lightweight filament or fiber wound pressure vessels. A pressure release device is provided for a filament or fiber wound pressure vessel which device contains an alloy insert which will soften and release the pressure in the vessel upon the device being subjected to a predetermined temperature range. The temperature range must be below the degradation temperatures of the pressure vessel and above the normal ambient use and storage temperatures of the vessel. The alloy in the pressure release device must be capable of taking the shear stress of the cyclical pressurization and depressurization of the vessel without failure, which shear stress would be both the mechanical shear between the alloy and the walls of the hole in the device, i.e., the adhesion between the alloy and the walls of the hole in the device, and the inner granular shear within the alloy so that the alloy will stay together under the normal use and storage pressure and temperature of the vessel. A method for manufacturing the pressure release device is included.