Composites Use in Pressure Vessels

High-pressure gas storage vessels represent one of the largest and fastest-growing markets for advanced composites, particularly for filament-wound carbon fiber composites. Although they are used in self-contained breathing apparatuses and provide oxygen and gas storage on aerospace vehicles, the primary end markets are for storage of liquid propane gas (LPG), compressed natural gas (CNG), renewable natural gas (RNG) and hydrogen gas (H2).

Composites end markets: Batteries and fuel cells (2024)
Electric Vehicles

Composites end markets: Batteries and fuel cells (2024)

As the number of battery and fuel cell electric vehicles (EVs) grows, so do the opportunities for composites in battery enclosures and components for fuel cells.

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Latest Pressure Vessels Articles

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Pressure Vessels

GTL validates LH2 composite dewar tanks for use in aviation

Test results exceeded expectations regarding holding hard vacuum, heat load, rapid chill-down and hydrogen fraction goal, leading to flight prototype fabrication.  

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Pressure Vessels

Luxfer Gas Cylinders awarded grant for 700-bar Type 4 tank development

Alberta Innovates initiative selected 20 applicants, including Luxfer, to advance hydrogen production, storage, transmission, distribution and use.

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Wind/Energy

TPI, UMaine, ORNL to leverage world’s largest polymer 3D printer for wind turbine tooling

Ingersoll Masterprint LFAM printer will be used to produce and demonstrate 100% recyclable tooling that could cut large composite blade development cycles and tooling costs by as much as 50%.

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Hexagon Purus reports all-time high quarterly revenue, up 67% over Q1 2023

Type 4 CFRP cylinder manufacturer continues ramp-up, with H2 infrastructure up 38% and H2 mobility up 213% year over year while momentum continues in aerospace applications.

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Automation

NREL integrates robotics into wind turbine blade production

Research enables successful automation in post-molding manufacturing operations, which could lead to more competitive U.S.-based blade manufacturing.

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Pressure Vessels

Hexagon Ragasco launches Linktra Smart cylinders in Norway

Fiberglass pressure vessels with IoT provide real-time insight into refilling needs for LPG consumers.

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Sustainability
Sustainability

The composites industry is increasingly recognizing the imperative of sustainability in its operations. As demand for lightweight and durable materials rises across various sectors, such as automotive, aerospace, and construction, there is a growing awareness of the environmental impact associated with traditional composite manufacturing processes.

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Discover the types of sensors being used in composites, the physics on which they�re based, their installation, promised benefits and challenges, as well as the potential they offer for even further developments in smart structures.

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Latest Pressure Vessels News And Updates

Composites 4.0

Com&Sens presents workshop on fiber optic sensing for COPVs

Three-day hands-on workshop from June 11-13 in Leuven, Belgium, will equip participants with a better understanding of fiber optic sensing technology for digital manufacturing of composite tanks.

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Pressure Vessels

NPROXX powers up H2 tank production with move to Alsdorf facility

Tripled space and capacity to potentially grow composite tank production to 30,000+ tanks/year, equipment investments enable manufacturer to handle larger orders, streamline operations.

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Marine

Toyoda Gosei composite hydrogen tanks to be used on passenger ship

Multiple commercial truck-type high-pressure tanks have been extended to maritime applications.

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Pressure Vessels

GWEC 2024 report highlights positive momentum in wind installation

Global Wind Report describes a record year for wind energy in 2023, but highlights the need for policy-driven action to meet COP28 and 1.5°C pathway targets.

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Wind/Energy

Noble Gas awarded $500K for conformable, compressed gas storage tanks

DOE MAKE IT prize supports U.S.-based manufacturing of clean energy technology components for a diverse range of market applications.

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Wind/Energy

Kineco Exel Composites India to supply carbon fiber planks for wind 

Multi-year agreement between the joint venture and a South Asian wind turbine manufacturer contributes to composite spar cap development.

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Featured Posts

Filament Winding

Optimizing robotic winding of composite tanks and pipes

Pioneer in mandrel-based reinforced rubber and composite products, TANIQ offers TaniqWindPro software and robotic winding expertise for composite pressure vessels and more.

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Composites end markets: Pressure vessels (2024)

The market for pressure vessels used to store zero-emission fuels is rapidly growing, with ongoing developments and commercialization of Type 3, 4 and 5 tanks.  

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Sustainability

Forvia moves toward more sustainable automotive composites manufacturing

Automotive technology supplier Forvia shares sustainability goals and recent developments aimed at bio-based and recycled materials and ramping up hydrogen tank production for clean mobility.

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Pressure Vessels

Update: THOR project for industrialized, recyclable thermoplastic composite tanks for hydrogen storage

A look into the tape/liner materials, LATW/recycling processes, design software and new equipment toward commercialization of Type 4.5 tanks.

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RTM

RTM, dry braided fabric enable faster, cost-effective manufacture for hydrokinetic turbine components

Switching from prepreg to RTM led to significant time and cost savings for the manufacture of fiberglass struts and complex carbon fiber composite foils that power ORPC’s RivGen systems.

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Wind/Energy

Composites end markets: Energy (2024)

Composites are used widely in oil/gas, wind and other renewable energy applications. Despite market challenges, growth potential and innovation for composites continue.

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FAQ: Pressure Vessels

How are composites used in energy storage?

Composites are used to build pressure vessels to store compressed natural gas, liquid propane gas, hydrogen gas.

These typically involve filament winding of glass or carbon fiber around a metal, plastic or all-composite liner.

Source: Composites end markets: Pressure vessels

What are the types of pressure vessels?

You may see pressure vessels or storage tanks listed as one of various numbered “Types.”

Pressure vessels are organized into five types:

      • Type I: All-metal construction, generally steel.
      • Type II: Mostly metal with some fiber overwrap in the hoop direction, mostly steel or aluminum with a glass fiber composite; the metal vessel and composite materials share about equal structural loading.
      • Type III: Metal liner with full composite overwrap, generally aluminum, with a carbon fiber composite; the composite materials carry the structural loads.
      • Type IV: An all-composite construction, polymer — typically polyamide (PA) or high-density polyethylene (HDPE) liner with carbon fiber or hybrid carbon/glass fiber composite; the composite materials carry all the structural loads.
      • Type V: Linerless, all-composite construction.

Source: Composites end markets: Pressure vessels

Do composites have a role in the hydrogen economy?

For years, composites have offered lightweight storage of compressed hydrogen (H2) gas for zero-emission, fuel cell-powered vehicles via Type IV tanks comprising plastic liners wrapped with carbon fiber and epoxy resin. Though H2 has long promised a sustainable source of clean energy, until recently, progress was slow.

As the market continues to grow, demand for Type IV tanks continues to increase, with new technologies in development.

Follow CompositesWorld’s continuing hydrogen market coverage for the latest.

Source: The potential for hydrogen to fuel composites growth

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