JP2011235551A - Method and apparatus for manufacturing of high-pressure tank - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for manufacturing of a high pressure tank, in which fiber, in particular fiber in inner layers, is prevented from becoming loose when being wound around a liner.SOLUTION: The method is provided for manufacturing the high-pressure tank having the liner 28 and a reinforced layer composed of fiber layers where fiber is wound around the outer surface of the liner 28. The method is configured such that the liner 28 is cooled before at least the first layer of fiber is wound around the outer surface of the liner, and then, the rest of the fiber layers are formed.

Description

  The present invention relates to a high-pressure tank manufacturing method and a high-pressure tank manufacturing apparatus.

  Fuel cell vehicles and natural gas vehicles are equipped with a high-pressure tank for storing hydrogen gas, natural gas, or the like as fuel gas. As a high-pressure tank, a high-pressure tank reinforced by winding a carbon fiber reinforced plastic material (CFRP material) or the like having a very high strength per unit density around the outer surface of a resin or metal tank (liner: inner container) is known. . When manufacturing such a high-pressure tank, after forming a fiber layer by wrapping around a resin tank with a resin solution such as an epoxy resin impregnated with a fiber bundle such as carbon fiber as in the filament winding method, for example There is a method of forming a reinforcing layer by curing a resin.

  When manufacturing a high-pressure tank by the filament winding method, it is preferable to increase the tension of fibers such as carbon fibers in order to ensure high strength of the tank.

  Usually, the fiber layer is formed by winding a number of fiber bundles around the liner, but it is desirable to wind the inner layer part with high tension. If the fiber tension of the inner layer part is low, voids and fiber breakage of the fiber layer occur. This may cause a decrease in tank strength. Further, when the fiber bundle is wound and laminated at a high tension, loosening of the fiber in the inner layer part wound earlier may occur, and the tank strength may decrease. Therefore, there is a possibility that the performance required for the high-pressure tank cannot be sufficiently satisfied.

  For example, in Patent Document 1, in order to improve the pressure resistance of a tank, a high-pressure tank including a pressure shell formed by winding a reinforcing fiber with a curing resin material around an outer surface of a hollow tank base is manufactured. In the method, the inside of the tank base is filled with a pressure adjusting fluid, and the fiber layer is formed by winding the reinforcing fiber with a winding tension applied to the tank base while pressurizing the pressure adjusting fluid. And forming the pressure-resistant shell by laminating the fiber layers in layers, and promoting the curing of the resin material for curing applied to the reinforcing fibers by heating the fluid for pressure adjustment. The formation of the fiber layer is described.

  However, in the technique of Patent Document 1, it may not be possible to sufficiently suppress the occurrence of loosening of the fibers particularly in the inner layer portion when the fibers are wound around the liner.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a method of manufacturing an FRP molded body by a filament winding method in order to manufacture an FRP molded body having a desired fiber volume content (ratio of fibers in a unit volume of the FRP layer). A step (a) of impregnating a fiber having conductivity with a thermosetting resin, and a step of winding the fiber around the rotating member while energizing a part of the length of the fiber impregnated with the resin. (B), and in order to prevent the work from being recessed during the formation of the resin-impregnated fiber layer, pressurizing the inside of the work is described.

  Patent Document 3 discloses a step of forming a resin-impregnated fiber layer around a mandrel in a method for producing an FRP molded body in order to suppress an increase in the fiber volume content on the inner layer side of a fiber-reinforced plastic layer (a And a step (b) of raising the temperature of the resin-impregnated fiber layer in the thickness direction of the resin-impregnated fiber layer in a state where a temperature gradient is generated in which the outer layer side is hot and the inner layer side is cold. In addition, it is described that a refrigerant is circulated inside the mandrel 10 when the resin-impregnated fiber layer is thermoset.

International Publication No. 2004/070258 Pamphlet JP 2009-028961 JP 2009-012341 A

  The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a high-pressure tank and an apparatus for manufacturing a high-pressure tank that can suppress the occurrence of loosening of fibers particularly in an inner layer portion when the fibers are wound around a liner.

  The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a high-pressure tank having a liner and a reinforcing layer configured to include a fiber layer in which fibers are wound around the outer surface of the liner, and the liner is cooled to cool the liner. In this method, a fiber layer is formed by winding at least a first layer of fiber around an outer surface.

  Further, in the method for manufacturing the high-pressure tank, the liner is cooled and the liner is heated on the outer surface of the liner, and then the liner is heated, so that the fibers in the layers after the at least first layer are heated. It is preferable to wind and form a fiber layer.

  Moreover, in the manufacturing method of the said high pressure tank, when cooling the said liner and winding a fiber, it is preferable to make the inside of the said liner into a pressurized state.

  Moreover, in the manufacturing method of the said high pressure tank, it is preferable to cool the inside of the said liner and to wind a fiber.

  Moreover, in the manufacturing method of the said high pressure tank, it is preferable to cool the inside of the said liner using an inert gas below 0 degreeC, and to wind a fiber.

  The present invention is also a high-pressure tank manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a high-pressure tank having a liner and a reinforcing layer including a fiber layer in which fibers are wound around the outer surface of the liner, and cools the liner. It is preferable to have a cooling means.

  The high-pressure tank manufacturing apparatus preferably includes a heating unit that heats the liner.

  Further, the high-pressure tank manufacturing apparatus preferably includes a pressurizing unit that pressurizes the interior of the liner.

  In the high-pressure tank manufacturing apparatus, it is preferable that the cooling means cools the inside of the liner.

  In the high-pressure tank manufacturing apparatus, it is preferable that the cooling means includes an inert gas supply means for supplying an inert gas of 0 ° C. or less into the liner.

  In the present invention, the liner is cooled and at least the first layer of fibers is wound around the outer surface of the liner to form a fiber layer, thereby suppressing the occurrence of loosening of the fibers particularly in the inner layer portion when the fibers are wound around the liner. A high-pressure tank manufacturing method and a high-pressure tank manufacturing apparatus are provided.

It is the schematic which shows the whole structure of an example of the manufacturing apparatus of the high pressure tank which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic which shows an example of a structure of the winding part of the fiber in the manufacturing apparatus of the high pressure tank which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the cross section of the axial direction of the high pressure tank in the manufacturing method of the high pressure tank in embodiment of this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. This embodiment is an example for carrying out the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

  FIG. 1 shows an outline of an overall configuration of an example of a high-pressure tank manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Moreover, the outline of an example of a structure of the winding part of the fiber in the manufacturing apparatus of the high pressure tank which concerns on this embodiment is shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the high-pressure tank manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a fiber winding device 10. The fiber winding device 10 has a rotation support portion 12 for supporting the liner 28. As shown in FIG. 2, the rotation support unit 12 is provided with a cooling mechanism 14 as a cooling means for cooling the liner 28. The cooling mechanism 14 includes a cooling pipe 18 that communicates with a gas cylinder or the like as a refrigerant supply unit such as an inert gas supply unit that supplies a refrigerant such as a low-temperature inert gas into the liner 28. Further, the rotation support unit 12 may be provided with a heating mechanism 16 as a heating unit for heating the liner 28. The heating mechanism 16 includes, for example, a heating pipe 20 that leads to a hot air generator or the like as a heat medium supply unit such as a hot air supply unit that supplies a heat medium such as hot air into the liner 28. A switching valve 22 as switching means for switching between the cooling pipe 18 and the heating pipe 20, and the cooling pipe 18 and the heating pipe 20 are connected to the switching valve 22 through the switching valve 22. You may provide the piping 24 connected.

  The operation of the high-pressure tank manufacturing method and the high-pressure tank manufacturing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the liner 28 is installed on the rotation support portion 12 of the fiber winding device 10. For example, the substantially cylindrical liner 28 is supported on the rotation support portion 12 as shown in FIG. 2 by a shaft 32 that passes through the axis of the liner 28 as shown in FIG. The liner 28 is rotated by the rotation support portion 12, and the fiber bundle 34 fed out from the bobbin 36 in FIG. 1 is wound around the outer surface of the liner 28. The fiber bundle 34 is impregnated with, for example, a thermosetting resin solution such as an epoxy resin on the upstream side of the fiber winding apparatus 10, and then the angle is adjusted by the fiber guide portion 40 as shown in FIG. 28. At this time, the temperature of the liner 28 is adjusted by the cooling mechanism 14 and the heating mechanism 16, the liner 28 is cooled or heated, and the fiber bundle 34 is wound. Thus, the fiber bundle 34 is wound around the outer surface of the liner 28 in a predetermined thickness and in a predetermined direction to form a fiber layer.

  Before winding the fiber bundle 34 around the liner 28, widening means such as a widening roller 38 may be provided as shown in FIG. 1 and the fiber bundle 34 may be pressed against the widening roller 38 or the like to widen in advance. Here, expanding the fiber bundle means, for example, that the fibers constituting the fiber bundle are expanded to make the fiber bundle substantially flat.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the cooling pipe 18 and the heating pipe 20 are connected to the rotation support portion 12 via the switching valve 22 and the pipe 24 to supply a refrigerant such as an inert gas supply means. The refrigerant such as a low-temperature inert gas is supplied into the liner 28 through the cooling pipe 18, the pipe 24, and the rotation support portion 12 by the means, the inside of the liner 28 is cooled, and at least the first layer is formed on the outer surface of the liner 28. The inner bundle part is formed by winding the fiber bundle 34. Thereafter, the switching valve 22 is switched, and a heat medium such as hot air is supplied into the liner 28 through the heating pipe 20, the pipe 24 and the rotation support portion 12 by the heat medium supply means such as the hot air supply means. The inside is changed from the cooled state to the heated state, and the fiber bundle 34 of the outer layer portion is wound from the intermediate layer portion of the layer after the at least first layer to form a fiber layer.

  In order to ensure high strength in the high-pressure tank, it is desirable to increase the tension of the wound fiber. If the tension of the fiber of the outer layer part is made higher than the inner layer part of the fiber layer, the fiber of the inner layer part wound earlier may loosen, and the strength, fatigue performance, etc. may be lowered. It is desirable to increase the tension. In the filament winding method, when fibers are wound around a liner with a high tension, the liner may be deformed particularly in the case of a resin liner, and it may be difficult to increase the fiber tension to a necessary level. Therefore, the performance required for the high-pressure tank (burst strength, etc.) may not be satisfied. Therefore, in order to prevent the liner from losing its strength against the fiber tension, air may be used to apply internal pressure to the liner, but the liner itself may be deformed when the inner pressure of the liner is increased, especially at the beginning of fiber bundle winding. Sometimes. In the present embodiment, instead of air or the like, a refrigerant such as a low-temperature inert gas is used at the beginning of winding of the fiber bundle 34, so that the liner 28 is cooled, preferably freeze-cured, and the rigidity of the liner 28 is increased. In this state, the fiber bundle 34 is wound.

  In the present embodiment, it is preferable to increase the temperature of the liner 28 using a heat medium such as warm air as the number of turns of the fiber bundle 34 increases. As a result, it is possible to prevent loosening between the fibers by lowering the viscosity of the thermosetting resin such as epoxy resin impregnated in the fiber bundle 34, and to improve the adhesion between the fibers. Can be measured.

  Thus, at the beginning of winding of the fiber bundle 34, the liner 28 is in a cooled state, preferably in a freeze-cured state, and the fiber bundle 34 is wound with sufficient tension applied to the fibers in the inner layer portion, thereby applying the necessary tension to the fibers. In addition, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of loosening of the fiber when the fiber bundle 34 is wound around the liner 28. Therefore, since it is possible to prevent loosening between fibers during lamination without excessively increasing the tension during fiber lamination, tank strength and fatigue strength are ensured, and a high-performance high-pressure tank 26 can be manufactured. . In particular, when the fiber bundle 34 is wound around the liner 28 to manufacture the high-pressure tank 26, loosening of the fibers in the inner layer portion wound earlier can be prevented, so that the fibers are sufficiently tensioned from the intermediate layer portion to the outer layer portion. The bundle 34 can be wound and the high-pressure tank 26 having high strength can be manufactured.

  Further, as the fiber bundle 34 is wound from the inner layer portion to the outer layer portion, the fiber bundle 34 is wound while the temperature of the liner 28 is increased, so that the adhesion and adhesion between the fibers can be improved. Generation | occurrence | production of a space | gap etc. can also be prevented.

  In particular, in the multi-feed filament winding method in which the fiber bundles 34 are unwound from a plurality of bobbins 36 and wound around the liner 28, a high tension is applied to the liner 28 in order to wind many fiber bundles 34 at the same time. The effect by the method is more exhibited.

  In the present embodiment, it is preferable to increase the tension of the fibers in the inner layer portion when winding the fiber bundle 34 around the liner 28 and gradually decrease the tension of the fibers from the intermediate layer portion to the outer layer portion. . Since a fiber tension difference can be applied from the inner layer portion to the outer layer portion of the liner 28, loosening of the fibers can be prevented, and high fatigue strength of the tank is ensured.

  After the winding process of the fiber bundle 34, the high-pressure tank 26 is heat-treated in a heating furnace or the like. The high-pressure tank 26 is heated at about 130 ° C. for about 10 to 15 hours, for example. By this heating, the fiber bundle 34 impregnated with the thermosetting resin or the like is thermoset, and a reinforcing layer 30 as shown in FIG. 3 is formed. Thereafter, the high-pressure tank 26 is cooled. In this manner, the high-pressure tank 26 in which the reinforcing layer 30 is formed on the outer surface of the liner 28 is manufactured.

  The high-pressure tank 26 includes a liner (inner container) 28 and a reinforcing layer (outer layer) 30. The high-pressure tank 26 may be provided with a gas filling / releasing port.

  The liner 28 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape or the like, for example, for accommodating a medium such as high-pressure hydrogen gas therein, and is a layer in direct contact with a gas such as hydrogen gas. The shape, size, and thickness of the liner 28 can be arbitrarily selected according to the purpose of use, specifications, and the like. The liner 28 has a thickness in the range of 2 mm to 4 mm, for example.

  The liner 28 includes a resin material, a metal, and the like. Examples of the resin material constituting the liner 28 include thermoplastic resins and thermosetting resins. Examples of the thermoplastic resin include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, ABS resin, polystyrene, polyamide, polycarbonate, polyimide, and fluorine resin. Examples of the thermosetting resin include epoxy resin and polyurethane. Examples of the metal constituting the liner include metals such as aluminum alloys. The thickness of the liner and the type of material constituting the liner can be appropriately selected according to the strength, hermeticity, moldability, and the like required for the liner 28. Of these, polyamide resins such as nylon are preferable from the viewpoint of strength and gas permeability resistance. In addition, the method for manufacturing a high-pressure tank according to this embodiment is more effective especially when the liner 28 is made of a resin material.

  The liner 28 made of a resin material is molded by, for example, injection molding of the resin. For example, a resin such as a polyamide resin is poured into a mold, two substantially semi-cylindrical bodies are formed, and these are welded by a laser or the like to form a resin liner 28. By this injection molding, the liner 28 having a substantially uniform thickness is formed.

  The reinforcing layer 30 is a layer that is provided so as to cover the outer side of the liner 28 and reinforces the liner 28, and includes, for example, a fiber and a matrix resin. Examples of the fibers constituting the reinforcing layer 30 include glass fibers, carbon fibers, aramid fibers, and metal fibers.

  Moreover, as a matrix resin which comprises the reinforcement layer 30, a thermoplastic resin, a thermosetting resin, etc. are mentioned. Examples of the thermoplastic resin include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, ABS resin, polystyrene, polyamide, polycarbonate, polyimide, and fluorine resin. Examples of the thermosetting resin include epoxy resin and polyurethane. Among these, an epoxy resin is preferable from the viewpoints of strength, adhesiveness, gas permeability resistance, and the like.

  The reinforcing layer 30 can be formed by, for example, winding the fiber bundle of fibers around the outer surface of the liner 28 in a state where the matrix resin solution is impregnated and then curing the resin.

  The thickness of the reinforcing layer 30 can be adjusted by the number of layers of the fiber bundle 34 to be wound, and is, for example, in the range of 20 mm to 40 mm. The number of layers of the fiber bundle 34 is, for example, about 30 to 60 layers.

  The fiber bundle 34 is, for example, a bundle of about 10,000 to 40,000 fibers.

  The cooling mechanism 14 as a cooling means may be any mechanism as long as it cools the liner 28 and puts it into a cooled state, preferably a freeze-cured state, and its configuration is not particularly limited. The cooling mechanism 14 may cool the liner 28 from the outside, or may cool the liner 28 from the inside. Examples of the cooling mechanism 14 include external cooling and the like in addition to supplying refrigerant such as low-temperature inert gas into the liner 28 by refrigerant supply means such as inert gas supply means.

  In addition, when supplying gas into the liner 28 as a refrigerant | coolant, this cooling means can function also as a pressurization means which makes the inside of the liner 28 a pressurization state. Of course, the liner 28 may be cooled from the outside, and a gas such as air may be supplied into the liner 28 to pressurize the interior of the liner 28.

  Examples of the refrigerant include a low temperature gas such as a low temperature inert gas, a low temperature liquid such as liquid nitrogen, and the like. A configuration in which a low-temperature gas such as a low-temperature inert gas is supplied into the liner 28 is simple and preferable from the viewpoint of mass productivity. Moreover, since the inside of the liner 28 can be cooled and pressurized, it is preferable to use a low-temperature gas such as a low-temperature inert gas as the refrigerant. The temperature of the refrigerant is, for example, 0 ° C. or lower.

  The heating mechanism 16 serving as a heating unit may be anything that heats the liner 28 and puts it into a heated state, and its configuration is not particularly limited. The heating mechanism 16 may heat the liner 28 from the outside, or may heat the liner 28 from the inside. Examples of the heating mechanism 16 include IH and the like in addition to supplying a heat medium such as hot air into the liner 28 by a heat medium supply means such as a hot air supply means.

  Examples of the heat medium include high-temperature gas such as hot air, high-temperature liquid such as hot water, and the like. A configuration in which a high-temperature gas such as warm air is supplied into the liner 28 is simple and preferable from the viewpoint of mass productivity. In addition, in order to lower the viscosity of the thermosetting resin such as an epoxy resin impregnated in the fiber bundle 34 in the inner layer portion of the fiber layer and increase the adhesion, a heating medium such as warm air is supplied into the liner 28, Heating from the inside of the liner 28 is preferred. The temperature of the heat medium is, for example, 40 ° C. or higher.

  After the fiber bundle 34 is wound with the liner 28 being cooled at the beginning of winding of the fiber bundle 34, the temperature of the liner 28 is naturally increased without using the heating mechanism 16 as a heating unit, and the outer layer to the outer layer. The fiber bundle 34 may be wound around the part. However, it is preferable to forcibly raise the temperature of the liner 28 using the heating mechanism 16 from the viewpoint of production efficiency and the like.

  In this specification, the “cooled state” is not particularly limited as long as the outer surface of the liner 28 is in a state of 0 ° C. or less. For example, the outer surface of the liner 28 is in a cooled state of about 0 ° C. to −5 ° C. Say. The “freeze-cured state” refers to a frozen state in which the outer surface of the liner 28 is about −5 ° C. to −10 ° C., for example, although it depends on the material constituting the liner 28.

  In the present specification, the “heated state” is not particularly limited as long as the outer surface of the liner 28 is in a state of normal temperature (about 20 ° C. to 30 ° C.) or more. This refers to the degree of heating.

  In the present specification, the “pressurized state” is not particularly limited as long as the pressure is higher than the atmospheric pressure, but for example, it refers to a pressurized state of about 0.2 MPa to 0.8 MPa.

  For example, the inside of the liner 28 is in a pressurized state of about 0.2 MPa to 0.4 MPa and a cooled state of about 0 ° C. to −5 ° C. on the outer surface of the liner 28, and an inner layer portion (for example, The first to fourth to fifth layer fiber bundles 34 are wound, and then the switching valve 22 is switched so that the inside of the liner 28 is heated to about 40 ° C. to 50 ° C. on the outer surface of the liner 28, and the intermediate layer What is necessary is just to wind the fiber bundle 34 of an outer layer part (for example, the 5th-6th layer or later) from a part.

  Usually, the winding direction of the fiber bundle 34 is substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis of the liner 28 or is oblique.

  The high-pressure tank 26 according to the present embodiment is, for example, a high-pressure tank that is mounted on a moving body and stores high-pressure gas therein. The high-pressure tank 26 may be a stationary high-pressure tank.

  Here, examples of the moving body include two-wheeled vehicles, automobiles having four or more wheels such as buses and passenger cars, trains, ships, airplanes, robots, and the like, and particularly fuel cell vehicles. Examples of the high pressure gas include hydrogen gas and compressed natural gas.

  The fiber bundle obtained by the high-pressure tank manufacturing apparatus and the high-pressure tank manufacturing method according to the present embodiment is used as a reinforcing material for various materials as a fiber reinforced plastic material (FRP material) that has been impregnated with a resin solution and cured. be able to. For example, in the case of carbon fiber, a carbon fiber reinforced plastic material (CFRP material) in which a fiber bundle of carbon fiber is impregnated with a resin solution such as an epoxy resin is used as a reinforcing material for a high-pressure tank, an automobile shaft, an aircraft fuselage, parts, etc. Can be used as

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 High pressure tank manufacturing apparatus, 10 Fiber winding apparatus, 12 Rotation support part, 14 Cooling mechanism, 16 Heating mechanism, 18 Cooling pipe, 20 Heating pipe, 22 Switching valve, 24 Piping, 26 High pressure tank, 28 Liner (contents Container), 30 reinforcing layer (outer layer), 32 shaft, 34 fiber bundle, 36 bobbin, 38 widening roller, 40 fiber guide part.

Claims (10)

A high-pressure tank manufacturing method for manufacturing a high-pressure tank having a liner and a reinforcing layer including a fiber layer in which fibers are wound around an outer surface of the liner,
A method for producing a high-pressure tank, comprising cooling a liner and winding at least a first layer of fibers around the outer surface of the liner to form a fiber layer. It is a manufacturing method of the high-pressure tank according to claim 1,
The liner is cooled and at least the first layer of fibers is wound around the outer surface of the liner, and then the liner is heated to wind the fibers of the layers after the at least first layer to form a fiber layer. A method for manufacturing a high-pressure tank. A method for producing a high-pressure tank according to claim 1 or 2,
A method of manufacturing a high-pressure tank, wherein the liner is pressurized when the liner is cooled and the fibers are wound. It is a manufacturing method of the high-pressure tank given in any 1 paragraph of Claims 1-3,
A method of manufacturing a high-pressure tank, wherein the inside of the liner is cooled and the fiber is wound thereon. It is a manufacturing method of the high-pressure tank according to claim 4,
A method for producing a high-pressure tank, wherein the inside of the liner is cooled using an inert gas of 0 ° C. or lower and the fibers are wound. A high-pressure tank manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a high-pressure tank having a liner and a reinforcing layer including a fiber layer in which fibers are wound around an outer surface of the liner,
An apparatus for manufacturing a high-pressure tank, comprising cooling means for cooling the liner. The high-pressure tank manufacturing apparatus according to claim 6,
An apparatus for manufacturing a high-pressure tank, comprising heating means for heating the liner. The high-pressure tank manufacturing apparatus according to claim 6 or 7,
An apparatus for manufacturing a high-pressure tank, comprising pressurizing means for pressurizing the interior of the liner. A high-pressure tank manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 8,
The apparatus for producing a high-pressure tank, wherein the cooling means cools the inside of the liner. The high-pressure tank manufacturing apparatus according to claim 9,
The apparatus for manufacturing a high-pressure tank, wherein the cooling means includes an inert gas supply means for supplying an inert gas of 0 ° C. or less into the liner.

Images