Material Modelling and Failure Study of Different Fiber Reinforced Composites for Pressure Vessel

Abstract

Pressure vessels are essential industrial tools regarding storage of high-pressure fluids. Utilization of pressure vessels in ordinary industrial environment impose serious dangers to human life in case of failure. Manufacturing material and working pressure as per material’s strength are necessary arguments for a pressure vessel designer. In this study, five composite materials are selected to investigate the behavior of pressure vessels under high pressure. FEA technique is used to check stresses and deformations in different composite layers. Pressure applied to all materials models in this study is around 20 MPa. Tsai Wu and Maximum stress theories are used to study failure in first two composite layers of different composite materials. Glass Epoxy composites perform well in terms of static loading failure. They demonstrate reasonable strength without experiencing failure in the second layer. T300/976 composites are also suitable for the intended loading conditions of the model because did not exhibit second layer failure, making them a viable option. Therefore, it is recommended to use Glass/Epoxy and T300/976 composites in extreme pressure conditions such as those found in CNG cylinders. Three of the composite materials tested did not satisfy the failure theories. Hence, it is not safe to use them in extreme loading conditions. Although these materials did not show any failure in the first layer, deformations in the second layer made them susceptible to failure.