Design Optimization and Prototype Testing of FRP Pressure Vessels

Lead PI: Mr. Stephen Campbell
Subject Category: Other

Start Date: Jul 2005
End Date:Mar 2009
Institution / Organization: Trans Ocean Gas Inc.

Stranded Natural Gas is a prevalent problem in the Oil and Gas Industry.  Approximately 50% of the world’s natural gas reserves are economically stranded; that is, not economically viable by pipeline or liquefaction (LNG).  With the energy prices, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is becoming an emerging energy sector that is garnering much attention.

The aerospace industry designed and developed lightweight compressed gas technology utilizing a High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) liner and filament fiber winding external shell.  This technology can be extrapolated to be used as a gas containment system for the marine transportation of CNG at 3600 psi.

In order to satisfy the safety concerns of the marine classification society, the safety and reliability of the containment system needs to be verified, using LNG industry standards as a benchmark.  As an innovative technology in the marine industry, no standards currently exist and therefore a first principles probabilistic approach is required.

This project addresses design validation and optimization of the proposed Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP) pressure vessels.  This is the first stage of a two-stage verification process involving destructive testing, in order to accomplish the following objectives:

• Develop an acceptable set of statistical parameters that determine the shape of a probabilistic based capacity curve for the design and manufacture of FRP pressure vessels for the transport of Natural gas.
• Calibrate existing Net Analysis models (EADS), and develop suitable ANSYS-LSDYNA FEA models for the design of FRP Pressure Vessels.
• Generate an acceptable probabilistic based loading curve for the filling of FRP pressure vessels with Natural Gas in an offshore marine environment.
• Re-design the FRP pressure vessels to achieve the target reliability of 10-5.