Systems and methods for curing composite structures
Systems are disclosed for curing composite parts within a container, wherein a pressurized environment may be created via a body of water. Disclosed systems may include the container, a heating system, and a mechanism for raising and/or lowering the container within the body of water. The container may include one or more rigid walls, one or more non-rigid walls, and/or one or more port holes extending through one or more of the rigid walls and/or non-rigid walls. Methods of curing composite parts using such systems are also disclosed. Methods may include providing a container having a cavity configured to receive a composite part, thermally coupling a heating system to the container, inserting the composite part into the cavity, submerging the container under a depth of external liquid, flowing a volume of fluid into the cavity, heating the volume of fluid, thereby curing the composite part.
1. A method of curing a composite part, the method comprising:
thermally coupling a heating system to a container, the container comprising at least one wall, the at least one wall defining a cavity configured to receive the composite part, wherein the heating system is configured to heat a volume of fluid;
inserting the composite part into the cavity;
flowing the volume of fluid into the cavity;
submerging the container under a depth of external liquid such that a predetermined pressure is exerted on the composite part;
heating the volume of fluid via the heating system to a temperature sufficient to cure the composite part; and
curing the composite part.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the submerging the container under the depth of external liquid comprises submerging the container under at least 170 feet (51.8 m) of water.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the flowing the volume of fluid into the cavity comprises flowing a volume of gas into the cavity.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the flowing the volume of fluid into the cavity comprises flowing a volume of liquid into the cavity.
5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising raising the container out of the depth of external liquid and removing the composite part from the cavity after the curing the composite part.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the curing the composite part comprises leaving the container under the depth of external liquid for a sufficient period of time such that the composite part is kept at a sufficient temperature and pressure for a sufficient amount of time in order to effect the curing of the composite part.
7. A method of curing a composite part, the method comprising:
inserting the composite part into a cavity of a container, the container comprises a plurality of rigid walls defining the cavity and at least one non-rigid wall, the non-rigid wall being removable from the plurality of rigid walls, wherein at least one of the plurality of rigid walls comprises a port hole extending through the at least one of the plurality of rigid walls;
removably sealing the non-rigid wall onto the plurality of rigid walls;
lowering the container into a body of water;
opening the port hole to allow water from the body of water to flow into the cavity;
controlling the descent of the container to a predetermined depth below a surface of the body of water;
allowing the cavity of the container to be filled with water flowing in through the port hole;
sealing the port hole after the allowing the cavity of the container to be filled with water;
curing the composite part by heating at least a portion of the water in the cavity to a predetermined temperature;
raising the container to the surface of the body of water after the curing the composite part; and
draining the water from the cavity of the container before removing the composite part from the cavity.
8. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising activating one or more fluid circulators configured to circulate the water within the cavity for uniform temperature distribution.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the heating the volume of fluid is performed after the flowing the volume of fluid into the cavity.
10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the heating the volume of fluid is performed while the volume of fluid is in the cavity.
11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the heating system comprises an on-board heating unit positioned within the cavity, and wherein the heating the volume of fluid comprises heating the volume of fluid with the on-board heating unit.