Inflatable pressure intensifier
View Patent ↗This invention describes novel design and construction method for inflatable, pressure intensifier equipment that can be used for processing composites structures. The equipment can be used as a manufacturing and processing platform wherever low pressure and high temperature inputs are required in an enclosed volume.
1. A flexible walled pressure intensifier for processing composite materials, the processing consisting of at least one selected from the group consisting of curing, post-curing, co-curing, bonding composite parts and combinations thereof;
wherein the pressure intensifier comprises a plurality of inflatable shell modules, the shell modules being connectable; the modules, when connected together form a single vessel with an internal volume, such that the pressure intensifier can be configured in any size or shape to accommodate different sizes and shapes of the composite materials to be processed within the internal volume formed by the pressure intensifier;
each of the plurality of inflatable shell modules of the pressure intensifier further comprising an inflatable shell made from a plurality of layers of softgoods
the pressure intensifier further comprising a removable interconnected framework of rigid beams that support and constrain the softgoods of the inflatable shell; and a rigid internal platform, positioned inside of the internal volume, configured to support the composite materials to be processed.
2. The pressure intensifier of claim 1 , wherein the inflatable shell modules of the pressure intensifier provide the internal volume inside the pressure intensifier to which inputs of pressure and temperature are connected.
3. The pressure intensifier of claim 1 , wherein the softgoods is at least one selected from the group consisting of textile webbings, woven fabrics, nonwoven fabrics, ropes, coated fabrics, polymeric films and flexible insulation materials.
4. The pressure intensifier of claim 1 , further comprising a rigid base with wheels to make the pressure intensifier mobile.
5. The pressure intensifier of claim 1 , further comprising different sections of softgoods; and further comprising mechanical interfaces for the different sections of softgoods; whereby the mechanical interfaces connect the different sections of the softgoods to create a door of any size and shape.
6. The pressure intensifier of claim 5 , wherein the mechanical interfaces are selected from the group consisting of pressure sealing zippers, clips, buckles and carabineers.
7. The pressure intensifier of claim 5 , wherein the inflatable shell modules of the pressure intensifier provides the internal volume inside the pressure intensifier and the mechanical interfaces allow access into the internal volume when the interfaces are not connecting the different sections of the softgoods.
8. The pressure intensifier of claim 1 , further comprising rigid panels on the softgoods to provide at least one of ports and pass-through connectors; wherein the pass-through connectors permit supply of at least one of inputs selected from the group consisting of heat, vacuum, air and sensors for process monitoring and control.
9. The pressure intensifier of claim 3 , wherein the layer of each of the plurality of layers of the inflatable shell has a thickness, and the plurality of layers are attached at various points through the thickness of the layers to form a flexible laminate.
10. The pressure intensifier of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of layers of the inflatable shell modules perform the functions of structural loading, air retention and thermal insulation.
11. The pressure intensifier of claim 3 , wherein an innermost layer of the shell modules is a bladder layer which comprises a coated textile material, wherein the coating is capable of withstanding temperatures associated with processing polymeric composite materials.
12. The pressure intensifier of claim 1 , wherein the inflatable shell is configured from the group consisting of joined multiple modules in a linear configuration, in a lateral configuration and both in a lateral and longitudinal configuration.
13. The pressure intensifier of claim 1 , wherein the rigid support framework inscribes or circumscribes the softgoods to support the softgoods when the inflatable shell is not inflated.
14. The pressure intensifier of claim 3 , further comprising sensors embedded in the softgoods layers of the inflatable shell modules to provide at least one of the functions selected from the group consisting of process monitoring, control of process inside the inflatable shell and structural health monitoring of the inflatable shell itself.
15. The pressure intensifier of claim 3 , wherein the textile webbings are joined periodically by at least one selected from the group consisting of woven together and joined periodically and overlapped and joined periodically.
16. The pressure intensifier of claim 1 , wherein the inflatable shell modules of the pressure intensifier can be partially disassembled to ease loading and unloading of parts into the pressure intensifier.
17. The pressure intensifier of claim 1 , in a shape selected from the group consisting of a straight cylinder and a cylinder with angles or protrusions to accommodate asymetrically shaped parts.
18. The pressure intensifier of claim 1 , in a shape of a horizontal cylinder with hemispherical ends.
19. The pressure intensifier of claim 1 , having a length of hundreds of feet.