Vacuum manufacture of cryogenic pressure vessels for hydrogen storage

1. A cryogenic pressure vessel, comprising:

a metal lined, composite wrapped vessel, the metal lined, composite wrapped vessel having a boss;

an inlet secured to the boss;

the metal lined, composite wrapped vessel being encapsulated within a metallic layer, within a vacuum controlled environment, to form an encapsulated inner tank subassembly;

a metal coating over the encapsulated inner tank subassembly;

a multi-layer insulation (MLI) blanket wrapped over the encapsulated inner tank subassembly to form an MLI wrapped inner tank subassembly; and

a metallic vacuum jacket which encapsulates the MLI wrapped inner tank subassembly.

2. The cryogenic pressure vessel of claim 1 , further comprising at least one support secured to the metal lined, composite wrapped vessel.

3. A method of manufacturing a cryogenic pressure vessel, the method comprising:

providing a metal lined, composite wrapped vessel, the metal lined, composite wrapped vessel having a boss;

securing an inlet to the boss;

encapsulating the metal lined, composite wrapped vessel within a metallic layer in a vacuum controlled environment to form an encapsulated inner tank subassembly;

within the controlled vacuum environment, applying a metal coating over the encapsulated inner tank subassembly;

wrapping a multi-layer insulation (MLI) blanket on the encapsulated inner tank subassembly to form an MLI wrapped inner tank subassembly; and

within the controlled vacuum environment, encapsulating the MLI wrapped inner tank subassembly within a metallic vacuum jacket.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

after the MLI wrapped inner tank subassembly has been encapsulated within the metallic vacuum jacket to form the cryogenic pressure vessel, baking the cryogenic pressure vessel for a predetermined time.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising securing an inlet tube to the inlet prior to encapsulating the metal lined, composite wrapped vessel with the metallic layer.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising securing at least one support to the encapsulated inner tank subassembly prior to encapsulating the metal lined, composite vessel with the metallic layer.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein encapsulating the MLI wrapped inner tank subassembly comprises enclosing the MLI wrapped inner tank subassembly within two metallic vacuum jacket sections joined at a seam, within the vacuum controlled environment.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the seam is joined using one of:

TIG welding;

e-beam welding; and

laser welding.

9. The method of claim 3 , wherein encapsulating the metal lined, composite wrapped vessel within the metallic layer comprises forming the metallic layer using a metal deposition technique within the vacuum controlled environment.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the metallic layer comprises silver.

11. The method of claim 3 , wherein encapsulating the MLI wrapped inner tank subassembly within the metallic vacuum jacket comprises forming the metallic layer using two preformed metallic caps which are joined together at a seam.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising securing the seam of the two preformed metallic caps through a welding operation.

13. A method of manufacturing a cryogenic pressure vessel, the method comprising:

providing a metal lined, composite wrapped vessel, the metal lined, composite wrapped vessel having a boss;

securing an inlet to the boss;

encapsulating the metal lined, composite wrapped vessel within a metallic layer in a vacuum controlled environment to form an encapsulated inner tank subassembly;

securing at least one support to an exterior of the encapsulated inner tank subassembly;

within the controlled vacuum environment, applying a metal coating over the encapsulated inner tank subassembly and the at least one support to form a metal coated, encapsulated inner tank subassembly; and

within the controlled vacuum environment, encapsulating the metal coated, encapsulated inner tank subassembly within a metallic vacuum jacket, which forms the cryogenic pressure vessel.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

prior to encapsulating the metal coated, encapsulated inner tank subassembly within the metallic vacuum jacket, wrapping a multi-layer insulation (MLI) blanket on the encapsulated inner tank subassembly to form an MLI wrapped inner tank subassembly.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein encapsulating the metal lined, composite wrapped vessel within the metal layer comprises using a metal deposition technique to form the metallic layer.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the metallic layer comprises silver.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein encapsulating the metal lined, composite wrapped vessel within the metal layer comprises using two separate metallic portions joined at a seam to encapsulate the metal lined, composite wrapped vessel.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the metallic vacuum jacket is formed by two metallic jacket sections joined at a seam which fully enclose the metal coated, encapsulated inner tank subassembly.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the MLI wrapped inner tank subassembly is encapsulated within the metallic vacuum jacket.

20. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

once the metal coated, encapsulated inner tank subassembly is encapsulated within the metallic vacuum jacket, then baking the cryogenic pressure vessel for a predetermined time.