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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Assessment of irradiation embrittlement effect on fatigue life of a pressurized-water reactor pressure vessel using the fracture toughness master curve approach

The reactor pressure vessel (RPV) is a critical structural component in pressurized-water reactors, and it is designed to withstand extreme conditions, such as high pressures, elevated temperatures, and prolonged radiation exposure. Ensuring RPV integrity is essential for the safe and reliable long-term operation of nuclear power plants, especially as aging mechanisms such as fatigue and irradiation embrittlement pose increased risks. Fatigue, caused by cyclic thermal and mechanical loading, can lead to crack initiation in localized high-stress regions. Simultaneously, neutron irradiation, particularly in the beltline region, progressively reduces fracture toughness, increasing susceptibility to brittle fracture. These combined effects of fatigue and irradiation embrittlement potentially impact the RPV structural integrity, necessitating fitness-for-service assessments. This study applies the fracture toughness master curve approach to evaluate the impact of irradiation embrittlement on RPV fatigue life. A coupled thermo-mechanical stress analysis identifies critical stress locations under normal service transients, pinpointing regions most vulnerable to fatigue crack initiation and growth. Stress intensity factors for postulated flaws at these locations are calculated, enabling an assessment of fatigue life under irradiated and unirradiated conditions. The results indicate that neutron irradiation embrittlement accelerates the conditions in which a critical crack can form and lead to failure, particularly at lower temperatures. The failure occurs where reduced fracture toughness limits the material’s resistance to crack growth. Axial cracks at nozzle corners are the most life limiting without irradiation, while circumferential cracks demonstrate longer fatigue lives. The findings highlight the importance of incorporating irradiation effects into fatigue life predictions to ensure the long-term structural integrity of RPVs.

22 - GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
NASA NTRS2012

Composite Pressure Vessel Variability in Geometry and Filament Winding Model

Composite pressure vessels (CPVs) are used in a variety of applications ranging from carbon dioxide canisters for paintball guns to life support and pressurant storage on the International Space Station. With widespread use, it is important to be able to evaluate the effect of variability on structural performance. Data analysis was completed on CPVs to determine the amount of variation that occurs among the same type of CPV, and a filament winding routine was developed to facilitate study of the effect of manufacturing variation on structural response.

Green, Steven J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Predicting Failures of Composite, Spherical Pressure Vessels

Long-term viscoelastic effects computed to predict bursts. Spherical pressure vessels commonly made of filamentary composites for applications they must light in weight. Program developed for predicting failure of such vessel over long time span. Short-term failure pressures (bursting points) predicted, but long-term structual integrity of laminated vessels studied only now.

Dozier, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Cuff for Blood-Vessel Pressure Measurements

Pressure within blood vessel is measured by new cufflike device without penetration of vessel. Device continuously monitors blood pressure for up to 6 months or longer without harming vessel. Is especially useful for vessels smaller than 4 or 5 millimeters in diameter. Invasive methods damage vessel wall, disturb blood flow, and cause clotting. They do not always give reliable pressure measurements over prolonged periods.

Shimizu, M.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Composite Overwrap Pressure Vessels: Mechanics and Stress Rupture Lifting Philosophy

The NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) has been conducting an independent technical assessment to address safety concerns related to the known stress rupture failure mode of filament wound pressure vessels in use on Shuttle and the International Space Station. The Shuttle s Kevlar-49 (DuPont) fiber overwrapped tanks are of particular concern due to their long usage and the poorly understood stress rupture process in Kevlar-49 filaments. Existing long term data show that the rupture process is a function of stress, temperature and time. However due to the presence of load sharing liners and the complex manufacturing procedures, the state of actual fiber stress in flight hardware and test articles is not clearly known. Indeed nonconservative life predictions have been made where stress rupture data and lifing procedures have ignored the contribution of the liner in favor of applied pressure as the controlling load parameter. With the aid of analytical and finite element results, this paper examines the fundamental mechanical response of composite overwrapped pressure vessels including the influence of elastic plastic liners and degraded/creeping overwrap properties. Graphical methods are presented describing the non-linear relationship of applied pressure to Kevlar-49 fiber stress/strain during manufacturing, operations and burst loadings. These are applied to experimental measurements made on a variety of vessel systems to demonstrate the correct calibration of fiber stress as a function of pressure. Applying this analysis to the actual qualification burst data for Shuttle flight hardware revealed that the nominal fiber stress at burst was in some cases 23 percent lower than what had previously been used to predict stress rupture life. These results motivate a detailed discussion of the appropriate stress rupture lifing philosophy for COPVs including the correct transference of stress rupture life data between dissimilar vessels and test articles.

Thesken, John C.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Composite Overwrap Pressure Vessels: Mechanics and Stress Rupture Lifing Philosophy

The NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) has been conducting an independent technical assessment to address safety concerns related to the known stress rupture failure mode of filament wound pressure vessels in use on Shuttle and the International Space Station. The Shuttle's Kevlar-49 fiber overwrapped tanks are of particular concern due to their long usage and the poorly understood stress rupture process in Kevlar-49 filaments. Existing long term data show that the rupture process is a function of stress, temperature and time. However due to the presence of load sharing liners and the complex manufacturing procedures, the state of actual fiber stress in flight hardware and test articles is not clearly known. Indeed non-conservative life predictions have been made where stress rupture data and lifing procedures have ignored the contribution of the liner in favor of applied pressure as the controlling load parameter. With the aid of analytical and finite element results, this paper examines the fundamental mechanical response of composite overwrapped pressure vessels including the influence of elastic-plastic liners and degraded/creeping overwrap properties. Graphical methods are presented describing the non-linear relationship of applied pressure to Kevlar-49 fiber stress/strain during manufacturing, operations and burst loadings. These are applied to experimental measurements made on a variety of vessel systems to demonstrate the correct calibration of fiber stress as a function of pressure. Applying this analysis to the actual qualification burst data for Shuttle flight hardware revealed that the nominal fiber stress at burst was in some cases 23% lower than what had previously been used to predict stress rupture life. These results motivate a detailed discussion of the appropriate stress rupture lifing philosophy for COPVs including the correct transference of stress rupture life data between dissimilar vessels and test articles.

Thesken, John C.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Static and dynamic fatigue behavior of glass filament-wound pressure vessels at ambient and cryogenic temperatures.

Investigation of the pressure load carrying capacity and fatigue strength of filament-wound glass-reinforced plastic pressure vessels subjected to static and cyclic loading at ambient and cryogenic (liquid nitrogen) temperature environments. The results indicate that the static fatigue problem is not critical at cryogenic temperatures. Under static loading at liquid nitrogen temperature, a reinforced plastic cylinder sustained pressurization for 88 days without failure at about 90% of the single cycle burst strength. At ambient temperature, the static life at 90% of the burst strength was about 7 min. Under cyclic loading in liquid nitrogen, no failure resulted after 1509 cycles at 55% of the single cycle burst strength. Under the same cyclic loading at ambient temperature, the test results would predict failure in the reinforced plastic. The results of similar tests upon adhesively bonded polyimide aluminum-foil lined cylinders are also reviewed.-

Hanson, M. P.↗
NASA NTRS1975

An automated program for reinforcement requirements for openings in cylindrical pressure vessels

An automated interactive program for calculating the reinforcement requirements for openings in cylindrical pressure vessels subjected to internal pressure is described. The program is written for an electronic desk top calculator. The program calculates the required area of reinforcement for a given opening and compares this value with the area of reinforcement provided by a proposed design. All program steps, operating instructions, and example problems with input and sample output are documented.

Wilson, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Hypervelocity Impact of Composite Overwrap Pressure Vessels

There is a limited amount of hypervelocity impact (HVI) data on pressurized composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPV). In recent years, NASA has performed HVI tests to characterize impact conditions resulting in either leak or burst of the COPVs representative of spacecraft hardware. This paper reports on the results of 40 tests that have been conducted on several types of COPV configurations, pressurized by inert gas to near the vessels rated maximum expected operating pressure (MEOP). These tests were used to better understand COPV response under HVI conditions and develop ballistic limit equations (BLE) related to these tests.

Davis, Bruce A.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Analysis of Impact Induced Damage and its Effect on Structural Integrity of Space Flight Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels

The objective of this research work has been to provide analytical background and support to the ongoing experimental program at NASA, White Sands Test Facility, involving testing composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPV) for impact damage and cyclic pressurization. Preliminary theoretical basis, including the governing equations for a shallow shell subjected to internal pressure, has been established. Effects of the Griffith type cracks on the structural integrity of the cylindrical vessel were evaluated by methods of Fracture Mechanics. The results indicate that the effective mass of the pressure vessel is an important factor influencing the response to impact events. We also have found that the material properties of the target, contained in the constitutive equations of the composite attached to the Aluminum liner, dominate the impact event in the low velocity range, the material properties become less important, while the target mass distribution and the impactor mass become more significant as the velocity of the impactor increases. Therefore, at high-velocity impact it is not only the kinetic energy of the impactor but also its mass which has a significant effect on the dynamics of the event, and consequently on the induced damage. This work also suggests a methodology for an assessment of the rate of loading effects on the degradation of the material toughness associated with a high-velocity impact where the rate effects become significant. To model the rate dependence of the material response a viscoelastic-plastic constitutive equations were assumed, and on this basis predictions are made regarding the rate dependent material resistance curve. Other dynamic phenomena associated with the impact event have been treated in the framework of the Computational Mechanics using the courtesy of Prof. P. Guebelle and his graduate student at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who have an access to a super-fast computer located on their campus. Finally, the guidelines for a follow-up research program are provided in the body of this report. They address three major areas: theoretical research, numerical studies, and further experimental work.

Wnuk, Michael P.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Common pressure vessel battery performance

Performance tests run on two common pressure vessel type nickel hydrogen batteries are described and the results presented. The study included: (1) charge retention tests, (2) synchronous eclipse season cycling tests, and (3) temperature differential tests.

Otzinger, B.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Spin Forming Aluminum Crew Module (CM) Metallic Aft Pressure Vessel Bulkhead (APVBH) - Phase II

The principal focus of this project was to assist the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) program in developing a spin forming fabrication process for manufacture of the Orion crew module (CM) aft pressure vessel bulkhead. The spin forming process will enable a single piece aluminum (Al) alloy 2219 aft bulkhead resulting in the elimination of the current multiple piece welded construction, simplify CM fabrication, and lead to an enhanced design. Phase I (NASA TM-2014-218163, (1)) of this assessment explored spin forming the single-piece CM forward pressure vessel bulkhead. The MPCV Program and Lockheed Martin (LM) recently made two critical decisions relative to the NESC Phase I work scope: (1) LM selected the spin forming process to manufacture a singlepiece aft bulkhead for the Orion CM, and (2) the aft bulkhead will be manufactured from Al 2219. Based on the Program's new emphasis related to the spin forming process, the NESC was asked to conduct a Phase II assessment to assist in the LM manufacture of the aft bulkhead and to conduct a feasibility study into spin forming the Orion CM cone. This activity was approved on June 19, 2013. Dr. Robert Piascik, NASA Technical Fellow for Materials at the Langley Research Center (LaRC), was selected to lead this assessment. The project plan was approved by the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) Review Board (NRB) on July 18, 2013. The primary stakeholders for this assessment are the NASA and LM MPCV Program offices. Additional benefactors are commercial launch providers developing CM concepts.

Hoffman, Eric K.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Spin Forming Aluminum Crew Module (CM) Metallic Aft Pressure Vessel Bulkhead (APVBH) - Phase II

The principal focus of this project was to assist the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) Program in developing a spin forming fabrication process for manufacture of the Orion crew module (CM) aft pressure vessel bulkhead. The spin forming process will enable a single piece aluminum (Al) alloy 2219 aft bulkhead resulting in the elimination of the current multiple piece welded construction, simplify CM fabrication, and lead to an enhanced design. Phase I (NASA TM-2014-218163 (1)) of this assessment explored spin forming the single-piece CM forward pressure vessel bulkhead. The Orion MPCV Program and Lockheed Martin (LM) recently made two critical decisions relative to the NESC Phase I work scope: (1) LM selected the spin forming process to manufacture a single-piece aft bulkhead for the Orion CM, and (2) the aft bulkhead will be manufactured from Al 2219. Based on the Program's new emphasis related to the spin forming process, the NESC was asked to conduct a Phase II assessment to assist in the LM manufacture of the aft bulkhead and to conduct a feasibility study into spin forming the Orion CM cone. This activity was approved on June 19, 2013. Dr. Robert Piascik, NASA Technical Fellow for Materials at the Langley Research Center (LaRC), was selected to lead this assessment. The project plan was approved by the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) Review Board (NRB) on July 18, 2013. The primary stakeholders for this assessment were the NASA and LM MPCV Program offices. Additional benefactors are commercial launch providers developing CM concepts.

Hoffman, Eric K.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels (COPV) Stress Rupture Test: Part 2

One of the major concerns for the aging Space Shuttle fleet is the stress rupture life of composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs). Stress rupture life of a COPY has been defined as the minimum time during which the composite maintains structural integrity considering the combined effects of stress levels and time. To assist in the evaluation of the aging COPVs in the Orbiter fleet an analytical reliability model was developed. The actual data used to construct this model was from testing of COPVs constructed of similar, but not exactly same materials and pressure cycles as used on Orbiter vessels. Since no actual Orbiter COPV stress rupture data exists the Space Shuttle Program decided to run a stress rupture test to compare to model predictions. Due to availability of spares, the testing was unfortunately limited to one 40" vessel. The stress rupture test was performed at maximum operating pressure at an elevated temperature to accelerate aging. The test was performed in two phases. The first phase, 130 F, a moderately accelerated test designed to achieve the midpoint of the model predicted point reliability. A more aggressive second phase, performed at 160 F, was designed to determine if the test article will exceed the 95% confidence interval ofthe model. In phase 3, the vessel pressure was increased to above maximum operating pressure while maintaining the phase 2 temperature. After reaching enough effectives hours to reach the 99.99% confidence level of the model phase 4 testing began when the temperature was increased to greater than 170 F. The vessel was maintained at phase 4 conditions until it failed after over 3 million effect hours. This paper will discuss the results of this test, it's implications and possible follow-on testing.

Russell, Richard↗