Over nearly 60 years, composite technologies utilising high strength, lightweight carbon fiber have made significant strides in reducing the weight and increasing the strength properties of many different products used in everyday life. Composites are increasingly used in the manufacture of aircraft, wind turbine blades, bicycles, and cylinders for high pressure gases.
As businesses look to optimise their ability to transport high pressure compressed gases, fully composite cylinders – known in the industry as Type-4 cylinders – offer significant cylinder weight advantages.
On a cylinder weight basis, Type-4 cylinders typically are a quarter of the weight of steel cylinders with identical pressure ratings. By reducing the unit weight of the cylinders, it is possible to significantly increase the volume of the cylinders and the weight of the compressed gas transported. In the case of helium, estimates show that Type-4 composite cylinders used in transportation applications allow for the transportation of 2-3 times the volume of helium on every trip.
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