Abstract: A pressure vessel or pressurizable canister has a hollow, thin-walled, cylindrical metal shell or tube. Two end caps are hermetically sealed to the respective distal ends of the metal shell by the process of magnetic pulse welding that requires no external heat. The two end caps are made of a metallic alloy such as aluminum. The end caps are each cylindrically shaped and have at least one circumferential recess to accommodate the metal of the shell tube as it deforms about the end caps and forms an intermolecular bond. The canister can hold a pressure of at least 1,800 psi.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 26, 2002
Date of Patent:
August 24, 2004
Assignee:
Fuel Cell Components & Integrators, Inc.
Inventors:
Richard A. Bennett, Robert L. Benoit, Bernard I. Rachowitz, Anthony Mascolo