Comparison of Mechanical Properties of Biogas Packaging Materials

Abstract

Initiatives of providing biogas onsite are futile without provision for offsite use. This study aims to compare the mechanical strength of materials for packaging biogas. To address the research problem, four materials were considered for the study, including: low-carbon steel, Aluminium, High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and fiberglass polyester composite. An experiment was carried out on each of the materials to find out the yield strength and ultimate tensile strength. Results indicate that, whereas steel ranks highest in many strength parameters, including; tensile strength, yield strength, factor of safety, and stress carrying capacity; fiberglass polyester composite closely follows in all measures, and has the highest value of specific strength of all the study materials; with over 58% more weight saving as compared to steel. This property explains the strength-to-weight ratio of a material; which is a key consideration for designing light and strong pressurized gas containers.