Development of Accelerated Weather Testing Procedure for Materials of Polypropylene Tanks

Abstract

Ageing and failure of materials, products, and structures when exposed to operational factors, including climatic ones, cause significant losses for the economies of different countries. Ageing of a material under operation conditions in different climate regions or storage conditions is a result of a wide range of chemical and physical conversions that occur in complex multiple component systems. This paper addresses to the development of accelerated weather testing procedure for polypropylene expansion tanks, which are a part of an engine cooling system in KAMAZ vehicle. The operating conditions of expansion tanks were analyzed, and the primary factors and their energy values, responsible for their ageing and failure, were determined. The chart of operating conditions was made for expansion tanks. The accelerated weather testing procedure was developed for materials of expansion tanks for the climate regions of India and Venezuela. The requirements were specified for equipment and samples for accelerated weather testing of polypropylene expansion tank materials.