A review of methods to study the fatigue life of nodes connecting marine composite hydrogen storage tanks to ships under the action of external forces

Abstract

The construction of hydrogen ships has emerged as the next area of research after the widespread usage of hydrogen storage tanks in fuel-cell vehicles. Marine hydrogen storage tanks are used differently than those used in the automobile industry because of the challenging sea conditions, which restrict their further use in ships. Current research is focused on finding ways to make marine hydrogen storage tanks stable and safe in these conditions. The use of hydrogen as a source of energy requires four main technologies: production, storage, transportation, and application. In this study, the fastening method for the hydrogen storage tank on the ship, node optimization, failure analysis, and real-time structural inspection of the connection node between the hydrogen storage tank and the ship are all covered. The failure processes and influencing variables of marine hydrogen storage tanks are distinct because in complex sea conditions, the fixed nodes of hydrogen storage tanks on ships are susceptible to hydrodynamic loads from waves and currents. The application of fiber optic nondestructive testing, digital twin technology, and intelligent sensing technology to the deteriorating performance and damage patterns of crucial ship connection nodes is covered in this study. It is anticipated that different technologies will combine to play a larger and larger role in the monitoring of ship life and the fatigue of hydrogen storage tank connecting nodes. The main challenges that marine hydrogen storage tanks face in complex sea conditions are summarized along with the current state of research. Suggestions are then made for the development of marine hydrogen storage tanks in the future, and a wide range of hydrogen energy applications are anticipated.