Numerical investigation on structural stability and explicit performance of high-pressure hydrogen storage cylinders

Abstract

Hydrogen, a clean and renewable energy fuel is termed the fuel of the future. Although the production of hydrogen is well-established, its storage is a major concern. The conventional metallic cylinders are bulky and cause difficulties in transportation and long-term sustenance, calling for the exploration of alternatives that are durable, lightweight and easy to fabricate. Composite high-pressure cylinders appear to be a promising solution for the storage of gaseous hydrogen. In this work, weight optimization of Type 1, Type 3 and Type 4 cylinders have been performed using lightweight materials such as Titanium, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) and Carbon fibre. The stability of these cylinders has been confirmed via structural analysis. In addition, explicit analyses such as drop and crash tests have also been carried out to evaluate the performance of the cylinder. Type 1 shows the least deformation, however, failed both the crash as well as drop tests. Whereas, the type 4 cylinder exhibits better performance in both structural and explicit simulations and is 39.2% lighter than the Type 1 cylinder. Such type 4 cylinders can revolutionize the energy storage sector and can advance mobility to a great extent in the near future.