Pressure Storage Tanks Research Articles

Flow field explorations and design improvements of a hybrid rocket motor LOx feed line

The oxidizer system in a hybrid rocket motor needs to deliver the flow from a pressurized storage tank to multiple combustor ports. Pressure losses in the oxidizer system directly impacts combustor pressure and consequently the vehicle performance. However, oxidizer feed line designs till date have been done using simple 1D tools. Higher fidelity flow analysis methods have not been reported in the literature to identify loss generating features. Therefore, a design improvement study was carried out to identify and alleviate the impact of undesirable flow features in a typical oxidizer system design. An experimentally calibrated 3D RANS approach is applied to a typical LOx feed system which includes steps, splitters, ports, and pipes with multiple bends. These design features result in varying degrees of flow separation, secondary flows and vortical flow features and result in total pressure losses of up to 7 %. This loss means that the storage tank needs to be pressurized further to accommodate such losses and ensure combustor performance. A targeted design improvement approach that features simple, alternative, implementable solutions in the loss-generating regions is discussed. The best of these design improvements can reduce the total pressure loss to 4 %, indicating a 43 % reduction in the losses and reduced impact on storage tank design and combustor performance. Therefore, this paper demonstrates that a higher fidelity design enhancement process of the oxidizer feed system, which is often neglected in such detailed studies, can result in overall vehicle level design improvements to ensure mission targets are met effectively.

Design and development of vehicle cryo-compressed hydrogen storage vessel

Compared with other hydrogen storage methods, cryo-compressed hydrogen storage has significant advantages in terms of mass hydrogen storage density, volume hydrogen storage density, hydrogen storage cost, safety and evaporation loss. The key component of cryo-compressed hydrogen storage is cryo-compressed hydrogen storage vessel. In order to reasonably design and optimize the performance of cryo-compressed hydrogen storage tank, the author uses carbon fiber and low temperature resin to prepare composite one-way plate from the material, and then makes the one-way plate into relevant splines for testing. The relevant parameters of the spline are tested in the liquid nitrogen temperature zone, such as elastic modulus, Poisson’s ratio, thermal conductivity, etc. Using the relevant mechanical properties of the carbon fiber composite one-way plate obtained from the experiment, the target storage tank is designed to provide the actual storage tank for the subsequent low temperature and high pressure storage tank experiment.

A novel type of additively manufactured high pressure mini-channel heat exchanger for precooling in hydrogen refueling stations

During refueling supercritical hydrogen into high pressure storage tanks, the fluid has to be cooled down to temperatures between -33°C and -40°C before entering the vehicle fuel tank. This cooling takes place while the hydrogen is at a pressure of up to 87.5 MPa. The requirements for the heat exchanger performing this task are very high. It has to be pressure resistant, compact enough to fit in the dispenser column and provide a high thermal performance to ensure a fast refueling with high mass flow rates. Only few conventional manufactured heat exchangers are able to fulfil these requirements. With the rise of additive manufacturing technology, especially laser powder bed fusion, new heat exchangers produced without use of conventional joining technologies can be realized. This manuscript presents a new type additively manufactured of mini-channel heat exchanger. It is developed in a joint research project involving the Leibniz University Hanover and an industrial heat exchanger manufacturer. The apparatus has a design pressure of 105 MPa and will be suited to be used in hydrogen refueling stations. The thermal requirements and the design of the apparatus are described. Thermal power and pressure drop for the full-size heat exchanger are calculated via a cell model. Scaled smaller heat exchangers made of 1.4404 stainless steel are additively manufactured via laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). The thermofluiddynamical performance of the scaled apparatus is measured in a testbench to verify the applicability of the used correlations. Deviations in hydraulic diameter and surface roughness are taken into account. Existing correlations are fitted to the new geometry.

Numerical Simulation of Dynamic Response of Atmospheric Storage Tanks Under Coupling Effect of External Two-source Blast

In the event of a material leak in an atmospheric steel tank farm, it is likely to cause a fire and explosion, leading to an escalation of secondary accidents. According to the historical domino accident data to analyze the accident characteristics, the explosion phenomenon is common in atmospheric pressure steel storage tank accidents, and the coupling phenomenon is obvious. However, there is a dearth of research on multiple explosions in steel storage tank farms. This paper investigates the dynamic response of an atmospheric pressure storage tank under the coupling effect of simultaneous detonation of two explosive wave sources. With the help of finite element analysis software to establish a simplified model of the tank under the action of two sources of blast wave coupling, to explore the propagation law of the blast wave scenario and the dynamic response process of the tank. The deformation damage of the tanks by the angular size of the blast load is revealed, and the structural energy changes are analyzed. The study of the dynamic response of steel tanks under the dual-source explosion scenario can provide a theoretical reference basis for quantitative damage in realistic scenarios.

Proposed improvements in wave energy converter of oscillating water column (WEC-OWC)

The aim of this paper is to show some design improvements on converters oscillating water column (OWC) versus conventional OWC, focusing on a newly patented design, OWC with Differential Pressure Storage Tanks (DPST). In this research work, a short review of the principles of operation and the results obtained for each one in relation to energy efficiency and regularity of electricity delivered to the grid are described. Apart some known innovations published so far in scientific journals, it will be discussed in more detail a new design (protected by patent) that tries to overcome some major performance problems in both conventional and improved OWC proposed up today such as intermittent flow through the turbine and the bi-directional flow. It is concluded that there are feasible to implement innovations that can lead to improvements with respect to OWC currently in operation

Analiza stanja i koriscenja pneumatskih postrojenja u nekim preduzecima drvne industrije Srbije

Obtaining pressurized air represents a significant expenditure of energy for every branch of industry, and today it is simply unthinkable to exist? industrial plants without the production, distribution and use of pressurized air. This is particularly representative in the wood processing industry in which there are great opportunities for savings that can be made with the produced air under pressure, starting from its proper use to the monitoring of the equipment during exploitation and the implementation of preventive maintenance measures. Bearing the above in mind, research was carried out in companies of the wood industry in Serbia in order to analyze the economics of obtaining and adequate use of pres?surized air. In addition to the data on the type of compressor plants, the survey also obtained data on: the type of pressurized air storage tank, the correct use of the air preparation group, the existing automation for plant operation, preventive maintenance measures, leakage control and prevention, and employee training. The conclusions were drawn in the form of guidelines for the rational use of pressurized air, which can bring significant savings in energy consumption and increase efficiency and productivity in work.

Feasibility Test on Storage Tank At PT ABC Using Asme/FFS-1 Method

In the operation of oil and gas exploration and exploitation, safety is crucial as it is related to asset safety, environmental safety, and human resource safety. Storage tanks play a crucial role in the process of exploring and exploiting crude oil, serving as storage facilities for liquids in large volumes. These storage tanks are susceptible to corrosion as the materials used in their construction are typically made of steel. Uncontrolled corrosion can weaken or destroy parts of the tank system, leading to holes or structural failures that may release stored products into the environment, resulting in material losses and potential fatalities. One method for assessing the viability of pressure equipment such as pressure vessels, storage tanks, and piping systems is Fitness for Service (FFS). FFS is a quantitative engineering evaluation conducted to demonstrate the structural integrity of a component in operation, even if it has experienced damage, defects, or cracks. Guidelines in FFS procedure manuals can be used to make decisions regarding "continued/repair/replacement" to ensure that components experiencing damage or defects can continue to operate for a specified period. The thickness measurements on the storage tank show that the lowest thickness is found in course 4, with a value of 4.32 mm, while the highest thickness is in the roof at 5.60 mm. The highest corrosion rate is detected in the roof with a value of 0.100 mm/year, and from this corrosion rate value, an estimated remaining life of 20 years for storage tank T-10 is obtained. In assessing the feasibility or Fitness for Services of the storage tank, it still meets the criteria specified by API 579.

Structural Health Monitoring of Chemical Storage Tanks with Application of PZT Sensors.

Chemical pressure storage tanks are containers designed to store fluids at high pressures, i.e., their internal pressure is higher than the atmospheric pressure. They can come in various shapes and sizes, and may be fabricated from a variety of materials. As aggressive chemical agents stored under elevated pressures can cause significant damage to both people and the environment, it is essential to develop systems for the early damage detection and the monitoring of structural integrity of such vessels. The development of early damage detection and condition monitoring systems could also help to reduce the maintenance costs associated with periodic inspections of the structure and unforeseen operational breaks due to unmonitored damage development. It could also reduce the related environmental burden. In this paper, we consider a hybrid material composed of glass-fiber-reinforced polymers (GFRPs) and a polyethylene (PE) layer that is suitable for pressurized chemical storage tank manufacturing. GFRPs are used for the outer layer of the tank structure and provides the dominant part of the construction stiffness, while the PE layer is used for protection against the stored chemical medium. The considered damage scenarios include simulated cracks and an erosion of the inner PE layer, as these can be early signs of structural damage leading to the leakage of hazardous liquids, which could compromise safety and, possibly, harm the environment. For damage detection, PZT sensors were selected due to their widely recognized applicability for the purpose of structural health monitoring. For sensor installation, it was assumed that only the outer GFRP layer was available as otherwise sensors could be affected by the stored chemical agent. The main focus of this paper is to verify whether elastic waves excited by PZT sensors, which are installed on the outer GFRP layer, can penetrate the GFRP and PE interface and can be used to detect damage occurring in the inner PE layer. The efficiency of different signal characteristics used for structure evaluation is compared for various frequencies and durations of the excitation signal as well as feasibility of PZT sensor application for passive acquisition of acoustic emission signals is verified.

Developing FFS software for fitness-for-service assessment of equipment with hydrogen blistering damage based on API 579-1/ASME FFS-1

Corrosion and metal degradation are inevitable phenomena in various industries, and using Standards that provide detailed assessment to evaluate the structural integrity of an in-service damaged component is absolutely essential. Among all existing Standards, API 579-1/ASME FFS-1 is a well-known assessment standard recognized as Fitness-For-Service (FFS) assessment and is employed in various industries to assess the structural integrity of in-service pressure vessels and storage tanks that may contain a flaw or damage. In this study, software for the FFS evaluation was developed according to Part 7 of the third edition of the AP1579-1/ASME FFS-1 and was written using C# programming language. This software is developed for low-strength ferritic steel pressurized components with hydrogen blistering (HB) damage, in order to facilitate decision making on run-repair-replace of an in-service damaged component.

Qualification of digital twins for predicting failure in welded structures

Significant cost savings in Asset Integrity Management (AIM) are achieved by replacing condition-based with predictive-based maintenance strategies. However, this requires the gathering and analysis of huge amounts of real-time data from Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) sensors and periodic Non-Destructive Testing (NDT). This presents a problem that lends itself to Digital Twin (DT) Technology. In the case of process plant, DT technology has already been implemented using “Big-pipe” data from Condition Monitoring (CM) sensors to predict failures in pumps, compressors and other machinery on a company-wide scale. In the case of welded structures however, for example pressure vessels, pipelines and storage tanks, implementation of DT technology is hampered by a lack of confidence in the use of “Smallpipe” data from periodic NDT and continuous SHM. In “Big-pipe” data, data streams are very rapid flowing, with information directly available from the data. In “Small-pipe” data, data streams are very slow, accumulated over long periods of time and require careful interpretation to provide information for Engineering Critical Analysis (ECA) that is essential for predicting failure in the asset. This presentation will describe TWI’s approach to developing a DT for predicting failure in welded structures.

Experimental-numerical study on ballistic impact behavior of 316L austenitic stainless steel plates against blunt and ogival projectiles

316L austenitic stainless steel (ASS) is the standard reference material in fabricating pressurized hydrogen storage tanks due to its low hydrogen embrittlement sensitivity and excellent corrosion resistance. Ballistic performance of such tanks is of course a concern of safety. In this study, ballistic impact behavior of 316L ASS was studied against blunt and ogival nose shaped projectiles within impact velocity range of 160.3–324.1 m/s. Ballistic impact behavior of 316L ASS is sensitive to nose shapes of projectiles. For targets against blunt projectile, shear plugging with ejected plugs is observed, and target deflection is limited; for targets against ogival projectile, failure mode is ductile hole enlargement, small bulge and some fragments are observed on front and rear sides of targets, respectively. Ballistic limit velocities (BLVs) for two projectiles are respectively 180.9 m/s and 333.5 m/s, indicating better energy absorption against ogival projectile. Numerical simulations of ballistic impact tests were carried out using either the Lode independent MJC or the Lode dependent modified Mohr-Coulomb (MMC) fracture criterion. Numerical prediction by the latter is more accurate than the former as ballistic impact tests are dominated by stress state where Lode parameter is strong enough to cause a big difference between MMC and MJC criteria, and fracture behavior is accurately predicted by the latter but overestimated by the former.

Thermo-economic analysis of a combined cooling, heating and power system based on self-evaporating liquid carbon dioxide energy storage

Renewable energy will play the hard core in the future energy consumption structure. However, presently, the penetration rate of renewable electricity in power grid is put to limit by the nature of intermittent and volatile. Compressed carbon dioxide energy storage is a promising way to smoothen the fluctuations. In order to realize the evaporation process without heat source in charging process and satisfy the diversified energy demands, a combined cooling, heating and power system based on liquid carbon dioxide energy storage system was proposed in this paper. An ejector refrigeration cycle was coupled to recycle the waste heat, and a self-evaporating method was presented on the basis of flash distillation. Parametric analysis was carried out to evaluate the influence of several key parameters on system’s thermal and economic performances. Results indicated that the roundtrip efficiency and energy density of the system were 64.97% and 17.46 kWh/m3 under design conditions. Besides, increasing the turbine inlet parameters improved the system efficiencies and amplified the system storage capacity prominently, but it had negative effect on the cooling power. The optimum value of low pressure storage tank was around critical point in terms of system thermal efficiency and heating power, while entrainment ratio dominated the behavior of the cooling power. Moreover, economic performance of the proposed system was advantageous in the large-scale energy storage systems.

The effect of internal pressure change on the temperature rise and the amount of filling hydrogen of high pressure storage tank

Hydrogen has been considered as a feasible energy carry for fuel cell vehicles, which offers a clean and efficient alternative for transportation. In the currently developed hydrogen compression cycle system, hydrogen is compressed through a compressor and stored in the tank as high pressure. The hydrogen is filled from high pressure station into hydrogen storage system in fuel cell vehicles. In the study, theoretical and simulation are performed by presenting a mathematical model for the temperature rise during filling process in the hydrogen storage tank at the pressure of 50 MPa compressed hydrogen system. For a high-pressure tank (HPT) that can store hydrogen at a hydrogen filling station, the temperature rise of hydrogen with the pressure change during the filling process, the amount of hydrogen filling in the tank, and the convective heat transfer coefficient in the tank were calculated. The calculated temperature was compared with numerical and theoretical methods. Appropriate theoretical formulas were presented through mathematical modeling for changes that occur when high-pressure storage tanks were filled, and hydrogen properties were analyzed using the REFPROP program. 3D modeling was performed for the high-pressure storage tank, and the analysis was conducted under adiabatic conditions. When the pressure was increased to 50 MPa in the initial vacuum state, and when the residual pressure was 18 MPa, it was 25, 50, 75,and 100 MPa, and hydrogen inside the storage tank of the temperature rise and the amount of hydrogen filling were investigated. The results of this study will be useful for the design and construction of compressed hydrogen tank for hydrogen charging system.

ENHANCEMENT OF PRODUCTION BY LEAN MANUFACTURING METHOD

The thesis proposes a method for introducing lean manufacturing using string diagram in an operating CNG high pressure storage tank manufacturing job shop at Jayfe Cylinder Ltd. Haryana. By applying lean manufacturing using process layout diagram to produce part families with similar manufacturing processes and stable demand, plants expect to reduce costs and lead-times and improve quality and delivery performance. The thesis outlines a method for assessing, designing, and implementing lean manufacturing using process layout diagram, and illustrates this process with an example. A manufacturing cell that produces high pressure steel tank container for commercial & automobile customers is implemented at cylinder tank Machining Centers. The conclusion of the thesis highlights the key lessons learned from this process.

Structural Health and Condition Monitoring with Acoustic Emission and Guided Ultrasonic Waves: What about Long-Term Durability of Sensors, Sensor Coupling and Measurement Chain?

Acoustic Emission (AE) and Guided Ultrasonic Waves (GUWs) are non-destructive testing (NDT) methods in several industrial sectors for, e.g., proof testing and periodic inspection of pressure vessels, storage tanks, pipes or pipelines and leak or corrosion detection. In materials research, AE and GUW are useful for characterizing damage accumulation and microscopic damage mechanisms. AE and GUW also show potential for long-term Structural Health and Condition Monitoring (SHM and CM). With increasing computational power, even online monitoring of industrial manufacturing processes has become feasible. Combined with Artificial Intelligence (AI) for analysis this may soon allow for efficient, automated online process control. AI also plays a role in predictive maintenance and cost optimization. Long-term SHM, CM and process control require sensor integration together with data acquisition equipment and possibly data analysis. This raises the question of the long-term durability of all components of the measurement system. So far, only scant quantitative data are available. This paper presents and discusses selected aspects of the long-term durability of sensor behavior, sensor coupling and measurement hardware and software. The aim is to identify research and development needs for reliable, cost-effective, long-term SHM and CM with AE and GUW under combined mechanical and environmental service loads.

Effect of Pressurization on Solid Oxide Cell Oxygen Electrodes: the Role of PrOx Nanoparticle Infiltration

Pressurization of solid oxide cells improves performance by reducing electrode polarization resistance (R P ) and facilitates system integration with balance of plant components such as pressurized storage tanks. However, there are few reports on pressurization effects for electrodes designed for low-temperature operation and utilizing infiltrated catalysts. Here we report an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy study of high performing oxygen electrode materials, SrTi0.3Fe0.63Co0.07O3-∂ (STFC) and PrOx infiltrated STFC, for oxygen partial pressures () from 0.1 to 8 atm and temperatures from 550 to 650 °C. decreases more with pressurization for STFC:PrOx, fitting well to with an exponent n∼0.3, compared to n∼0.25 for STFC. The combination of PrOx infiltration and pressurization yields a substantial R P decrease, e.g., at 600 °C by ∼7 times from 0.36 Ω cm2 at = 0.2 atm for STFC to 0.055 Ω cm2 at = 4 atm for STFC:PrOx. A transmission-line-based circuit model impedance fit reveals that the significant oxygen surface reaction (Rsurf) resistance contribution decreases substantially with PrOx infiltration; and its dependence become more pronounced, with n increasing from ∼0.25 to ∼0.5. Rsurf for STFC:PrOx decreases so much at elevated that the electrode/electrolyte interface resistance dominates.

Performance analysis of a self-condensation compressed carbon dioxide energy storage system with vortex tube

The development of low-carbon society needs a high renewable share in energy sector. Energy storage technologies play a crucial role to handle the relevant issues caused by the fluctuant renewables penetration. Compressed carbon dioxide energy storage is recognized as a promising technology thanks to the favorable thermophysical properties of carbon dioxide. In order to realize the condensation process of low pressure carbon dioxide without the support of extra cold source, a self-condensation compressed carbon dioxide energy storage system with vortex tube is proposed. The vortex tube acts as the condensation device in such system. Results indicate that the condensation process is more sufficient when the vortex tube inlet temperature close to the critical temperature of carbon dioxide. Under design condition, the system energy density, roundtrip electrical and exergy efficiencies are 5.43 kWh/m3, 53.45% and 61.83%, respectively. Meanwhile, the pressure increasement of low pressure storage tank has a positive effect on roundtrip efficiency, but a negative effect on energy density. The pressure increasement of high pressure storage tank has positive effect on both energy density and roundtrip efficiency. Higher compressor isentropic efficiency results in higher roundtrip efficiency and reduced energy density, whereas higher turbine isentropic efficiency implies raised roundtrip efficiency and energy density. The increase of ambient temperature can enhance both the roundtrip efficiency and energy density.

Organic Rankine Energy Storage (ORES) system

In this work we introduce a novel energy storage system based on the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC), which was named ORES (Organic Rankine Energy Storage). In this system, an organic fluid is pumped to a high pressure storage tank, which can later be used to generate electrical energy in a vapor turbine. Due to the importance of the working fluid in the ORES performance, in this publication we focus our attention on the presentation of a method to select the organic fluid that better fits the storage demand. We first limit this research scope for a set of five fluids based on commercial maturity, environmental and safety parameters and rank them in terms of energy storage cost, round-trip efficiency and overall system CAPEX. We estimate the round-trip efficiency and energy density considering the transient conditions in the storage tanks, for each fluid. Efficiency varied significantly between fluids, with maximum efficiency from 30% for R-152a, up to 72% for R-365mfc, while minimum investment cost is estimated to be around 4,000 USD per kWh. We concluded that the R-365mfc is the working fluid that presented the best performance in this basic topology of the ORES system.

Numerical simulation of natural convection and boil-off in a small size pressurized LNG storage tank

A numerical simulation of the flow of LNG stored in a small-sized cylindrical tank is presented. The main scope of this work is to characterize the heat ingress to the tank as well as the boil-off rate, depending on the filling level and the insulation layer thickness. The tank is assumed to be in a state of inactivity, such that the fluid phases are initially quiescent and are not released to the exterior. The proposed mathematical model consists of a conjugate heat transfer problem coupled with the SST K−ω turbulence model for the fluid phases. The free surface separating liquid and vapor in the tank is tracked using the Volume of Fluid method (VOF). The model is solved using the software ANSYS Fluent. It is shown that the filling level of the tank substantially influences the boiling rate and the degree of stratification, as well as the flow structures generated by free convection. The relation among the insulation thickness and total heat leak is established, showing that the obtained increased heat ingress due to lower insulation thickness values leads to a rise in pressurization and boil-off rates.

Cryogenic system for Polish Free Electron Laser Facility

Polish Free Electron Laser facility (PolFEL) will be the first free electron laser in Poland. The PolFEL superconducting linear electron accelerator will first consist of an electron gun and four RI-HZDR type cryomodules, each housing two 9-cell superconducting TESLA RF cavities. Such configuration allows the generation of a continuous wave and long pulse beam with 5-50 MeV of energy and a long pulse electron beam with energy up to 187 MeV and photon wavelength ranged from THz region down to 55 nm. In the second stage an extension is planned with two cryomodules, which allows to reach 300 MeV electron beam energy and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) range of electromagnetic radiation.RF cavities will be operated at 2.0 K (optionally 1.8 K). For a four cryomodule linac the static and dynamic loads are estimated to be 61 W and 240 W @ 2 K, respectively. One of the investigated option is that the cooling power will be generated by the TCF50 Linde helium plant. The helium plant has a liquefaction capacity of 6 g/s and 120 W at 4.5K of cooling power. During the beam-on operation mode of the linac, a shortage of cooling power will be compensated by liquid helium supplied from an external dewar, while the warm helium gas stream exceeding the liquefaction capacity will be collected in pressurized storage tanks. During the beam-off mode, the helium gas will be recovered from the storage tanks and re-liquefied to the external dewar. The other option is the installation of a dedicated cryoplant fully corresponding to the linac cryogenic requirements.