Numerical modeling and optimization of thermal insulation for liquid hydrogen storage tanks
- Authors
- Kang, Dong-Hyun; An, Ji-Hong; Lee, Chul-Jin
- Issue Date
- Mar-2024
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Keywords
- Liquid hydrogen storage tank; Multilayer insulation; Optimization; Sequential least-squares programming; Vapor-cooling shield
- Citation
- Energy, v.291
- Journal Title
- Energy
- Volume
- 291
- URI
- https://scholarworks.bwise.kr/cau/handle/2019.sw.cau/72649
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.energy.2023.130143
- ISSN
- 0360-5442
1873-6785
- Abstract
- Liquid hydrogen storage is one of the effective hydrogen storage methods due to its high density of 70.8 kg/m3 compared to gaseous hydrogen of 0.0838 kg/m3 at atmospheric pressure. Liquid hydrogen requires cryogenic storage technology, which minimizes heat flux by stacking multiple insulation layers in a high vacuum (10−1–10−5 Pa). However, large-scale tanks use a medium vacuum (100–10−1 Pa) to reduce maintenance expenses. Solid insulation is applied to prevent liquefaction of residual gas up to 150 K, followed by the stacking of multilayer insulation (MLI) with a vapor−cooling shield (VCS) to minimize the insulation thickness. In this study, a numerical model was developed to calculate the heat flux of a storage tank based on the physical tank shape. The insulation thickness was also optimized for two insulation systems (solid insulation + MLI and solid insulation + MLI + VCS). Optimal VCS placement on solid insulation, determined through sensitivity analysis, reduces 64.2 % of MLI layers under 5 Pa vacuum pressure. Total insulation thickness reduction of 51.4 % at 1 Pa vacuum pressure was obtained based on a hydrogen storage tank volume of 4200 m3. The effects of insulation thickness reduction are remained even when the vacuum pressure is increased to 5 Pa. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd
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