Insulation excellence and storage dynamics in a 500-litre self-developed vehicular liquid hydrogen cylinder: thermal leakage and status analysis

Abstract

Abstract Liquid hydrogen storage represents an efficient and highly promising method for hydrogen encapsulation, particularly relevant for hydrogen-powered vehicles. This paper describes a novel self-developed 500-litre vehicular liquid hydrogen cylinder featuring high vacuum multi-layer insulation (HVMLI) and eight-point support structures. The study quantitatively analyzes the heat leakage from the thermal insulation layer, support structures, and accessory pipelines of this cylinder, with a total thermal leakage rate of 11.759 W, mainly stemming from the support structure. Moreover, using the BoilFAST software, simulations were conducted to investigate variations in the pressure of the ullage space, the temperature of the stored liquid hydrogen, and the temperature of the vapor within the ullage space across different liquid filling rates and stationary periods. This paper provides valuable insights into the development of vehicular liquid hydrogen cylinders, and the simulation results improved comprehension of the internal storage status and variations of associated physical parameters.