Storage Systems for Hydrogen Fuel

Controlling the interaction of available space and depletion as liquid hydrogen is extracted from a rigid, insulated tank at varying rates is a significant challenge of hydrogen storage engineering. Insulation only solves part of the problem; tank shape and weight factor heavily into hydrogen use for aerospace applications. Accommodating the vapor cycle and its effects is an equally important part of the equation.  

With Modelon Impact, you can: 

• Develop sophisticated hydrogen-powered flight models 

• Test liquid hydrogen tanks using advanced modeling 

Notable Modelon Impact capabilities and features for handling hydrogen in flight include: 

• Advanced Vapor Cycle libraries 

• Pre-built experiment package for liquid hydrogen tanks 

Optimizing storage in terms of mass and volume is essential for aircraft. Hydrogen fuel cells, hydrogen combustion, and battery-electric power sources are all potential alternatives to jet fuel. When considering all factors—emissions, space, weight, and storage capacity—most industry experts conclude that compressed hydrogen is part of the solution. 

Engineers are using Modelon Impact to develop hydrogen storage solutions that include fueling processes for cryogenic liquid hydrogen and gaseous hydrogen. Efficient tank design and controlling the balance of filling and depletion pose significant challenges, as one must ensure adequate temperature and pressure as hydrogen burns.  

With Modelon Impact, you can: 

• Replicate operating conditions across many fueling and depletion scenarios 

• Simulate control systems that manage liquid hydrogen evaporation at appropriate temperatures and supply onboard hydrogen consumers 

• Use modeling-based research to advance hydrogen fuel cells as aviation energy sources 

Notable Modelon Impact capabilities and features for optimizing hydrogen storage and usage include: 

• Vapor Cycle Library

• A comprehensive suite of storage templates, models, and tutorials 

• Easy-to-use workflows with modeling features and experiment modes 

Dynamic changes in consumption and available space risk uncontrolled hydrogen leakage from the tank or allowing ambient air to enter. Hydrogen leakage from storage tanks during flights is dangerous, but air flowing into the tank can freeze fuel lines. Finding the right balance of thermal conductivity is essential. Just as with gravimetric efficiency, your hydrogen storage system must provide adequate insulation to accommodate usage and prevent multi-directional leaks without adding excessive weight or hindering thermal management. 

With Modelon Impact, you can: 

• Bring new insights to previously held assumptions about “ideal” insulation solutions 

• Model multiple variables for just the right balance of materials and design to insulate your storage tanks 

Notable Modelon Impact capabilities and features for cryogenic hydrogen storage solutions include: 

• Physics-based modeling and multi-fidelity simulation  

• Expert design and engineering trends in aircraft hydrogen storage

Filling a tank with either gaseous or liquid hydrogen is a far more delicate operation than filling a tank with jet fuel. Controlling temperature and pressure is essential to maximizing storage capacity. The tightly controlled conditions required to maintain adequate volume come at the cost of time: refilling a compressed hydrogen tank can take twice as long as filling a conventional fuel tank, negatively affecting airport operations.  

With Modelon Impact, you can: 

• Explore designs and filling strategies to maximize tank capacity and minimize fueling time 

• Bring solutions to the marketplace using accurate, simulation-based data  

Notable Modelon Impact capabilities and features for optimizing fueling times include: 

• Advanced Vapor Cycle libraries 

• Support from Modelon’s hydrogen storage modeling experts