Structural Assessment of Independent Type-C Liquid Hydrogen Fuel Tank

• Published in: Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
• Main Authors: Seung-Joo Cha, Hyun-Jin Tak, Byeong-Kwan Hwang, Jong-Pil Lee, Jeong-Hyeon Kim, Jae-Myung Lee
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
• Subjects: liquid hydrogen fuel tank; thermo-structural analysis; boil-off rate
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/13/4/730

As environmental pollution has become a global concern, regulations on carbon emissions from maritime activities are being implemented, and interest in using renewable energy as fuel for ships is growing. Hydrogen, which does not release carbon dioxide and has a high energy density, can potentially replace fossil fuels as a renewable energy source. Notably, storage of hydrogen in a liquid state is considered the most efficient. In this study, a 0.7 m³ liquid hydrogen fuel tank suitable for small vessels was designed, and a structural analysis was conducted to assess its structural integrity. The extremely low liquefaction temperature of hydrogen at −253 °C and the need for spatial efficiency in liquid hydrogen fuel tanks make vacuum insulation essential to minimize the heat transfer due to convection. A composite insulation system of sprayed-on foam insulation (SOFI) and multilayer insulation (MLI) was applied in the vacuum annular space between the inner and outer shells, and a tube-shaped supporter made of a G-11 cryogenic (CR) material with low thermal conductivity and high strength was employed. The material selected for the inner and outer layers of the tank was STS 316L, which exhibits sufficient ductility and strength at cryogenic temperatures and has low sensitivity to hydrogen embrittlement. The insulation performance was quantitatively assessed by calculating the boil-off rate (BOR) of the designed fuel tank. Structural integrity evaluations were conducted for nine load cases using heat transfer and structural analyses in accordance with the IGF code.