Muhammad Ammar Anuttara
Introduction
My name is Muhammad Ammar Anuttara, but people usually call me Ammar. I’m a Mechanical Engineering student at Universitas Indonesia who is also a creative worker with adept social skills that is willing to work as a team. I’m able to adapt to most conditions and not afraid to learn something new.
You can contact me through my LinkedIn[1].
Optimization of a Hydrogen Tank
Today, we will discuss the optimization of a 1 litre, 8 bar pressured hydrogen storage tank. We will optimise its price-to-performance ratio to be as effective as it can be budget-friendly.
Before we proceed, we need to know the components of a standard hydrogen tank. A hydrogen tank consists of these items:
1.Base Tank (usually made out of steel and lined with other materials for thermal insulation) 2.Neck 3. Outer Wrapping 4. Valves 5. End Plug 6. Pressure Gauge 7. Pressure Relief Device 8. Mounting brackets
To optimise the price-to-performance ratio, we can consider these components and materials for our hydrogen tank.
First, we are going to use an aluminium alloy tank. Aluminium alloy is generally a great cost-effective material used in hydrogen tanks. They have sufficient strength and durability while having a relatively low cost. A great alternative to aluminium alloy would be steel as it offers more or less the same benefits and cost. These materials will also be used for the mounting brackets
Since our hydrogen tank is low-pressure, the perfect material for thermal insulation is polyurethane foam. Polyurethane foam insulation is cost-effective and widely used for low-pressure applications. It provides good thermal insulation properties, reducing heat transfer and keeping the hydrogen at a stable temperature.
The pressure relief device of our hydrogen tank would be a spring-loaded valve. Using this option would be as cost-effective as it could be because this variant does not use any electronics and does the job well to release excess pressure. For the pressure gauge, we will be using a bourdon tube pressure gauge.
Lastly, our valves will be using brass or stainless steel. Valves made from brass or stainless steel can be affordable and suitable for low-pressure applications. These materials provide good corrosion resistance and can withstand the operating pressure of 8 bars.
