Contribution to modeling hydrogen permeation and thickness optimization in blow molded plastic liners for on-board compressed hydrogen tanks

Blow molded plastic liners (BMPLs) for on-board Type IV compressed gaseous hydrogen (CGH2) storage tanks consist of a high-molecular-weight polymer wall that serves as a permeation layer for hydrogen gas. This paper presents the latest numerical model integrated in the Blow View software for predicting the hydrogen permeation in a BMPL. The prediction model is based on Fick's solution-diffusion laws, with pressure and temperature dependent transport properties, for steady/unsteady state permeation regimes through a polymeric wall. An overview of key simulation results for an industrial BMPL for a CGH2 tank, as well as the adopted methodology addressing the challenge to optimize the wall thickness for light weighting and permeability performance, are also presented.