Numerical Study on Composite Multilayer Insulation Material for Liquid Hydrogen Storage
Source abstract
Abstract
This study investigated the heat transfer characteristics of composite multilayer insulation (MLI) materials used for the storage and transport of liquid hydrogen at cryogenic temperatures. This research focused on analyzing the effects of thermal boundary temperature, total layer count, and vacuum level on the heat flux through the insulation material. Based on the layer-by-layer model, a heat transfer model of composite MLI was constructed. This research introduces a novel method for analyzing the heat transfer properties of composite MLI in the liquid hydrogen temperature range. Results indicate that heat flux increases with higher thermal boundary temperatures, with the MLI layers near the cold boundary playing a critical role in overall insulation performance. Additionally, numerical analysis was conducted to examine the impact of different material combinations and variations in vacuum level on heat transfer characteristics. Findings reveal that adding spray-on foam insulation reduces heat flux by 20.76% compared to using MLI alone. Furthermore, increasing the total number of MLI layers effectively mitigates heat flux increase, achieving an optimal heat flux of 0.5377 W/m2 with a total of 50 layers.
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Research context
OpenAlex topics: Spacecraft and Cryogenic Technologies · Aerogels and thermal insulation · Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Special Equipment Safety Supervision Inspection Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210036, China
Key Laboratory of Liquid Hydrogen Energy Storage and Transportation Equipment for Jiangsu Province Market Regulation, Nanjing 210036, China
School of Energy, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China
Institute of Refrigeration and Cryogenics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
Funding
Key Research and Development Project of Jiangsu Province · Science and Technology Project of State Administration for Market Regulation · Science and Technology Project of Jiangsu Province Market Supervision Administration · Junior Science and Technology Project of Special Equipment Safety Supervision Inspection Institute of Jiangsu Province · Open-sharing and Independent Research Project for Large-scale Scientific Instruments of Jiangsu Province · Jiangsu Provincial Double-Innovation Doctor Program
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