Laminate Optimization of a High-pressure Hydrogen Vessel (Type4) Based on Winding and Patch Placement Technologies

The growing significance of hydrogen as an energy source, particularly in aerospace, air mobility and automotive, underscores the necessity for advanced storage solutions, especially under high-pressure conditions. The relevant cost-driven factor is material cost for the manufacturing of Type IV hydrogen vessels. Reinforcing of critical strength areas at the dome cap region leads to the production of additional winding layers. Therefore, winding cannot exploit the full material properties resulting in inefficient material utilization. A promising approach is a laminate combination based on winding technology and patch-based techniques to strategically reinforce critical areas at the dome cap region, resulting in substantial material savings in the double-digit percentage range. This research is dedicated to develop an efficient optimization model that comprehensively considers laminates based on both manufacturing technologies. Key optimization parameters, such as layer thickness, number of layers and sequence, are emphasized to create an optimized laminate. Furthermore, this optimized laminate enables the clarification of layers that allow the integration of local reinforcement with a patch-based manufacturing approach without compromising vessel performance. The proposed methodology presents a holistic solution to enhance the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of Type 4 hydrogen vessel manufacturing.