Zero-Dimensional modeling and optimization of hydrogen refueling for type IV tanks: from validation to large-scale applications

Daniele Melideo, Umberto Desideri, Jan Andreas and Thilo Kalisch

Energy, 2025, vol. 332, issue C

Abstract: The transition to hydrogen as an alternative fuel is crucial for reducing emissions in the transportation sector. However, challenges related to refueling times and storage capacity must be addressed for hydrogen-powered vehicles and especially for vehicles who need large amounts of hydrogen on-board. Too rapid compression of hydrogen during refueling can cause elevated temperatures, which reduces the gas density, thus limiting tank capacity, and cause damage to the tank. Pre-cooling technologies are employed to mitigate these effects. This paper presents a zero-dimensional (0D) numerical model developed to simulate the hydrogen filling process, with validation against experimental and three-dimensional (3D) model data, enabling fast and computationally efficient assessment of operational strategies for refueling. The model is first applied to a Type IV 29L tank, and then to a larger 2000L Type IV tank to investigate the effects of key operational parameters. The study specifically investigates the effects of inlet hydrogen gas temperature, inlet injector diameter, and different inlet pressure profiles on the refueling process. Results show that lowering the inlet hydrogen temperature from 0 °C to −40 °C increases the stored mass by up to 5 kg and prevents the gas temperature from exceeding the 85 °C safety threshold. Increasing the inlet injector diameter significantly boosts mass flow rates and reduces filling times. Different inlet pressure profiles are also analyzed, showing that steeper ramps enhance filling speed but raise thermal peaks. The findings provide practical guidelines for optimizing large-scale hydrogen refueling strategies while ensuring safety and system efficiency.

Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544225028968
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:332:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225028968

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.137254

Access Statistics for this article

Energy is currently edited by Henrik Lund and Mark J. Kaiser

More articles in Energy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().