Advanced Structural Analysis of Type IV Hydrogen Tank Walls for Hydrogen Vehicles: Effects of Temperature and Material Variations with Failure Criterion Evaluation Using Finite Element Method

Hydrogen storage tanks are essential components in hydrogen-powered vehicles that require high structural integrity and thermal stability under varying operating conditions. This study evaluates the structural performance of Type IV hydrogen tanks using finite element analysis, focusing on six liner–composite material combinations comprising HDPE and Nylon6 liners paired with Carbon T700/Epoxy, Kevlar/Epoxy, and Basalt/Epoxy composites. The tanks were subjected to a constant internal pressure of 35 MPa and temperatures ranging from −30 °C to 80 °C to simulate realistic refueling environments. Structural integrity was assessed using the Tsai–Wu failure criterion, along with evaluations of the hoop, axial, and radial stress distributions and deformation behavior. The results show that the Kevlar/Epoxy composite with an HDPE liner exhibited the highest stress tolerance, with hoop, axial, and radial stresses of 391 MPa, 184.9 MPa, and 253.34 MPa, respectively, and a safety factor of 22.615 at −30°C. The Carbon T700/Epoxy configuration approached its failure limit at 80°C, with a Tsai–Wu index close to 1.0, while the Basalt/Epoxy composite remained within safe limits with a failure index of 0.88473 and a safety factor of 6.2704. In terms of thermal response, Nylon6 liners demonstrated improved performance, reducing peak stress from 107.03 MPa at −30°C to 90.06 MPa at 80°C. The lowest deformation was observed in the Carbon T700/Epoxy configuration (1.35 mm at 20°C), whereas Basalt/Epoxy exhibited the highest deformation (>3.35 mm). Overall, the Kevlar/Epoxy composite combined with a Nylon6 liner provided the most balanced performance in terms of strength and thermal stability, making it a strong candidate for high-performance hydrogen storage applications in automotive systems.