Study on structural design and stress simulation of carbon fiber composite Type IV hydrogen storage cylinder

A carbon fiber-wound Type IV hydrogen storage cylinder structure was designed. The winding layers were optimized based on grid theory, with particular attention to the thickness of the dome winding layer. The burst pressure of the hydrogen storage cylinder was predicted using a progressive damage model based on the Hassin damage theory. Additionally, the effects of the length-to-diameter ratio, ellipsoid ratio, polar ratio, and the metal boss support radius on the stress distribution of the hydrogen storage cylinder were investigated. The results show that the finite element analysis predicts a burst pressure of 162.76 MPa, which exceeds the design value of 157.5 MPa, indicating that the adopted layering method satisfies the design requirements. Increasing the ellipsoid ratio reduces the fiber stress in the cylinder. Under working pressure, the length-to-diameter ratio and polar ratio are negatively correlated with the stress in the winding layers. Furthermore, increasing the radius of the metal boss flange reduces the liner stress of the cylinder under working pressure. However, as the flange radius increases, the stress on its upper surface forms an upward-opening parabola, and the central region does not fully utilize its structural potential. These findings provide valuable insights for the practical engineering application of carbon fiber-wound Type IV hydrogen storage cylinders.