液氢储罐新型多节点热力学-热阻网络耦合模型的构建与验证研究

doi:10.11949/0438-1157.20250974

摘要/Abstract

摘要：

液氢储罐的热管理直接关系到运行安全与能效，而其复杂热过程的预测依赖于高效准确的仿真模型。现有的计算流体力学（CFD）模型虽能细致刻画气-液相变与温度场分布，但计算代价过高，难以支撑大型储罐的工程应用；传统热力学方法虽然具有较高计算效率，却难以同时揭示罐内介质的温度梯度分布以及介质与多层绝热结构之间的动态热耦合。为此，构建了一种适用于液氢柱罐和球罐的新型多节点非平衡热力学-热阻网络耦合模型，可同时描述气-液相动态相变、温度梯度以及绝热层热通量及温度分布。基于该模型，结合美国国家航空航天局（NASA）多用途氢实验平台（MHTB）与液氢球罐实验（K-Site）进行了对比验证。模型在压力、气液相温度及绝热结构热通量预测上的最大相对误差均处于合理范围（压力 <5.2%，气相温度 <6.3%，液相温度 <0.61%，绝热结构 1.4%~12.4%），表明该模型能够稳定再现多工况下液氢储罐的自增压行为。该研究为液氢储罐的长期储存设计、运行优化与安全评估提供了有效仿真工具。

关键词: 液氢储罐, 自增压, 多节点非平衡热力学模型, 热阻网络, 绝热结构

Abstract:

Thermal management of liquid hydrogen (LH₂) storage tanks is crucial for ensuring operational safety and energy efficiency, while accurate prediction of their complex thermal processes relies on accurate and efficient simulation models. Conventional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approaches can capture phase change and temperature distribution evolution in detail, but their excessive computational cost limits their applicability to large-scale engineering systems. Classical thermodynamic methods, though computationally efficient, fail to resolve temperature gradients within the fluid and the dynamic thermal coupling between the medium and multilayer insulation. To address these limitations, a novel coupled multi-node non-equilibrium thermodynamic and thermal resistance network model is constructed for cylindrical and spherical LH₂ tanks. This model simultaneously accounts for transient gas–liquid phase change, temperature stratification, heat flux and temperature distribution across the insulation layers. Validation against experimental data from NASA's Multi-Purpose Hydrogen Test Bed (MHTB) and the spherical LH₂ tank test at K-Site demonstrates that the model achieves high predictive accuracy, with maximum relative errors below 5.2% for pressure, 6.3% for vapor temperature, 0.61% for liquid temperature, and 1.4%~12.4% for insulation heat flux. These results confirm the model's capability to reliably reproduce self-pressurization behavior under diverse operating conditions. The developed model provides an effective simulation tool to support the design of long-term storage, operational optimization, and safety evaluation of LH₂ tanks.

Key words: liquid hydrogen storage tank, self-pressurization, multi-node non-equilibrium thermodynamic model, thermal resistance network, insulation structure

中图分类号:

TB 657

翟庆伟, 韩东旭, 田中辉, 于阳, 王鹏, 陈宇杰, 宇波. 液氢储罐新型多节点热力学-热阻网络耦合模型的构建与验证研究[J]. 化工学报, DOI: 10.11949/0438-1157.20250974.

Qingwei ZHAI, Dongxu HAN, Zhonghui TIAN, Yang YU, Peng WANG, Yujie CHEN, Bo YU. Construction and validation of a novel multi-node thermodynamic–thermal resistance network coupled model for liquid hydrogen storage tanks[J]. CIESC Journal, DOI: 10.11949/0438-1157.20250974.

图/表 18

图1 液氢储罐及绝热结构示意图

Fig. 1 Schematic diagram of the liquid hydrogen storage tank and insulation structure

图2 多节点非平衡热力学模型与二维热阻网络法耦合示意图

Fig. 2 Schematic diagram of the coupled multi-node non-equilibrium thermodynamic model and two-dimensional thermal resistance network method

图3 多节点非平衡热力学模型耦合二维热阻网络法计算程序逻辑框图

Fig. 3 Flowchart of the computational program for the coupled multi-node non-equilibrium thermodynamic model and two-dimensional thermal resistance network method

图4 不同网格数量及时间步长下压力随时间的变化

Fig. 4 Pressure evolution over time under different mesh numbers and time step sizes

表1 绝热结构参数［33］

Table 1 Insulation structure parameters［33］

绝热层	参数	值
SOFI	厚度	0.0353 m
VDMLI	辐射屏蔽层数	45
	VDMLI 总厚度	0.0375 m
	低密度中密度高密度	8 层/cm (10层) 12 层/cm (15层) 16 层/cm (20 层)

图5 不同热边界温度条件下模型计算结果与MHTB实验数据的对比[33]

Fig. 5 Comparison between model predictions and MHTB experimental data under different thermal boundary temperature conditions[33]

表2 不同热边界温度热通量对比结果［34］

Table 2 Comparison of heat flux results under different thermal boundary temperatures［34］

热边界温度/ K	实验热通量/( W/m²)	模型计算结果/( W/m²)	偏差/%
164	0.085	0.0799	6.0
305	0.25	0.2536	1.44

表3 MHTB不同液氢填充率下初始参数［35-37］

Table 3 Initial parameters of MHTB under different liquid hydrogen fill levels［35-37］

填充率/%	压力/ kPa	液氢温度/K	气氢温度/K	漏热量/W
25	122.3	20.9	20.99~28.7	18.8
50	122.37	20.96	20.99~28.54	18.7
50	112.6	20.7	20.7~28.1	51
90	112.3	20.6	20.66~24.09	20.2
90	113.4	20.6	20.66~21.02	71.3

图6 液氢柱罐填充率为25%时模拟与实验结果对比

Fig. 6 Comparison between simulation and experimental results for the liquid hydrogen cylindrical tank at a fill level of 25%

图7 液氢柱罐填充率为50%时不同漏热量下模拟与实验结果对比

Fig. 7 Comparison between simulation and experimental results for the liquid hydrogen cylindrical tank at a fill level of 50% under different heat leak conditions

图8 液氢柱罐在填充率为 50%、漏热量为 51 W 时，自增压结束后罐内介质温度分布的模拟与实验对比

Fig. 8 Comparison of simulated and experimental temperature distributions inside the liquid hydrogen cylindrical tank at a fill level of 50% and a heat leak of 51 W after the completion of self-pressurization

图9 液氢柱罐填充率为90%时不同漏热量下模拟与实验结果对比

Fig. 9 Comparison of simulated and experimental results for the liquid hydrogen cylindrical tank at a fill level of 90% under different heat leak conditions

表4 K-Site不同液氢填充率下初始参数［38］

Table 4 Initial parameters of K-Site liquid hydrogen tank at different fill levels［38］

填充率/%	压力/ kPa	液氢温度/K	气氢温度/K	热通量/(W/m²)
29	103.7	20.04	20.49~29	2, 3.5
49	103.7	20.12	20.3~29	2, 3.5
83	103.7	20.1	20.2~26	2, 3.5

图10 液氢球罐填充率为29%时不同热通量下模拟与实验结果对比

Fig. 10 Comparison of simulation and experimental results for the spherical liquid hydrogen tank at 29% fill level under different heat flux conditions

图11 液氢球罐填充率为49%时不同热通量下模拟与实验结果对比

Fig. 11 Comparison of simulation and experimental results for the spherical liquid hydrogen tank at 49% fill level under different heat flux conditions

图12 液氢球罐填充率为29%时不同热通量下模拟与实验结果对比

Fig. 12 Comparison of simulation and experimental results for the spherical liquid hydrogen tank at 83% fill level under different heat flux conditions

图13 液氢柱罐填充率为50%时自增压结束时温度及热通量分布

Fig. 13 Temperature and heat flux distribution at the end of self-pressurization for the cylindrical liquid hydrogen tank at 50% fill level

图14 液氢球罐填充率为49%时自增压结束时温度及热通量分布

Fig. 14 Temperature and heat flux distribution at the end of self-pressurization for the spherical liquid hydrogen tank at 49% fill level

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