A quasi-two-dimensional model for thermodynamic performance analysis of liquid hydrogen tank insulation system integrating vapor cooled shield with adiabatic para-ortho hydrogen conversion

Hydrogen storage is a crucial technology for large-scale hydrogen deployment and faces substantial challenges associated with heat leakage. This study developed a quasi-two-dimensional model for liquid hydrogen tank insulation system integrating variable density multilayer insulation, spray-on foam insulation and vapor cooled shield. The adiabatic para-ortho hydrogen conversion were considered and the influence of single para-ortho hydrogen converter within single vapor cooled shield/double vapor cooled shields and double para-ortho hydrogen conversion converters within single vapor cooled shield were examined. Validation demonstrated that the quasi-two-dimensional model is more precise than the one-dimensional model. The optimal location of single para-ortho hydrogen conversion converter/double para-ortho hydrogen conversion converters and single vapor cooled shield/double vapor cooled shields were identified and the heat transfer mechanism in optimal insulation configurations with single vapor cooled shield/double vapor cooled shields were revealed for liquid hydrogen tank insulation system. The insulation performance of liquid hydrogen tank insulation system integrated with single vapor cooled shield improved by 3.85 % when the number of para-ortho hydrogen conversion converters exceeds two, while the improvement for liquid hydrogen tank insulation system integrated with double vapor cooled shields is only 0.38 %. Additionally, the influence of vapor cooled shield quantity becomes more significant as the warm boundary temperature increases. At 310 K, the impact of vapor cooled shield quantity on heat leakage is 6.70 % greater than that of single para-ortho hydrogen conversion converter in liquid hydrogen tank insulation system with single vapor cooled shield. In contrast, at 164 K, the impact is 1.70 % less pronounced.