Numerical modeling and optimization of the operational variables for a coaxial dual-piston compressor applied in hydrogen storage

The ionic compressor is a new technology developed in recent decades for hydrogen refueling stations, which is primarily a compressor utilizing a liquid piston. The occurrence of wave phenomena is inherent in liquid piston compressors. This phenomenon is influenced by the structure and the operating conditions, which further influence the compression performance. In this paper, an examination is conducted through mathematical modeling to explore the impact of three operational factors of pistons, ultimately leading to the identification of optimal operational parameters. Three operational variables involve the operating time of pistons during each movement procedure. Upon analysis, it was observed that an increase in the piston cycle time ratio or suction time ratio of the embedded piston led to a reduction in the specific energy consumption. Under the optimal combination of operational variables, the specific energy consumption reached its lowest point, recording a value of 1379.01 kJ/kg.