Debonding and collapse simulation of plastic liners for type IV hydrogen storage vessels

Abstract Type IV hydrogen storage vessels, equipped with lightweight, thin plastic liners provide a cost‐effective solution to enhance the storage density of large‐capacity road transport tanks. However, during rapid depressurization, the plastic liner may collapse and debond from the CFRP, compromising the structural integrity and load‐bearing capability of the vessel. To address this critical issue, this study develops an innovative finite element simulation framework that dynamically models the collapse behavior of the liner and interfacial debonding under rapid decompression. The model reveals the sequential progression of liner collapse, which involves initial buckling deformation, CFRP debonding, wrinkling, and eventual partial collapse, leading to structural failure. A comprehensive parametric study was conducted to assess the sensitivity of collapse pressure to various influencing factors. The results indicate that the onset of liner collapse is highly sensitive to initial geometric imperfections. Furthermore, for large‐capacity Type IV hydrogen storage vessels, a liner thickness‐to‐diameter ratio of (w/D = 0.01) significantly improves the liner's resistance to collapse. These findings provide valuable insights into optimizing the design of hydrogen storage vessels to enhance safety and performance. Highlights Dynamic process of buckling‐debonding‐collapse failure of plastic liner. The collapse failure of plastic liner is highly sensitive to initial defects. Thickness to diameter ratio of 0.01 boosts collapse resistance of plastic liner.