Optimal cross sections of filament-wound toroidal hydrogen storage vessels based on continuum lamination theory

One of the most important issues for the design of toroidal hydrogen storage vessels reflects on the determination of the most efficient meridional cross sections. In this paper we outline the cross-sectional shape determination for filament-wound toroidal pressure vessels based on the continuum theory and the optimality condition of equal shell strains. With the aid of the geodesic law and the equal-stains condition, the continuum-based optimal cross sections are determined while taking into account the shell thickness build-up along the meridional direction. As an additional option, the influence of the theoretically required axial load on the resulting meridian profile is also evaluated and the results show that the meridian curve returns to zero altitude at a certain magnitude of that axial load and thus forms a closed dome. The cross-sectional shapes and structural performance of classical pressure vessels, circular and continuum-based optimal toroidal pressure vessels are respectively determined and compared to each other. The results reveal that toroidal hydrogen storage vessels designed using the optimal cross sections provide better performance than the circular toroidal vessels and the classical vessels.