Modeling and analysis of hydrogen diffusion in an enclosed fuel cell vehicle with obstacles

Hydrogen has been utilized in FCV and leakage can cause safety issues. In this study, the vehicle is simplified as a cuboid enclosure with obstacles. The influence of obstacle locations on the hydrogen diffusion behavior is investigated with the iso-surfaces of 1% and 4% volume fraction of hydrogen. The time of the iso-surface of 4% volume fraction to reach the ceiling and the sidewalls without any obstacles is 1.42 and 1.25 times of that with an obstacle, respectively. Both height and the width of the flammable zone in the enclosure with an obstacle are greater than that without obstacles. The distance between the obstacle and the leakage affects significantly the hydrogen diffusion and the influence of the obstacle on the hydrogen diffusion strengthens with the decrease of the distance. Yet as the distance keeps same, the obstacle position relative to the leakage has no significant effect on hydrogen diffusion, and it makes little effect difference whether the obstacle is located in front of leakage or side of leakage. (C) 2021 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study investigates the influence of obstacle locations on the hydrogen diffusion behavior in a simplified cuboid enclosure with obstacles. The results show that obstacle positions affect the time for hydrogen to reach the ceiling and sidewalls, and the presence of obstacles increases the size of the flammable zone in the enclosure.