Explosion Free in Fire Self-venting (TPRD-less) Composite Tanks: Performance Under Fire Intervention Conditions

This paper describes the performance of explosion free in fire self-venting (TPRD-less) composite tanks of Type IV in fires of realistic intensity HRR/A=1 MW/m2 in conditions of first responders’ intervention. This breakthrough safety technology does not require the use of thermally activated pressure relief devices (TPRD). It provides microleaks-no-burst (LNB) performance of high-pressure hydrogen storage tanks in a fire. Two fire intervention strategies are investigated, one is the removal of a vehicle with LNB tank from the fire, and another is the extinction of the fire. The removal from the fire scenario is investigated for one carbon-carbon and one carbon-basalt double-composite wall tank prototype. The fire extinction scenario is studied for four carbon-basalt prototypes. All six prototypes of 7.5 L volume and nominal working pressure of 70 MPa demonstrated safe release of hydrogen through microchannels of the composite wall after melting a liner. The technology allows fire brigades to apply standard intervention strategies and tactics at the fire scene with hydrogen vehicles if LNB tanks are used in the vehicle.