Collaborative optimization method for cascade compression and storage system in hydrogen refueling station

This work addresses a collaborative optimization method for the cascade compression and storage system of hydrogen refueling stations (HRSs), aiming to minimize the total annual cost of the system. The method integrates the multi-stage compression and multi-stage storage units as an integrated whole and constructs a mixed-integer nonlinear programming model covering hydrogen supply, compression, storage and refueling processes, supported by an efficient two-stage bi-level nested iterative solution strategy to address the strong nonlinear coupling of hydrogen flow-pressure-volume parameters. By conducting case studies on 35 MPa and 70 MPa typical HRSs and comparing the results across different configuration schemes, the impacts of compression stage number, compression ratio, storage tank pressure range and volume configuration on the economic and operational performance of the HRSs are clarified. The overall efficiency of the HRSs can be significantly enhanced by the collaborative optimization of system configuration and hydrogen distribution strategy.