Title: Autonomous Self-Healing Composite CNG Storage Networks with Distributed Fiber Bragg Grating Sensing for Optimized Truck-Based Distribution in the Niger Delta
Authors: Owei L. Youpele, Blessing Zekieni Yelebe, Kefas Odofori
Volume: 10
Issue: 7
Pages: 124-137
Publication Date: 2026/07/28
Abstract:
We propose an autonomous self-healing composite compressed natural gas (CNG) storage network tailored for truck-based distribution in the Niger Delta, where cyclic road vibrations, thermal cycling, and high humidity accelerate micro-crack formation in carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer cylinders. The core innovation is the synergistic integration of two embedded systems: first, a microencapsulated healing agent system within the composite matrix, where dicyclopentadiene monomer stored in polymera-formaldehyde capsules undergoes ring-opening metathesis polymerization upon contact with a latent Grubbs-I catalyst released from fractured particles, thereby sealing micro-cracks and restoring up to eighty percent of the original fracture toughness; second, a distributed fiber Bragg grating sensor network helically wound along the cylinder axis that monitors strain anomalies in real time with micrometer-scale precision. These sensors transmit strain data via telemetry to a central fleet management server, which executes a capsule depletion model that calculates local healing agent consumption per segment and flags cylinder regions approaching seventy percent depletion for priority inspection or replacement. This predictive maintenance approach allows the system to autonomously reroute trucks to intermediate inspection depots when damage is detected, thereby preventing on-site failures without interrupting normal delivery schedules. The proposed architecture was validated through accelerated environmental aging tests conforming to ASTM and ISO standards, demonstrating over seventy-five percent recovery of interlaminar shear strength after one thousand humidity-thermal cycles. Furthermore, multiphysics finite element optimization of the capsule volume fraction, diameter, and shell thickness confirmed that a nine percent capsule loading with a mean diameter of one hundred twenty micrometers and a twelve-micrometer shell achieves a burst pressure retention of ninety-six percent while adding only a 1.8 percent weight penalty per cylinder, which remains well within operational payload limits. The significance of this work lies in its direct address of a critical infrastructural need for the Niger Delta, offering a scalable, data-driven solution that enhances safety and reliability in CNG distribution networks without compromising mechanical performance or logistical efficiency.