JP2011018553A - Fuel cell vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To restrain damage of a fuel cell stack or a converter at collision of a vehicle.SOLUTION: A fuel cell system 2 loaded on a fuel cell vehicle 1 is provided with fuel cell stacks 10, a DC-DC converter 14 changing output voltages of the fuel cell stacks 10, and related device groups A1, A2 needed for operating the fuel cell stacks 10. In the fuel cell vehicle 1, the fuel cell stacks 10 are arranged divided in two at right and left of the vehicle 1. The DC-DC converter 14 is arranged between the divided fuel cell stacks 10. The related device groups A1, A2 are arranged at front and rear of the DC-DC converter 14.

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel cell vehicle equipped with a fuel cell system.

  For example, in a fuel cell vehicle equipped with a fuel cell system, a fuel cell system, a fuel cell stack, a converter, and other related devices such as a gas-liquid separator, a pump, A hydrogen tank is installed.

  Usually, in a fuel cell vehicle, a fuel cell stack and a hydrogen tank are arranged in this order from the front, and other related devices and a converter are appropriately arranged. Further, it has been proposed that the converter is disposed in the vicinity of the fuel cell stack (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2007-207582 A

  However, in the above-described fuel cell automobile, if a large external force is applied from the front of the vehicle at the time of a vehicle collision, the vehicle may be crushed, and the external force may act on the fuel cell stack to damage the fuel cell stack or the converter. In particular, when a relatively heavy and strong hydrogen tank is located behind, the fuel cell tank moves to the front side of the vehicle due to inertia and collides with the fuel cell stack, damaging the fuel cell stack or the converter. There is. The fuel cell stack has a structure in which a large number of single cells are stacked, and is easily damaged by a collision. The fuel cell stack may have a high voltage due to power generation, and since hydrogen gas or the like is used as a reaction gas, there is a risk of inconvenience if it is damaged. In addition, the electric charge is usually accumulated in the converter at the time of use, and there is a possibility that inconvenience may occur if it is damaged.

  The present invention has been made in view of this point, and an object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell vehicle capable of suppressing damage to the fuel cell stack and the converter at the time of a vehicle collision.

  The present invention for achieving the above object is a fuel cell vehicle equipped with a fuel cell system, the fuel cell system comprising: a fuel cell stack; a converter for transforming an output voltage of the fuel cell stack; A group of related devices necessary for operating the fuel cell stack, and the fuel cell stack is divided into two in the left-right direction of the vehicle, and the converter is disposed between the divided fuel cell stacks. The related device group is arranged before and after the converter.

  According to the present invention, the fuel cell stack is divided into two in the left-right direction of the vehicle, the converter is arranged between them, and the related device group is arranged before and after the converter. External force is applied to the fuel cell stack, which protects the fuel cell stack and the converter. In particular, the fuel cell stack is divided into two in the left-right direction, and even if the related device group moves due to an external force, the related device group does not directly collide, so that damage at the time of a vehicle collision can be sufficiently suppressed.

  The divided fuel cell stack may be installed obliquely so that the center side of the vehicle is lowered. In such a case, drainage of the liquid generated in the fuel cell stack can be suitably performed.

  The fuel cell stack, the converter, and the related device group may be surrounded by a protective frame. In such a case, the fuel cell stack and the converter are sufficiently protected.

  A brace may be formed in the protective frame on the side surface side of the fuel cell stack. In such a case, the fuel cell stack and the converter can be more securely protected against external force from the side surface of the vehicle.

  An impact buffer cover may be provided on the lower surface of the protective frame. In such a case, the fuel cell stack and the converter in the protection frame are protected from collision with the road surface and obstacles on the road surface.

  The shock-absorbing cover of the protective frame surrounding the fuel cell stack and the converter is formed in a plate-like shape that curves downward in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and the lowest part of the curve is forward of the center in the front-rear direction The rear side from the lowermost part may be formed with a gentler slope than the front side. In such a case, the impact on the fuel cell stack and the converter at the time of road surface collision can be effectively mitigated.

  The shock-absorbing cover of the protective frame that surrounds the related device group in front of the converter is formed in a plate shape that curves downward in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and the lowest part of the curve is the center in the front-rear direction It may be located further rearward, and the front side from the lowermost part may be formed with a gentler slope than the rear side. In such a case, the impact on the converter at the time of a road surface collision can be effectively mitigated.

  The converter may include a capacitor and a member that is disposed in front of the capacitor and can reduce a charge of the capacitor by causing a short circuit to the capacitor by an external force from the front side. In such a case, the electric charge of the capacitor can be reduced at the time of a vehicle collision, and the safety at the time of the collision can be improved.

  According to the present invention, damage to the fuel cell stack and the converter at the time of a vehicle collision can be suppressed.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the outline of a structure of a fuel cell vehicle. It is a schematic diagram which shows the outline of a structure of a fuel cell system. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of a protection frame. It is explanatory drawing which shows the side surface of the vehicle which has a protection frame with which the shock absorbing cover was attached. It is a perspective view of an impact buffer cover. It is explanatory drawing which shows a mode that the collision object collided with the cover for shock buffering of the protection frame of a fuel cell stack. It is explanatory drawing which shows a mode that the collision object collided with the cover for shock buffering of the protection frame of a related apparatus group. It is a schematic diagram which shows the outline of the internal structure of a DC-DC converter. It is the figure which looked at the protection frame of the state by which the fuel cell stack was arrange | positioned diagonally from the front-back direction of the vehicle.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of the configuration of a fuel cell vehicle 1 according to the present embodiment.

  The fuel cell vehicle 1 has a fuel cell system 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the fuel cell system 2 receives, for example, a reaction gas (oxidation gas and fuel gas) and generates electric power, and supplies an oxidation gas (for example, air) to the fuel cell stack 10. An oxidizing gas piping system 11, a hydrogen gas piping system 12 for supplying hydrogen gas as a fuel gas to the fuel cell stack 10, a cooling fluid piping system 13 for supplying a coolant to the fuel cell stack 10, and the like.

  The fuel cell stack 10 has a stack structure in which a required number of single cells (single cells) that generate power upon receiving reaction gas are stacked. Connected to the fuel cell stack 10 are a DC-DC converter 14 that transforms the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 10, an inverter 15, a power control unit 16 that controls the generated power, and the like.

  The oxidizing gas piping system 11 includes, for example, a humidifier 20, a gas supply channel 21 that supplies the oxidizing gas humidified by the humidifier 20 to the fuel cell stack 10, and an oxidizing off-gas discharged from the fuel cell stack 10. 20 is provided with a gas discharge flow path 22 that is sent to 20, and a gas exhaust flow path 23 that discharges the oxidizing off gas of the humidifier 20 to the outside. The gas supply passage 21 is provided with a compressor 24 and the like that take in the oxidizing gas in the atmosphere and pump it to the humidifier 20.

  The hydrogen gas piping system 12 includes, for example, a hydrogen tank 30 as a fuel supply source that stores high-pressure (for example, 70 MPa) hydrogen gas, and a gas supply passage 31 for supplying the hydrogen gas in the hydrogen tank 30 to the fuel cell stack 10. And a circulation flow path 32 for returning the hydrogen off-gas discharged from the fuel cell stack 10 to the gas supply flow path 31.

  For example, the gas supply flow path 31 functions as a main valve of the hydrogen tank 30 and shuts off or allows the supply of hydrogen gas from the hydrogen tank 30 to the fuel cell stack 10 side. A regulator 34 for reducing the set secondary pressure and a pressure adjusting device 35 such as an injector for adjusting the flow rate and gas pressure of the hydrogen gas supplied to the fuel cell stack 10 side with high accuracy are provided.

  The circulation channel 32 is provided with, for example, a gas-liquid separator 36 that removes water and impurities from the hydrogen off-gas, and a hydrogen pump 37 that pressurizes the hydrogen off-gas in the circulation channel 32 and pumps it to the gas supply channel 31 side. It has been. The gas-liquid separator 36 is connected to a discharge flow path 38 that discharges water separated by the gas-liquid separator 36 and a part of the hydrogen off-gas to the outside. The discharge flow path 38 is provided with a discharge control valve 39 that controls the discharge of water and part of the hydrogen off-gas from the gas-liquid separator 36.

  The coolant piping system 13 includes, for example, a coolant flow path 40 that circulates coolant with the fuel cell stack 10, a radiator 41, a valve 42, a pump 43 that pumps the coolant, and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the fuel cell vehicle 1 includes a fuel cell stack 10, a DC-DC converter 14, a gas-liquid separator 36, a pump 43, and other related devices A1 that constitute the fuel cell system 2 described above. A2, hydrogen tank 30, etc. are arranged. The fuel cell stack 10 is divided into two in the left-right direction of the vehicle, and is arranged at a distance from the center of the fuel cell vehicle 1 to the side surface side. A DC-DC converter 14 is disposed between the fuel cell stacks 10 divided into two. Related device groups A1 and A2 are arranged before and after the DC-DC converter 14. The related device group A1 on the vehicle front side includes, for example, a gas-liquid separator 36, a pump 43, an inverter 15, and the like. The related device group A2 on the rear side of the vehicle includes non-power generation devices such as a shut-off valve 33, a regulator 34, and a pressure regulating device 35 of the hydrogen gas piping system 12, for example. The hydrogen tank 30 is disposed behind the related device group A2. Note that the stacking direction of the single cells of the fuel cell stack 10 may be either the front-rear direction or the left-right direction of the vehicle 1.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the fuel cell stack 10, the DC-DC converter 14, and the related device groups A1 and A2 are surrounded by a protective frame 50 that protects them from external force. The protective frame 50a that houses the fuel cell stack 10 and the DC-DC converter 14 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped frame shape, for example. A brace 51 is formed on the side surface of the fuel cell stack 10 of the protective frame 50a. Further, the protective frames 50b and 50c for housing the related device groups A1 and A2 are formed in a frame shape having a rectangular bottom surface and a right triangle shape on the side surface, for example.

  As shown in FIG. 4, impact buffer covers 60, 61, 62 due to road collision are provided on the lower surfaces of the protective frames 50a, 50b, 50c. As shown in FIG. 5, the impact buffer covers 60, 61, 62 are formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape that is long in the left-right direction of the vehicle 1 so as to cover the lower surfaces of the respective protective frames 50a, 50b, 50c. A plurality of beads S are formed on the surfaces of the shock buffer covers 60, 61, 62, and the shock buffer covers 60, 61, 62 have flexibility.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the shock absorbing cover 60 is attached to the lower surface of the protective frame 50a, and is formed in a plate shape that is curved downward and convex in the middle in the front-rear direction, for example. It is located further forward, and the rear side from the lowermost part 60a is formed with a gentler slope than the front side. The shock buffering cover 60 is formed across both ends of the lower surface of the protective frame 50a. In such a case, when the bottom of the fuel cell vehicle 1 collides with a road surface or an obstacle while traveling, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, the collision object P first hits the lowermost portion 60a, and the impact buffering cover 60 , The protective frame 50a moves upward by the force at that time and retracts from the collision object P. As a result, a large force does not directly and continuously act on the fuel cell stack 10 and the DC-DC converter 14, and the fuel cell stack 10 and the DC-DC converter 14 are protected from an impact caused by a road surface collision.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the shock buffer cover 61 is attached to the lower surface of the protective frame 50b, and is formed in a plate shape that is curved downward and convex in the middle in the front-rear direction, for example, and the lowermost 61a of the curve is the center in the front-rear direction It is located on the rear side, and the front side from the lowermost part 61a is formed with a gentler slope than the rear side. The shock buffer cover 61 is formed such that the lowermost portion is lower than the other shock buffer covers 60 and 62. When an obstacle on the road surface collides with the bottom of the fuel cell vehicle 1 during traveling, for example, the collision object P first hits a gently inclined surface and then hits the lowermost portion 61a. Thereby, the protective frame 50b is gradually pushed up by the collision object P, and jumps obliquely upward with respect to the collision object P. As a result, the protection frame 50a behind the protection frame 50b jumps over the collision object P, and the collision object P does not directly collide with the protection frame 50a. Thereby, the fuel cell stack 10 and the DC-DC converter 14 of the protective frame 50a are protected from an impact caused by a road surface collision.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the shock buffer cover 62 is attached to the lower surface of the protective frame 50c, and is formed in a plate shape, for example, curved in a downward convex manner in the front-rear direction in the same manner as the shock buffer cover 60. The lowermost part 62a is located on the front side from the center in the front-rear direction, and the rear side from the lowermost part 62a is formed with a gentler slope than the front side. As a result, when a collision object P collides with the bottom of the fuel cell vehicle 1 during traveling, a large force does not directly and continuously act on the related device A2 of the protective frame 50c, and is related from an impact caused by a road surface collision. Device A2 is protected.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the DC-DC converter 14 performs switching by a capacitor 70 that holds and equalizes the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 10, a reactance 71 that temporarily holds current and adds it to the original current to boost the voltage. An IPM 72, a relay and service plug 73, and the like are included. For example, the capacitor 70 is disposed in the front, and the reactance 71 is disposed behind the capacitor 70. The IPM 72 is disposed below the capacitor 70. The relay and service plug 73 is disposed in the forefront in front of the terminals of both electrodes of the capacitor 70. As a result, when an external force is applied to the DC-DC converter 14 from the front, the external force is first applied to the relay and service plug 73, and the relay and service plug 73 moves rearward and collides with the capacitor 70. It is possible to cause a short circuit in 70 to forcibly reduce or eliminate the charge of the capacitor 70.

  According to the above embodiment, the fuel cell stack 10 is divided into two in the left-right direction of the vehicle 1, the DC-DC converter 14 is disposed therebetween, and the related device groups A1, A2 are disposed before and after that. Therefore, when the vehicle 1 is crushed at the time of a vehicle collision, an external force is first applied to the related device groups A1 and A2, so that the fuel cell stack 10 and the DC-DC converter 14 are protected. In particular, the fuel cell stack 10 is divided into two in the left-right direction, and even if the related device groups A1 and A2 move due to external force, the related device groups A1 and A2 do not collide directly. it can.

  Since the fuel cell stack 10, the DC-DC converter 14 and the related device groups A1 and A2 are surrounded by the protective frame 50, the fuel cell stack 10 and the DC-DC converter 14 are sufficiently protected from an external force at the time of a vehicle collision. The

  Since the brace 51 is formed on the side surface side of the fuel cell stack 10 of the protective frame 50 a, the fuel cell stack 10 can be protected against external force from the side surface of the vehicle 1.

  Since the shock absorbing covers 60, 61, 62 are provided on the lower surfaces of the protective frames 50a, 50b, 50c, the fuel cell stack 10 and the DC-DC converter 14 in the protective frame 50a can be connected to the road surface or the road surface. Protected against impacts from collisions with obstacles. Moreover, the strength of the protective frame 50 can be increased by attaching the shock buffer covers 60, 61, 62 to the protective frame 50. In addition, damage to the protective frame 50 in the event of a road surface collision can be suppressed, and even if there is a strong impact, the impact buffer covers 60, 61, 62 can be fastened only, so that the shock buffering against the damage. This can be dealt with by replacing the cover 60, 61, 62 for use.

  The shock-absorbing cover 60 of the protective frame 50a is formed in a plate shape that is curved downward and convex in the middle in the front-rear direction. Since the side is formed with a gentler slope than the front side, the protective frame 50a is retracted upward during a road surface collision, and the impact on the fuel cell stack 10 and the DC-DC converter 14 due to the road surface collision can be effectively mitigated.

  The shock-absorbing cover 61 of the protective frame 50b is formed in a plate shape that is curved downward and convex in the front-rear direction, the lowermost part 61a of the curve is located on the rear side from the center in the front-rear direction, Since the side is formed with a gentler slope than the rear side, the protection frame 50b and the protection frame 50a jump at the time of road collision, and the impact on the DC-DC converter 14 due to the road collision can be effectively mitigated.

  The DC-DC converter 14 is disposed in front of the capacitor 70 and a relay and service that are members that can reduce the charge of the capacitor 70 by causing a short circuit to the capacitor 70 by an external force from the front side. A plug 73 is provided. For this reason, the electric charge of the capacitor | condenser 70 can be reduced at the time of a vehicle collision, and the safety | security at the time of a collision can be improved.

  In the above embodiment, the fuel cell stack 10 divided as shown in FIG. 9 may be installed obliquely so that the center side of the vehicle 1 is lowered. In such a case, the portion of the protective frame 50a surrounding the fuel cell stack 10 is also formed obliquely. In such a case, the water generated in the fuel cell stack 10 is collected on the center side of the vehicle 1, so that the drainage of the fuel cell stack 10 can be easily and reliably performed.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is obvious for those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications can be conceived within the scope of the idea described in the claims, and these naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention. It is understood.

  For example, as the devices included in the related device groups A1 and A2 in the above embodiments, any device that constitutes the fuel cell system may be selected.

  The present invention is useful when suppressing damage to the fuel cell stack and the converter at the time of a vehicle collision.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fuel cell vehicle 2 Fuel cell system 10 Fuel cell stack 14 DC-DC converter 50 Protection frame 60, 61, 62 Impact buffer cover A1, A2 Related apparatus group

Claims (10)

The components provided with electronic elements are stacked,
A cooling water channel for flowing cooling water is formed on the bonding surface between the component parts, and at least through holes penetrating the component parts on both sides sandwiching the bonding surface are opened.
Between the cooling water channel of the bonding surface and the through hole, a groove into which cooling water leaking from the cooling water channel enters is formed.   The power converter according to claim 1, wherein the groove communicates with a drainage portion in the bonding surface that does not communicate with the through hole. The groove is
A fuel cell vehicle equipped with a fuel cell system,
The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, a converter that transforms the output voltage of the fuel cell stack, and a related device group necessary to operate the fuel cell stack,
The fuel cell stack is divided into two in the left-right direction of the vehicle,
The converter is disposed between the divided fuel cell stacks,
The related device group is arranged before and after the converter, and is a fuel cell vehicle.   2. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the divided fuel cell stack is inclined and installed so that a center side of the vehicle is lowered. 3.   The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the fuel cell stack, the converter, and the related device group are surrounded by a protective frame.   The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 3, wherein a brace is formed in the protective frame on a side surface side of the fuel cell stack.   The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 3, wherein an impact buffering cover is provided on a lower surface of the protective frame.   The shock-absorbing cover of the protective frame surrounding the fuel cell stack and the converter is formed in a plate-like shape that curves downward in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and the lowest part of the curve is forward of the center in the front-rear direction 6. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the fuel cell vehicle is located at a lower side and is formed so that a rear side from the lowermost part has a gentler slope than a front side.   The shock-absorbing cover of the protective frame that surrounds the related device group in front of the converter is formed in a plate shape that curves downward in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and the lowest part of the curve is the center in the front-rear direction 7. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the fuel cell vehicle is located further rearward, and is formed with a gentler slope from the lowermost part toward the front side than from the rear side.   The converter includes a capacitor and a member that is disposed in front of the capacitor and that can reduce a charge of the capacitor by causing a short circuit to the capacitor by an external force from the front side. Item 8. The fuel cell vehicle according to any one of Items 1 to 7.

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