JP2005071830A - Hydrogen-fueled automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hydrogen-fueled automobile capable of efficiently recovering the high-pressure energy of high-pressure hydrogen gas of stored fuel, in a power system of a hydrogen-fueled automobile. <P>SOLUTION: This hydrogen-fueled automobile using, as a power source, a fuel cell using hydrogen as fuel is provided with: a high-pressure hydrogen tank; an expansion device for expanding the high-pressure hydrogen gas from the high-pressure hydrogen tank by reducing its pressure to deliver it to the fuel cell; an air compressor and its power unit for delivering air to the fuel cell by increasing its pressure; a cooling device for cooling the fuel cell and its power unit; and a cold storage unit for storing the cold of the hydrogen gas expanded by reducing its pressure by the expansion device. The hydrogen-fueled automobile is so structured as to supply the cold stored in the cold storage unit to the suction-side air of the air compressor or to both the suction-side air and the discharge-side air thereof to cool the air, or is so structured as to supply it to the fuel cell for cooling the fuel cell. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a hydrogen vehicle using a fuel cell using hydrogen as a power source.

  A power system of a hydrogen vehicle using a conventional fuel cell using hydrogen as a power source will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a main part of a power system of a conventional hydrogen vehicle. In FIG. 4, in addition to the shut-off valve and the regulating valve used for normal operation, the entire control system and a general power system such as a secondary battery mounted in a normal automobile are not shown.

  In FIG. 4, reference numeral 1 denotes a fuel cell as a power source, which directly generates electric energy by a chemical reaction between hydrogen as fuel and oxygen in the air. Electric power E1 generated by the fuel cell 1 is supplied to a drive motor 2 for running a hydrogen automobile.

  There are mainly 3 types of hydrogen storage alloy tanks, high pressure containers, and liquid hydrogen tanks as the fuel storage system, but the hydrogen automobile storage system of the present invention is a high pressure container type. A high-pressure hydrogen tank 3 is provided, and for example, high-pressure hydrogen gas H1 of about 350 atm is stored. The high-pressure hydrogen gas H2 taken out from the high-pressure hydrogen tank 3 becomes a supply hydrogen gas H2 that is decompressed to, for example, about 2 atm by the pressure reducing valve 4, and is supplied to the fuel cell 1 through the humidifier 5.

  As the oxidant gas, air containing oxygen is used, and the air compressor 7 driven by the compressor power unit 6 pressurizes the suction side air A1, for example, discharge side air of about 2 atm is used as the supply air A2, Supply air A <b> 2 is supplied to the fuel cell 1 through the humidifier 8.

  On the other hand, since the chemical reaction of the fuel cell 1 is an exothermic reaction, cooling is required, and the fuel cell 1 is cooled by being supplied with cold heat C1 by the cooling device 10 driven by the cooling device power unit 9. The method of supplying the cold heat C1 is appropriately selected, for example, by circulating an appropriate cooling refrigerant such as water.

  However, the compressor power unit 6 and the cooling unit power unit 9 require electric powers E2 and E3 for driving (usually supplied from an in-vehicle secondary battery), while the high pressure of the stored high-pressure hydrogen gas H1. Energy was simply released and improvements were desired. As one countermeasure, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-197791 (Patent Document 1) is provided with a turbine generator driven by high-pressure hydrogen supplied from a hydrogen storage device, and the generated power is transferred to an in-vehicle secondary battery. It is shown to store electricity. However, the decompression of the high-pressure hydrogen is mainly due to the decompression valve provided on the downstream side thereof, and it cannot be said that the high-pressure energy is recovered and utilized.

JP 2001-197791 A (2nd page, FIG. 1)

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a hydrogen vehicle that solves the problem of the power system of the conventional hydrogen vehicle described above, solves the problem still remaining in the conventional improvement, and enables efficient power recovery. Is.

  (1) The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. When described in the order of claims 1 to 6 described in the claims, hydrogen is used as the first means. In a hydrogen vehicle using the fuel cell as a power source, a high-pressure hydrogen tank, an expansion device that decompresses and expands high-pressure hydrogen gas from the high-pressure hydrogen tank, and sends the fuel cell to the fuel cell. An air compressor that sends pressure and a power device thereof; a cooling device that cools the fuel cell; a power device that cools the fuel cell; and a regenerator that stores cold heat of hydrogen gas that has been decompressed and expanded by the expansion device. The hydrogen vehicle is configured to cool the air by supplying the cold heat stored in the air to the suction side air or both the suction side air and the discharge side air of the air compressor.

  (2) As a second means, in the hydrogen vehicle of the first means, the cold energy stored in the regenerator is supplied to the suction side air of the air compressor or both the suction side air and the discharge side air. Instead, there is provided a hydrogen vehicle configured to supply the fuel cell to the fuel cell for cooling.

  (3) As a third means, in the hydrogen vehicle of the first means, the cold heat stored in the regenerator is supplied to the suction side air of the air compressor or both the suction side air and the discharge side air. In addition, there is provided a hydrogen vehicle configured to supply the fuel cell to the fuel cell in order to cool the fuel cell.

  (4) As a fourth means, in the hydrogen vehicle of any one of the first means to the third means, the expansion device is driven by high-pressure hydrogen gas from the high-pressure hydrogen tank and depressurizes the high-pressure hydrogen gas. An expansion turbine to be expanded and a generator connected to the expansion turbine are provided, and the electric power generated by the generator is supplied to one or both of the power device of the air compressor and the power device of the cooling device. Provided is a hydrogen vehicle characterized by being made.

  (5) As a fifth means, there is provided a hydrogen automobile according to the fourth means, wherein a piston type gas pressure motor is provided instead of the expansion turbine.

  (6) The sixth means is the hydrogen vehicle according to the fourth means or the fifth means, wherein the electric power generated by the generator is supplied through a storage battery. Provide cars.

  (1) According to the invention of claim 1, the hydrogen vehicle is a hydrogen vehicle using a fuel cell using hydrogen as a fuel as a power source. An expansion device that decompresses and expands high-pressure hydrogen gas to the fuel cell, an air compressor that pressurizes and sends air to the fuel cell, and a power device thereof, a cooling device that cools the fuel cell, and a power device thereof And a regenerator that stores the cold heat of the hydrogen gas decompressed and expanded by the expansion device, and the cold heat stored in the regenerator is supplied to the suction side air of the air compressor or the suction side air and the discharge side air. Since it is configured to cool the air by supplying to both sides, the density of the suction side air can be increased by supplying the cooling heat of the regenerator to the suction side air of the air compressor and cooling it. Reducing the load of the power unit of the air compressor, the power consumption is reduced. In addition, if the cool air of the regenerator is also supplied to the discharge side air of the air compressor to cool the discharge side air, the temperature of the discharge side air heated by the pressurization can be lowered to an appropriate temperature. Can contribute to the optimization of driving.

  (2) According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the hydrogen vehicle according to the first aspect, the cold energy stored in the regenerator is converted into the suction side air of the air compressor or both the suction side air and the discharge side air. Instead of supplying to the fuel cell, the fuel cell is supplied to the fuel cell in order to cool the fuel cell, so that the cold energy of the regenerator is supplied to the fuel cell together with the cold energy from the cooling device, and is generated by an exothermic reaction. The fuel cell that is generating electric power can be cooled. As a result, it is possible to contribute to optimization of the operation of the fuel cell, and the load on the power unit of the cooling device is reduced, and the power used is reduced.

  (3) According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the hydrogen vehicle according to the first aspect, the cold energy stored in the regenerator is converted into the suction side air of the air compressor or both the suction side air and the discharge side air. Since the fuel cell is supplied to the fuel cell in order to cool the fuel cell, both the effects of the invention of claim 1 and the invention of claim 2 can be achieved.

  (4) According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the hydrogen vehicle according to any one of the first to third aspects, the expansion device is driven by high-pressure hydrogen gas from the high-pressure hydrogen tank and the high-pressure hydrogen gas. An expansion turbine that decompresses and expands the generator and a generator connected to the expansion turbine, and the electric power generated by the generator is supplied to one or both of the power device of the air compressor and the power device of the cooling device In addition to the effects of any one of the first to third aspects of the invention, if the electric power generated by the generator is supplied to the power device of the air compressor, the conventional air compression can be achieved. The power consumption of the power unit of the machine can be greatly reduced. Further, if the power generated by the generator is supplied to the power unit of the cooling device, in addition to the effect of the invention of any one of claims 1 to 3, the conventional use of the power unit of the cooling device Electric power can be greatly reduced. Of course, if the electric power generated by the generator is supplied to both the power device of the air compressor and the power device of the cooling device, the above-described effects can be achieved.

  (5) According to the invention of claim 5, in the hydrogen vehicle according to claim 4, since the piston-type gas pressure motor is provided in place of the expansion turbine, the operation of the invention of claim 4 is provided. In addition to the effects, by using a piston-type gas pressure motor similar to an air motor generally called a “piston-type pneumatic motor”, etc., even at a relatively small hydrogen flow rate, the efficiency is high and an appropriate rotational speed is achieved. Easy to set up and easy to match with the generator.

  (6) According to the invention of claim 6, in the hydrogen vehicle according to claim 4 or claim 5, the power generated by the generator is configured to be supplied via a storage battery. Alternatively, in addition to the function and effect of the invention of claim 5, it is easy to adjust the amount and timing of power generation in the generator and power consumption of one or both of the compressor power unit and / or the cooling unit power unit.

  The present invention is a hydrogen vehicle having a power recovery system that can extract and use high-pressure energy of high-pressure hydrogen gas H1 stored in a high-pressure hydrogen tank 3 as cold energy, or can be recovered and used as electric power at the same time. Embodiments 1 and 2 will be described below as the best mode for carrying out the present invention.

  A hydrogen vehicle according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a main part of a power system of a hydrogen vehicle according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration example of the expansion device, the regenerator, and the surroundings in FIG. In FIGS. 1 and 2, as in the case of the conventional example shown in FIG. 4, in addition to the shut-off valve and the regulating valve used for normal operation, the entire control system, a secondary battery mounted in a normal automobile, and the like. The general power system is not shown. Further, the same parts as those described in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted, and parts different from the conventional example will be mainly described below.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, an expansion device 11 is provided instead of the conventional pressure reducing valve 4 connected to the high pressure hydrogen tank 3, and the high pressure hydrogen gas from the high pressure hydrogen tank 3 is decompressed and expanded. As will be described later, the expansion device 11 includes an expansion turbine, a piston-type gas pressure motor, and the like. The expansion device 11 depressurizes from the high-pressure hydrogen gas H1, rapidly expands, and cools the supplied hydrogen gas H2 that has become cold. The cold heat C2 is supplied to the suction side air A1 of the air compressor 7 and cooled to increase the density of the suction side air A1, thereby reducing the load on the compressor power unit 6, Use electric power E2 is reduced.

  In addition to the above, the cold heat C2 may also be supplied to the supply air A2 that is the discharge side air of the air compressor 7 and used to cool the supply air A2. In that case, the temperature of the supply air A2 heated by the pressurization can be lowered to an appropriate temperature, which can be used for optimizing the operation of the fuel cell 1.

  A more specific configuration example of the expansion device 11 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. The expansion device 11 includes an expansion turbine 13 as a decompression expansion means and power recovery means, and the expansion turbine 13 is a high-pressure hydrogen introduced from the high-pressure hydrogen tank 3. The gas H1 is rotated while being decompressed and expanded. The supply hydrogen gas H2 having been decompressed and expanded becomes cold, and for example, about 350 atm and 300 ° K (normal temperature) to about 2 atm and 100 ° K are obtained. The supplied hydrogen gas H2 that has been cooled is guided to the regenerator 12, and cold heat is applied to the regenerator material 12 a in the regenerator 12, and it is heated to rise in temperature and sent to the fuel cell 1. Various appropriate materials can be used as the cold storage material 12a, and examples thereof include lead particles.

  A cooling pipe 12b is disposed in the regenerator 12 so as to circulate in the regenerator material 12a, and the suction side air A1, the supply air A2, or an appropriate cooling refrigerant M is passed through the cooling pipe 12b, and the regenerator material is passed through them. Cooling C2 can be applied from 12a to cool. The cooling refrigerant M is used when indirectly cooling the suction side air A1 and the supply air A2, or when cooling other parts as in Example 2 described later.

  Note that the above is an example, and conversely to the above, the supply hydrogen gas H2 may pass through the cooling pipe 12b, and the suction side air A1 or the like may be allowed to pass through in contact with the cold storage material 12a. A regenerator or a cold storage method with a different structure or method may be used.

  Preferably, a generator 14 is connected to the expansion turbine 13 so that power generation is also performed, and the recovered power E4 generated is charged in the storage battery 15 (see FIG. 1). Instead of the expansion turbine 13, a piston type gas pressure motor similar to an air motor generally called a “piston type pneumatic motor” or the like may be used. In that case, even at a relatively low hydrogen flow rate, the efficiency is improved. This is advantageous in that it is easy to set an appropriate rotation speed and easily match the generator 14.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the recovered power E4 is once charged in the storage battery 15, and if the power E5 is supplied from the storage battery 15 to the compressor power unit 6, the power used by the conventional compressor power unit 6 is used. E2 can be significantly reduced, and it is easy to adjust the amount and timing of power generation of the recovered power E4 and power consumption of the compressor power unit 6. Note that when it is possible to set both of them in steady operation or the like, the recovered power E4 may be directly connected as the supplied power E5 without using the storage battery 15. In that case, there is no loss due to charging and discharging in the storage battery 15, and the efficiency is improved.

  Based on FIG. 3, the hydrogen vehicle which concerns on Example 2 of this invention is demonstrated. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a main part of the power system of the hydrogen vehicle according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 3, as in the case of FIG. 4 of the conventional example described above and FIG. 1 of the first embodiment, in addition to a shut-off valve and a regulating valve used for normal operation, the entire control system and a normal automobile are mounted. The secondary battery and other general power systems are not shown. Further, the same parts as those described in FIGS. 4 and 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, description thereof is omitted, and different parts are mainly described below. FIG. 2 is also referred to in this embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, an expansion device 11 is provided instead of the conventional pressure reducing valve 4 connected to the high-pressure hydrogen tank 3, and the expansion device 11 is the expansion turbine 13 as described above. Or a piston-type gas pressure motor, etc., and the expansion device 11 depressurizes from the high-pressure hydrogen gas H1, rapidly expands and cools the supplied hydrogen gas H2 that has become cold, and stores it in the regenerator 12, and cools the cold C3. The fuel cell 1 that is generating power by the exothermic reaction is cooled by supplying the fuel cell 1 together with the cold C1 from the cooling device 10 driven by the device power unit 9. The method of supplying the cold heat C3 is appropriately selected, for example, by circulating an appropriate cooling refrigerant M such as water.

  As a result, it is possible to optimize the operation of the fuel cell 1, reduce the load on the cooling device power unit 9, and reduce the power consumption E3.

  In the present embodiment, a specific configuration example of the expansion device 11 is the same as that of the first embodiment described above with reference to FIG. Accordingly, the expansion turbine 13 is provided as decompression expansion means and power recovery means, and the expansion turbine 13 is rotationally driven by decompressing and expanding the high-pressure hydrogen gas H1 introduced from the high-pressure hydrogen tank 3. The supplied hydrogen gas H2 that has been decompressed and expanded becomes cold and is guided to the regenerator 12 and also gives cold heat to the regenerator material 12a in the regenerator 12, and is heated to increase its temperature and sent to the fuel cell 1. In the regenerator 12, an appropriate cooling medium M is cooled and the cold heat C <b> 3 is supplied to the fuel cell 1.

  Preferably, a generator 14 is connected to the expansion turbine 13 so that power generation is also performed, and the recovered power E4 generated is charged in the storage battery 15. Instead of the expansion turbine 13, a piston type gas pressure motor may be used as described in the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the recovered power E4 is once charged in the storage battery 15, and if the power E6 is supplied from the storage battery 15 to the cooling device power unit 9, the power used by the conventional cooling device power unit 9 is used. E3 can be significantly reduced, and it is easy to adjust the amount and timing of the power generation of the recovered power E4 and the power consumption of the cooling device power unit 9. In addition, when the setting which both fits is possible by steady operation etc., you may connect the collection | recovery electric power E4 as the supply electric power E6 directly not via the storage battery 15. FIG. In that case, there is no loss due to charging and discharging in the storage battery 15, and the efficiency is improved.

  The present invention has been described above with reference to the first and second embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications may be made to the specific structure within the scope of the present invention. Needless to say.

  For example, the cold energy stored in the regenerator 12 by the expansion device 11 is not limited to one of the cold heat C2 supplied to the air compressor 7 or the cold heat C3 supplied to the cooling of the fuel cell 1, but both of them. You may make it supply together. Further, the recovered power E4 generated by the expansion device 11 is not limited to the supply power E5 supplied to the compressor power device 6 or the supply power E6 supplied to the cooling device power device 9, but both of them are supplied together. You may make it do.

  Further, if the storage battery 15 in the above embodiment is dedicated to the power recovery system of the present invention, the control with little disturbance is easy, but it can also be used in common with the secondary battery that has been conventionally mounted on-vehicle. In that case, it can contribute to the simplification and weight reduction of the in-vehicle device.

It is a principal part block diagram of the motive power system of the hydrogen vehicle which concerns on Example 1 of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the example of a structure of the expansion apparatus in FIG. 1, a cool storage, and its periphery. It is a principal part block diagram of the motive power system of the hydrogen vehicle which concerns on Example 2 of this invention. It is a principal part block diagram of the power system of the conventional hydrogen vehicle.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fuel cell 2 Drive motor 3 High-pressure hydrogen tank 5 Humidifier 6 Compressor power device 7 Air compressor 8 Humidifier 9 Cooling device power device 10 Cooling device 11 Expansion device 12 Regenerator 12a Cold storage material 12b Cooling pipe 13 Expansion turbine 14 Power generation Machine 15 Storage battery

Claims (6)

In a hydrogen vehicle using a fuel cell that uses hydrogen as a fuel as a power source, a high-pressure hydrogen tank, an expansion device that decompresses and expands high-pressure hydrogen gas from the high-pressure hydrogen tank to the fuel cell, and the fuel cell An air compressor that pressurizes air and its power device, a cooling device that cools the fuel cell, and its power device, and a regenerator that stores cold heat of hydrogen gas that has been decompressed and expanded by the expansion device, A hydrogen vehicle configured to cool the air by supplying cold heat stored in the regenerator to the suction side air of the air compressor or both the suction side air and the discharge side air. 2. The hydrogen vehicle according to claim 1, wherein instead of supplying the cold heat stored in the regenerator to the suction side air of the air compressor or both the suction side air and the discharge side air, the fuel cell is provided. A hydrogen vehicle configured to be supplied to the fuel cell for cooling. 2. The hydrogen vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the cold energy stored in the regenerator is supplied to the suction side air or both the suction side air and the discharge side air of the air compressor, and the fuel cell is cooled. The hydrogen vehicle is configured to be supplied to the fuel cell. The hydrogen vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the expansion device is driven by high-pressure hydrogen gas from the high-pressure hydrogen tank, and the expansion turbine is configured to decompress and expand the high-pressure hydrogen gas. A hydrogen generator comprising a generator connected to each other, wherein the electric power generated by the generator is supplied to one or both of the power device of the air compressor and the power device of the cooling device. Automobile. 5. The hydrogen vehicle according to claim 4, wherein a piston type gas pressure motor is provided instead of the expansion turbine. 6. The hydrogen vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the electric power generated by the generator is supplied through a storage battery.

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