JP2018107069A - Fuel cell system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fuel cell system capable of protecting components even in a case where water enters an oxidation gas supply system of a fuel cell.SOLUTION: A fuel cell system comprises: an air cleaner 210 which purifies intake air that is taken in from outside air; an air compressor 220 which pumps the purified air to a fuel cell stack 100; an intercooler 230 which cools compressed air; and a control part 300 by which an air cleaner inlet-side water vapor quantity calculated based on a temperature and a humidity detected by a temperature sensor 411 and a humidity sensor 431 that are provided at an inlet side of the air cleaner 210 is compared with an intercooler outlet-side water vapor quantity calculated based on a temperature, a humidity and a pressure detected by a temperature sensor 412, a humidity sensor 432 and a pressure sensor 402 that are provided at an outlet side of the intercooler 230 and, in a case where it is discriminated that the intercooler outlet-side water vapor quantity is greater than the air cleaner inlet-side water vapor quantity, the fuel cell system is stopped.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel cell system.

  The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell (hereinafter also referred to as a fuel cell stack) that generates power by a chemical reaction between air (oxidant gas) and hydrogen (fuel gas). This fuel cell system has a hydrogen supply system that supplies hydrogen to the fuel cell, and an air system (oxidizing gas supply system) that supplies air to the fuel cell.

  The air system includes a flow path (air supply flow path) for supplying air sucked from the atmosphere to the fuel cell. This air supply flow path is provided with at least an air duct, an air cleaner, and an air compressor. After taking outside air (air) from the air duct and removing dust contained in the air with an air cleaner, the air compressor Pump air into the fuel cell.

  By the way, if water enters the air cleaner, the adsorption performance of the filter constituting the air cleaner is reduced, so it is necessary to prevent water from entering the air cleaner. In order to suppress the intrusion of water, in Patent Document 1 below, an air duct provided on the upstream side of the air cleaner has the following structure. Specifically, the air duct that takes in outside air has a straight part and a curved part that is curved and connected between the straight part and the air cleaner, and when the air passes through the curved part of the air duct, Due to the curved shape, a centrifugal force is applied to the water, and the water is separated by the centrifugal force to collect the water upstream of the air cleaner.

JP 2007-69629 A

  As a technique for suppressing the intrusion of water into the air cleaner, in addition to the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, a technique for providing a filter or the like for preventing the entry of impurities including water has been proposed. It is difficult to prevent. If water that has passed through the air cleaner enters the fuel cell side, it will be necessary to replace the components that make up the fuel cell system (for example, accessory parts and piping). No consideration was given to the situation after impurities including water entered.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a fuel cell system capable of protecting components constituting the fuel cell system even when water enters the oxidizing gas supply system for supplying the oxidizing gas to the fuel cell. The purpose is to do.

  A fuel cell system according to the present invention is a fuel cell system including a fuel cell stack, an air cleaner that purifies intake air taken from outside air, and an air compressor that pumps air purified by the air cleaner to the fuel cell stack. An intercooler that cools the air compressed by the air compressor, an air cleaner inlet-side water vapor amount that is calculated based on temperature and humidity detected by a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor provided on the inlet side of the air cleaner, and an intercooler The intercooler outlet-side water vapor amount is compared with the intercooler outlet-side water vapor amount calculated based on the temperature, humidity, and pressure detected by the temperature sensor, humidity sensor, and pressure sensor provided on the outlet side. If it is determined that the amount of water vapor is greater than the amount of water vapor, And a control unit for stopping the pond system.

  When the intercooler outlet-side water vapor amount is larger than the air cleaner inlet-side water vapor amount (in other words, the water vapor amount of the intake air sucked from outside air), water is mixed from the upstream side of the oxidizing gas supply system of the fuel cell system. There is a fear. In the present invention, in order to control the fuel cell system to stop in such a case, even if water is mixed in the fuel cell system, the components (for example, auxiliary equipment parts and piping) constituting the fuel cell system from the water. Etc.) can be protected.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a fuel cell system capable of protecting components constituting the fuel cell system even when water enters an oxidizing gas supply system for supplying an oxidizing gas to the fuel cell. can do.

It is a schematic diagram which shows schematic structure of the oxidizing gas supply system of the fuel cell system which concerns on this embodiment.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following description of the preferred embodiment is merely an example, and is not intended to limit the present invention, its application, or its use.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an oxidizing gas supply system (air system) for supplying an oxidizing gas to a fuel cell. A fuel cell 100 (fuel cell stack) shown in FIG. 1 generates electric power by an electrochemical reaction by supplying hydrogen as a fuel gas to an anode electrode and supplying air or oxygen as an oxidizing gas to a cathode electrode. In the following description, the oxidizing gas supply system will be described. However, the configuration of the fuel gas supply system, the cooling system, and the like are the same as those known in the art, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  The oxidizing gas supply system 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes an oxidizing gas supply pipe 200, an air cleaner 210, an air compressor 220, an intercooler 230, an oxidizing gas discharge pipe 250, a bypass pipe 290, adjustment valves Va, Vb, Vc.

  The oxidizing gas supply pipe 200 is a flow path for supplying oxidizing gas to the cathode side of the fuel cell 100. The oxidant gas supply pipe 200 includes an air cleaner 210, an air compressor 220, an intercooler 230, a regulating valve Va, various sensors (atmospheric pressure sensor 401, pressure sensor 402, temperature sensors 411, 412, 413, and air flow meter. 421, humidity sensors 431, 432).

  The air cleaner 210 is for flowing the air purified by removing dust and dust in the air to the downstream side when taking in air in the atmosphere. The air cleaner 210 is provided with a temperature sensor 411 for detecting the temperature of intake air taken in from outside air, a humidity sensor 431 for detecting the humidity of the intake air, and an air flow meter 421 for measuring the air flow rate. In the present embodiment, the temperature sensor 411 and the humidity sensor 431 are provided on the inlet side of the air cleaner 210 (in other words, on the inlet side of the air compressor 220). Note that an atmospheric pressure sensor 401 for measuring the atmospheric pressure is provided on the inlet side of the air cleaner 210.

  An air compressor 220 is disposed on the downstream side of the air cleaner 210. The air compressor 220 compresses the air purified by the air cleaner 210 and pumps the air to the fuel cell 100. An intercooler 230 is provided on the downstream side of the air compressor 220, and the compressed air whose temperature has risen is cooled by the intercooler 230. A motor 221 that is a drive source of the air compressor 220 is driven by being controlled by the control unit 300, thereby operating the air compressor 220. A temperature sensor 413 is connected to the motor 221, and the control unit 300 appropriately adjusts the temperature of the motor 221 by cooling the motor 221 by the EV cooling system based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 413.

  On the outlet side of the intercooler 230, a pressure sensor 402 that detects the pressure in the oxidizing gas supply pipe 200 on the downstream side of the intercooler 230, a temperature sensor 412 that detects temperature, and a humidity sensor 432 that detects humidity are provided. .

  A regulating valve Va is disposed on the downstream side of the intercooler 230 and on the upstream side of the fuel cell 100. The adjustment valve Va is an electromagnetic valve that adjusts the supply amount of the oxidizing gas supplied to the fuel cell 100. The opening degree of the regulating valve Va is controlled by the control unit 300, and when the regulating valve Va is opened, compressed air (oxidized gas) compressed through the air compressor 220 is supplied to the cathode electrode of the fuel cell 100.

  The oxidizing gas discharge pipe 250 is connected to the downstream side of the fuel cell 100 and is a flow path for discharging the oxidizing off gas from the fuel cell 100. The oxidizing gas discharge pipe 250 is provided with a regulating valve Vb and a muffler (not shown). The adjustment valve Vb is an electromagnetic valve that is disposed on the downstream side of the fuel cell 100 and adjusts the flow rate of the oxidizing off gas discharged from the fuel cell 100. When the regulating valve Vb is opened, the oxidizing off gas from the fuel cell 100 flows through the oxidizing gas discharge pipe 250 and is discharged through a muffler (not shown).

  The bypass pipe 290 is a flow path for allowing the oxidizing gas from the oxidizing gas supply pipe 200 to flow through the oxidizing gas discharge pipe 250 by bypassing the fuel cell 100. The bypass pipe 290 is provided with an adjustment valve Vc, and the flow rate of the oxidizing gas flowing through the bypass pipe 290 can be adjusted by adjusting the opening of the adjustment valve Vc. When the regulating valve Vc is opened and the regulating valves Va and Vb are closed, the oxidizing gas flowing in the oxidizing gas supply pipe 200 flows into the oxidizing gas discharge pipe 250 without passing through the fuel cell 100 and is discharged through the muffler (not shown). The

  The control unit 300 includes, for example, a CPU, a memory, and an input / output interface. The memory includes, for example, a ROM that stores control programs and control data processed by the CPU, and a RAM that is mainly used as various work areas for control processing. The CPU receives various measurement results from various sensors via the input / output interface according to a control program stored in the ROM, and executes various control processes by processing using various data in the RAM. The CPU controls the entire fuel cell system by outputting control signals to various drivers via the input / output interface. In the present embodiment, the control unit 300, for example, the water vapor amount of the intake air (hereinafter referred to as the air cleaner inlet side) based on the temperature and humidity detected by the temperature sensor 411 and the humidity sensor 431 provided on the inlet side of the air cleaner 210. (Also referred to as the amount of water vapor). Further, the control unit 300 determines the amount of water vapor (hereinafter referred to as “water vapor amount”) on the outlet side of the intercooler 230 based on the temperature, humidity, and pressure detected by the temperature sensor 412, the humidity sensor 432, and the pressure sensor 402 provided on the outlet side of the intercooler 230. , Also referred to as intercooler outlet side water vapor amount).

  By the way, when water mixes in the fuel cell system, the following problems may occur. Specifically, when water contained in the intake air taken in from outside air enters a component (for example, a fuel cell stack, accessory parts, and piping) constituting the fuel cell system, it is necessary to replace the many parts. This may cause problems such as high replacement costs and replacement time. In the unlikely event that the vehicle runs on a public road, cooling water is discharged from the muffler, which may lead to environmental pollution.

  In view of this, the present inventors have made repeated studies to protect the components constituting the fuel cell system from water contained in the intake air taken in from outside air. It was determined that water was mixed in the system as follows, and it was found that the components constituting the fuel cell system were protected.

  Specifically, the control unit 300 of the fuel cell system according to this embodiment compares the amount of water on the inlet side of the air cleaner with the amount of water on the outlet side of the intercooler, and the amount of water on the inlet side of the air cleaner is greater than or equal to the amount of water on the outlet side of the intercooler. In this case, it is determined that the fuel cell system is normal (without stopping the fuel cell system). To do. If the fuel cell system is stopped in this way, even if water is mixed into the oxidizing gas supply system in the fuel cell system, parts (for example, auxiliary equipment parts and piping) can be protected from the water.

  The embodiments described above are for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Each element included in the embodiment and its arrangement, material, condition, shape, size, and the like are not limited to those illustrated, and can be changed as appropriate. In addition, the structures shown in different embodiments can be partially replaced or combined.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Fuel cell stack 200 ... Oxidizing gas supply pipe 210 ... Air cleaner 220 ... Air compressor 221 ... Motor 230 ... Intercooler 250 ... Oxidizing gas discharge pipe 290 ... Bypass pipe 300 ... Control part 401 ... Atmospheric pressure sensor 402 ... Pressure sensor 411, 412.413 ... Temperature sensor 421 ... Air flow meter 431, 432 ... Humidity sensor

Claims (1)

A fuel cell system including a fuel cell stack,
An air cleaner for purifying the intake air taken from outside air;
An air compressor that pumps air purified by the air cleaner to the fuel cell stack;
An intercooler for cooling the air compressed by the air compressor;
The amount of water vapor on the air cleaner inlet side calculated based on the temperature and humidity detected by the temperature sensor and humidity sensor provided on the inlet side of the air cleaner, and the temperature sensor, humidity sensor and pressure sensor provided on the outlet side of the intercooler The intercooler outlet-side water vapor amount calculated based on the temperature, humidity, and pressure detected by the engine is determined to be greater than the air cleaner inlet-side water vapor amount. A control unit for stopping the battery system;
A fuel cell system comprising: