JP2019086083A - Hydrogen charging device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a hydrogen charging device for an industrial vehicle which can unfailingly prevent erroneous charging to a fuel cell vehicle.SOLUTION: A hydrogen charging device 10 includes a limit switch 21 serving as connection detecting means which detects connection of a drain nozzle 49 of a fork lift 30 to a drain receptacle 20. The hydrogen charging device 10 starts charging of hydrogen gas by a hydrogen charging nozzle 16 when connection of the drain nozzle 49 to the drain receptacle 20 is detected by the limit switch 21, in other words, only when a state where drainage of the fork lift 30 can be performed is detected.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a hydrogen filling apparatus, and more particularly to a hydrogen filling apparatus for industrial vehicles.

  In recent years, commercialization of a fuel cell system has been promoted. In a general fuel cell system, hydrogen and oxygen are supplied to a fuel cell stack (FC stack), and electrical energy is generated by causing a chemical reaction between the hydrogen and oxygen in the FC stack. Also, a fuel cell system mounted on an industrial vehicle such as a forklift has already been put to practical use.

  Fuel cell vehicles and fuel cell industry vehicles need to be filled with hydrogen gas, but fuel cell vehicles and fuel cell industry vehicles have different hydrogen pressures when filling (fuel cell vehicles 70 MPa, fuel cell industry Vehicle 35MPa). For this reason, it is necessary to prevent erroneous filling. Patent Document 1 describes an example of a hydrogen filling device for a fuel cell vehicle.

Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2015-121282

  However, in the hydrogen filling apparatus for fuel cell vehicles, since hydrogen filling is performed while communicating between the hydrogen filling apparatus and the vehicle, the fuel cell industrial vehicle is erroneously filled with the hydrogen filling apparatus for fuel cell vehicles Is prevented. On the other hand, many hydrogen filling devices for industrial vehicles do not communicate at the time of filling. Therefore, in the hydrogen filling apparatus for industrial vehicles, it is necessary to take measures to prevent erroneous filling of fuel cell vehicles by a method other than communication.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a hydrogen filling device for industrial vehicles, which can surely prevent a fuel cell vehicle from being erroneously filled.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the hydrogen filling apparatus according to the present invention comprises a hydrogen filling means for filling hydrogen gas, a first connection means through which drainage can flow, and drainage via the first connection means. And control means for controlling the hydrogen filling means, the control means only if the detection means is capable of draining or if drainage is detected. The filling of hydrogen gas by the hydrogen filling means is started.
Here, “a state in which drainage can be performed” indicates a state in which drainage of generated water in an industrial vehicle is possible (a state in which drainage is ready) such as a state in which a drainage nozzle is connected.

  The detection means may include connection detection means for detecting that the first connection means is connected with the second connection means adapted to the first connection means.

  The detection means may include drainage detection means for detecting the inflowing drainage through the first connection means.

  The detection means may include removal detection means for detecting that the first connection means has been removed from the predetermined storage position.

  According to the hydrogen filling device according to the present invention, it is possible to reliably prevent erroneous filling of the fuel cell vehicle by the hydrogen filling device for industrial vehicles.

FIG. 2 is a view showing the configuration of a hydrogen filling device and a forklift according to Embodiment 1; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of a hydrogen filling device according to Embodiment 1; FIG. 2 is a view showing a detailed configuration of a forklift according to Embodiment 1; 5 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the hydrogen filling device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of a hydrogen filling device according to Embodiment 2. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the hydrogen filling device according to Embodiment 2. FIG. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of a hydrogen filling device according to a third embodiment. FIG. 14 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the hydrogen filling device according to Embodiment 3. FIG.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the attached drawings.
Embodiment 1

  A hydrogen filling apparatus 10 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described. In FIG. 1, a hydrogen filling device 10 for filling an industrial vehicle with hydrogen gas, and a forklift 30 equipped with a fuel cell system 31 as an example of an industrial vehicle filled with hydrogen gas by the hydrogen filling device 10 It is shown. In the following description, a forklift is described as an example of an industrial vehicle, but the applicable range of the present invention is not limited to this, and other types of industrial vehicles may be used.

  When the hydrogen filling device 10 charges the forklift 30 with hydrogen gas, the hydrogen filling nozzle 16 of the hydrogen filling device 10 is connected to the hydrogen receptacle 35 of the forklift 30. Then, when the hydrogen filling start button 23 of the hydrogen filling device 10 is pressed by the user, the hydrogen cell is filled with hydrogen gas from the hydrogen filling device 10 via the hydrogen hose 15.

  Further, the forklift 30 is provided with a water storage tank 47 for storing water generated when the fuel cell system 31 generates electric power. With fuel cell vehicles, the water produced during power generation is dumped on the road as it is, but with industrial vehicles that are often used indoors in factories etc., they are produced during power generation in order not to contaminate the indoor floor. Water storage tank for storing water.

  Therefore, the hydrogen filling device 10 for industrial vehicles has a function of simultaneously sucking in the water stored in the water storage tank 47 of the forklift 30 when the hydrogen gas is filled into the forklift 30, and discarding it in an external drainage ditch. ing. Specifically, the drainage receptacle 20 of the hydrogen filling device 10 is connected to the drainage nozzle 49 of the forklift 30, and the water stored in the water storage tank 47 of the forklift 30 passes through the drainage hoses 48 and 19. It is sucked to 10 and dumped to the external drainage ditch. In the case of a fuel cell vehicle, no water storage tank and no drainage nozzle are provided.

  The hydrogen filling device 10 also has a monitor 24 for displaying various information to the user, a storage holder 25 for storing the hydrogen filling nozzle 16 when not in use, and a drainage receptacle 20 when not in use as well. And a storage holder 26 for storing the Hereinafter, the details of the configurations of the hydrogen filling device 10 and the forklift 30 will be sequentially described with reference to FIGS.

  First, the configuration of the hydrogen filling apparatus 10 will be described with reference to FIG. The hydrogen filling device 10 includes a compressor 11 that compresses and boosts hydrogen gas, and a pressure accumulator 12 that stores the boosted hydrogen gas. A pressure reducing valve 13 and an electromagnetic on-off valve 14 are provided downstream of the pressure accumulator 12, and a hydrogen hose 15 is connected downstream of the on-off valve 14. A hydrogen filling nozzle 16 is attached to the tip of the hydrogen hose 15, and the hydrogen filling nozzle 16 can be detachably connected to the hydrogen receptacle 35 of the forklift 30.

  Further, the hydrogen filling device 10 includes a drainage tank 17 capable of temporarily storing drainage of an industrial vehicle, and the downstream of the drainage tank 17 is in communication with an external drainage groove. On the other hand, a drainage pump 18 is provided upstream of the drainage tank 17, and a drainage hose 19 is connected upstream of the drainage pump 18. A drainage receptacle 20 is attached to the end of the drainage hose 19, and the drainage receptacle 20 can be detachably connected to the drainage nozzle 49 of the forklift 30. In addition, a limit switch 21 for detecting that the drainage nozzle 49 is connected to the drainage receptacle 20 is attached to the drainage receptacle 20.

  Furthermore, the hydrogen filling apparatus 10 includes a control unit 22 configured by a microcomputer or the like. The control unit 22 can receive the detection signal of the limit switch 21 and can detect the operation state of the hydrogen filling start button 23 operated by the user. The control unit 22 also controls the open / close state of the open / close valve 14 and the driving of the drainage pump 18.

  Next, the configuration of the forklift 30 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in this figure, the fuel cell system 31 of the forklift 30 includes a fuel cell stack (FC stack) 32, a hydrogen tank 33 capable of supplying hydrogen gas, and an air compressor 34 capable of supplying air containing oxygen. Is equipped. A hydrogen receptacle 35 is provided upstream of the hydrogen tank 33, and the hydrogen receptacle 35 of the forklift 30 and the hydrogen filling nozzle 16 of the hydrogen filling device 10 described above can be detachably connected.

  In the fuel cell system 31, the hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen tank 33 and the oxygen in the air supplied from the air compressor 34 cause a chemical reaction inside the FC stack 32, thereby generating power and generating water. Ru.

  Further, in the middle of the hydrogen supply pipe 36 between the hydrogen tank 33 and the FC stack 32, a flow control valve 37 constituted by an injector or the like for adjusting the flow rate of hydrogen gas supplied to the FC stack 32; An ejector 39 connected to the hydrogen reflux pipe 38 is provided, and an electric pump 40 is provided in the middle of the hydrogen reflux pipe 38.

  The hydrogen gas supplied from the hydrogen tank 33 to the FC stack 32 via the hydrogen supply pipe 36 is consumed by the chemical reaction in the FC stack 32. A part of the hydrogen gas discharged to the hydrogen discharge pipe 41 without contributing to the chemical reaction is led to the hydrogen reflux pipe 38 after the water is separated by the gas-liquid separator 42. The hydrogen gas in the hydrogen reflux pipe 38 is led to the ejector 39 by the action of the electric pump 40 and supplied again to the FC stack 32.

  On the other hand, the air supplied from the air compressor 34 to the FC stack 32 via the air supply pipe 43 is partially consumed by the chemical reaction in the FC stack 32, and the air not contributing to the chemical reaction is the air It is discharged to the discharge pipe 44.

  Further, the water separated by the gas-liquid separator 42 flows into the diluter 45 together with the hydrogen gas which has not been led from the gas-liquid separator 42 to the hydrogen reflux pipe 38. Further, the air discharged from the FC stack 32 to the air discharge pipe 44 also flows into the diluter 45. Thereby, the concentration of hydrogen gas is diluted in the diluter 45 and discharged to the outside air through the exhaust pipe 46, and the water flowing into the diluter 45 is recovered and stored in the water storage tank 47.

  A drainage hose 48 is connected downstream of the water storage tank 47, and a drainage nozzle 49 is attached to the tip of the drainage hose 48. The drainage nozzle 49 of the forklift 30 and the drainage receptacle 20 of the hydrogen filling device 10 described above can be detachably connected.

Next, the operation of the hydrogen filling apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment will be described. When the hydrogen filling device 10 charges the forklift 30 with hydrogen gas, the user operates the hydrogen filling device 10 according to the following procedure.
Step 1. The drainage nozzle 49 of the forklift 30 is connected to the drainage receptacle 20 of the hydrogen filling device 10. (The drainage from the forklift 30 to the hydrogen filling device 10 is thereby started.)
Step 2. The hydrogen filling nozzle 16 of the hydrogen filling apparatus 10 is connected to the hydrogen receptacle 35 of the forklift 30.
Step 3. The hydrogen filling start button 23 of the hydrogen filling device 10 is pressed. (This starts the filling of hydrogen gas from the hydrogen filling device 10 to the forklift 30.)

  When the above operation is performed by the user, the hydrogen filling apparatus 10 operates as shown in the flowchart of FIG.

  First, when the control unit 22 of the hydrogen filling apparatus 10 detects that the hydrogen filling start button 23 is pressed by the user (S401), the drainage receptacle is detected by a detection signal from the limit switch 21 attached to the drainage receptacle 20. It is checked whether the drainage nozzle 49 of the forklift 30 is connected to 20 (S402).

  In step S402, when the drainage nozzle 49 is connected to the drainage receptacle 20 (S402 = YES), the control unit 22 starts the filling of the forklift 30 with hydrogen gas. Specifically, the control unit 22 discharges high-pressure hydrogen gas from the hydrogen filling nozzle 16 by opening the electromagnetic on-off valve 14, and fills the hydrogen tank 33 of the forklift 30.

  On the other hand, when the drainage nozzle 49 is not connected to the drainage receptacle 20 in step S402 (S402 = NO), the control unit 22 does not perform the filling of the hydrogen gas, and an error occurs in the monitor 24 (see FIG. 1). Display a message That is, when the drainage nozzle 49 of the forklift 30 is not connected to the drainage receptacle 20, the hydrogen filling apparatus 10 does not perform the filling of hydrogen gas.

  As described above, the hydrogen filling apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment includes the limit switch 21 as the connection detection unit that detects that the drainage nozzle 49 of the forklift 30 is connected to the drainage receptacle 20. The control unit 22 controls the hydrogen filling nozzle 16 only when the limit switch 21 detects that the drainage nozzle 49 is connected to the drainage receptacle 20, that is, when it is detected that the forklift 30 can drain. Start filling hydrogen gas by

  As described above, in the case of a fuel cell vehicle, a water storage tank and a drain nozzle for storing water generated during power generation are not provided. Therefore, since the drainage nozzle is not connected, the fuel cell vehicle can not utilize the hydrogen filling device 10 according to the present invention (without being filled with hydrogen). As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent the fuel cell vehicle from being erroneously charged by the hydrogen filling device for industrial vehicles.

  Moreover, in the conventional hydrogen filling apparatus for industrial vehicles, since hydrogen gas can be filled even when the drainage nozzle 49 is not connected, it is necessary for the user to simultaneously drain water when filling hydrogen gas. There is a case where the water storage tank 47 of the forklift 30 becomes full of water. In the present invention, since hydrogen gas can not be filled unless the drainage nozzle 49 is connected, it is possible to prevent the user from forgetting drainage as well.

  Moreover, in the conventional hydrogen filling apparatus for industrial vehicles, there is a case where the drainage is not finished when the filling of the hydrogen gas is finished when the drainage is started late after the filling of the hydrogen gas is started. In the present invention, the drainage is reliably started prior to the filling of the hydrogen gas, so that the drainage is not prevented from ending when the filling of the hydrogen gas is completed.

  Furthermore, in the present invention, it is not necessary to provide a communication mechanism in both the hydrogen filling device and the vehicle, and do not need to fill while performing communication, and detect the connection of the drainage nozzle 49 with respect to a conventional hydrogen filling device for industrial vehicles. It is only necessary to mount the limit switch 21 and change the control program. Therefore, the present invention can be implemented to the existing hydrogen filling apparatus for industrial vehicles with minimal additional cost.

  In addition to the limit switch 21, for example, an optical sensor or the like can be used as a connection detection unit that detects that the drainage nozzle 49 is connected to the drainage receptacle 20. In addition, the connection detection of the drainage nozzle 49 is performed prior to the pressing of the hydrogen filling start button 23, and the hydrogen filling nozzle 16 can not be removed from the storage holder 25 (see FIG. 1) unless the connection of the drainage nozzle 49 is detected. It is also good.

Second Embodiment
Next, a hydrogen filling apparatus 210 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described. In the following description, detailed description of the same parts as those of the first embodiment will be omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the hydrogen filling device 210 according to the second embodiment includes a flow rate sensor 227 provided in the middle of the drainage hose 19 instead of the limit switch 21 in the first embodiment. The flow rate sensor 227 functions as a drainage detection unit that detects drainage that flows in via the drainage receptacle 20.

  When the flow rate sensor 227 detects that the drainage flows in via the drainage receptacle 20 (step S602 of FIG. 6 = YES), that is, the control unit 222 detects that the forklift 30 is drained. Only when this is the case, filling of hydrogen gas by the hydrogen filling nozzle 16 is started. Even with this configuration, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained.

  In addition to the flow rate sensor 227, for example, a water level sensor may be provided in the drainage tank 17 as drainage detection means for detecting the inflow of drainage through the drainage receptacle 20.

Third Embodiment
Next, a hydrogen filling apparatus 310 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 7, the hydrogen filling device 310 according to the third embodiment is the storage holder 26 of the drainage receptacle 20 instead of the limit switch 21 in the first embodiment and the flow rate sensor 227 according to the second embodiment. , And has a limit switch 328 attached thereto. The limit switch 328 functions as a removal detection means for detecting that the drainage receptacle 20 is removed from the predetermined storage position (storage holder 26).

  The control unit 322 detects that the limit switch 328 detects that the drainage receptacle 20 has been removed from the storage holder 26 (step S802 of FIG. 8 = YES), that is, a state where drainage of the forklift 30 can be performed is detected. Only when this is the case, filling of hydrogen gas by the hydrogen filling nozzle 16 is started. Even with this configuration, the same effects as those of the first and second embodiments can be obtained.

  In addition to the limit switch 328, for example, an optical sensor or the like can be used as a removal detection means for detecting that the drainage receptacle 20 is removed from the storage holder 26.

Other Embodiments
The above first to third embodiments can be arbitrarily combined. By combining a plurality of the first to third embodiments, erroneous filling of a fuel cell vehicle with a hydrogen filling device for industrial vehicles can be further reliably prevented.

  10, 210, 310 hydrogen filling device, 16 hydrogen filling nozzle (hydrogen filling means), 20 drainage receptacle (first connection means), 22, 222, 322 control unit (control means), 21 limit switch (connection detection means) 227 Flow rate sensor (drainage detection means), 328 limit switch (removal detection means), 49 drainage nozzle (second connection means).

Claims (4)

Hydrogen filling means for filling hydrogen gas;
First connection means through which drainage can flow;
A detection unit that detects a state related to drainage via the first connection unit;
Control means for controlling the hydrogen filling means;
The hydrogen filling device, wherein the control means starts the filling of hydrogen gas by the hydrogen filling means only when the detection means is capable of performing the drainage or the state in which the drainage is being performed.   The hydrogen filling according to claim 1, wherein the detection means includes connection detection means for detecting that the first connection means is connected to a second connection means adapted to the first connection means. apparatus.   The hydrogen filling device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the detection means includes drainage detection means for detecting drainage that flows in via the first connection means.   The hydrogen filling device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the detection means includes removal detection means for detecting removal of the first connection means from a predetermined storage position.

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