JP2019094990A - Hydrogen supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a hydrogen supply device capable of performing a self-diagnosis operation for judging whether or not any foreign materials are mixed in hydrogen gas that is supplied by its own machine.SOLUTION: A hydrogen supply device 10 comprises a compressor 11, a pressure accumulator 12, and a pressure-reducing valve 13. There are provided an opening or closing valve A and a nozzle 15 on a downstream side of the pressure-reducing valve 13. In addition, the hydrogen supply device 10 is provided with a receptacle 16 that can be connected to the nozzle 15. There are provided a sinter filter 18 and an opening or closing valve B on a downstream side of the receptacle 16. The downstream side of the valve B is connected to an exhaust passage 19 communicated with surrounding air. A control unit 21 keeps the valve A in an open state and after the valve B is kept in a closed state, the control unit keeps the valve A in a closed state and subsequently when the valve B is set to an open state, the control unit judges whether or not any foreign materials are mixed in hydrogen gas in reference to a pressure reduced amount ΔP of hydrogen gas per predetermined time detected by a pressure sensor 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a hydrogen supply device, and more particularly to a hydrogen supply device for supplying hydrogen gas to a vehicle equipped with a fuel cell system.

  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. In addition, a fuel cell vehicle (FCV) in which a fuel cell system is mounted on an ordinary vehicle, and a fuel cell system in which an fuel cell system is mounted on an industrial vehicle such as a forklift are already in practical use.

  At present, when supplying hydrogen gas from a hydrogen supply device to a vehicle, a method in which a nozzle provided in the hydrogen supply device is connected to a receptacle of the vehicle and hydrogen gas is supplied from the hydrogen supply device toward the vehicle It is common. Patent Document 1 describes an example of such a hydrogen supply device.

JP 2005-69330 A

  If foreign matter is mixed in the hydrogen gas supplied to the fuel cell system, the power generation efficiency of the fuel cell system is deteriorated, so that it is necessary to be careful not to mix foreign matter in the hydrogen gas. Also, if it is found that foreign matter is mixed in the hydrogen gas stored in the vehicle, is the foreign matter already mixed in the hydrogen gas supplied from the hydrogen supply device or in the vehicle It is necessary to specify the contamination route of foreign substances, such as whether hydrogen gas is stored after being stored.

  At present, by covering the nozzle of the hydrogen supply device when not in use, it is performed to prevent foreign matter from entering the hydrogen supply device from the outside and mixing it with hydrogen gas. However, with this method, it is not possible to prevent foreign matter derived from the hydrogen supply device itself, such as rust of parts constituting the hydrogen supply device, from being mixed into the hydrogen gas. Therefore, from the viewpoint of specifying the contamination route of the foreign matter, it is desirable that the hydrogen supply device can self-diagnose whether the foreign matter is mixed in the hydrogen gas supplied from its own device.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a hydrogen supply device capable of self-diagnosis as to whether or not foreign matter is mixed in hydrogen gas supplied by the machine itself. To aim.

  In order to solve the above problems, the hydrogen supply device according to the present invention is provided with a hydrogen pumping means for pumping hydrogen gas, a first valve provided downstream of the hydrogen pumping means, and a downstream of the first valve. Of the first valve, an exhaust passage connected downstream of the second valve and communicating with the atmosphere, a filter provided downstream of the first valve and upstream of the second valve, and Whether foreign matter is mixed in the hydrogen gas based on the state detection means for detecting the state change of hydrogen gas from the downstream to the upstream of the filter and the state change of the hydrogen gas detected by the state detection means And determining means for determining.

  Preferably, the apparatus further comprises a discharge unit provided downstream of the hydrogen pumping unit, a receiving unit connectable to the discharge unit, and a connection detection unit detecting that the discharge unit is connected to the receiving unit. When it is detected that the discharge unit is connected to the receiving unit, it is determined whether foreign matter is mixed in the hydrogen gas based on the change in the state of the hydrogen gas detected by the state detection unit.

  The state detection means is a pressure sensor provided downstream of the first valve and upstream of the filter, and the judgment means is based on the hydrogen gas pressure decrease amount per predetermined time detected by the pressure sensor. It may be determined whether foreign matter is mixed.

  The state detection means is a flow rate sensor provided downstream of the first valve and upstream of the second valve, and the determination means mixes foreign matter into the hydrogen gas based on the flow rate of the hydrogen gas detected by the flow rate sensor It may be determined whether or not it is.

  The determination means may notify an error when the discharge unit is not connected to the receiving unit after the hydrogen supply by the hydrogen supply device is completed.

  According to the hydrogen supply device according to the present invention, it is possible to self-diagnose whether foreign matter is mixed in the hydrogen gas supplied by the self-machine.

FIG. 2 is a view showing the configuration of a hydrogen supply device and a forklift according to Embodiment 1; FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an internal configuration of a hydrogen supply device according to Embodiment 1. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the hydrogen supply device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing an internal configuration of a hydrogen supply device according to a modification of the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing an internal configuration of a hydrogen supply device according to Embodiment 2. FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the hydrogen supply device according to Embodiment 2. FIG. FIG. 13 is a schematic view showing an internal configuration of a hydrogen supply device according to a modification of the second embodiment.

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

  The hydrogen supply device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 shows a hydrogen supply device 10 for supplying hydrogen gas to a vehicle, and a forklift 30 equipped with a fuel cell system 31 as an example of a vehicle to which hydrogen gas is supplied by the hydrogen supply device 10. . In the following description, a forklift is described as an example of a vehicle, but the applicable range of the present invention is not limited to this, and it is another type of vehicle such as a fuel cell vehicle (FCV). It is also good.

  When hydrogen gas is supplied from the hydrogen supply device 10 to the forklift 30, the nozzle 15 extending through the hose 14 of the hydrogen supply device 10 is connected to the receptacle 32 of the forklift 30, and the fuel from the hydrogen supply device 10 Hydrogen gas is supplied to the battery system 31. Further, in the hydrogen supply device 10, when the hydrogen gas is not supplied to the vehicle, the user is obliged to connect the nozzle 15 to the receptacle 16 provided in the holder 22.

  The internal configuration of the hydrogen supply device 10 is schematically shown in FIG. The hydrogen supply device 10 includes a compressor 11 that compresses and boosts hydrogen gas, a pressure accumulator 12 that stores pressurized hydrogen gas, and a pressure reducing valve 13 provided downstream of the pressure accumulator 12. An electromagnetic on-off valve A is provided downstream of the pressure reducing valve 13, and a hose 14 is connected downstream of the valve A. A nozzle 15 is attached to the end of the hose 14, and the nozzle 15 can be detachably connected to the receptacle 32 of the forklift 30 described above (see also FIG. 1).

  The hydrogen supply device 10 further includes a receptacle 16 that can be detachably connected to the nozzle 15. The receptacle 16 is of the same type as the receptacle 32 of the forklift 30, but a limit switch 17 capable of detecting that the nozzle 15 is connected to the receptacle 16 is attached. On the downstream side of the receptacle 16, a sintered filter 18 having a filtration particle size of 5 μm and an electromagnetic on-off valve B are provided. The downstream of the valve B is connected to the exhaust path 19, and the exhaust path 19 is in communication with the outside air.

  Further, a pressure sensor 20 is provided immediately downstream of the valve A. When the nozzle 15 is connected to the receptacle 32 of the forklift 30 to supply the hydrogen gas, the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 20 is the pressure of the hydrogen gas discharged from the nozzle 15.

  Furthermore, the hydrogen supply device 10 includes a control unit 21 configured by a microcomputer or the like. The control unit 21 can receive the detection signal of the limit switch 17 and the detection signal of the pressure sensor 20, and can control the open / close states of the valves A and B.

  Next, the process of self-diagnosis whether foreign matter is mixed in the hydrogen gas supplied from the hydrogen supply device 10, which is performed in the hydrogen supply device 10 according to the first embodiment, is referred to the flowchart of FIG. To explain. This self-diagnosis process is started when the nozzle 15 is connected to the receptacle 16 by the user.

  First, when the control unit 21 of the hydrogen supply device 10 receives a detection signal from the limit switch 17 indicating that the nozzle 15 of its own machine is connected to the receptacle 16 (S301), the valve A is opened and the valve B is closed (S302). At this time, the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 20 is the pressure of hydrogen gas from the downstream of the valve A to the upstream of the sintered filter 18.

  Next, the control unit 21 stands by until the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 20 reaches a predetermined value (S303), and closes the valve A when the pressure reaches the predetermined value (S303 = YES) (S304) Subsequently, the valve B is opened (S305). As a result, hydrogen gas present between the downstream of the valve A and the upstream of the sintered filter 18 flows through the sintered filter 18 toward the exhaust path 19 and is discharged to the outside air.

  At this time, when foreign matter is not mixed in the hydrogen gas, the foreign matter does not adhere to the sintered filter 18, so the hydrogen gas flows smoothly to the exhaust path 19 and the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 20 Becomes equal to the atmospheric pressure in a short time. On the other hand, when foreign matter is mixed in the hydrogen gas, such as rust generated inside the compressor 11 and the pressure accumulator 12, for example, the foreign matter adheres to the sintered filter 18, so hydrogen directed to the exhaust path 19 It takes a relatively long time before the flow of gas is interrupted and the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 20 becomes equal to the atmospheric pressure.

  The control unit 21 calculates a pressure decrease amount ΔP per predetermined time (for example, 1 second) from the pressure P detected by the pressure sensor 20 (S306), and compares this with a predetermined value ΔPt (S307). Here, the predetermined value ΔPt is a pressure decrease amount per predetermined time when foreign matter is not mixed in the hydrogen gas, and is determined experimentally in advance.

  The amount of pressure decrease per predetermined time when foreign matter is mixed in hydrogen gas is smaller than the amount of pressure decrease ΔPt per predetermined time when foreign matter is not mixed in hydrogen gas. Therefore, when ΔP <ΔPt (S307 = YES), the control unit 21 determines that foreign matter is mixed in the hydrogen gas (S308), and when not ΔP <ΔPt (S307 = NO), It is determined that no foreign matter is mixed in the hydrogen gas (S309).

  As described above, the hydrogen supply device 10 according to the first embodiment includes the pressure sensor 20 capable of detecting the pressure of hydrogen gas from the downstream of the valve A to the upstream of the sintered filter 18. When the control unit 21 detects that the nozzle 15 is connected to the receptacle 16, the control unit 21 opens the valve A and closes the valve B, whereby the upstream of the sintered filter 18 from the downstream of the valve A. After the pressure of hydrogen gas is increased to a predetermined value until then, when the valve A is closed and the valve B is subsequently opened, the pressure per predetermined time of the hydrogen gas detected by the pressure sensor 20 Based on the amount of decrease ΔP, it is determined whether foreign matter is mixed in hydrogen gas. Thus, the hydrogen supply device 10 can self-diagnose whether foreign matter is mixed in the hydrogen gas supplied by the hydrogen supply device 10 itself.

  In the first embodiment, the position at which the sintered filter 18 is provided is not limited to the downstream of the receptacle 16, and may be downstream of the valve A and upstream of the valve B. Similarly, the position at which the pressure sensor 20 is provided is not limited to immediately downstream of the valve A, but may be downstream of the valve A and upstream of the sintered filter 18.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a passage 123 may be formed in advance, which connects the downstream of the valve A and the upstream of the sintered filter 18, and the downstream of the receptacle 16 may be dead end. Even with this configuration, the control unit 121 of the hydrogen supply device 110 performs the process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 to perform self-diagnosis whether foreign matter is mixed in the hydrogen gas supplied by itself. can do. When hydrogen gas is supplied from the hydrogen supply device 110 to the forklift 30, the valve B is closed.
Second Embodiment
Next, a hydrogen supply device 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 supply device 210 according to the second embodiment includes a flow rate sensor 224 provided between the sintered filter 18 and the valve B.

  As shown in FIG. 6, when the control unit 221 of the hydrogen supply device 210 receives a detection signal from the limit switch 17 indicating that the nozzle 15 of its own machine is connected to the receptacle 16 (S601), the valve A is turned on. The valve B is closed while the valve B is opened (S602), and the process waits until the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 20 reaches a predetermined value (S603).

  When the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 20 reaches a predetermined value (S603 = YES), the control unit 221 closes the valve A (S604), and subsequently opens the valve B (S605). Thus, as in the first embodiment, the hydrogen gas existing between the downstream of the valve A and the upstream of the sintered filter 18 flows through the sintered filter 18 toward the exhaust path 19 and the outside air Released into

  At this time, when the foreign matter is not mixed in the hydrogen gas, the foreign matter does not adhere to the sintered filter 18, so the hydrogen gas flows smoothly to the exhaust path 19. On the other hand, in the case where foreign matter is mixed in the hydrogen gas, the foreign matter adheres to the sintered filter 18, so the flow of the hydrogen gas toward the exhaust path 19 is hindered.

  The control unit 221 acquires the flow rate F of the hydrogen gas detected by the flow rate sensor 224 (S606), and compares this with the predetermined value Ft (S607). Here, the predetermined value Ft is the flow rate of hydrogen gas when no foreign matter is mixed, and is determined experimentally in advance.

  The flow rate of hydrogen gas when foreign matter is mixed is smaller than the flow rate Ft when foreign matter is not mixed. Therefore, if F <Ft (S607 = YES), the control unit 221 determines that foreign matter is mixed in the hydrogen gas (S608), and if not F <Ft (S607 = NO), It is determined that no foreign matter is mixed in the hydrogen gas (S609).

  As described above, the hydrogen supply device 210 according to the second embodiment includes the flow rate sensor 224 capable of detecting the flow rate of hydrogen gas from the downstream of the valve A to the upstream of the sintered filter 18. When the control unit 221 detects that the nozzle 15 is connected to the receptacle 16, the control unit 221 opens the valve A and closes the valve B, whereby the upstream of the sintered filter 18 from the downstream of the valve A. When the pressure of hydrogen gas is increased to a predetermined value until then, the valve A is closed and then the valve B is opened, the flow rate F of hydrogen gas detected by the flow rate sensor 224 It is determined whether foreign matter is mixed in the hydrogen gas. Thus, the hydrogen supply device 210 can self-diagnose whether foreign matter is mixed in the hydrogen gas supplied by the hydrogen supply device 210 itself.

  In the second embodiment, the position where the flow rate sensor 224 is provided is not limited to between the sintered filter 18 and the valve B, and may be downstream of the valve A and upstream of the valve B.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7, a passage 323 may be formed in advance, which connects the downstream of the valve A and the upstream of the sintered filter 18, and the downstream of the receptacle 16 may be dead end. Even with this configuration, the control unit 321 of the hydrogen supply device 310 performs the process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6 to perform self-diagnosis whether foreign matter is mixed in the hydrogen gas supplied by itself. can do. When hydrogen gas is supplied from the hydrogen supply device 310 to the forklift 30, the valve B is closed.

Other Embodiments
In the first and second embodiments, after the supply of hydrogen gas from the hydrogen supply device to the forklift 30 is completed, the control unit instructs the user when the nozzle 15 is not connected to the receptacle 16 of the own machine by the user. An error may be reported. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent foreign matter from being mixed into the hydrogen supply device from the nozzle 15 when not in use.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10, 110, 210, 310 Hydrogen supply apparatus, 11 Compressor (hydrogen pressure feeding means), 12 Pressure accumulator (hydrogen pressure feeding means), 13 Pressure reduction valve (hydrogen pressure feeding means), 15 Nozzle (discharge part), 16 Receptacle (reception part) , 17 limit switch (connection detection means), 18 sintered filter (filter), 19 exhaust path, 20 pressure sensor (state detection means, pressure sensor), 21, 121, 221, 321 control unit (determination means), 224 Flow sensor (state detection means, flow sensor), A open / close valve (first valve), B open / close valve (second valve).

Claims (5)

Hydrogen pumping means for pumping hydrogen gas;
A first valve provided downstream of the hydrogen pumping means;
A second valve provided downstream of the first valve;
An exhaust passage connected downstream of the second valve and communicating with the outside air;
A filter provided downstream of the first valve and upstream of the second valve;
State detection means for detecting a state change of hydrogen gas from downstream of the first valve to upstream of the filter;
A hydrogen supply device comprising: determination means for determining whether foreign matter is mixed in the hydrogen gas based on a change in the state of the hydrogen gas detected by the state detection means. A discharge unit provided downstream of the hydrogen pumping means;
A receiving unit connectable to the discharge unit;
And a connection detection unit that detects that the discharge unit is connected to the receiving unit,
When the determination unit detects that the discharge unit is connected to the receiving unit, foreign matter is mixed in the hydrogen gas based on a change in the state of the hydrogen gas detected by the state detection unit. The hydrogen supply device according to claim 1, wherein it is determined whether or not it is present. The state detection means is a pressure sensor provided downstream of the first valve and upstream of the filter,
The said determination means determines whether the foreign material is mixing with the said hydrogen gas based on the pressure reduction amount per predetermined time of the said hydrogen gas detected by the said pressure sensor. Hydrogen supply equipment. The state detection means is a flow sensor provided downstream of the first valve and upstream of the second valve,
The hydrogen supply device according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether foreign matter is mixed in the hydrogen gas based on the flow rate of the hydrogen gas detected by the flow rate sensor.   5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit reports an error when the discharge unit is not connected to the receiving unit after the supply of hydrogen gas by the hydrogen supply device ends. Hydrogen supply equipment.

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