JP4094413B2 - Fan case structure - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a fan case structure that houses a fan for introducing outside air to a target site in a fuel cell vehicle.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, a fuel cell vehicle equipped with a fuel cell that uses hydrogen gas and an oxidant gas such as air as a reaction gas and generates electricity by electrochemical reaction thereof has been studied in the direction of actual vehicles. Since such fuel cell vehicles emit only pure water when they are driven, there is little impact on the environment, and they are attracting much attention as next-generation vehicles.
Fuel cell vehicles such as those described above are normally mounted with the fuel cell housed in a box, but if the box is sealed, hydrogen gas will stay around the fuel cell, so connect the exhaust path to the box, for example. Then, a ventilation structure that diffuses hydrogen gas into the atmosphere has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-228553
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in order to effectively ventilate the inside of the box in which the fuel cell is stored, for example, a method of positively introducing outside air around the fuel cell can be considered. If the water enters, there is a risk that the ventilation will be deteriorated and the fuel cell and the peripheral parts of the fuel cell may be damaged or corroded. For this reason, it is necessary to provide the upstream side of the outside air introduction path with a function to prevent inhalation of foreign matter and water into the path. There is a problem that it will greatly affect.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a fan case structure in which a fan for introducing outside air into a target part such as a box in which a fuel cell is housed is accommodated in a fuel cell vehicle. Provided is a fan case structure that can prevent water from entering inside.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the invention described in claim 1 is a case main body (for example, fans 25 and 26 in the embodiment) that takes in outside air from an introduction port (for example, the introduction port 24 in the embodiment). For example, the case main body 11) in the embodiment is provided, the fan is disposed on the bottom wall of the case main body (for example, the bottom wall 19 in the embodiment), and the bottom wall is more than the portion where the fan is disposed. A step portion (for example, the step portion 20 in the embodiment) that connects the low low portion (for example, the low portion 21 in the embodiment) and the portion where the fan is disposed (for example, the high portion 22 in the embodiment). the door is provided, the wall portion having the inlet port (e.g. the front wall 23 in the embodiment) erected on the lower part, disposed opposite the inlet into the stepped portion, or A plurality of the fans is provided, and a first fan (for example, the fan 25 in the embodiment) among the fans is communicated with a stack box (for example, the fuel cell stack box 6 in the embodiment) containing the fuel cell. Communication passages (for example, the outside air introduction path 12 and the nozzle 28 in the embodiment), a second fan (for example, the fan 26 in the embodiment) of each fan, the stack box, and peripheral devices of the fuel cell. A fan case structure provided with a second communication path (for example, the outside air introduction path 13 and the nozzle 32 in the embodiment) that communicates with a system box to be accommodated (for example, the fuel cell system box 4 in the embodiment). I will provide a.
[0006]
According to this configuration, when the outside air is introduced into the target part by operating the fan, even when water enters the case body together with the outside air from the introduction port of the case body, it is formed on the bottom wall of the case body. Since the stepped portion prevents water from moving to the fan side , the fan in the case body can be prevented from sucking water .
[0011]
The invention as set forth in claim 2, wherein each fan communication chamber divided by (the partition wall 36 in the example embodiment) partition wall in the case body (right side communication chamber 37 in the example embodiment, the left side communication chamber 38) The fan case structure according to claim 1 is provided.
[0012]
According to this configuration, by accommodating a plurality of fans in the same case body, the fan case can be downsized and different operations can be performed for each communication chamber.
[0017]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a fuel cell vehicle, and a fuel cell system box 4 is mounted under a floor panel 3 in a compartment portion of the vehicle body 2. The fuel cell system box 4 includes a fuel cell stack box 6 in which the fuel cell stack 5 is accommodated and peripheral devices related thereto. The fuel cell stack 5 generates electric power by causing an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen gas supplied from a fuel tank (not shown) and air (oxidant gas) supplied from a compressor (not shown). The fuel cell vehicle 1 can be driven by being supplied to the internal motor.
[0018]
Between the bonnet 7 and the drive system unit 8, the fan case 10 which accommodated the fan in the back side inside the case main body 11 is arrange | positioned as ventilation apparatus 10A. The fan case 10 is for introducing outside air into the fuel cell system box 4 for ventilation, and outside air introduction paths 12 and 13 extending from the rear portion are connected to the fuel cell system box 4 respectively. The outside air introduced into each box is exhausted from the exhaust duct (not shown) toward the rear of the vehicle body.
[0019]
The fan case 10 is disposed in a space sandwiched between the upper part 14 of the drive system unit 8 and the bonnet 7 tilted forward, and the upper surface 15 of the case main body 11 of the fan case 10 extends along the back surface 16 of the bonnet 7. Is formed. That is, the upper wall 17 of the case body 11 is formed to be inclined forward along the bonnet 7 inclined forward. In addition, the front portion of the fan case 10 protrudes forward from the drive system unit 8, and the bottom wall 19 of the case body 11 in the protruding portion 18 is a step portion formed substantially perpendicular to the front-rear direction. Displaced downward via 20. That is, the bottom wall 19 of the case main body 11 is stepped so that the front portion of the case main body 11 is low and the rear portion is high via the step portion 20. Here, the lower portion 21 formed in front of the step portion 20 of the bottom wall 19 is shorter in the front-rear direction than the high portion 22 formed in the rear of the step portion 20 of the bottom wall 19. And the high-order part 22 and the level | step-difference part 20 of the bottom wall 19 are formed so that it may align with the upper surface and front surface of the upper part 14 of the drive system unit 8, respectively.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 2, the front wall 23 of the case body 11 of the fan case 10 is formed substantially perpendicular to the front portion of the protrusion 18 of the fan case 10, and the front wall 23 is a stepped portion of the bottom wall 19. 20 is arranged opposite to the front-rear direction. Here, the height of the upper edge of the front wall 23 is substantially the same as the upper edge of the stepped portion 20, that is, the high level portion 22 of the bottom wall 19. The front wall 23 is formed with an introduction port 24 for introducing outside air into the case body 11.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 3, centrifugal (blower) type fans 25 and 26 are mounted on the right and left sides of the rear portion of the case body 11. On the right side of the case main body 11, a fan (first fan) 25 is arranged such that its rotational axis is substantially parallel to the vertical direction (the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 3), and a nozzle extending from the casing 27. 28 is inserted through an outlet 30 formed in the rear portion of the right side wall 29 of the case body 11 and is connected to the outside air introduction path 12 outside the case body 11. Further, on the left side of the case body 11, a fan (second fan) 26 having the same configuration as the fan 25 is disposed so that the rotation axis thereof is substantially parallel to the vehicle width direction (vertical direction in FIG. 3). The nozzle 32 extending from the casing 31 is inserted into a delivery port 34 formed in the rear wall 33 of the case body 11 and connected to the outside air introduction path 13 outside the case body 11.
[0022]
The right side wall 29 and the left side wall 35 of the case body 11 are each set up substantially vertically and are formed substantially parallel to the front-rear direction, and are substantially between the right side wall 29 and the left side wall 35 of the case body 11. A partition wall 36 formed in parallel is provided across the case body 11. By this partition wall 36, the internal space of the case body 11 is divided into a right communication chamber 37 that houses the fan 25 and a left communication chamber 38 that houses the fan 26, and the introduction port 24 is a front portion of the right communication chamber 37. Is divided into a right inlet 39 for opening the left side and a left inlet 40 for opening the front part of the left communication chamber 37. Here, the right communication chamber 37 is formed wider in the vehicle width direction than the left communication chamber 38 because the rotation axis of the fan 25 is arranged substantially parallel to the vertical direction.
[0023]
An air filter 41 is provided between the right side portion of the stepped portion 20 and the fan 25 so as to divide the right communication chamber 37 in the front-rear direction, and between the left side portion of the stepped portion 20 and the fan 26. An air filter 42 is provided so as to divide the left communication chamber 38 in the front-rear direction. Each of these air filters 41 and 42 is made of, for example, urethane sponge, and allows foreign air introduced into the case main body 11 from each inlet to prevent foreign matter from entering the fans 25 and 26. Here, the air filters 41 and 42 are arranged substantially perpendicular to the front-rear direction (see FIG. 2), and are arranged so as to be aligned in the vehicle width direction.
[0024]
The casings 27 and 31 of the fans 25 and 26 are provided with suction ports 43 and 44, respectively, on one surface on the rotation axis thereof. On the side portion, blocking walls (blocking portions) 45 and 46 that are curved in an arc shape along the peripheral shape of the suction ports 43 and 44 are erected. These blocking walls 45 and 46 are formed so as to hide the suction ports 43 and 44 from the stepped portion 20 side, respectively, and receive the water flowing from the stepped portion 20 side to the rear wall 33 side along the arc shape thereof. In this way, entry of water into each of the suction ports 43 and 44 is prevented.
[0025]
The fan case 10 in this embodiment has the above-described configuration. Next, the operation of the ventilator 10A that ventilates the fuel cell system box 4 using the fan case 10 will be described.
First, when the fuel cell stack 5 starts generating power by an operation such as turning on the ignition of the fuel cell vehicle 1, the fan 25 of the fan case 10 starts to operate simultaneously, and the right communication chamber 37 and the outside air of the case body 11 are started. Outside air is introduced into the fuel cell system box 4 through the introduction path 12, and internal ventilation is performed. In addition, when the fan 25 is abnormal (for example, when the operation is poor or when ventilation is insufficient), the outside air corresponding to the required ventilation value of the fuel cell system box 4 is not supplied. Accordingly, the fan 26 of the fan case 10 is activated, and the outside air is introduced into the fuel cell system box 4 through the left communication chamber 38 and the outside air introduction path 13 of the case body 11 to ventilate the inside.
[0026]
At this time, the introduction port 24 (the right side introduction port 39 and the left side introduction port 40) of the fan case 10 is provided so as to face the stepped portion 20 formed on the bottom wall 19 of the case body 11, respectively. Since the outside air introduced from 24 hits the stepped portion 20 and then moves upward, the water such as rain water that has entered the case body 11 from the introduction port 24 together with the outside air hits the stepped portion 20, so that the bottom wall 19 It will be dripped at the lower part 21. Therefore, water does not move backward from the stepped portion 20. In addition, when some of the water climbs over the stepped portion 20 and moves to the rear thereof due to splashing of the water hitting the stepped portion 20 of the bottom wall 19, this water can be absorbed by the air filters 41 and 42. . Furthermore, even if water that has passed without being absorbed by the air filters 41 and 42 moves to the fans 25 and 26, the blocking walls 45 and 46 provided at the suction ports 43 and 44 of the fans 25 and 26 respectively. It is possible to reliably prevent the water 25 from being taken in and the fans 25 and 26 to directly suck water.
[0027]
According to the above-described embodiment, the bottom wall 19 of the case body 11 is formed with the introduction port 24 side low and the fans 25 and 26 side high through the step portion 20, so that the case body together with the outside air from the introduction port 24. It is possible to prevent the water introduced into 11 from moving to the rear of the stepped portion 20. Further, the air filters 41 and 42 and the blocking walls 45 and 46 can prevent water that has passed over the stepped portion 20 from being transferred to the suction ports 43 and 44 of the fans 25 and 26 and sucked.
Accordingly, it is possible to reliably prevent the fans 25 and 26 from sucking water and causing malfunction, or the water to move to the outside air introduction paths 12 and 13 to corrode the fuel cell and its peripheral devices. The inside of the battery system box 4 can be well ventilated.
[0028]
Further, the upper wall 17 of the case main body 11 of the fan case 10 is formed to be inclined forward along the bonnet 7 inclined forward, so that the space at the rear of the case main body 11 is widened and the capacity of the fan case 10 is ensured. In addition, the space for arranging the fans 25 and 26 can be secured. Furthermore, the high-order part 22 and the step part 20 of the bottom wall 19 of the case body 11 are formed so as to align with the upper part 14 of the drive system unit 8, thereby forming the low-order part 21 on the bottom wall 19. Interference with the drive system unit 8 due to the increased thickness can be prevented. Here, since the lower portion 21 of the bottom wall 19 of the case body 11 is relatively short in the front-rear direction, the amount of protrusion of the protrusion 18 of the fan case 10 to the front of the drive system unit 8 is reduced. Further, since the bottom wall 19 of the protrusion 18 located on the front side of the fan case 10 is displaced downward, the capacity on the front side of the fan case 10 is secured even if the upper wall 17 of the case body 11 is tilted forward. .
Therefore, it is possible to mount the fan case 10 having a high water barrier property by effectively using the limited space between the hood 7 and the drive system unit 8.
[0029]
Further, by accommodating a plurality of fans 25 and 26 in the same case main body 11, the fan case 10 can be reduced in size, improving the vehicle mountability and operating the fan 26 when the fan 25 is abnormal. Since the inside of the battery system box 4 is ventilated, the fuel cell system box 4 containing the fuel cell stack 5 can be constantly ventilated, and the ventilation performance of the fuel cell stack 5 and its peripheral devices is improved.
[0030]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, the number of fans provided in the fan case 10 may be one or three or more, and the axial flow type allows the outside air to flow in the axial direction. You may be a fan. Furthermore, the direction of the inlet of each fan is not questioned.
[0031]
Further, in order to prevent water from entering the suction ports 43 and 44, the blocking walls 45 and 46 are erected in the vicinity of the periphery of the suction ports 43 and 44 and on the stepped portion 20 side. It may be formed on the case body 11 side or a cover having an opening on the rear wall side may be provided.
Furthermore, as another embodiment, the inside of the fuel cell system box 4 is ventilated by the outside air sent from the fan 25 of the fan case 10, and the inside of the fuel cell stack box 6 is ventilated by the outside air sent from the fan 26. It is also possible to configure as described above. With this configuration, the fan case 10 can be reduced in size by housing the plurality of fans 25 and 26 in the same case body 11, so that the vehicle mountability is improved and the stack box 6 in which the fuel cell stack 5 is accommodated. The fuel cell system box 4 containing the stack box 6 can be ventilated by separate fans 25 and 25, and the ventilation performance of the fuel cell stack 5 and its peripheral devices having different ventilation requirements is improved.
[0032]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the invention described in claim 1, the stepped portion formed on the bottom wall of the case main body prevents water from moving to the fan side, and the fan in the case main body draws water. While being able to prevent suction, it is possible to prevent water from being transferred to the outside air introduction path downstream of the fan, and to effectively introduce outside air to the target site.
In addition, because the fan case containing multiple fans allows the inside of the stack box and system box to be ventilated using different fans, ventilation suitable for the required ventilation value of each box becomes possible. The ventilation performance of the battery and its peripheral devices can be improved.
[0035]
According to the invention described in claim 2 , by accommodating a plurality of fans in the same case main body, the fan case can be reduced in size, and the vehicle mountability can be improved.
In addition, different operation is possible for each communication chamber, and the ventilation performance inside the box can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory side view of a fuel cell vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory side view of a fan case.
FIG. 3 is a top view illustrating a fan case.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Fuel cell vehicle (fuel cell vehicle)
4 Fuel cell system box (system box, box)
5 Fuel cell stack (fuel cell)
6 Fuel cell stack box (stack box, box)
7 Bonnet 10 Fan case 10A Ventilator 11 Case body 15 Upper surface 16 Back surface 19 Bottom wall 20 Stepped portion 24 Inlet 25, 26 Fan (first fan, second fan)
36 Bulkhead 37 Right communication room (communication room)
38 Left communication room (communication room)
41, 42 Air filter 43, 44 Suction port 45, 46 Blocking wall (blocking part)

Claims (2)

A case body containing a fan that takes in outside air from the inlet is provided.
Placing the fan on the bottom wall of the case body;
The bottom wall is provided with a lower portion lower than the portion where the fan is disposed, and a step portion connecting the lower portion and the portion where the fan is disposed,
A wall portion having the introduction port is erected on the lower portion, and the introduction port is provided to face the stepped portion ;
And providing a plurality of the fans, providing a first communication path for communicating the first fan among the fans and the stack box containing the fuel cell, and the second fan among the fans, the stack box, and 2. A fan case structure comprising a second communication passage communicating with a system box that houses peripheral devices of the fuel cell . The fan case structure according to claim 1, wherein each of the fans is housed in a communication chamber divided by a partition wall in the case body.

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