JP4441388B2 - Refrigerant pipeline connection structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a coupling structure for pipes provided in a mount to which equipment is attached, and more particularly to a coupling structure for refrigerant pipes suitable for a fuel cell vehicle equipped with a fuel cell.

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) have attracted attention from the standpoint of suppressing carbon dioxide emissions that cause global warming. The fuel cell electric vehicle is equipped with a fuel cell (FC) that generates electricity by electrochemically reacting hydrogen (H ₂ ) and oxygen (O ₂ ) in the air, and uses the fuel cell to generate electricity. A driving force is generated by supplying the traveling motor.

  In a power generation system using a fuel cell, hydrogen (anode gas) from a high-pressure hydrogen tank is depressurized and then supplied to an anode electrode through a hydrogen supply line, while being pressurized by an electric compressor (cathode gas) Is supplied to the cathode electrode through the air supply line. Hydrogen (anode off gas: reaction off gas) that was not consumed by the fuel cell is discharged from the anode electrode as exhaust gas through the anode off gas discharge passage, and air after reaction (cathode off gas) is discharged from the cathode electrode as the exhaust gas to the cathode. It is discharged through an off-gas discharge path.

In a power generation system using such a fuel cell, since the operating temperature of the fuel cell becomes considerably high, it is usually necessary to cool the fuel cell to a predetermined temperature or less with cooling water. There is known a cooling system in which cooling water is circulated between a fuel cell and a heat exchanger for cooling. Such a cooling system is configured such that the circulated cooling water is also supplied to components other than the fuel cell. And in the field of such a fuel cell, what provided the distribution part etc. of piping connected to a fuel cell in the case which stores a fuel cell is also known (for example, refer to patent documents 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-362164 (paragraph 0010, FIG. 1)

  By the way, in general automobiles in recent years, as the number of components increases, complication of pipes in the circulation path of the cooling water is becoming remarkable. In particular, in a fuel cell vehicle equipped with the above-described power generation system using a fuel cell, each pipe line is often provided around the fuel cell. As described above, the cooling water for cooling the fuel cell is used. When the components other than the fuel cell are also cooled, there has been a problem that the complexity of the pipelines in the circulation path and the like becomes more significant, and the number of components further increases. Moreover, the improvement of the intensity | strength in the connection part of a pipe line was desired.

The present invention has been made in view of such a background, and can reduce the number of parts in the pipeline, simplify the pipeline, and further improve the strength at the connection portion of the pipeline. It is an object of the present invention to provide a coupling structure of refrigerant pipes that can be made.

In order to solve the above-described problem, the refrigerant pipe coupling structure according to claim 1 includes a base portion to which machine equipment is attached, and a plurality of legs that are integrally provided on the base portion and fixed to the fixing member. A refrigerant pipe coupling structure provided in the mount provided, the main pipe formed in the base portion, through which a cooling medium for cooling a fuel cell for generating power by supplying a reaction gas flows, and the main pipe A plurality of sub-pipes that are coupled in a state of joining the pipes and through which the cooling medium flows, and the main pipes and the sub-pipes are positioned downstream of the fuel cell in the direction in which the cooling medium flows. The sub pipe line is formed along the leg portion, and the main pipe line is penetrated from the fixed member side to the side opposite to the fixed member side along the periphery of the main pipe line. The reaction gas formed is Characterized in that it comprises a supply path to be.

According to such a coupling structure of the refrigerant pipe, a main pipe through which a fluid flows to a mount having a base to which equipment is attached, and a plurality of sub-flows through which the fluid flows by being joined to the main pipe. Since the pipe is internally provided, the fluid flowing through the plurality of pipes can be merged in the mount by using this mount. In this way, the merging of fluids flowing through the pipeline can be performed collectively at one place, so that the number of parts in the pipeline can be reduced, and simplification of the pipeline can be achieved. . In addition, since the pipe line can be simplified, space saving can be realized.
Moreover, since the sub pipe line is formed along the leg portion of the mount, the sub pipe line can be connected using the strength of the leg part, and the strength at the connection part of the pipe line can be improved. Can do.
In addition, by connecting each pipe line arranged around the fuel cell to the mount, it is possible to merge the cooling water and the like flowing through each pipe line in the mount, and accordingly, the piping layout around the fuel cell. Can be simplified.

The coupling structure of the refrigerant lines according to claim 2, in the coupling structure of the refrigerant lines according to claim 1, wherein the device includes a ejector supplying a reaction gas to the fuel cell, from the fuel cell A gas-liquid separator that separates reaction product water from the discharged reaction gas, wherein the ejector is attached to an attachment portion provided in the base on the side opposite to the fixed member side, and the gas-liquid separator Is attached to the base surrounded by the legs on the fixing member side, and the supply path communicates with the gas-liquid separator through an opening formed on the fixing member side of the base and the attachment The ejector communicates with the ejector through an opening formed in the portion .

According to the refrigerant pipe coupling structure of the present invention, the number of parts in the pipe can be reduced, the pipe can be simplified, and the strength at the connection portion of the pipe can be improved. it can. Further, a refrigerant pipe coupling structure suitable for a fuel cell vehicle equipped with a fuel cell can be obtained.

Hereinafter, embodiments in which the present invention is applied to a fuel cell electric vehicle will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
1 is a perspective view showing a mount for explaining a coupling structure of refrigerant pipes according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the mount, FIG. 3 is a front view of the mount, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a main part of a fuel cell system to which a refrigerant pipe coupling structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 5 is also a fuel cell system to which a refrigerant pipe coupling structure is applied. It is the schematic which shows the flow of a cooling water, and the flow of hydrogen gas.

As shown in FIG. 1, a mount 1 to which the refrigerant pipe coupling structure of the present embodiment is applied is provided integrally with a base 2 to which a gas-liquid separator 30 and the like described later are attached, and the base 2. It comprises four leg portions 3A to 3D that are fixed to a vehicle body (fixing member) of a fuel cell vehicle (not shown). The mount 1 includes a main pipe 20 through which cooling water as a fluid flows along the longitudinal direction of the base 2, and three sub-links coupled to the main pipe 20 so as to merge with each other. Pipe lines 23A, 23B, and 23D are integrally provided along the leg portions 3A, 3B, and 3D, respectively.

  The base 2 has a substantially rectangular shape, and a gas-liquid separator 30 (see FIG. 3) is attached to the lower portion 1a by a fastening means such as a bolt, and an ejector 40 (see FIG. 3) is attached to an attachment portion 1c provided on the upper portion 1b. 3) is attached by fastening means such as bolts. That is, the gas-liquid separator 30 and the ejector 40 are attached to the top and bottom with the base 2 of the mount 1 as the center. The inlet part of the main pipe line 20 provided in the base part 2 is formed at one end part 1 d of the base part 2, and the outlet part of the main pipe line 20 is provided on the other end part 1 e side of the base part 2. It is integrally provided along the leg 3C. A flange for connecting a cooling water circulation return path 13B, which will be described later, is provided at the inlet and the outlet.

  The leg portions 3A to 3D are formed so as to protrude toward the side of the base portion 2, and each leg portion 3A to 3D interferes with the gas-liquid separator 30 attached to the lower portion 1a of the base portion 2. Steps 3a, 3b, 3d (the step 3c is not shown) are formed on the bottom surface side, and are attached for fixing the legs 3A to 3D to a frame of a vehicle body (not shown). Flanges 3a1 to 3d1 are formed. As shown in FIG. 2, each of the legs 3 </ b> A to 3 </ b> D protrudes with a predetermined angle in a plan view with respect to the base 2. The inflow position of the inflowing cooling water and the inflow position of the cooling water flowing in from the sub pipe line 23 </ b> B of the leg portion 3 </ b> B are configured not to overlap in the main pipe line 20. That is, the inflow position of the cooling water flowing in from the sub pipe 23B of the leg 3B is shifted to the downstream side of the main pipe 20 from the inflow position of the cooling water flowing in from the sub pipe 23A of the leg 3A. It has become. In the present embodiment, the base portion 2 is formed linearly, but is not limited thereto, and any shape such as a curved shape or a bent shape can be adopted. Further, it is not necessary to provide the main pipe line 20 or the sub pipe lines 23A, 23B, and 23D in all the leg portions 3A to 3D, and they can be appropriately selected and provided. Further, the main pipeline 20 or the sub pipelines 23A, 23B, 23D may be provided so as to protrude from the base 2 or the side portions of the legs 3A to 3D.

  As described above, the sub ducts 23A, 23B, and 23D are integrally provided along the leg portions 3A, 3B, and 3D. As shown in FIG. 1, the connection ports 23a, 23b, and 23d are provided. Are formed above the step portions 3a, 3b, 3d of the leg portions 3A, 3B, 3D. Thereby, each connection port 23a, 23b, 23d is higher than the position where mounting flange 3a1, 3b1, 3d1 of each leg part 3A, 3B, 3D is formed, and, thereby, mounting flange 3a1 , 3b1 and 3d1, bolts and the like (not shown) and pipes (not shown) connected to the connection ports 23a, 23b and 23d do not interfere with each other.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the mount 1 is formed with a supply path 35 penetrating in the vertical direction along the periphery of the main pipe line 20. The supply path 35 communicates with the gas-liquid separator 30 through an opening 1 f formed in the lower portion 1 a of the mount 1 and communicates with the ejector 40 through an opening 1 g formed in the mounting portion 1 c of the mount 1. Yes. As a result, as will be described later, the reaction off gas discharged from the gas-liquid separator 30 is supplied to the ejector 40 through the supply path 35.

Next, with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, a fuel cell system employing the refrigerant pipe coupling structure of the present embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the fuel cell system includes a fuel cell 10, a main line 20 of the mount 1 (main line 20 is schematically shown in FIGS. 4 and 5), a gas-liquid separator. 30 and the ejector 40, the gas-liquid separator 30 and the ejector 40 are integrally disposed adjacent to each other, and the main pipe line 20 is disposed between the gas-liquid separator 30 and the ejector 40. Has been.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the fuel cell 10 is supplied with hydrogen (anode gas), which is a fuel gas, from the hydrogen supply system provided with the hydrogen supply tank C via the hydrogen heat exchanger C1 and the ejector 40. On the other hand, air (cathode gas), which is an oxidant gas, is supplied from an air supply system A to a cathode electrode (not shown) of the fuel cell 10 to be reacted electrochemically. Generate electricity. The generated electric power is supplied to a travel motor mounted on a vehicle (not shown). Incidentally, the fuel cell 10 here is a PEM type fuel cell which is a solid polymer type, and a membrane electrode structure (MEA) composed of an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, and the like (not shown) with an electrolyte interposed therebetween is used as a separator. Furthermore, it has a laminated structure in which, for example, several tens to several hundreds of sandwiched single cells are laminated (not shown above). Here, PEM is an abbreviation for Proton Exchange Membrane, and MEA is an abbreviation for Membrane Electrode Assembly.

  As shown in FIG. 4, cooling water (cooling medium) heated through the fuel cell 10 flows through the main pipeline 20. Here, in the cooling system through which the cooling water flows, as shown in FIG. 5, the cooling water mainly passes from the fuel cell 10 through the main conduit 20, and then returns to the fuel cell 10 again through the heat exchanger 11. It is configured with a circulation path to be supplied, and a cooling water circulation forward path 13A for sending the cooling water radiated by the heat exchanger 11 to the fuel cell 10 by the circulation pump 12 and the cooling water absorbed from the fuel cell 10 are heated. At least a cooling water circulation return path 13B returning to the exchanger 11 is provided.

  As described above, since the cooling water that has been warmed through the fuel cell 10 flows through the main pipe line 20, the supply path 35 along the main pipe line 20 is heated by the cooling water. (See FIG. 3).

  The gas-liquid separator 30 serves to separate the reaction product water (moisture) from the highly humid anode offgas (reaction offgas) that is surplus hydrogen gas discharged from the fuel cell 10.

  A drain part 31 having an inverted triangular cross section is provided at the lower part of the gas-liquid separator 30. Between the gas-liquid separator 30 and the drain part 31, for example, a plurality of through holes 30 b (in FIG. A partition plate 30a on which only one is enlarged and shown) is provided. Thereby, the reaction product water separated by the gas-liquid separator 30 passes through the through holes 30b of the partition plate 30a and accumulates in the drain part 31.

  Under the drain part 31, a refrigerant passage 32 is disposed in close contact with the bottom surface of the drain part 31. The refrigerant passage 32 has a double pipe structure in which a part is composed of an inner pipe 32a and an outer pipe 32b. The inner pipe 32a communicates with the discharge port 31a of the drain portion 31 and functions as a drain pipe. The outer pipe 32b communicates with the cooling water circulation return path 13B (see FIG. 2) and functions as a passage through which the cooling water flows. As a result, the reaction product water accumulated in the drain portion 31 is discharged through the inner pipe 32a of the refrigerant passage 32, while the cooling water from the cooling water circulation return passage 13B is supplied to the drain portion 31 through the outer pipe 32b of the refrigerant passage 32. Is done. That is, the inner pipe 32a is heated by the warm cooling water after passing through the fuel cell 10. Here, the drain flows through the inner tube 32a in the direction of the arrow X1 in FIG. 4, and the cooling water flows through the outer tube 32b in the direction of the arrow X2 in FIG. That is, the upstream side of the outer tube 32b is positioned downstream of the inner tube 32a, and the downstream side of the inner tube 32a is heated by the cooling water before the upstream side of the inner tube 32a. The refrigerant passage 32 has a double-pipe structure in which the upstream side from the discharge port 31a of the drain portion 31 is composed of an inner tube 32a and an outer tube 32b with reference to the direction in which the cooling water flows (direction of arrow X2 in FIG. 4). In addition, the downstream side of the discharge port 31a is constituted only by the outer tube 32b. Note that the cooling water supplied to the refrigerant passage 32 is set to a temperature at which the reaction product water accumulated in the drain portion 31 does not evaporate, and preferably at the start-up time when the fuel cell 10 and other engines are cooled. Supplied at sub-freezing temperature conditions.

A drain valve 33 is connected to the refrigerant passage 32, and the inner pipe 32 a is opened or closed by opening or closing the drain valve 33. Since the pressure inside the gas-liquid separator 30 and the drain part 31 is increased by the reaction off gas discharged from the fuel cell 10, the drain is discharged through the inner pipe 32a when the drain valve 33 is opened. . Further, the end of the inner pipe 32a of the refrigerant passage 32 communicates with a dilution box (not shown).
A pressure reducing valve (not shown) is disposed on the upstream side of the ejector 40, and a hollow fiber membrane humidifier as a water permeable membrane type humidifier (not shown) is disposed on the downstream side of the ejector 40. Has been. Further, the air supply system A is provided with an air cleaner, a humidifier, an electric compressor, etc. (not shown).

  When the fuel cell system is started, a current amount to be taken out from the fuel cell 10 is determined by a control device (not shown) based on the amount of depression of a throttle pedal (not shown) and the power consumption of each device (lighting device, air conditioner, etc.). Cathode gas corresponding to the amount is supplied to the fuel cell 10. In addition, by supplying the anode gas to the fuel cell 10, electric power is generated as hydrogen moves from the anode electrode to the cathode electrode, and the consumed anode gas is supplied from the hydrogen supply tank. The surplus hydrogen that has not been consumed from the anode electrode is discharged as an anode off-gas, and the air after reaction is discharged from the cathode electrode as a cathode off-gas.

On the other hand, the circulation pump 12 of the cooling system is driven and controlled, and as shown in FIG. 5, the cooling water discharged from the circulation pump 12 is supplied to the fuel cell 10 through the cooling water circulation path 13A. The cooling water supplied to the fuel cell 10 and cooling the fuel cell 10 absorbs heat from the fuel cell 10 and is discharged to the cooling water circulation return path 13B, and then supplied to the main pipe line 20.
Here, a part of the cooling water discharged from the fuel cell 10 to the cooling water circulation return path 13B is supplied from the cooling water circulation return path 13B to the ejector 40 and the hydrogen heat exchanger C1 through the branch paths 14a and 14b, and is exchanged with these. After that, it is returned to the main pipeline 20 and merges. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cooling water is returned to the main pipeline 20 through the sub pipelines 23 </ b> A and 23 </ b> B of the mount 1.

  The supply path 35 is heated while the cooling water passes through the main pipe line 20, and thereby the reaction off gas flowing through the supply path 35 is heated. That is, the relative temperature of the reaction off gas can be reduced. Thereby, even if the hydrogen gas supplied from the hydrogen supply tank C is cold, when the hydrogen gas and the reaction off gas are mixed by the ejector 40, moisture remaining in the reaction off gas (generation The advantage is that water is less likely to condense.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a part of the cooling water passing through the cooling water circulation return path 13 </ b> B is mainly along the periphery of the inner pipe 32 a that is a drain pipe of the refrigerant passage 32 in the warm-up operation at the time of starting the engine. , Flows from the drain valve 33 toward the drain portion 31 of the gas-liquid separator 30, and then returned to the main pipeline 20. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the returned cooling water is returned to the main pipe line 20 through the sub pipe line 23 </ b> D of the mount 1.
At this time, heat is exchanged between the cooling water flowing through the refrigerant passage 32 and the inner pipe 32a, the drain valve 33, and the drain part 31, and the inner pipe 32a, the drain valve 33, and the drain part 31 are heated. Therefore, even if the generated water is frozen in the drain part 31, it can be suitably dissolved.

  The cooling water returned to the main pipe line 20 is further circulated through the cooling water circulation return path 13B together with the cooling water flowing through the main pipe line 20, flows into the heat exchanger 11, and is radiated by the heat exchanger 11 and then again. It is discharged toward the fuel cell 10 by the circulation pump 12.

According to the coupling structure of the refrigerant pipe of the present embodiment described above, the main pipe 20 through which the fluid flows in the mount 1 including the base 2 to which the gas-liquid separator 30 and the ejector 40 are attached, and the main pipe Since three sub-pipe lines 23A, 23B, and 23D that are coupled to a state where they are joined to each other and through which the fluid flows are provided, the mount 1 can be used to mount the fluid flowing through the plurality of pipes. 1 can be combined. As described above, since the merging of the fluids flowing through the respective pipelines (branches 14a, 14b, etc., the same applies hereinafter) can be performed collectively at one place, the number of parts in the pipeline can be reduced accordingly. In addition, simplification of the pipe line can be achieved. In addition, since the pipe line can be simplified, space saving can be realized.
Moreover, since the sub pipes 23A, 23B, and 23D are formed along the legs 3A, 3B, and 3D of the mount 1, respectively, the sub pipes 3A, 3A, 3D, and 3D that use the strength of the legs 3A, 3B, and 3D are used. 3B and 3D can be connected, and the strength at the connecting portion of the pipeline can be improved.

Further, according to such a coupling structure of the refrigerant pipes, the pipes arranged around the fuel cell 10 are connected to the mount 1 to mount the confluence of cooling water or the like flowing through the pipes. 1 and the piping layout around the fuel cell 10 can be simplified accordingly.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be widely modified. For example, although the fuel cell electric vehicle has been described as an example in the above embodiment, the present invention can be applied to a mobile body such as a ship or an aircraft, a fuel cell system for a stationary power generator, or the like. Moreover, although the fuel cell system provided with the PEM type fuel cell was taken up in the said embodiment, this invention is a fuel cell system provided with other types of fuel cells, such as an alkaline fuel cell and a phosphoric acid fuel cell. Is also applicable naturally. Further, the layout and the like of each device constituting the fuel cell system can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the present invention.
Further, the mount is configured such that the leg portion is fixed to the vehicle body of the fuel cell vehicle, but is not limited to this. For example, the mount is configured to be fixed to a fuel cell or other equipment. Also good.

It is the perspective view which showed the mount for demonstrating the coupling structure of the refrigerant | coolant pipeline which concerns on one embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of a mount similarly. Similarly it is a front view of a mount. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the principal part of the fuel cell system to which the coupling structure of the refrigerant pipeline which concerns on one embodiment of this invention was applied. It is the schematic which shows the flow of the cooling water and the flow of hydrogen gas in the fuel cell system to which the coupling structure of the refrigerant pipes is applied.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Mount 2 Base part 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D Leg 23A, 23B, 23D Sub pipe 10 Fuel cell 11 Heat exchanger 12 Circulation pump 13A Cooling water circulation outward path 13B Cooling water circulation return path 20 Main pipe 30 Gas-liquid separator 40 Ejector

Claims (2)

A refrigerant pipe coupling structure provided in a mount including a base to which equipment is attached and a plurality of legs provided integrally with the base and fixed to a fixing member,
A main pipe formed in the base and through which a cooling medium for cooling a fuel cell that generates power by supplying a reaction gas flows, and a plurality of sub-flows through which the cooling medium flows are coupled to the main pipe. With a conduit,
The main pipe line and the sub pipe line are located downstream of the fuel cell in the direction in which the cooling medium flows,
The sub-pipe is formed along the leg ,
The main pipe line is provided with a supply path through which the reaction gas flows, formed so as to penetrate from the fixed member side to the side opposite to the fixed member side in a state along the periphery of the main pipe line. Characteristic refrigerant pipe connection structure. The apparatus includes an ejector that supplies a reaction gas to the fuel cell, and a gas-liquid separator that separates reaction product water from the reaction gas discharged from the fuel cell.
The ejector is attached to a mounting portion provided in the base on the side opposite to the fixing member side,
The gas-liquid separator is attached to the base part by being surrounded by the leg part on the fixing member side,
The said supply path is connected with the said gas-liquid separator through the opening formed in the said fixing member side of the said base, and is connected with the said ejector through the opening formed in the said attaching part. The coupling structure of the refrigerant pipe as described in 2.

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