JP4626342B2 - Cooling device for fuel cell vehicle - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a cooling device for a fuel cell vehicle, and more particularly to a cooling device for a fuel cell vehicle equipped with a cooling system for a fuel cell, a cooling system for an electric load, and a cooling system for an air conditioning. The present invention relates to a cooling device for a fuel cell vehicle that optimizes the layout of a radiator.

  In a fuel cell system of a fuel cell vehicle, for example, a device that directly converts chemical energy into electric energy by an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen is used. A cooling device to be used is provided.

  This fuel cell system cooling device is divided into two systems depending on the medium and the temperature of the cooling system. Along with this, there are two types of reserve tanks that function as cooling water filling and cooling water bleeding. is set up.

JP 2002-184419 A JP 2004-168193 A

  By the way, in the conventional fuel cell vehicle (also referred to as “FCV”), the maximum temperature of the cooling water of the fuel cell vehicle is the material used for the fuel cell (also referred to as “FC” or “fuel cell stack”). Due to the limitation, it is about 80 degrees and even the highest is about 90 degrees, which is greatly different from the maximum cooling water temperature (about 120 degrees) of a general internal combustion engine vehicle such as a gasoline vehicle.

  For this reason, the heat dissipation efficiency is poor, and the radiator for the fuel cell is increased in size and requires a large amount of air flow.

  In spite of such conditions, in the conventional fuel cell vehicle, an air conditioner condenser (also referred to as “A / C condenser”) is arranged in front of the radiator as in the gasoline car.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the fuel cell vehicle 202 has the fuel cell 206 mounted in the engine room 256 in front of the front wheel center 297c of the front wheel 297, and the fuel cell radiator 262 in front of the fuel cell 206. -1 is disposed, an air conditioner / condenser 294 is disposed on the front side of the radiator 262-1, and a radiator fan 292 is disposed on the rear side of the radiator 262-1.

  In addition, two hydrogen tanks 212 for storing hydrogen are disposed below the floor 202f of the fuel cell vehicle 202 and in the vicinity of the rear wheel 298.

  However, with the arrangement as described above, the air flow to the fuel cell radiator is reduced, and when the air conditioner (also referred to as “A / C”) is turned on, the exhaust heat from the air conditioner condenser is reduced. Since it hits the radiator, there is a problem that the heat dissipation capability is extremely deteriorated.

  In order to solve such a problem, an excessively large radiator is required, and design requirements such as an exterior such as a front panel and a grill are required in order to devise a wind guide.

  The fan for cooling the air conditioner / condenser is also used as a radiator fan for the fuel cell.

  At this time, compared with gasoline vehicles, fuel cell vehicles usually perform control to keep the fuel cell at an appropriate temperature, but the fan operates in conjunction with air conditioner control (on / off, etc.). Inconvenience occurs in controlling the cooling water temperature or the control becomes complicated.

Accordingly, in order to eliminate the above-described disadvantages, the present invention provides a fuel cell stack and a vehicle drive motor at the front of the vehicle, and a plurality of hydrogen tanks having a circular outer shape as viewed from the vehicle width direction in the vehicle front-rear direction. A fuel cell cooling system that is arranged below the vehicle floor and that cools the fuel cell stack , an electric load cooling system that cools an electric load supplied with electric power from the fuel cell stack , and air conditioning wind An air conditioning cooling system for cooling the fuel cell stack , and a fuel cell radiator interposed in the fuel cell cooling system and an electric load radiator interposed in the electric load cooling system. And a cooling device for a fuel cell vehicle arranged in front of the vehicle drive motor in the width direction of the vehicle, wherein the air-conditioning radiator is disposed below the floor behind the vehicle rear wheel and thereafter Fan in the department Ri with a hydrogen tank which is disposed closest to the rear side in the vehicle longitudinal direction out of the hydrogen tank is disposed in the vicinity of the center of the rear wheel in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the air-conditioning the water generated by the fuel cell stack A spraying device for spraying the heat radiator is disposed on the front side of the air conditioner heat radiator .

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, since the air-conditioning radiator is not disposed on the front side of the fuel cell radiator or the electric load radiator, the three cooling systems are respectively provided. It can be controlled to an optimum temperature.

  As a result of the invention as described above, when the air-conditioning radiator interposed in the air-conditioning cooling system is disposed under the floor of the fuel cell vehicle, the air-conditioning radiator is the fuel cell radiator or electric The three cooling systems are each controlled to an optimum temperature without being placed on the front side of the load radiator.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

  1 to 4 show an embodiment of the present invention. 1 and 3, reference numeral 2 denotes a fuel cell vehicle (also simply referred to as “vehicle”), and 4 denotes a fuel cell system mounted on the vehicle 2.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the fuel cell system 4 includes a fuel cell stack (also simply referred to as “fuel cell”) 6, a hydrogen system 8, and an air system 10.

  The fuel cell stack 6 usually includes a predetermined number of electrolytes (also referred to as “electrolyte membranes”), electrode structures, and separators.

  Further, the hydrogen system 8 is provided with a hydrogen gas circulation passage 14 for supplying and circulating hydrogen from the hydrogen tank 12 mounted on the vehicle 2 to the fuel cell stack 6.

  The hydrogen gas circulation channel 14 includes a hydrogen supply first channel 16 for supplying hydrogen from the hydrogen tank 12 to the fuel cell stack 6, and a hydrogen off-gas exhausted from the fuel cell stack 6 for the first flow. The second flow path 18 for circulation to the path 16 and the third flow path 20 for discharging the hydrogen off-gas connected to a midway portion of the second flow path 18 are provided.

  An automatic shut-off valve 22, a pressure reducing valve 24, a flow rate adjusting valve 26, and a heat exchanger 28 are sequentially arranged in the middle of the hydrogen supply first flow path 16 from the hydrogen tank 12 side. A gas-liquid separator 30 and a circulation pump 32 are sequentially arranged in the middle of the second flow path 18 for circulation from the fuel cell stack 6 side, and the downstream end is connected to the flow rate adjusting valve 26 and the heat. Provided in connection with the first flow path 16 for supplying hydrogen to the exchanger 28, and connected to the third flow path 20 for exhaust between the gas-liquid separator 30 and the circulation pump 32. And a pressure regulating valve 34 is disposed in the middle of the third flow path 20.

  Further, the air system 10 includes an oxidizing gas supply flow path 36 for supplying an oxidizing gas to the fuel cell stack 6 from the outside, and an oxygen off gas discharge flow path 38 for discharging the oxygen off gas from the fuel cell stack 6 to the outside. Have.

  A filter 40, a pump 42, and a heat exchanger 44 are sequentially disposed in the middle of the oxidizing gas supply flow path 36 from the upstream side, and a gas liquid is disposed in the middle of the oxygen off-gas discharge flow path 38. A separator 46 and a pressure regulating valve 48 are sequentially arranged.

  The fuel cell system 4 mounted on the vehicle 2 includes a fuel cell stack 6, a vehicle driving motor 50, and an electrical component unit 52, as shown in FIG. The fuel cell stack 6 directly converts chemical energy into electrical energy by, for example, an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. The vehicle drive motor 50 is driven by electric energy from the fuel cell stack 6 and rotates wheels (not shown). The electrical component unit 52 shows electrical components such as an inverter.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the fuel cell stack 6 and the vehicle drive motor 50 are arranged in parallel (aligned in the vehicle width direction Y) in the engine room 56 which is a front chamber provided in front of the vehicle F rather than the vehicle compartment 54. In other words, the fuel cell stack 6 is disposed on one side in the vehicle width direction Y, and the vehicle driving motor 50 is disposed on the other side in the vehicle width direction Y.

  The fuel cell system 4 is provided with a cooling device 58. The cooling device 58 includes a first cooling system 60-1 that is a cooling system for a fuel cell that cools the fuel cell stack 6, and an electrical load cooling that cools an electrical load supplied with electric power from the fuel cell stack 6. The system is divided into a second cooling system 60-2 that is a system.

  And the 1st cooling system 60-1 which is a cooling system for fuel cells is from the 1st radiator 62-1 which is a radiator for fuel cells, the 1st reserve tank 64-1, and the 1st cooling water pump 66-1. Thus, the second cooling system 60-2, which is an electric load cooling system, includes a second radiator 62-2, a second reserve tank 64-2, and a second cooling water pump 66-2 that are electric load radiators. Become.

  In this case, in the cooling device 58, the first radiator 62-1 for cooling the fuel cell stack 6 is disposed in the vehicle front F with respect to the vehicle drive motor 50, and the vehicle front F with respect to the fuel cell stack 6 is disposed. A second radiator 62-2 for cooling the vehicle drive electric device including the vehicle drive motor 50 and the electric component unit 52 is provided.

  And in the 1st cooling system 60-1 which is a cooling system for fuel cells, the 1st cooling water pump 66-1 and the fuel cell stack 6 are connected by the 1st fuel cell side piping 68, The first radiator 62-1 is connected by the first intermediate side pipe 70, the first radiator 62-1 and the first cooling water pump 66-1 are connected by the first pump side pipe 72, and the first The first radiator 62-1 and the first reserve tank 64-1 are connected by a first tank side pipe 74, and the first reserve tank 64-1 and the middle of the first pump side pipe 72 are connected by a first return side pipe 76. It is connected.

  Further, in the second cooling system 60-2 that is the cooling system for the electric load, the second cooling water pump 66-2 and the electric component unit 52 are connected by the second electric component side pipe 78, and the electric component unit 52 The vehicle driving motor 50 is connected by a second motor side pipe 80, the vehicle driving motor 50 and the second radiator 62-2 are connected by a second intermediate side pipe 82, and the second radiator 62- 2 and the second cooling water pump 66-2 are connected by a second pump side pipe 84, the second radiator 62-2 and the second reserve tank 64-2 are connected by a second tank side pipe 86, The second reserve tank 64-2 and the middle of the second pump side pipe 84 are connected by a second return side pipe 88.

  That is, the fuel cell vehicle 2 includes a first cooling system 60-1 that is a cooling system for a fuel cell that cools the fuel cell stack 6, and an electrical load that cools an electrical load supplied with electric power from the fuel cell stack 6. A fuel cell comprising a second cooling system 60-2 that is a cooling system for cooling and an air conditioning cooling system 90 that cools conditioned air, and is interposed in the first cooling system 60-1 that is the cooling system for fuel cells A first radiator 62-1 as a heat radiator and a second radiator 62-2 as a radiator for electric load interposed in a second cooling system 60-2 as a cooling system for the electric load. Arranged in the width direction at the front of the vehicle 2.

  At this time, the first radiator 62-1 as the fuel cell radiator of the first cooling system 60-1, which is the fuel cell cooling system, is connected to the engine room at the front of the fuel cell vehicle 2, as shown in FIG. 56, and a radiator fan 92 is disposed at a rear portion of the first radiator 62-1.

  Further, an air conditioning condenser 94, which is an air conditioning radiator interposed in the air conditioning cooling system 90, is disposed under the floor 2f of the fuel cell vehicle 2.

  More specifically, the air conditioning cooling system 90 includes an air conditioning condenser 94 that is an air conditioning radiator and an air conditioning condenser fan 96 that is disposed at a rear portion of the air conditioning condenser 94.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the hydrogen tank 12 for storing hydrogen is disposed under the floor 2 f of the fuel cell vehicle 2, and the air conditioner is disposed behind the hydrogen tank 12 in the front-rear direction of the fuel cell vehicle 2. An air conditioning condenser 94 which is a heat radiator is disposed, and an air conditioning condenser fan 96 which is a dedicated fan is disposed behind the air conditioning condenser 94.

  At this time, the air-conditioning condenser 94 as the air-conditioning radiator is disposed behind the rear wheel center 98c of the rear wheel 98 of the fuel cell vehicle 2 as shown in FIG.

  Further, a spray device 100 for spraying the generated water generated by the fuel cell stack 6 onto the air conditioning condenser 94 as the air conditioning radiator is disposed in front of the air conditioning condenser 94 as the air conditioning radiator.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 1, a water storage tank 102 that receives the generated water generated in the fuel cell stack 6 is disposed at a rear portion of the fuel cell stack 6, and the water storage tank 102 and the spray device 100 are connected to each other. The generated water is supplied through the generated water supply passage 104, and the generated water generated in the fuel cell stack 6 is sprayed onto the air conditioning condenser 94 as the air conditioning radiator by the spray device 100.

  In addition, according to the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioning condenser 94 is modularized with the air conditioning condenser fan 96 and the spray device 100 as dedicated fans. -1, 62-2 is arranged at a position that does not affect, specifically, it is arranged below the floor 2f of the fuel cell vehicle 2.

  In the condenser fan 96 for air conditioning that is the dedicated fan, an air conditioner (not shown) (also referred to as “A / C” or “air conditioner”) needs to be designed to be effective even when the vehicle is stopped. The necessity of taking out the capacity of the air conditioner with the capacity of the condenser fan 96 is similar to that of a gasoline vehicle. For this purpose, an air conditioning condenser fan 96 which is a dedicated fan is attached to the air conditioning condenser 94 which is an air conditioning radiator. At this time, the mounting position of the air conditioning condenser fan 96, which is a dedicated fan, is a position where air is drawn from the back of the air conditioning condenser 94, which is an air conditioning radiator, or a position where wind is pushed from the front of the air conditioning condenser 94, which is an air conditioning radiator. Conceivable.

  The spraying device 100 sprays the generated water generated by the fuel cell stack 6 from the front of the air conditioning condenser 94, which is an air conditioning radiator, thereby increasing the heat dissipation capability by the heat of vaporization of water. In this case, the spraying device 100 can reduce the size of the air conditioning condenser 94 as an air conditioning radiator, and the spraying device 100 may be operated as necessary. And in order to aim at the capability improvement of this spraying apparatus 100, the water storage tank 102 which receives the produced | generated water produced | generated by the said fuel cell stack 6 in front of the spraying apparatus 100 is provided as mentioned above.

  Furthermore, as the installation position of the module, the ventilation condition by the air conditioning condenser fan 96 which is a dedicated fan is good, the location of the generated water generated in the fuel cell stack 6 is near, the vaporized water vapor from the module There are places where there is little influence (there should be no electrical parts as much as possible).

  As described above, in the fuel cell vehicle 2, the performance of the first radiator 62-1 that is the radiator for the fuel cell is sufficiently utilized without considering the ventilation resistance and the exhaust heat condition by the air conditioning condenser 94 that is the air conditioning radiator. Design becomes possible.

  Next, the operation will be described.

  When the fuel cell vehicle 2 travels, as shown in FIG. 1, the first heat radiator 62-1 of the first cooling system 60-1 that is the cooling system for the fuel cell disposed on the front side of the fuel cell vehicle 2 is cooled. Wind is supplied to sufficiently cool the first cooling system 60-1 that is the fuel cell cooling system.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, cooling air is supplied from below to an air conditioning condenser 94 that is an air conditioning radiator disposed under the floor 2f of the fuel cell vehicle 2, and an air conditioning condenser fan 96 that is a dedicated fan. Then, the air-conditioning condenser 94, which is the air-conditioning radiator of the air-conditioning cooling system 90, is sufficiently cooled.

  At this time, the spraying device 100 is operated as necessary, and the generated water generated in the fuel cell stack 6 is sprayed from the front of the air conditioning condenser 94 which is an air conditioning radiator, and the heat radiation capacity is increased by the heat of vaporization of water. .

  As a result, the air conditioning condenser 94, which is an air conditioning radiator interposed in the air conditioning cooling system 90, is disposed under the floor 2f of the fuel cell vehicle 2, so that the air conditioning condenser 94, which is an air conditioning radiator, is provided. Since the first radiator 62-1 as the fuel cell radiator and the second radiator 62-2 as the electric load radiator are not stacked on the front side, the three cooling systems are optimal for each. Temperature can be controlled.

  Further, the hydrogen tank 12 for storing hydrogen is disposed under the floor 2f of the fuel cell vehicle 2, and the air conditioning radiator serving as the air conditioning radiator is disposed behind the hydrogen tank 12 in the front-rear direction of the fuel cell vehicle 2. By disposing the condenser 94, the air conditioning condenser 94, which is an air conditioning radiator, can be disposed behind the large-capacity hydrogen tank 12, and the cooling air that has passed through the air conditioning condenser 94, which is an air conditioning radiator, Without being disturbed by the hydrogen tank 12, the fuel cell vehicle 2 can be discharged to the rear, and the cooling performance of the air conditioning cooling system 90 can be improved, and the air conditioning condenser 94, which is an air conditioning radiator, is heated. It is possible to prevent the hydrogen tank 12 from being heated by the cooling air.

  Further, the air conditioning condenser 94 as the air conditioning radiator is arranged behind the rear wheel center 98c of the rear wheel 98 of the fuel cell vehicle 2, so that the hydrogen tank 12 and the air conditioning condenser as the air conditioning radiator are disposed. A space is formed between the air-conditioners 94, and cooling air can be sent to the air-conditioning condenser 94, which is a heat-dissipating air-conditioner, through this space, so that the cooling performance of the air-conditioning cooling system 90 can be improved.

  Furthermore, the spray device 100 for spraying the generated water generated in the fuel cell stack 6 onto the air conditioning condenser 94 serving as the air conditioning radiator is disposed in front of the air conditioning condenser 94 serving as the air conditioning radiator. Therefore, when the air conditioning condenser 94, which is an air conditioning radiator, is disposed under the floor 2f of the fuel cell vehicle 2, it is necessary to expand the heat radiation area to compensate for the decrease in the flow velocity of the cooling air. 6 can be sprayed onto the air conditioning condenser 94, which is an air conditioning radiator, to improve heat dissipation, thereby minimizing the expansion of the air conditioning condenser 94, which is an air conditioning radiator. Thus, the mounting of the fuel cell vehicle 2 under the floor 2f can be improved.

  The fuel cell vehicle cooling device includes a fuel cell cooling system, an electric load cooling system, and an air conditioning cooling system, and can optimize the layout of an air conditioning radiator interposed in the air conditioning cooling system. .

1 is a schematic left side view of a fuel cell vehicle equipped with a fuel cell stack according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic explanatory drawing of a fuel cell system. It is a schematic plan view of the front part of a fuel cell vehicle. It is a cooling system block diagram of a fuel cell vehicle. It is a schematic left view of the fuel cell vehicle carrying the fuel cell stack which shows the prior art of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

2 Fuel cell vehicle (also referred to simply as “vehicle”)
2f Floor 4 Fuel cell system 6 Fuel cell stack (also simply referred to as “fuel cell”)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 8 Hydrogen system 10 Air system 12 Hydrogen tank 50 Motor for vehicle drive 52 Electric component unit 54 Car compartment 56 Engine room 58 Cooling device 60-1 1st cooling system which is a cooling system for fuel cells 60-2 Cooling for electric load The second cooling system 62-1 is the first heat radiator as the fuel cell radiator 62-2 The second radiator is the electric load radiator 90 The cooling system for the air conditioning 92 The radiator fan 94 The condenser for the air conditioning as the radiator for the air conditioning 96 Condenser fan for air conditioning 98 Rear wheel 98c Center of rear wheel 100 Spraying device 102 Water storage tank 104 Generated water supply passage

Claims (2)

A fuel cell stack and a vehicle drive motor are disposed at the front of the vehicle, a plurality of hydrogen tanks having a circular outer shape as viewed from the vehicle width direction are arranged in the vehicle front-rear direction and disposed below the vehicle floor, and the fuel comprising a fuel cell cooling system for cooling the cell stack, and electric load cooling system for cooling the electric load to which electric power is supplied from the fuel cell stack, and air-conditioning cooling system for cooling the conditioned air, the fuel cell A fuel cell radiator interposed in the cooling system for an electric load and an electric load radiator interposed in the cooling system for the electric load in front of the fuel cell stack and the vehicle driving motor in the vehicle width direction. In the cooling device for a fuel cell vehicle arranged side by side, the air-conditioning radiator is disposed below the floor on the rear side of the rear wheel of the vehicle, and a fan is attached to the rear portion thereof. Most A hydrogen tank disposed on the filter side is disposed near the center of the rear wheel in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and a spray device for spraying the generated water generated by the fuel cell stack onto the air conditioner heat radiator A cooling device for a fuel cell vehicle, which is disposed on the front side of the vessel .   The hydrogen tank for storing hydrogen is disposed below the floor of the vehicle, and the radiator for air conditioning is disposed behind the hydrogen tank in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. Fuel cell vehicle cooling device.

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