JP5161430B2 - Valve heating system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a heating system of the valve.

  The development of fuel cells such as polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) has been actively developed and applied to fuel cell vehicles, household power generation systems, and the like. In order to generate such a fuel cell, it is necessary to supply hydrogen (fuel gas) and oxygen-containing air (oxidant gas) to the fuel cell. Air is supplied to the fuel cell by a compressor or the like, and hydrogen is supplied from the hydrogen tank to the fuel cell.

Here, when the hydrogen in the hydrogen tank is used, the hydrogen remaining in the hydrogen tank undergoes adiabatic expansion (Simon expansion), and the temperature of the hydrogen decreases. Thereafter, when hydrogen continues to flow, the shutoff valve on the downstream side of the hydrogen tank is cooled by the hydrogen whose temperature has decreased.
If it does so, sealing members, such as an O-ring built in a cutoff valve, will also be cooled, it will become low temperature, and it will become hard. Therefore, even if the sealing member is in a low temperature state and receives the valve closing command and the shutoff valve closes, the sealing performance is deteriorated, so that the shutoff valve may not be completely closed.

Therefore, for example, a technique has been proposed in which warm water is circulated through a pressure reducing valve (shutoff valve) to warm the pressure reducing valve (see Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-158371 (see 0013 to 0026, FIGS. 1 and 2)

There is a demand for further improvement in technology for reliably operating valves such as a shut-off valve provided in a hydrogen supply system (fuel gas supply system) through which hydrogen flows in accordance with a command.
The present invention aims to provide a heating system of valves that allow ensuring the operation of the arrangement is the valve between the fuel gas tank (fuel gas storage vessel) and the fuel gas consuming device.

As means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a fuel gas in which fuel gas is supplied from a fuel gas tank in which the fuel gas is stored at a high pressure to a fuel gas consuming device that consumes the fuel gas via a valve. A heating system for heating the valve in a supply system, wherein the heating amount of the heating means is determined based on a heating means for heating the valve and an output corresponding to consumption of fuel gas by the fuel gas consuming device. Control means for controlling, and temperature detection means for detecting the measured fuel gas temperature of the fuel gas in the fuel gas tank, and the valve is attached to the fuel gas tank and has a seal for maintaining the closed state includes, Ri shutoff valve der supplying / shutting off the fuel gas by opening / closes, wherein if the measured fuel gas temperature is equal to or lower than a predetermined fuel gas temperature, the heating means The predetermined fuel gas temperature is higher than the guaranteed temperature of the seal, and even if the fuel gas in the fuel gas tank rapidly adiabatically expands, the temperature of the fuel gas after the adiabatic expansion is guaranteed. It is a heating system of a valve characterized by being set up so that it may be more than temperature .

  According to such a valve heating system, the control means controls the heating amount of the heating means based on the output of the fuel gas consuming equipment corresponding to the consumption of the fuel gas by the fuel gas consuming equipment. Can do. That is, when the fuel gas consuming device consumes the fuel gas, the fuel gas in the fuel gas storage container flows out according to the consumption amount, so that the fuel gas in the fuel gas storage container adiabatically expands and its temperature decreases. To do. Thereafter, the low-temperature fuel gas flows out from the fuel storage container. On the other hand, the control means controls the heating amount of the heating means for heating the valve based on the output of the fuel gas consuming device, and the valve is heated by the heating means.

  Therefore, even when the above-described low-temperature fuel gas flows through the valve, the valve temperature does not drop to a temperature at which the sealing performance at the time of shut-off is lowered, and the shut-off performance (operability) of the valve is secured. Therefore, for example, even when a valve closing command is received during or immediately after the flow of the low-temperature fuel gas, the valve can reliably block the fuel gas from flowing.

  Further, in the valve heating system, the control unit calculates an output ratio A of the maximum output of the heating unit as a heating amount of the heating unit based on the measured fuel gas temperature, Based on the output, the B output ratio with respect to the maximum output of the heating means is calculated as the heating amount of the heating means, and when the sum of the A output ratio and the B output ratio is 100% or more, When the command output to the heating means is 100% and the sum of the A-th output ratio and the B-th output ratio is not 100% or more, the command output to the heating means is the A-th output ratio and the B-th output. It is preferable to use the sum of the ratio.
  In the valve heating system, the control means refers to the A map when calculating the A output ratio based on the actually measured fuel gas temperature, and is lower than the guaranteed temperature in the A map. In the range below the predetermined temperature, the A-th output ratio is 100%, and in the range from the predetermined temperature to the guaranteed temperature, the A-th output ratio decreases linearly as the measured fuel gas temperature increases, and the guaranteed In the temperature range or higher, the A-th output ratio is preferably set to 0%.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a heating system of valves that allow ensuring the operation of the arrangement is the valve between the fuel gas tank (fuel gas storage vessel) and the fuel gas consuming device.

  A fuel cell system incorporating a shutoff valve heating system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

≪Configuration of fuel cell system≫
As shown in FIG. 1, a fuel cell system 1 according to this embodiment includes a fuel cell 110 (fuel gas consuming device) and an anode system that supplies and discharges hydrogen (fuel gas) to and from the anode of the fuel cell 110 ( A fuel gas supply system), a cathode system that supplies and discharges oxygen-containing air (oxidant gas) to the cathode of the fuel cell 110, a power consumption system that consumes the power generated by the fuel cell 110, and an anode system It mainly includes a heating means 70 for appropriately heating a shutoff valve 20 to be described later, a temperature sensor 81, and an ECU 90 (Electronic Control Unit) that electronically controls them.
Incidentally, the fuel cell system 1 is mounted on a fuel cell vehicle (not shown), and this fuel cell vehicle travels using a travel motor 61 described later as a power source.

<Fuel cell>
The fuel cell 110 (fuel cell stack) is a polymer electrolyte fuel cell configured by stacking a plurality of single cells, and consumes hydrogen (fuel gas) and oxygen-containing air (oxidant gas). It has come to generate electricity.
The single cell includes an MEA (Membrane Electrode Assembly) in which both surfaces of an electrolyte membrane (solid polymer membrane) are sandwiched between an anode (fuel electrode) and a cathode (air electrode), and a pair of separators that sandwich the MEA. , Mainly. Each separator is provided with a groove for supplying hydrogen or oxygen to the entire surface of the MEA constituting each single cell, a through-hole for introducing hydrogen and oxygen to all the single cells, and the like. It functions as an anode channel 111 and a cathode channel 112.

  Then, when hydrogen is supplied to each anode via the anode flow path 111 and humidified air is supplied to each cathode via the cathode flow path 112, on the catalyst (Pt or the like) included in the anode and the cathode. An electrochemical reaction occurs, and a potential difference (so-called OCV (Open Circuit Voltage)) is generated in each single cell. Next, when there is a power generation request from an external load such as the traveling motor 61 for the fuel cell 110 in which such a potential difference has occurred, the fuel cell 110 generates power.

<Anode system>
The anode system mainly includes a hydrogen tank 10 (hydrogen storage container) in which hydrogen supplied to the fuel cell 110 is stored at a high pressure, a shutoff valve 20, a pressure reducing valve 121, an ejector 122, and a purge valve 123. ing. Then, the shutoff valve 20, the piping 121a, the pressure reducing valve 121, the piping 121b, the ejector 122, the piping 122a, and the anode flow path 111 are sequentially connected from the hydrogen tank 10 toward the downstream side. When the shutoff valve 20 is opened by the ECU 90, the hydrogen reduced to a predetermined pressure by the pressure reducing valve 121 is supplied to the anode flow path 111.

  On the downstream side of the anode flow path 111, a pipe 123a, a purge valve 123, and a pipe 123b whose downstream end is opened to the outside are connected in order. Moreover, the piping 123a and the ejector 122 are connected by the piping 123c (circulation means).

  When the purge valve 123 is closed, the anode off gas discharged from the anode of the fuel cell 110 returns to the upstream side of the fuel cell 110 via the pipe 123c and is supplied to the fuel cell 110 again. It has become. Thereby, unreacted hydrogen in the anode off-gas is reused, and as a result, consumption of hydrogen is suppressed.

  The downstream pressure of the pressure reducing valve 121 is set to a predetermined pressure by the pressure reducing valve 121. Therefore, when hydrogen is consumed in the fuel cell 110 when the purge valve 123 is closed in this way, the pressure reducing valve 121 121 opens, and hydrogen flows into the downstream side. Here, since the shutoff valve 20 is open during power generation of the fuel cell 110 (during operation of the fuel cell system 1), if the pressure reducing valve 121 is thus opened and hydrogen flows into the downstream side thereof, this flow In conjunction with this, hydrogen flows out from the hydrogen tank 10 through the shut-off valve 20. When hydrogen flows out from the hydrogen tank 10 in this way, the hydrogen remaining in the hydrogen tank 10 adiabatically expands, and its temperature (measured hydrogen temperature T1 described later) decreases.

  On the other hand, when the purge valve 123 is opened, the anode off gas is discharged to the outside via the pipe 123a, the purge valve 123, and the pipe 123b. When the purge valve 123 is opened by the ECU 90 in this way, the ECU 90 that monitors the cell voltage of the fuel cell 110 (stack) detects a decrease in the cell voltage, and the anode off gas contains a predetermined amount or more of impurities. It is a case where it is estimated that it is.

[Hydrogen tank, shutoff valve]
Next, specific configurations of the hydrogen tank 10 and the shutoff valve 20 will be described with reference to FIGS.
2 is a plan view of the hydrogen tank to which the shut-off valve according to the present embodiment is attached, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the shut-off valve and the hydrogen tank of FIG. 2 taken along the line X1-X1. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line X2-X2. 3 shows a state in which the solenoid 56 is turned OFF, the plunger 51 is biased in the closing direction (upward in FIG. 3) by the compression coil spring 54 (return spring), and the seal 53 is in contact with the valve seat body 32. The state where the shut-off valve 20 is closed is described.

(Hydrogen tank)
As shown in FIG. 3, the hydrogen tank 10 mainly includes a metal (such as an aluminum alloy) tank body 11 (liner) and a cover 13 that covers the surface of the tank body 11. The tank body 11 has a neck portion 12 that opens to the outside and to which a shutoff valve 20 is attached. The cover 13 is formed of CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic), GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic), and the like, thereby reinforcing the tank body 11 and the hydrogen tank 10. The heat insulation is improved.

(Shutoff valve)
The shutoff valve 20 is a valve that is integrally attached to the hydrogen tank 10, and in the present embodiment, approximately half of the shutoff valve 20 is disposed in the hydrogen tank 10, and is also referred to as an in-tank valve. Further, the shutoff valve 20 according to the present embodiment has a function as a hydrogen filling port and a function as a relief valve in addition to the original function of appropriately shutting off the flow of hydrogen from the hydrogen tank 10 to the outside. I have. Such a shut-off valve 20 mainly includes a fixing portion 30 screwed and fixed to the hydrogen tank 10 and an operating portion 50 having a plunger 51 (valve element).

(Shutoff valve-fixed part)
The fixing unit 30 includes a valve box 31, a valve seat 32, a discharge receptacle 33 (receptacle) serving as a hydrogen discharge port, a filling receptacle 34 serving as a hydrogen filling port, a check valve 35, and a relief. The valve 36 is mainly provided.

  The valve box 31 has a valve seat housing space 31a that serves as a hydrogen flow path and houses the valve seat body 32 therein. The valve box 31 is screwed and fixed to the neck portion 12. An O-ring 41 is interposed between the valve box 31 and the neck portion 12 to ensure airtightness.

  Further, the valve box 31 is formed with a heater hole 31b in which a heater 71 of a heating means 70 described later is embedded. Here, since the components constituting the shut-off valve 20 are substantially made of metal, when the heater 71 is activated and generates heat, this heat is transmitted to the valve box 31 and the shut-off valve 20 is heated. ing. As a result, a rubber seal 53, an O-ring 41 and the like which will be described later are also warmed.

  The valve seat body 32 is a substantially cylindrical body, and is accommodated in the valve seat body accommodating space 31 a and the upper part thereof is screwed and fixed to the valve box 31. An O-ring 42 is interposed between the valve seat body 32 and the valve box 31. A ring-shaped gap is formed between the valve seat body 32 and the valve box 31 in a plan view, and this gap functions as a hydrogen flow path during hydrogen filling and relief. Yes.

  The valve seat body 32 is formed with a flow path 32a so as to penetrate the central axis. When the shutoff valve 20 is in the closed state, the lower end opening in FIG. 3 of the flow path 32a is designed to close by the seal 53 coming into contact with the valve seat body 32. On the other hand, when the shutoff valve 20 is in the open state, the seal 53 is separated from the valve seat body 32, whereby the lower end opening of the flow path 32a in FIG. 3 is opened, and hydrogen is screwed into the flow path 32a and the valve box 31. The fixed discharge receptacle 33 (see FIG. 4) is sequentially discharged through the hollow portion 33a.

  The filling receptacle 34 functions as a hydrogen filling port and is fixed to the valve box 31. The filling receptacle 34 is a substantially cylindrical body and has a hollow portion 34a.

  The check valve 35 is slidably accommodated in the hollow portion 34a of the filling receptacle 34, and an O-ring 43 is provided on the outer peripheral surface thereof. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, when a hydrogen pressure from an external hydrogen station or the like acts, the check valve 35 moves to the valve seat body 32 side, the check valve 35 opens, and hydrogen is stored in the valve seat housing space. The hydrogen tank 10 is filled through a hollow portion 57a and a communication hole 57b which will be described later. On the other hand, when the hydrogen pressure does not act, a compression coil spring 37 provided between the check valve 35 and the valve seat body 32 attaches the check valve 35 to the inlet side (right side in FIG. 3) of the filling receptacle 34. Thus, the check valve 35 is configured to close.

  The relief valve 36 is a valve that prevents the hydrogen tank 10 from exploding due to the approach of an external heat source. The relief valve 36 is made of, for example, a low melting point metal or a thermoplastic elastomer such as SBR, and is fixed at an appropriate position of the valve box 31. Has been. When the external heat source approaches, the relief valve 36 is melted, for example, and the hydrogen in the hydrogen tank 10 is released to the outside through the communication hole 57b, the hollow portion 57a, the valve seat housing space 31a, and the relief valve 36. It is configured to be.

(Shutoff valve-Actuator)
The operating unit 50 is a part that operates the plunger 51 in accordance with a command from the ECU 90. Specifically, the operating unit 50 mainly includes a plunger 51, a seal 53, a compression coil spring 54 (return spring), a guide body 55, a solenoid 56, and a mount 57.

  The mount 57 is a substantially cylindrical body, has a hollow portion 57 a communicating with the valve seat housing space 31 a, and is screwed and fixed to the lower portion of the valve box 31. A plurality of communicating holes 57b are formed in the circumferential direction of the mount 57 in the circumferential direction, and the hollow portion 57a communicates with the inside of the hydrogen tank 10 outside the communicating hole 57b.

The guide body 55 is a substantially low-cylinder body having a lower bottom, and is screwed and fixed to the lower end of the mount 57.
The plunger 51 is slidably accommodated in the guide body 55 and is guided by the guide body 55. A cup 52 and a rubber seal 53 are fixed to the upper end of the plunger 51. A compression coil spring 54 is interposed between the cup 52 and the guide body 55, and the cup 52, the seal 53 and the plunger 51 are urged upward in FIG. 3 by the compression coil spring 54. . Therefore, when the solenoid 56 is turned off, the seal 53 comes into contact with the lower end surface of the valve seat body 32, thereby closing the lower end opening of the flow path 32 a in the valve seat body 32, and hydrogen in the hydrogen tank 10. Does not flow out to the outside (closed state of the shut-off valve 20).

  The rubber seal 53 has a guaranteed temperature T3 that depends on the material and the like. That is, if the temperature of the seal 53 is equal to or higher than the guarantee temperature T3, the flexibility of the seal 53 is ensured, and when the shut-off valve 20 is closed, the seal 53 is preferably in close contact with the valve seat body 32 and hydrogen is discharged to the outside. Outflow is blocked. That is, when the temperature of the shutoff valve 20 is equal to or higher than the guaranteed temperature T3, the shutoff valve 20 can be reliably shut off.

  The solenoid 56 is built in the peripheral wall of the guide body 55. When the control unit 58 fixed to the lower end of the guide body 55 receives a closing command for the shutoff valve 20 from the ECU 90 via the signal cable 59, the solenoid 56 is turned on (energized). When the solenoid 56 is turned on in this manner, the plunger 51 moves downward in FIG. 3, and at the same time, the seal 53 and the cup 52 are separated from the valve seat body 32. As a result, the lower end opening of the flow path 32a is opened, and the hydrogen in the hydrogen tank 10 is discharged to the outside through the communication hole 57b, the hollow portion 57a, the flow path 32a, and the discharge receptacle 33 (see FIG. 4). (The open state of the shutoff valve 20).

<Cathode system>
Returning to FIG. 1, the description will be continued.
The cathode system that supplies and discharges air to the fuel cell 110 mainly includes a compressor 131. The compressor 131 is connected to the cathode channel 112 via a pipe 131a. When the compressor 131 is activated, oxygen-containing air is supplied to the cathode channel 112. The pipe 131a is provided with a humidifier (not shown) so that the air supplied to the cathode channel 112 is appropriately humidified.

  On the other hand, a pipe 131 b is connected to the downstream side of the cathode channel 112. And the cathode off gas discharged | emitted from the cathode is discharged | emitted outside via the piping 131b.

<Power consumption system>
The power consumption system 60 mainly includes a travel motor 61 and an output detector 62. The travel motor 61 is a motor that travels the fuel cell vehicle, and is connected to the output terminal of the fuel cell 110. The output detector 62 is a device that detects an actual output current (hereinafter, measured output current A1) of the fuel cell 110 (stack), and includes an ammeter. The output detector 62 (ammeter) is arranged at an appropriate position so that the actual output current A1 of the fuel cell 110 can be detected between the fuel cell 110 and the travel motor 61. Further, the output detector 62 is connected to the ECU 90, and the ECU 90 monitors the actually measured output current A1.

<Heating means>
The heating means 70 is means for appropriately heating the shutoff valve 20 in accordance with a command from the ECU 90, and mainly includes a heater 71, a power source 72, and an inverter 73.

The heater 71 is a heating device that generates heat when power is supplied from the power source 72 and heats the shut-off valve 20 with this heat. As such a heater 71, for example, a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater is used. The heater 71 is embedded in the heater hole 31b of the shutoff valve 20 (see FIGS. 2 and 3).
The power source 72 is an operating power source for the heater 71. For example, a battery (secondary battery) mounted on a fuel cell vehicle is used. In addition, the power generated by the fuel cell 110 or the power generated by the traveling motor 61 during regeneration can be used.

  The inverter 73 is a heating amount control device that controls the output of the heater 71, that is, the heating amount of the heater 71 by changing the output power of the power source 72, and is disposed between the heater 71 and the power source 72. . Further, the inverter 73 is connected to the ECU 90 and controls the output (heating amount) of the heater 71 in accordance with a command (command heater output) from the ECU 90.

<Temperature sensor>
The temperature sensor 81 is a sensor that detects the temperature of actual hydrogen (measured hydrogen temperature T <b> 1) in the hydrogen tank 10, and is disposed at an appropriate position in the hydrogen tank 10. The temperature sensor 81 is connected to the ECU 90, and the ECU 90 monitors the measured hydrogen temperature T1.

<ECU>
The ECU 90 (control means) is a control device that electronically controls the fuel cell system 1. Such an ECU 90 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, various interfaces, an electronic circuit, and the like. The ECU 90 has a function of determining whether or not the heater 71 needs to be operated, and a function of controlling the output (heating amount) of the heater 71 based on the measured hydrogen temperature T1 and the measured output current A1. I have.

  Further, the ECU 90 stores a map A shown in FIG. 5 and a map B shown in FIG. Map A and map B are obtained by a preliminary test or the like.

[Map A]
The map A is data in which the hydrogen temperature (° C.) in the hydrogen tank is associated with the heater output A that is the output of the heater 71. In the map A according to the present embodiment, the heater output A is 100% when the hydrogen temperature is below the predetermined temperature T4, and the heater output is increased as the hydrogen temperature rises within the range above the predetermined temperature T4 and below the guaranteed temperature T3 of the seal 53. The heater output A is set to 0% in the range above the guaranteed temperature T3 so that B decreases linearly. The map A relates to the capacity of the hydrogen tank 10, the specification of the heater 71, and the like.

[Map B]
Map B is data in which the output current (A) of the fuel cell 110 and the heater output B are associated with each other. In the map B according to the present embodiment, in the range where the output current is equal to or greater than the predetermined current A2 such that the heater output B increases linearly as the output current increases in the range where the output current is 0 or more and the predetermined current A2 or less. Each is set to 100%. More specifically, when the output current increases, a large amount of hydrogen is consumed in the fuel cell 110, hydrogen flows out of the hydrogen tank corresponding to the consumed amount, and hydrogen expands in response to the outflow of hydrogen. Since the temperature in the hydrogen tank decreases, the heater output B increases as the output current increases. The map B relates to the specification of the heater 71 and the like.

≪Operation of fuel cell system≫
Next, the operation of the fuel cell system 1 (shutoff valve heating system) and the control method of the heater 71 (heating device) will be described with reference mainly to FIG. The control method of the heater 71 includes a first step of detecting the actual output current A1 of the fuel cell 110 and a second step of controlling the output (heating amount) of the heater 71 based on the actual output current A1. Yes.

In step S101, the ECU 90 determines whether or not the measured hydrogen temperature T1 is equal to or lower than a predetermined hydrogen temperature T2.
The predetermined hydrogen temperature T2 is higher than the guaranteed temperature T3 of the seal 53 constituting the shut-off valve 20, and the fuel cell 110 absorbs a large amount of hydrogen when the driver suddenly steps on the accelerator. As a result, even if the hydrogen in the hydrogen tank 10 suddenly adiabatically expands, the temperature of the hydrogen in the hydrogen tank 10 after the adiabatic expansion (actually measured hydrogen temperature T1) falls below the guaranteed temperature T3 of the seal 53 Not set to temperature. Therefore, the predetermined hydrogen temperature T2 relates to the specifications of the fuel cell 110 such as the number of single cells, the maximum accelerator depression amount, and the like, and is obtained for each fuel cell system 1 by a preliminary test or the like. The predetermined hydrogen temperature T2 is stored in the ECU 90.

  When the measured hydrogen temperature T1 is equal to or lower than the predetermined hydrogen temperature T2 (S101 / Yes), the process proceeds to step S103. In this case, the measured hydrogen temperature T1 is equal to or lower than the predetermined hydrogen temperature T2 due to the adiabatic expansion of the hydrogen remaining in the hydrogen tank 10 due to the hydrogen flowing out of the hydrogen tank 10. To explain further, if a large amount of hydrogen is consumed in the fuel cell 110 in this state, the measured hydrogen temperature T1 may fall below the guaranteed temperature T3. Therefore, the measured output current A1 and the measured hydrogen temperature T1 are monitored, Based on these, the command heater output is controlled in advance, and the shutoff valve 20 (specifically, the seal 53) is warmed to prevent the shutoff valve 20 from becoming lower than the guaranteed temperature T3.

  On the other hand, when the measured hydrogen temperature T1 is not equal to or lower than the predetermined hydrogen temperature T2 (S101 · No), that is, when the measured hydrogen temperature T1 is higher than the predetermined hydrogen temperature T2 (T1> T2), the process proceeds to step S102. In this case, since the measured hydrogen temperature T1 is higher than the predetermined hydrogen temperature T2, for example, even if the driver suddenly depresses the accelerator, the temperature of the hydrogen in the hydrogen tank 10 after adiabatic expansion (measured hydrogen temperature T1 ) Is not lowered below the guaranteed temperature T3, and the shutoff property of the shutoff valve 20 is not lost. Incidentally, the case where the measured hydrogen temperature T1 is high in this way is a case where hydrogen is compressed, for example, immediately after the hydrogen tank 10 is filled with hydrogen.

  In step S102, the ECU 90 sets the command heater output to the inverter 73 to 0%. Inverter 73 does not output heater 71 accordingly. Thereby, useless power consumption can be suppressed. After that, the process returns to the start via a return and repeats the process of each step.

In step S103, the ECU 90 determines the heater output A (%) based on the measured hydrogen temperature T1 and the map A (see FIG. 5).
In step S104, the ECU 90 determines the heater output B (%) based on the actually measured output current A1 and the map B (see FIG. 6).

  In step S105, the ECU 90 determines whether the sum of the heater output A and the heater output B is 100% or more. When the sum of the heater output A and the heater output B is 100% or more (Yes in S105), the process proceeds to step S106. On the other hand, when the sum of the heater output A and the heater output B is not 100% or more (S105, No), the process proceeds to step S107.

In step S106, the ECU 90 sets the command heater output to the inverter 73 to 100%. Then, the inverter 73 outputs the heater 71 at 100% according to this. As a result, the heater 71 generates heat with an output of 100%, and the shutoff valve 20 (especially the seal 53) is warmed with a heating amount of 100%.
Therefore, after that, even if low-temperature hydrogen flows out from the hydrogen tank 10 and low-temperature hydrogen flows through the shutoff valve 20, the temperature of the seal 53 falls below the guaranteed temperature T3 where the sealing performance is guaranteed. This is prevented. That is, when a close command is sent from the ECU 90 to the shutoff valve 20, the shutoff valve 20 can be reliably closed.
After that, the process returns to the start via a return and repeats the process of each step.

  In step S107, the ECU 90 sets the instruction heater output to the inverter 73 as the sum of the heater output A and the heater output B. Then, the inverter 73 outputs the heater 71 according to this. Thereby, the shutoff valve 20 is warmed corresponding to the measured hydrogen temperature T1 and the measured output current A1. Therefore, after that, when a close command is sent from the ECU 90 to the shutoff valve 20, the shutoff valve 20 can be reliably closed. Then return to the start via return.

  According to the fuel cell system 1 in which such a heating system for the shutoff valve 20 is incorporated, the output (heating amount) of the heater 71 is controlled based on the actually measured output current A1, so that hydrogen below the guaranteed temperature T3 Before the shutoff valve 20 is cooled, heating by the heater 71 can be started. In particular, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the seal 53 of the shutoff valve 20 from decreasing below the guaranteed temperature T3 while ensuring the sealing performance. Therefore, even immediately after low-temperature hydrogen flows out of the hydrogen tank 10, the shutoff valve 20 can be reliably closed.

≪Example of fuel cell system operation≫
Next, an operation example of the fuel cell system 1 will be described mainly with reference to FIG. Here, a case where the measured hydrogen temperature T1 is lower than the predetermined hydrogen temperature T2 is exemplified (S101 / Yes).

  For example, if the electric power required by the traveling motor 61 increases due to the driver increasing the amount of depression of the accelerator in order to accelerate the fuel cell vehicle rapidly, the fuel cell 110 generates power at a high output, and the measured output current A1. Rises. Then, the heater output B corresponding to the actually measured output current A1 increases (see FIG. 6). Therefore, the ECU 90 increases the output (heating amount) of the heater 71 based on the actually measured output current A1. As a result, the temperature of the shutoff valve 20 increases.

When the actually measured output current A1 increases as described above, hydrogen is consumed in the fuel cell 110 correspondingly. Then, an amount of hydrogen corresponding to the consumed amount flows out from the hydrogen tank 10. Since the hydrogen remaining in the hydrogen tank 10 adiabatically expands, the actual hydrogen temperature T1 decreases in conjunction with the detection of the large actual output current A1.
When the measured hydrogen temperature T1 is equal to or higher than the guaranteed temperature T3, the heater output A is 0% (see FIG. 5), so the command heater output, which is the sum of the heater output A and the heater output B, is constant. Incidentally, in this operation example, the case where the measured output current A1 is constant and the heater output B based on this is described is described.

  Thereafter, when the measured hydrogen temperature T1 becomes lower than the guaranteed temperature T3, the heater output A corresponding to the measured hydrogen temperature T1 is not 0%, and when the measured hydrogen temperature T1 is lowered, the heater output A is increased (FIG. 5). reference). If it does so, the command heater output which is the sum of heater output A and heater output B will increase, and, thereby, the rate of temperature rise of shutoff valve 20 will become large. That is, the ECU 90 controls the command heater output based on the measured output current A1 and the measured hydrogen temperature T1.

  Thereafter, when the amount of depression of the accelerator decreases, the actually measured output current A1 decreases and the heater output A decreases. At the same time, the temperature drop due to adiabatic expansion in the hydrogen tank 10 stops. Then, since the hydrogen remaining in the hydrogen tank 10 absorbs heat from the outside, the measured hydrogen temperature T1 starts to rise, and the heater output A falls (see FIG. 5). As a result, the command heater output decreases as the measured hydrogen temperature T1 increases. That is, the ECU 90 controls the command heater output mainly based on the actually measured hydrogen temperature T1. As a result, the temperature of the shutoff valve 20 decreases.

  Thereafter, when the measured hydrogen temperature T1 reaches the guaranteed temperature T3, the heater output A becomes 0% (see FIG. 5).

  The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the following modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the heating device that heats the shut-off valve 20 is the electrothermal heater 71 is exemplified, but in addition, the hot water is allowed to flow through or around the shut-off valve 20. A heating device for heating the valve 20 may be used.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the fuel cell system 1 mounted on a fuel cell vehicle has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a stationary fuel cell system for home use, The present invention may be applied to a fuel cell system or the like incorporated in a hot water supply system.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the fuel cell system which concerns on this embodiment. It is a top view of the hydrogen tank to which the shutoff valve concerning this embodiment was attached. It is the X1-X1 sectional view taken on the line of the cutoff valve and hydrogen tank shown in FIG. It is the X2-X2 sectional view taken on the line of the cutoff valve and hydrogen tank shown in FIG. It is the map A with which the hydrogen temperature in a hydrogen tank and the heater output A were linked | related. This is a map B in which the output current of the fuel cell and the heater output B are associated with each other. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the fuel cell system which concerns on this embodiment. It is a time chart which shows one operation example of the fuel cell system concerning this embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1 Fuel cell system 10 Hydrogen tank (fuel gas storage container)
20 Shut-off valve 31 Valve box 32 Valve seat 33 Release receptacle 34 Filling receptacle 35 Check valve 36 Relief valve 51 Plunger (valve element)
53 Seal 54 Compression coil spring 56 Solenoid 62 Output detector (output detection means)
70 Heating means 71 Heater (heating device)
73 Inverter 81 Temperature sensor 90 ECU (control means)
110 Fuel Cell 121 Pressure Reducing Valve 122 Ejector 123 Purge Valve

Claims (3)

A heating system for heating the valve in a fuel gas supply system in which fuel gas is supplied from a fuel gas tank in which the fuel gas is stored at high pressure to a fuel gas consuming device that consumes the fuel gas via a valve,
Heating means for heating the valve;
Control means for controlling the heating amount of the heating means based on the output corresponding to the fuel gas consuming device consuming fuel gas;
Temperature detecting means for detecting the measured fuel gas temperature of the fuel gas in the fuel gas tank;
With
The valve, with attached to the fuel gas tank, with a seal for maintaining a closed state, Ri shutoff valve der supplying / shutting off the fuel gas by opening / closes,
The control means performs heating by the heating means when the measured fuel gas temperature is equal to or lower than a predetermined fuel gas temperature,
The predetermined fuel gas temperature is higher than the guaranteed temperature of the seal, and even if the fuel gas in the fuel gas tank rapidly adiabatically expands, the temperature of the fuel gas after the adiabatic expansion is not less than the guaranteed temperature. A valve heating system characterized by being set . The control means includes
Based on the measured fuel gas temperature, the A output ratio with respect to the maximum output of the heating means is calculated as the heating amount of the heating means,
Based on the output of the fuel gas consuming equipment, the B output ratio with respect to the maximum output of the heating means is calculated as the heating amount of the heating means,
When the sum of the A output ratio and the B output ratio is 100% or more, the command output to the heating means is 100%,
When the sum of the A output ratio and the B output ratio is not 100% or more, the command output to the heating means is the sum of the A output ratio and the B output ratio. The valve heating system according to claim 1 . The control means refers to the A map when calculating the A output ratio based on the measured fuel gas temperature,
In the A map,
In the range below the predetermined temperature lower than the guaranteed temperature, the output ratio A is 100%,
In the range from the predetermined temperature to the guaranteed temperature, as the measured fuel gas temperature increases, the output ratio A decreases linearly,
In the range above the guaranteed temperature, the output ratio A is 0%.
The valve heating system according to claim 2 , wherein

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