JP5297069B2 - Fuel cell system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To more simplify the replacing work of an ion exchanger than ever and to shorten the replacing time. <P>SOLUTION: A first joint mechanism 40a and a second joint mechanism 40b detachably connecting an ion exchanger 34 and a branch passage 32 are installed, a normal close type first valve element 74 and second valve element 102 are installed in the first joint mechanism 40a and the second joint mechanism 40b respectively, and when a female connector 70 on a pipe 66 side is removed from a male connector 68 on the ion exchanger 34 side, the first valve element 74 and the second valve element 102 are closed, to prevent leakage of a coolant in a coolant circuit 10 to the outside. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a fuel cell system comprising a ion-exchanger for the refrigerant circuit and the fuel cells in a fuel cell.

  In general, in a cooling system that directly cools a fuel cell with a refrigerant, a high degree of electrical insulation is required for the refrigerant in order to prevent a liquid junction phenomenon through the refrigerant. Therefore, an ion exchanger containing the ion exchange resin is provided in the cooling passage, and a certain amount in the refrigerant circulating in the cooling passage is circulated in the ion exchanger, so that ions in the refrigerant are adsorbed on the ion exchange resin. As a result, the electrical insulation of the refrigerant is ensured.

  The ion exchange resin has a characteristic that the ion adsorption capacity gradually decreases by adsorbing ions in the refrigerant. If the ion adsorption capacity of the ion exchange resin is extremely reduced, ions in the refrigerant cannot be sufficiently adsorbed, making it difficult to ensure the electrical insulation of the refrigerant and causing a liquid junction phenomenon. The possibility increases. For this reason, the maintenance which replace | exchanges the deteriorated ion exchange resin (ion exchanger) with a new ion exchange resin (ion exchanger) regularly is needed.

  The exchange timing of the ion exchanger and the refrigerant is different, and when exchanging the ion exchanger before the life of the refrigerant, it is preferable to exchange only the ion exchange resin (ion exchanger) without exchanging the refrigerant. .

  By the way, regarding this type of ion exchanger, for example, in Patent Document 1, a casing is sealed inside the casing by closing the opening of the casing with a lid, and an ion exchange resin (resin body) is provided. The structure of the ion exchanger which accommodates the enclosed pack in the said accommodating part is disclosed.

  Further, in Patent Document 2 related to the proposal of the present applicant, heavy and lightweight auxiliary devices are arranged in the left-right direction, an air passage is arranged on the heavy auxiliary device side, and a water passage is arranged on the lightweight auxiliary device side. Thus, a fuel cell vehicle has been disclosed that can eliminate the imbalance between the heavy and light auxiliary machines and optimize the turning performance and steering stability.

FIG. 1 of Patent Document 2 discloses that an ion exchanger is disposed beside the fuel cell stack in the supply side piping of the water piping constituting the water passage. Note that the difference in arrangement structure between the present invention and Patent Document 2 will be described in detail later.
JP 2007-122906 A JP 2001-71753 A

  However, in the structure of the ion exchanger disclosed in Patent Document 1, the ion exchanger is used as a preparation stage for exchanging a used pack (enclosed with an ion exchange resin having deteriorated ion adsorption capacity) with a new pack. After the cooling liquid discharging operation for discharging the cooling liquid remaining in the cooling liquid circulation circuit provided with the cooling liquid circulation circuit is required, and all the cooling liquid flows out from the cooling liquid circulation circuit to the outside The bolted lid must be removed from the case and the pack in the storage must be replaced with a new pack.

  When a small amount of cooling liquid leaks to the outside when the cooling liquid discharging operation is performed, a cooling liquid adding operation for newly adding a refrigerant liquid corresponding to the leakage amount is required.

  Further, in Patent Document 1, after the used pack in the casing is replaced with a new pack, it is necessary to perform an air bleeding operation so that air does not flow (mixed) into the coolant circulation circuit.

  As described above, in the structure of the ion exchanger disclosed in Patent Document 1, the refrigerant is discharged from the coolant circulation circuit in association with an exchange operation for exchanging a used pack filled with ion exchange resin with a new pack. Perform various operations such as cooling fluid discharge operation, cooling fluid addition operation to add new cooling fluid in response to leaked cooling fluid, air venting operation to prevent inflow of air into the coolant circulation circuit There is a problem that it is necessary and very complicated, and it takes a long time to replace the pack.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and by making various operations associated with the ion exchanger replacement work unnecessary, the ion exchanger replacement work can be simplified compared to the conventional one. An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell system capable of shortening the replacement time.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a fuel cell stack that generates electric power when supplied with a reaction gas , a radiator that functions as a cooler that cools a refrigerant, and the fuel cell stack and the radiator. a circulation passage for circulating a coolant, a pump for circulating a coolant is provided in the circulation passage at a predetermined flow rate, a refrigerant circuit configured to include a, provided we are in the refrigerant circuit, site refrigerant is introduced and The fuel cell ion provided with a normally closed type valve that is in a closed state when the connection with the other party is released, and is opened when connected with the other party. a fuel cell system comprising a exchanger, the ion exchanger for a fuel cell is disposed in the bottom of the refrigerant circuit, ion exchange for a fuel cell The fuel cell ion exchanger is fixed to the same frame as the frame to which the fuel cell stack is fixed, through a pair of support portions protruding by a predetermined length from both end portions along the axial direction of the housing of the vessel. In order to prevent leakage of the filled refrigerant to the outside, a refrigerant leakage prevention mechanism is provided at the position having the valve, and in the installed state, the outlet axis is higher than the inlet axis. The under cover is located directly under the ion exchanger for the fuel cell, and the ion exchanger is exposed to the outside by removing the under cover. within the new ion exchanger is exchanged with an ion exchanger, characterized Rukoto refrigerant is already filled.

In the prior art, as a preparatory stage for exchanging an ion exchanger (ion exchange resin) whose ion adsorption capacity has deteriorated with a new ion exchanger (ion exchange resin), refrigerant discharge work, refrigerant addition work, and air bleeding Although it is necessary to perform work, etc., in the present invention, a normally closed type valve (with the valve closed in a state where the connection with the other party is released) is provided at the part where the refrigerant is introduced into the ion exchanger and the part where the refrigerant is led out. On the other hand, by providing a valve that is opened when connected to the other party , the ion exchanger can be exchanged in a state where leakage of the refrigerant to the outside is prevented.

  As a result, in the present invention, various operations associated with the replacement work as in the prior art become unnecessary, the replacement work of the ion exchanger can be simplified and the replacement time can be shortened, and the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit can be reduced. The ion exchanger can be exchanged while being held as it is, and the refrigerant can be effectively used.

  In addition, according to the present invention, a new ion exchanger to be replaced with a used ion exchanger is already filled with a refrigerant, so that the refrigerant is replaced with a new ion exchanger that has been filled. The air venting operation becomes unnecessary, and the replacement time of the ion exchanger can be further simplified and the replacement time can be shortened.

  In other words, in the present invention, since only the refrigerant is already filled in the new ion exchanger, it is preferably avoided that air is mixed into the new ion exchanger, and the refrigerant is replaced after the ion exchanger is replaced. Air can be prevented from flowing into the circuit.

  Furthermore, according to the present invention, a new ion exchanger filled with a refrigerant has a refrigerant leakage prevention mechanism at a portion having a valve in order to prevent leakage of the refrigerant filled in the ion exchanger to the outside. For example, when a new ion exchanger filled with refrigerant is being transported, or when replacing a used ion exchanger with a new ion exchanger, it may accidentally come into contact with another member. Even if it exists, the leakage to the exterior of a refrigerant | coolant can be prevented reliably.

  Furthermore, according to the present invention, when a refrigerant is charged into a new ion exchanger, the new ion exchanger is held in a vertical state along a vertical vertical direction, and the new ion exchanger is By being configured to supply the refrigerant from the port on the lower side, for example, the refrigerant can be supplied more efficiently than in the case where the refrigerant is supplied horizontally. After supplying the refrigerant from the lower port of the new ion exchanger and then overflowing the refrigerant from the upper port of the new ion exchanger, the supply of the refrigerant is completed and the new ion exchanger It is possible to prevent air from entering inside.

  Furthermore, in the present invention, a joint mechanism for detachably connecting a pipe to the ion exchanger is provided, and the joint mechanism includes a first valve body of a normally closed type disposed on the ion exchanger side, It is good to comprise so that it may have the 2nd valve body of the normal close type arrange | positioned at the said piping side.

  According to the present invention, a refrigerant circuit is configured by piping connected to the ion exchanger, and the joint mechanism that detachably connects the ion exchanger and the piping between the ion exchanger and the piping. Should be provided. When the piping is removed from the ion exchanger, the ion exchanger side and the piping side are respectively closed by the normally closed type first valve body on the ion exchanger side and the normally closed second valve body on the piping side. This prevents the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit from being led out. This eliminates the need for removing the refrigerant from the refrigerant circuit in advance, and prevents the operator from getting wet with the refrigerant. Therefore, in the present invention, the replacement operation of the ion exchanger can be further simplified and the replacement time can be shortened as compared with the conventional case.

  Still further, according to the present invention, after removing the pipe from the ion exchanger, the second valve body provided on the pipe side is forcibly opened to discharge the refrigerant remaining in the pipe. Thus, for example, when the refrigerant is periodically exchanged, the refrigerant exchange operation can be easily performed.

  Furthermore, according to the present invention, the axial center of the outlet of the ion exchanger is provided at a higher position in the height direction than the axial center of the inlet, so that, for example, air is mixed into the refrigerant circuit. Even in this case, the air does not accumulate in the ion exchanger, and the air can be suitably discharged from an outlet provided at a position higher than the inlet.

  Furthermore, according to the present invention, it can be applied not only to a stationary ion exchanger but also to an on-vehicle ion exchanger mounted on a fuel cell vehicle, thereby improving versatility. Can be made.

According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a fuel cell system capable of further simplifying the replacement work of the ion exchanger and shortening the replacement time as compared with the prior art.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. FIG. 1 is a circuit configuration diagram of a refrigerant circuit incorporating a fuel cell ion exchanger according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration plan view of the refrigerant circuit, and FIG. 3 is an overview of the refrigerant circuit. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which a fuel cell stack and an ion exchanger constituting the refrigerant circuit are fixed on a frame.

<Configuration of refrigerant circuit>
As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerant circuit 10 is a fuel cell that generates electric power by an electrochemical reaction between a fuel gas (for example, hydrogen gas) supplied to the anode and an oxidant gas (for example, air) supplied to the cathode. A stack 12, a radiator 14 that functions as a cooler for cooling the refrigerant, a circulation path 16 that circulates the refrigerant between the fuel cell stack 12 and the radiator 14, and a refrigerant provided in the circulation path 16 A pump 18 that circulates at a flow rate and a flow path switching valve 22 that is provided in a bypass path 20 that bypasses the radiator 14 and switches a flow path through which a refrigerant flows to either the circulation path 16 or the bypass path 20. Including. Instead of the flow path switching valve 22, a flow rate control valve for controlling the flow rate of the refrigerant may be used.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the fuel cell stack 12 is disposed in a center tunnel 26 below the floor panel 24 of the fuel cell vehicle and is fixed on a frame 44 described later. The flow path switching valve 22 functions as a thermostat valve that is a temperature control mechanism that adjusts the flow rate of the refrigerant to the radiator 14 and adjusts the temperature of the refrigerant supplied to the fuel cell stack 12. Furthermore, examples of the refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant circuit 10 include liquid refrigerants such as ethylene glycol and antifreeze liquid, and gas refrigerants such as chlorofluorocarbon gas.

  The fuel cell stack 12 has a stack body having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a refrigerant introduction for cooling the fuel cell stack 12 by circulating the refrigerant into the stack body is provided on the front surface (front side) of the stack body. A port 30a and a refrigerant outlet port 30b are provided. A branch passage 32 that branches from the upstream side of the circulation passage 16 and joins the downstream side is provided between the refrigerant introduction port 30a and the refrigerant outlet port 30b. The branch passage 32 includes, for example, cation exchange. An ion exchanger (ion exchanger for a fuel cell vehicle) 34 filled with a resin and an anion exchange resin is provided.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, one refrigerant manifold 36a that communicates with a plurality of refrigerant introduction ports 30a provided on the front surface 12a of the fuel cell stack 12 and a plurality of refrigerant outlet ports 30b communicate with each other. The other refrigerant manifold 36b is provided, and the circulation passage 16 is connected to the pair of refrigerant manifolds 36a and 36b.

  In this case, the inner diameter (D1) of the pipeline constituting the circulation passage 16 is set larger than the inner diameter (D2) of the pipeline constituting the branch passage 32 (D1> D2), and the preset minimum flow rate is set. A refrigerant is provided so as to always flow through the ion exchanger 34 via the branch passage 32.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a control signal for deriving a drive signal for driving the pump 18 and deriving a valve switching signal (valve operation control signal) to the flow path switching valve 22 is supplied to the refrigerant circuit 10. An ECU (Electric Control Unit) 38 that functions as means is provided. The ECU 38 is constituted by an electronic control unit including a microcomputer including a RAM, a ROM, a CPU, an I / O port and the like (not shown).

<Configuration of ion exchanger>
As shown in FIG. 11, the ion exchanger 34 includes a housing 34 a, and an ion exchange resin (not shown) is accommodated in the closed space portion of the housing 34 a.

  An inlet port 64a into which a refrigerant is introduced is provided on one end side of the ion exchanger 34, and an outlet port 64b from which the refrigerant is led out is provided on the other end side.

  In this case, when the refrigerant comes into contact with the ion exchange resin, ions (ion-dissolved components) contained in the refrigerant are removed, and then, the refrigerant is led out from the ion exchanger 34. The refrigerant led out from the ion exchanger 34 is provided so as to circulate in the circulation passage 16 by being circulated again by the pump 18 after joining the circulation passage 16 via the branch passage 32.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 11, the inlet port 64a is connected between the inlet port 64a of the ion exchanger 34 into which the refrigerant is introduced and a pipe (pipe tube) 66 constituting the branch passage 32. A first joint mechanism 40a for detachably connecting the pipe 66 is provided, and on the other hand, between the outlet port 64b of the ion exchanger 34 from which the refrigerant is led out and the pipe (pipe tube) 66 constituting the branch passage 32. Is provided with a second joint mechanism 40b for detachably connecting the outlet port 64b and the pipe 66. The first joint mechanism 40a and the second joint mechanism 40b have the same configuration, and will be described in detail in the pipe connection structure of the ion exchanger 34 described later.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 11, in the installed state, the axis of the inlet port 64a (see the virtual horizontal line E1 passing through the axis) and the axis of the outlet port 64b (see the virtual horizontal line E2 passing through the axis) , And provided so as to be displaced by a dimension H along the vertical direction (height direction). Even if air is mixed into the refrigerant circuit 10, the outlet port 64b is set at a higher position than the inlet port 64a so that the air can be easily discharged from the ion exchanger 34. On the contrary, if the inlet port 64a and the outlet port 64b are set at substantially the same height position, the air may accumulate in the ion exchanger 34. The air suitably discharged from the ion exchanger 34 is gas-liquid separated by the radiator 14 disposed in the refrigerant circuit 10 and discharged to the outside.

<Installation position and installation structure of ion exchanger in refrigerant circuit>
Next, the installation relationship (arrangement relationship) between the fuel cell stack 12 and the ion exchanger 34 will be described below. As shown in FIG. 2, the ion exchanger 34 is arranged in parallel with the axis C of the fuel cell stack 12 formed in a rectangular shape in plan view. Further, the ion exchanger 34 is disposed horizontally in parallel with the traveling direction of the fuel cell vehicle, and is spaced apart from the fuel cell stack 12 by a predetermined amount in the lateral direction on the right side in plan view. From the outside.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the ion exchanger 34 is substantially flush with the bottom surface of the fuel cell stack 12 formed in a rectangular shape when viewed from the side in the downward direction (under the floor direction) of the fuel cell vehicle. It arrange | positions at the bottom in the refrigerant circuit 10. It should be noted that the ion exchanger 34 is not limited to be substantially flush with the bottom surface of the fuel cell stack 12, and as will be described later, the ion exchanger 34 can be easily exchanged, so It is preferable to be arranged below (see the broken line in FIG. 3). Of course, even in the position of FIG. 3, the exchange of the ion exchanger 34 is sufficiently easy.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the ion exchanger 34 has a frame to which the fuel cell stack 12 is fixed via a pair of support portions 42a and 42b protruding from both end portions along the axial direction of the housing 34a by a predetermined length. It is fixed on the same frame 44 as 44. The frame 44 is positioned approximately at the center of the fuel cell vehicle and is provided so as to extend linearly from the front to the rear, and protrudes in a direction substantially orthogonal to the linear portion 46. And a protrusion 48. The fuel cell stack 12 is fixed to the straight portion 46 of the frame 44 along the extending direction thereof, and the pair of protrusions 48, 48 of the frame 44 has ions parallel to the fuel cell stack 12. The support portions 42 a and 42 b of the exchanger 34 are screwed through a plurality of bolts 50.

  In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, a pair of support portions projecting by a predetermined length along the axial direction are provided at both ends along the axial direction of the housing 34a of the ion exchanger 34 formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. 42a and 42b are provided, and the support portions 42a and 42b and the side portion of the frame 44 are fixed via bolts 50 screwed from below. A single under cover 52, which will be described later, is provided below the ion exchanger 34 when the ion exchanger 34 is exchanged. The under cover 52 is detachably provided on the lower floor of the body of the fuel cell vehicle via a bolt 54 screwed into the frame 44 from the lower side.

<Installation position and installation structure of ion exchanger in fuel cell vehicle>
6 is a front view of the fuel cell stack and the ion exchanger arranged between the floor panel and the frame as viewed from the front side toward the rear side, and FIG. 7 is a side view as viewed from the direction of arrow Y2 in FIG. FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the fuel cell stack 12 is fixed on a frame 44 extending from the front side to the rear side in the center tunnel 26 below the floor panel 24 constituting the vehicle body floor of the fuel cell vehicle. Is done. A center console 56 is formed in the center portion of the floor panel 24 by projecting upward in a substantially trapezoidal shape between the driver seat and the passenger seat, and the fuel cell stack 12 is front-mounted in the center console 56. It is arranged to extend from the side to the rear side.

  The floor panel 24 is adjacent to both sides of the center console 56 at the center, and is inclined to the lower side (the frame 44 side) and then bent into a substantially U-shape before coming into contact with the upper surface of the frame 44. In addition, a recess 58 that slightly protrudes upward is formed. In the vehicle width direction continuous to the recess 58, a convex portion 60 is formed directly below the seat, and as shown in FIG. 7, the convex portion 60 directly below the seat of the passenger seat is directed upward. By bulging and forming, a space 62 spaced apart from the frame 44 by a predetermined distance is provided. The ion exchanger 34 is disposed in the space 62 formed by the convex portion 60 and the frame 44 of the floor panel 24 at a position directly below the passenger seat.

  In the present embodiment, the ion exchanger 34 is arranged on the right side of the fuel cell stack 12 in plan view and below the passenger seat (see FIGS. 2 and 7). For example, the ion exchanger 34 is arranged in a space 62 (see FIG. 6) provided on the left side of the fuel cell stack 12 in plan view and below the driver seat. May be. The space 62 in which the ion exchanger 34 is installed is a space in which the floor panel 24 bulges downward toward the frame 44 and is sealed between the floor panel 24 and the frame 44. Part.

  There is no special space (a space protruding toward the vehicle interior side) for installing the ion exchanger 34 in the vehicle interior of the fuel cell vehicle, and it is provided below the seat and does not interfere with the occupant By arranging the ion exchanger 34 in the space, an effective space in the vehicle interior can be widened, and the space in the vehicle interior can be effectively utilized to increase the degree of freedom in layout.

  Further, a recess 58 of the floor panel 24 functioning as a so-called partition wall is interposed between the fuel cell stack 12 and the ion exchanger 34, and the fuel cell stack 12 and the ion exchanger 34 are partitioned. By adopting a structure that is arranged in a separate chamber, it is possible to suppress deterioration in durability of the ion exchanger 34 that has a characteristic that is relatively weak at high temperatures (decrease in the ion adsorption ability of the ion exchange resin).

  In this case, the ion exchanger 34 is disposed in the vicinity of the fuel cell stack 12 with the recess 58 interposed therebetween, whereby the piping length of the entire refrigerant circuit 10 can be shortened, and the entire piping of the refrigerant circuit 10 can be reduced. Weight can be reduced and the total amount of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant circuit 10 can be reduced.

<Piping connection structure of ion exchanger>
FIGS. 8A and 8B are schematic views showing the attaching / detaching operation of the male connector and the female connector constituting the joint mechanism.

  A first joint mechanism 40a and a second joint mechanism having the same configuration are respectively provided in an inlet port 64a (a part where the refrigerant is introduced) and an outlet port 64b (a part where the refrigerant is led out) which are the entrances and exits of the ion exchanger 34. 40b is provided, and the first joint mechanism 40a and the second joint mechanism 40b include a male connector 68 and a female connector 70, respectively. The male connector 68 is provided with a first valve body 74 made of a normally closed type valve, and the female connector 70 is provided with a second valve body 102 made of another normally closed type valve. A fluid passage (refrigerant passage) through which a refrigerant flows is formed by abutting the tip end portion of the first valve body 74 and the tip end portion of the second valve body 102 respectively projecting toward each other.

  Hereinafter, a detailed description will be given based on FIGS. 8A and 8B. The first joint 40a and the second joint mechanism 40b have the same configuration and are arranged symmetrically on the inlet port 64a side and the outlet port 64b side, respectively, so that the second joint mechanism 40b on the outlet port 64b side is provided. Will be described in detail, and the description of the first joint mechanism 40a on the inlet port 64a side will be omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 8A, the second joint mechanism 40b (first joint mechanism 40a) is provided on the outlet port 64b side (inlet port 64a side) of the ion exchanger 34 and is an abbreviation of the ion exchanger 34. The male connector 68 is connected to one end of the cylindrical housing 34a, and the female connector 70 is provided on the pipe 66 side and connected to the pipe tube.

  The male connector 68 is provided so that a part of the male connector 68 can protrude from one end of the first connector main body 72, and the first valve body 74 is disposed so as to be displaceable along the axial direction of the first connector main body 72; A first locking member 80 fixed to an intermediate portion of the first connector main body 72, one end engaged with the first locking member 80, and the other end engaged with the first valve body 74 and a spring. And a first spring member 82 that presses the distal end portion of the first valve body 74 in a direction protruding from one end portion of the first connector body 72 by force.

  A first seat 90 is formed on the inner surface of one end of the first connector body 72, and the outlet port 64 b is blocked by the first valve body 74 seated on the first seat 90. The valve is closed.

  In this case, a first seal ring 92 is attached to the outer peripheral surface on the one end side along the axial direction of the first connector main body 72 via an annular groove, and the first connector main body 72 will be described later. When attached to the opening 96 of the main body 94, the connecting portion (detachable portion) between the first connector main body 72 and the second connector main body 94 is sealed in a liquid-tight or air-tight manner by the first seal ring 92 (FIG. 8). (See (b)).

  The first seal ring 92 is provided in the male connector 68 on the ion exchanger 34 side, and functions as a seal member that seals the attachment / detachment portion with the female connector 79 on the piping 66 side.

  The first valve body 74 is fitted with a second seal ring 98 via an annular groove. When the first valve body 74 is seated on the first seating portion 90 and the valve is closed, Since the seating site is sealed by the second seal ring 98, leakage of the refrigerant from the outlet port 64b side can be suitably prevented.

  In other words, when the piping 66 is removed from the outlet port 64b of the ion exchanger 34 and the female connector 70 is detached from the male connector 68, the first valve body 74 is seated on the first seating portion 90 and the valve is closed. In addition, the second seal ring 98 that seals the seating site reliably prevents the refrigerant from being led out from the outlet port 64b side.

  The female connector 70 is disposed so as to be displaceable along a substantially cylindrical second connector body 94 having an opening 96 through which the first connector body 72 can be inserted, and a through hole of the second connector body 94. A second valve body 102 seated on a second seating portion 100 formed in a partition wall at an intermediate portion of the second connector main body 94, and a second locking member 106 fixed to the intermediate portion of the second connector main body 94. Including.

  The opening 96 constituting the inner wall of the female connector 70 is formed of a cylindrical surface on which an annular groove or the like for mounting an O-ring is not formed like a pipe joint (not shown) according to the prior art, and will be described later. In addition, the opening 96 can be suitably cleaned by high-pressure cleaning.

  Further, the female connector 70 has one end engaged with the second locking member 106 and the other end engaged with the second valve body 102, and the second valve body 102 is connected to the second valve body 102 by a spring force. It has the 2nd spring member 108 pressed toward the opening part 96 side of the connector main body 94. FIG.

  Furthermore, a third seal ring 116 is attached to the second valve body 102 via an annular groove, and when the second valve body 102 is seated on the second seating portion 100 and the valve is closed, Since the seating site is sealed by the third seal ring 116, leakage of the refrigerant from the pipe 66 side can be suitably prevented.

  In other words, when the pipe 66 is removed from the outlet port 64b of the ion exchanger 34 and the female connector 70 is detached from the male connector 68, the second valve body 102 is seated on the second seat portion 100 and is in a valve-closed state. In addition, the third seal ring 116 that seals the seating site reliably prevents the refrigerant from being led out from the pipe 66 side.

As described above, the first valve body 74 and the second valve body 102 disposed in the male connector 68 and the female connector 70, respectively, are in a normal state in which the male connector 68 and the female connector 70 are removed from each other (between the connectors). It is configured by a normally closed type valve that is in a valve closed state in a normal state where the connection with the other party is released.

  The first valve body 74, the second valve body 102, the first spring member 82 and the second spring member 108, the first seal ring 92, the second seal ring 98 and the third seal ring 116 formed of a rubber material. All the components (including the pipe 66) of the first joint mechanism 40a and the second joint mechanism 40b except for the material have a predetermined strength and have a low conductivity and ions are not easily derived (for example, resin materials, It may be formed of a ceramic material or the like.

  When the first connector main body 72 is inserted through the opening 96 of the second connector main body 94 from the state shown in FIG. 8A and the male connector 68 and the female connector 70 are attached, the state shown in FIG. As shown, the front end of the first valve body 74 and the front end of the second valve body 102, which are coaxially opposed to each other, come into contact with each other, so that the first valve body 74 and the second valve body 102 are in contact with each other. While the contact state is maintained, the first connector body 72 is displaced in a direction approaching the second connector body against the spring force of the first spring member 82, and the second connector body 94 is moved to the second spring. The member 108 is displaced toward the first connector main body 72 side against the spring force of the member 108.

  The first valve body 74 and the second valve body 102 are displaced in a direction in which the first connector main body 72 and the second connector main body 94 approach each other while maintaining the contact state at the distal end portion. The connector 68 and the female connector 70 are fitted to each other. In the fitted state of the male connector 68 and the female connector 70, as shown in FIG. 8 (b), the first valve body 74 is separated from the first seating portion 90 and is opened, while the second The valve body 102 is separated from the second seating portion 100 and is in the valve open state.

  Accordingly, a gap is formed between the first valve body 74 and the first seating portion 90, and a gap is formed between the second valve body 102 and the second seating portion 100, as shown in FIG. As indicated by the arrows, the outlet port 64b and the pipe 66 are in communication with each other through both gaps. As a result, by connecting the female connector 70 and the male connector 68, the first valve body 74 and the second valve body 102 are each in the valve open state, and the refrigerant can be smoothly circulated along the fluid passage. .

  After the female connector 70 on the piping 66 side is removed from the male connector 68 on the ion exchanger 34 side, for example, a rod member or jig (not shown) is inserted through the opening 96 of the second connector main body 94 to form the second connector. By pressing the distal end of the valve body 102 and forcibly separating the second valve body 102 from the second seating section 100, the refrigerant remaining in the pipe 66 is suitably discharged to the outside. can do. In this case, since the ion exchanger 34 is disposed at the lowermost part in the refrigerant circuit 10, smooth and quick drainage of the refrigerant can be obtained, and the discharge operation of the refrigerant can be performed efficiently.

<Ion exchanger mounting structure (support structure)>
Next, the attachment structure (support structure) of the ion exchanger 34 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 5, the support portions 42 a and 42 b on both sides along the axial direction of the ion exchanger 34 are disposed between a pair of projecting portions 48 including the same frame 44 as the fuel cell stack 12. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, only one side of the ion exchanger 34 has an insertion structure. Also good. In FIG. 9, the first joint mechanism 40a and the second joint mechanism 40b are not shown for convenience of explanation.

  As shown in the first modification of FIGS. 9A and 9B, for example, a block 122 in which a small hole 120 having a circular cross section is formed is connected to one frame 44 side, so that the ion exchanger 34 It is preferable that a columnar support portion 124 inserted into the small hole 120 is provided on one side and the columnar support portion 124 is inserted into the small hole 120.

  Further, as shown in the second modification of FIG. 9C, a member in which an annular groove 130 is formed between the rectangular block portion 126 and the disk portion 128 is connected to one frame 44 side, A plate member 134 having an opening 132 that engages with the annular groove 130 may be provided on one side of the ion exchanger 34, and the opening 132 of the plate member 134 may be inserted into the annular groove 130.

  Further, as shown in the third modified example of FIG. 9D, one end of the ion exchanger 34 is connected to one end of the rectangular first plate body 136 so that a small-diameter column 138 is erected. A second plate body 142 having a circular hole 140 into which the column body 138 is inserted may be provided, and the column body 138 may be inserted into the hole 140 of the second plate body 142.

  By adopting such a one-side insertion structure of the ion exchanger 34, when the ion exchanger 34 disposed on the lower side (lower floor) of the body of the fuel cell vehicle is replaced, the ion exchanger 34 is removed. In addition, the mounting operation is further simplified, and the working time can be shortened.

<Operation effect of refrigerant circuit>
Next, the effect of the refrigerant circuit 10 will be described.
When an ignition switch (not shown) is turned on, fuel gas (hydrogen gas) and oxidant gas (air) are respectively supplied to the fuel cell stack 12, and power generation is started in the fuel cell stack 12. At the same time, a drive signal is introduced from the ECU 38 to the pump 18, the pump 18 also starts to drive, and the refrigerant flows along the circulation passage 16. In this case, the refrigerant is introduced into the ion exchanger 34 through the branch passage 32 branched from the circulation passage 16, and the ion-dissolved component in the refrigerant is removed (adsorbed) by an ion exchange resin (not shown).

  When the temperature of the refrigerant rises to a predetermined temperature or more due to heat generation of the fuel cell stack 12, for example, the valve position of the flow path switching valve 22 is switched based on a valve switching signal from the ECU 38, and the refrigerant is introduced to the radiator 14 side. The refrigerant may be cooled by the heat radiation action of the radiator 14.

  In the present embodiment, an ion exchanger 34 is disposed in a branch passage 32 that branches from the circulation passage 16 that communicates with the fuel cell stack 12, and the fuel cell stack 12 and the ion exchanger 34 are disposed in parallel. Thus, the entire flow rate of the refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant circuit 10 is not supplied into the ion exchanger 34, and the refrigerant is supplied to the first valve body 74 and the second valve body 74 of the first joint mechanism 40a and the second joint mechanism 40b. There is an advantage that pressure loss when flowing along the fluid passage (see the arrow in FIG. 8B) opened by the valve body 102 can be suppressed. In the present embodiment, since the refrigerant flows in parallel to the fuel cell stack 12 and the ion exchanger 34, pressure loss at the valves (the first valve body 74 and the second valve body 102) can be allowed. .

  Therefore, in this embodiment, the pressure loss due to the first joint mechanism 40a and the second joint mechanism 40b (the first valve body 74 and the second valve body 102) attached to the ion exchanger 34 is suppressed as much as possible, and the refrigerant is supplied. The pump 18 that is pumped can be reduced in size and weight.

  In the present embodiment, the in-vehicle ion exchanger 34 mounted on the fuel cell vehicle is described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a predetermined position of a member other than the fuel cell vehicle. It may be a stationary ion exchanger 34 disposed in the.

<Ion exchanger replacement work>
An ion exchange resin (not shown) accommodated in the ion exchanger 34 has a characteristic that the ion adsorption capacity gradually decreases by adsorbing ions in the refrigerant, and therefore, a deteriorated ion exchange resin (ion exchanger 34). Maintenance is required to periodically replace the ion exchange resin with a new ion exchange resin (ion exchanger 34). Below, the exchange work of the ion exchanger 34 is demonstrated.

FIG. 10 is a partially omitted exploded perspective view of the frame with the under cover removed.
As shown in FIG. 10, by removing the under cover 54 by loosening the bolt 54 etc. fixing the single under cover 52 provided on the lower side (under the floor) of the body of the fuel cell vehicle, The ion exchanger 34 is exposed from the lower side of the body.

  In this case, in the present embodiment, the ion exchanger 34 is fixed on the same frame 44 as the fuel cell stack 12, and the center of the fuel cell vehicle is viewed in plan view below the body of the fuel cell vehicle. By removing the under cover 52 that is disposed on the outside of the ion exchanger 34 and is located directly below the ion exchanger 34, the ion exchanger 34 is exposed to the outside and can be removed.

  Subsequently, after loosening a plurality of bolts 50 that attach the ion exchanger 34 to the frame 44 via the support portions 42a and 42b and removing the ion exchanger 34 from the frame 44, as shown in FIG. The pipe 66 is removed from the inlet port 64a and the outlet port 64b of the ion exchanger 34 by detaching the female connector 70 from the male connector 68 constituting the first joint mechanism 40a and the second joint mechanism 40b.

  At this time, as described above, since the first valve body 74 and the second valve body 102 provided in the first joint mechanism 40a and the second joint mechanism 40b are each constituted by a normally closed type valve, The valve body 74 is closed with the first valve body 74 and the second valve body 102 seated on the first seating portion 90 and the second seating portion 100, respectively (see FIG. 8A), and the refrigerant remaining in the refrigerant circuit 10 is exposed to the outside. Leakage is prevented. For this reason, the operator can easily remove the pipe 66 connected to the ion exchanger 34 without being flooded by the refrigerant (for example, in the case of a liquid refrigerant).

  That is, when the pipe 66 is removed from the inlet port 64a and the outlet port 64b of the ion exchanger 34, the second valve body 102 of the female connector 70 on the side of the removed pipe 66 is closed and remains in the pipe 66. Leakage of the refrigerant to the outside is prevented, and the first valve body 74 of the male connector 68 connected to the ion exchanger 34 side is closed, and the refrigerant remaining in the ion exchanger 34 is discharged to the outside. Leakage is prevented. This is the same in the first joint mechanism 40a and the second joint mechanism 40b provided on the inlet port 64a side and the outlet port 64b side, respectively.

  After the ion exchanger 34 can be separated from the frame 44 and the pipe 66 is removed in this manner, the operator can use the ion exchanger 34 whose performance has deteriorated through the underfloor opening of the fuel cell vehicle from which the under cover 52 has been removed. Can be taken out of the fuel cell vehicle alone. In addition, a new ion exchanger 34 (see FIG. 11) preliminarily charged with a predetermined amount of refrigerant is fixed to the frame 44 with bolts 50 through the underfloor opening, and the first joint mechanism 40a and the second joint mechanism. The pipe connection for mounting the female connector 70 of 40b to the male connector 68 is performed. In addition, as FIG. 9 shows, the removal and attachment operation | work of the ion exchanger 34 can be performed more simply by making the ion exchanger 34 into a one-side insertion structure.

  On the other hand, for example, in the conventional technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 or the like, an exchange in which the ion exchanger 34 (ion exchange resin) having deteriorated ion adsorption capacity is replaced with a new ion exchanger 34 (ion exchange resin). As a preparatory stage for the work, a refrigerant discharge operation for discharging the refrigerant remaining in the refrigerant circuit 10 provided with the ion exchanger 34 from the refrigerant circuit 10 is required, and the refrigerant discharge operation temporarily reduces the amount of refrigerant. Even if the refrigerant leaks to the outside, an additional work for adding a new refrigerant corresponding to the leakage amount is required. Furthermore, in the conventional technique, after the used ion exchanger 34 is replaced with a new ion exchanger 34, it is necessary to perform an air bleeding operation so that air does not flow into (mixed in) the refrigerant circuit 10.

  As described above, in the prior art, it is necessary to perform various operations such as the refrigerant discharge operation, the refrigerant addition operation, and the air bleeding operation in association with the replacement operation of the ion exchanger 34. The exchange work takes a lot of time. In addition, when the ion exchanger 34 and the refrigerant are exchanged at different timings, and the ion exchanger 34 needs to be exchanged before the life of the refrigerant, the conventional technique has not yet deteriorated the refrigerant. Since the refrigerant discharge operation (refrigerant extraction operation) is performed, the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 10 cannot be effectively used.

  In this embodiment, the 1st valve body 74 and the 2nd valve body 102 of the 1st joint mechanism 40a and the 2nd joint mechanism 40b are each comprised by the valve | bulb of a normal close type, and the inlet port 64a and outlet port of the ion exchanger 34 are each comprised. When the pipe 66 is removed from each of the 64b, the first valve body 74 on the ion exchanger 34 side and the second valve body 102 on the pipe 66 side are closed, and the inlet port 64a of the ion exchanger 34, By reliably and instantaneously closing the outlet port 64b and the connection portion of the pipe 66 connected to the inlet port 64a and the outlet port 64b, the refrigerant in the ion exchanger 34 and the refrigerant remaining in the pipe 66 are exposed to the outside. Leakage can be suitably prevented.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the used ion exchanger 34 (ion exchange resin) is replaced with a new ion exchanger 34 (ion exchange resin) while leaving the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 10 as it is without leaking outside. The refrigerant discharge operation and the air bleeding operation associated with the replacement operation can be made unnecessary. Further, in the present embodiment, since a new amount of refrigerant has already been filled in the new ion exchanger 34 (the refrigerant filling will be described later), the refilling operation of the refrigerant or the like becomes unnecessary.

  As a result, in this embodiment, compared with the prior art, various operations associated with the replacement operation of the ion exchanger 34 become unnecessary, and the replacement operation of the ion exchanger 34 can be simplified and the replacement time can be shortened. it can.

  Further, in the present embodiment, since the replacement work of the ion exchanger 34 can be performed without discarding the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 10, it is possible to effectively use the refrigerant and reduce the refrigerant cost. Can reduce maintenance costs.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, the ion exchanger 34 arranged in parallel with the fuel cell stack 12 can be replaced only by removing the single under cover 52 provided on the lower side of the fuel cell vehicle. This eliminates the need to remove the casing in which the ion exchanger 34 is accommodated, the refrigerant discharge operation, the refrigerant reinjection operation, and the like, making the ion exchanger 34 more easily exchanged compared to the prior art. Exchange time can be shortened.

<Filling of refrigerant into ion exchanger>
When the inside of the ion exchanger 34 is filled with a refrigerant (preferably a liquid refrigerant), as shown in FIG. 12, the ion exchanger is fixed by a jig 150 having a substantially L-shaped cross section fixed on a base. It is preferable to inject the refrigerant in a state where 34 is held along the vertical direction (vertical state). The piping tube 154 communicating with the refrigerant storage tank 152 disposed above the ion exchanger 34 is connected to the inlet port 64a on the lower side of the ion exchanger 34, and the piping tube 158 communicating with the refrigerant storage tank 156 is ionized. It connects to the outlet port 64b on the upper side of the exchanger 34.

  In this case, the refrigerant is gradually injected from the side of the inlet port 64a located below the ion exchanger 34, and a predetermined amount of refrigerant is filled in the ion exchanger 34 to become full, and the refrigerant overflows from the outlet port 64b. Thus, charging of the refrigerant is completed.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, by filling the refrigerant with the ion exchanger 34 placed vertically, a driving unit such as a pump for filling and feeding the refrigerant to the ion exchanger 34 becomes unnecessary, and the refrigerant is charged. The refrigerant can be efficiently filled in the ion exchanger 34 by shortening the time.

  On the other hand, when the ion exchanger 34 is placed horizontally as opposed to the vertically placed state and the refrigerant is pumped into the ion exchanger 34 using a pump (not shown), it takes time to charge the refrigerant and the efficiency is increased. Therefore, it becomes difficult to charge the coolant.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the ion exchanger 34 preliminarily filled with the refrigerant is simply exchanged with the used ion exchanger 34 having a reduced ion removal capability as described above.

<Refrigerant leakage prevention mechanism during transport of ion exchanger>
In the present embodiment, the tip end portions of the first valve bodies 74 provided on the inlet port 64a side and the outlet port 64b side of the ion exchanger 34 protrude from the opening portion of the first connector main body 72 to the outside by a predetermined length. Since the tip of the first valve body 74 is pressed for some reason (for example, during the replacement operation of the ion exchanger 34, the tip of the first valve body 74 is For example, when the first valve element 74 comes into contact with another member, the first valve element 74 is separated from the first seating portion 90 and is opened, and the refrigerant filled in the ion exchanger 34 may leak to the outside.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 13, for example, by mounting the bottomed cylindrical cap member 160 covering the inlet port 64a and the outlet port 64b of the ion exchanger 34, the ion exchanger 34 is being transported. The refrigerant in the ion exchanger 34 can be suitably prevented from leaking to the outside due to the first valve body 74 being pressed.

  As described above, by providing a refrigerant leakage prevention mechanism (for example, the cap member 160) at the portion of the ion exchanger 34 having the valve (first valve body 74), first, foreign matter enters the ion exchanger 34. Secondly, when the valve is pressed, the refrigerant filled in the ion exchanger 34 leaks to the outside, so that contact with the outside is preferably avoided during loading. Third, there is an effect that damage to the valve can be prevented by contact with the outside. By providing the cap member 160, there is an advantage that damage to the first seal ring 92 (see FIG. 8) exposed to the outside can be suitably avoided.

  The cap member 160 may be formed of, for example, a hard resin material, a ceramic material, or the like that has electrical insulation (ensures electrical insulation of the refrigerant).

<Differences between the present embodiment and the comparative example>
Next, differences between the present embodiment and Patent Document 2 (hereinafter referred to as comparative examples) will be described in detail below. FIG. 1 of this comparative example discloses that the ion exchanger is disposed beside the fuel cell stack formed in a box shape in the supply side piping of the water piping constituting the water passage. The following points are different.

  First, in the comparative example, piping is directly connected to the inlet port and outlet port of the ion exchanger, whereas in the present embodiment, the first joint mechanism 40a and the second joint mechanism 40b are used. The difference is that it is detachable.

  As a result, in the comparative example, the refrigerant discharge work, the refrigerant addition work, the air bleeding work, and the like accompanying the exchange work of the ion exchanger are required, whereas in the present embodiment, these additional work are unnecessary. Therefore, the replacement work of the ion exchanger 34 can be simplified and the replacement time can be shortened as compared with the comparative example.

  Secondly, in the comparative example, the height relationship between the fuel cell stack and the ion exchanger is not specifically disclosed or suggested, but in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. The ion exchanger 34 is different from the fuel cell stack 12 in the lower part of the refrigerant circuit 10.

  Third, in the comparative example, in the refrigerant circuit, the fuel cell stack and the ion exchanger are connected in series through the piping, and the refrigerant flows in series to the ion exchanger and the fuel cell stack. As shown in FIG. 1, the difference is that the fuel cell stack 12 and the ion exchanger 34 are connected in parallel via the branch passage 32, and the refrigerant is provided to flow in parallel.

  Fourth, in the comparative example, in order to optimize the weight balance in the vehicle width direction between the battery (heavy auxiliary machine) and the electric circuit breaker (lighter auxiliary machine), a refrigerant is provided on the electric circuit breaker (lighter auxiliary machine) side. Whereas the piping and the ion exchanger are disposed, in the present embodiment, the fuel cell stack 12 disposed in the center console 56 is used as a reference and is disposed in any of the left and right spaces 62 along the vehicle width direction. (See FIG. 6), which is different in that the degree of freedom in layout is improved.

  Fifth, in the comparative example, there is no disclosure or suggestion about the exchange operation of the ion exchanger, whereas in the present embodiment, in order to simplify the exchange operation of the ion exchanger 34, the ion exchanger 34 is described. The arrangement position, the arrangement structure, and the mounting structure are different in that various improvements are made.

FIG. 1 is a circuit configuration diagram of a refrigerant circuit incorporating a fuel cell ion exchanger according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic plan view of the refrigerant circuit. It is a schematic structure side view of the said refrigerant circuit. It is a perspective view which shows the state by which the fuel cell stack and ion exchanger which comprise the said refrigerant circuit were fixed on the flame | frame. It is the figure seen from the arrow Y1 direction of FIG. 4, Comprising: It is a side view which shows the attachment structure with respect to the flame | frame of an ion exchanger. It is the front view which looked at the fuel cell stack and ion exchanger arrange | positioned between a floor panel and a frame toward the rear side from the front side. It is the side view seen from the arrow Y2 direction of FIG. (A), (b) is a schematic diagram which shows attachment / detachment operation | movement with the male connector and female connector which comprise a joint mechanism. (A), (b) is the side view and exploded perspective view which show the one side insertion structure of the ion exchanger which concerns on a 1st modification, (c) is the decomposition | disassembly which shows the one side insertion structure which concerns on a 2nd modification. A perspective view and (d) are exploded perspective views showing a one-sided insertion structure concerning the 3rd modification. It is a partially-omission exploded perspective view of the state where the under cover was removed from the frame. It is a side view which shows the state which replaces | exchanges the used ion exchanger for the ion exchanger filled with the refrigerant | coolant. It is a side view which shows the filling method of the refrigerant | coolant with respect to an ion exchanger. It is a partial cross section side view which shows the cap member with which an ion exchanger is mounted | worn in order to prevent the leakage of a refrigerant | coolant.

Explanation of symbols

10 Refrigerant circuit 12 Fuel cell stack 34 Ion exchanger (ion exchanger for fuel cell)
40a, 40b Joint mechanism 64a Inlet port 64b Outlet port 66 Piping 74 First valve body 102 Second valve body 160 Cap member (refrigerant leakage prevention mechanism)

Claims (4)

A fuel cell stack that generates electric power by being supplied with a reaction gas; a radiator that functions as a cooler that cools the refrigerant; a circulation path that circulates the refrigerant between the fuel cell stack and the radiator; and A refrigerant circuit that includes a pump that circulates the refrigerant at a predetermined flow rate.
The provided et is the refrigerant circuit, the site where the refrigerant is site and derived is introduced becomes a valve-closed state in a state where connection is released with the other side, on the other hand, the valve open state by being connected to the other party An ion exchanger for a fuel cell provided with a normally closed type valve ,
A fuel cell system comprising:
The fuel cell ion exchanger is disposed at the lowermost part of the refrigerant circuit and via a pair of support portions projecting by a predetermined length from both end portions along the axial direction of the housing of the fuel cell ion exchanger. Fixed to the same frame as the frame to which the fuel cell stack is fixed,
The ion exchanger for a fuel cell is provided with a refrigerant leakage prevention mechanism at a position having the valve to prevent leakage of the filled refrigerant to the outside, and in the state installed in the refrigerant circuit, the outlet shaft The center is provided so as to be higher in the height direction than the inlet axis.
An under cover is located directly below the ion exchanger for the fuel cell, and the ion exchanger is exposed to the outside by removing the under cover.
A fuel cell system, wherein a new ion exchanger to be replaced with a used ion exchanger is already filled with a refrigerant. A joint mechanism for detachably connecting a pipe to the ion exchanger for the fuel cell is provided, and the joint mechanism includes a first valve body of a normally closed type disposed on the ion exchanger side, and the pipe 2. The fuel cell system according to claim 1, further comprising a normally closed second valve body disposed on the side . The fuel cell system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fuel cell system is mounted on a fuel cell vehicle .   3. The fuel cell system according to claim 1, wherein the fuel cell ion exchanger is disposed in a branch passage that branches from the circulation passage so as to bypass the fuel cell stack. 4.

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