JP5940973B2 - Fuel cell vehicle - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention includes a fuel cell that generates electric power by an electrochemical reaction between a fuel gas and an oxidant gas, wherein the plurality of fuel cells are stacked along the vehicle width direction, and end plates are disposed at both ends in the stacking direction. The present invention relates to a fuel cell vehicle including a fuel cell stack.

  For example, in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, an electrolyte membrane / electrode structure in which an anode electrode is disposed on one side of an electrolyte membrane made of a polymer ion exchange membrane and a cathode electrode is disposed on the other surface side ( MEA) is provided with a power generation cell sandwiched between separators. This fuel cell is usually incorporated in a fuel cell vehicle as an in-vehicle fuel cell stack, for example, by stacking a predetermined number of power generation cells.

  In this fuel cell vehicle, the fuel cell stack may be disposed, for example, in a front room formed in front of the dashboard of the vehicle body. At that time, since a large number of components are mounted in the front room, there is a risk that the components may be damaged or moved, particularly when the vehicle collides.

  Therefore, for example, Patent Document 1 proposes a structure of a front compartment of a fuel cell vehicle for the purpose of improving space efficiency while ensuring collision safety. In this patent document 1, a brake master cylinder and a gas supply line for supplying gas to the fuel cell are provided in the front compartment. And the chamber part which was provided in the middle of the gas supply line and whose passage cross-sectional area was expanded rather than the general part of this gas supply line is arrange | positioned ahead of the master cylinder.

  Accordingly, the portion of the gas supply line located in front of the master cylinder is a hollow chamber portion, so that even if the front part moves backward during a vehicle frontal collision, the chamber portion becomes a crush zone. The impact force on the master cylinder is absorbed.

JP 2007-87890 A

  In the above structure, a resonator integrated air cleaner is used as the chamber portion. For this reason, there is a problem that the configuration becomes complicated and dedicated parts must be employed, which is not economical.

  The present invention solves this type of problem, and an object thereof is to provide a fuel cell vehicle capable of satisfactorily protecting brake components with a simple and economical configuration.

  The present invention includes a fuel cell that generates electric power by an electrochemical reaction between a fuel gas and an oxidant gas, wherein the plurality of fuel cells are stacked along the vehicle width direction, and end plates are disposed at both ends in the stacking direction. The present invention relates to a fuel cell vehicle in which a fuel cell stack is disposed in a front room formed in front of a dashboard.

In this fuel cell vehicle, the fuel cells are stacked with the electrode surface in an upright posture, and in the fuel cell stack, a cooling medium flow path for flowing a cooling medium in a horizontal direction along the electrode surface direction, and the cooling A cooling medium supply communication hole that communicates with the inlet side of the medium flow path and distributes the cooling medium along the stacking direction of the fuel cell, and communicates with an outlet side of the cooling medium flow path, and that extends along the stacking direction. A cooling medium discharge communication hole through which the cooling medium flows, and the cooling medium supply communication hole is formed above and below one end in the horizontal direction of the fuel cell stack, respectively, while the horizontal direction of the fuel cell stack above and below the other end, is the coolant discharge passage respectively forming, on the one end plate, the cooling medium manifold for circulating the cooling medium into the fuel cell stack But the cooling medium manifold with provided to protrude outwardly of one of said end plates, which are arranged in the coolant discharge passage provided in the coolant supply passage or the direction of gravity above is provided upward in the gravity direction The member is disposed at a position facing the brake system along the vehicle length direction.

  Further, in this fuel cell vehicle, the cooling medium manifold member is preferably formed of a resin material.

  According to the present invention, for example, when an external load is applied from the front of the vehicle and the fuel cell stack moves to the rear of the vehicle, that is, to the dashboard side, the coolant manifold member contacts the brake system. For this reason, the cooling medium manifold member protruding outward from one end plate is destroyed, and the fuel cell stack can be retracted.

  Therefore, it is possible to secure a reverse stroke at the time of collision of the fuel cell stack and to suppress the damage to the brake system and the entry into the cabin as much as possible. As a result, the brake parts can be well protected with a simple and economical configuration.

1 is a schematic plan view of a front side of a fuel cell electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of a housing that houses a fuel cell stack that constitutes the fuel cell electric vehicle. It is a principal part disassembled perspective explanatory drawing of the fuel cell which comprises the said fuel cell stack. FIG. 3 is a perspective explanatory view of the fuel cell stack on the side of a cooling medium manifold member. It is side surface explanatory drawing of the input part which comprises a brake system, and the said fuel cell stack. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the said input part when the external load is provided, and the said fuel cell stack.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a fuel cell electric vehicle (fuel cell vehicle) 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an automobile body 12. A front box (so-called motor room) 12f is formed in front of the vehicle body 12 via a dashboard 13, and a fuel cell stack 14 is accommodated in the front box 12f. The fuel cell stack 14 is surrounded by a housing 16. An occupant cabin 17 is provided behind the dashboard 13.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the fuel cell stack 14 is a vehicle in which a plurality of fuel cells 18 intersect the vehicle length direction (front-rear traveling direction) (arrow A direction) of the fuel cell electric vehicle 10 with the electrode surface in a standing posture. They are stacked in the width direction (arrow B direction). At one end in the stacking direction of the fuel cell 18, a first terminal plate 20a, a first insulating plate 22a, and a first end plate 24a are sequentially arranged outward. At the other end of the fuel cell 18 in the stacking direction, a second terminal plate 20b, a second insulating plate 22b, and a second end plate (one end plate) 24b are sequentially arranged outward.

  A first power output terminal 26a connected to the first terminal plate 20a extends outward from the center of the horizontally long first end plate 24a. A second power output terminal 26b connected to the second terminal plate 20b extends outward from the center portion of the horizontally long second end plate 24b.

  Between the sides of the first end plate 24a and the second end plate 24b, both ends of the connecting bar 28 are fixed by screws 30, and a tightening load in the stacking direction (arrow B direction) is applied to the plurality of stacked fuel cells 18. Give.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the fuel cell 18 includes an electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 32, and a first metal separator 34 and a second metal separator 36 that sandwich the electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 32.

  The first metal separator 34 and the second metal separator 36 are made of, for example, a steel plate, a stainless steel plate, an aluminum plate, a plated steel plate, or a metal plate whose surface is subjected to anticorrosion treatment. The first metal separator 34 and the second metal separator 36 have a rectangular planar shape, and are formed into a concavo-convex shape by pressing a metal thin plate into a wave shape. Instead of the first metal separator 34 and the second metal separator 36, for example, a carbon separator may be used.

  The first metal separator 34 and the second metal separator 36 have a horizontally long shape, and have long sides extending in the horizontal direction (arrow A direction) and short sides extending in the direction of gravity (arrow C direction). Composed. In addition, you may comprise so that a short side may extend in a horizontal direction and a long side may extend in a gravitational direction.

  An oxidant gas supply communication hole 38a for supplying an oxidant gas, for example, an oxygen-containing gas, communicates with each other in the arrow B direction at one edge of the long side direction (arrow A direction) of the fuel cell 18. A fuel gas supply communication hole 40a for supplying a fuel gas, for example, a hydrogen-containing gas, is provided.

  The other end edge in the long side direction of the fuel cell 18 communicates with each other in the direction of the arrow B, and a fuel gas discharge communication hole 40b for discharging the fuel gas, and an oxidant gas for discharging the oxidant gas. A discharge communication hole 38b is provided.

  Both ends of the fuel cell 18 in the short side direction (arrow C direction) (one side in the horizontal direction), that is, on the side of the oxidant gas supply communication hole 38a and the fuel gas supply communication hole 40a are in the direction of arrow B. Two cooling medium supply communication holes 42a for communicating with each other and supplying a cooling medium are provided vertically on opposite sides. The fuel cell 18 communicates with each other in the direction of the arrow B on the other side (the other end in the horizontal direction) of both ends in the short side direction, that is, on the fuel gas discharge communication hole 40b and the oxidant gas discharge communication hole 38b side. Thus, two cooling medium discharge communication holes 42b for discharging the cooling medium are provided vertically on opposite sides.

  The electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 32 includes, for example, a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 44 in which a perfluorosulfonic acid thin film is impregnated with water, and a cathode electrode 46 and an anode electrode 48 that sandwich the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 44. Prepare.

  The cathode electrode 46 and the anode electrode 48 are formed by uniformly applying a gas diffusion layer (not shown) made of carbon paper or the like and porous carbon particles carrying a platinum alloy on the surface thereof to the surface of the gas diffusion layer. And an electrode catalyst layer (not shown) to be formed. The electrode catalyst layers are formed on both surfaces of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 44.

  An oxidant gas flow path 50 that connects the oxidant gas supply communication hole 38a and the oxidant gas discharge communication hole 38b is formed on the surface 34a of the first metal separator 34 facing the electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 32. The oxidant gas channel 50 is formed by a plurality of wavy channel grooves (or straight channel grooves) extending in the direction of arrow A.

  A fuel gas flow path 52 that connects the fuel gas supply communication hole 40 a and the fuel gas discharge communication hole 40 b is formed on the surface 36 a of the second metal separator 36 facing the electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 32. The fuel gas channel 52 is formed by a plurality of wave-like channel grooves (or straight channel grooves) extending in the direction of arrow A.

  Between the surface 36b of the second metal separator 36 and the surface 34b of the first metal separator 34 adjacent thereto, a cooling medium flow path communicating with the cooling medium supply communication holes 42a, 42a and the cooling medium discharge communication holes 42b, 42b. 54 is formed. The cooling medium flow channel 54 extends in the horizontal direction, and allows the cooling medium to flow through the electrode range of the electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 32.

  A first seal member 56 is integrally formed on the surfaces 34 a and 34 b of the first metal separator 34 around the outer peripheral edge of the first metal separator 34. A second seal member 58 is integrally formed on the surfaces 36 a and 36 b of the second metal separator 36 around the outer peripheral edge of the second metal separator 36.

  As the first seal member 56 and the second seal member 58, for example, EPDM, NBR, fluorine rubber, silicone rubber, fluorosilicone rubber, butyl rubber, natural rubber, styrene rubber, chloroprene or acrylic rubber or the like, cushion material Alternatively, an elastic seal member such as a packing material is used.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the first end plate 24a has an oxidant gas communication hole 38a, an oxidant gas discharge hole 38b, a fuel gas supply hole 40a, and an oxidant gas communicating with the fuel gas discharge hole 40b. A supply manifold member 60a, an oxidant gas discharge manifold member 60b, a fuel gas supply manifold member 62a, and a fuel gas discharge manifold member 62b are attached.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the second end plate 24b includes upper and lower resin cooling medium supply manifold members (cooling medium manifold members) 64au and 64ad communicating with the upper and lower cooling medium supply communication holes 42a and 42a, and upper and lower cooling plates. Upper and lower resin cooling medium discharge manifold members (cooling medium manifold members) 64 bu and 64 bd communicating with the medium discharge communication holes 42 b and 42 b are attached. The cooling medium supply manifold members 64au and 64ad are connected to a single inlet manifold member 65a, while the cooling medium discharge manifold members 64bu and 64bd are connected to a single outlet manifold member 65b. An inlet pipe 65ap is connected to an intermediate position of the inlet manifold member 65a, and an outlet pipe 65bp is connected to an intermediate position of the outlet manifold member 65b.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the housing 16 includes a first end plate 24 a and a second end plate 24 b on both sides in the vehicle width direction (arrow B direction). Two sides of both ends of the casing 16 in the vehicle length direction (arrow A direction) are constituted by a front L-shaped side plate 66 and a rear L-shaped side plate 68, and at both ends of the casing 16 in the vehicle height direction (arrow C direction). The two sides are constituted by an upper flat plate 70 and a lower flat plate 72.

  As shown in FIG. 2, at the upper end of the front L-shaped side plate 66, a horizontal bulging portion 66a that bulges in the horizontal direction is provided at a position spaced apart by a predetermined length downward. At the tip of the horizontal portion of the front L-shaped side plate 66, a stepped portion 66b bent upward is provided. At the upper end of the rear L-shaped side plate 68, an inner bulging portion 68a bulging upward from the inner surface side is provided. A stepped portion 68 b that bends upward is provided at the tip of the horizontal portion of the rear L-shaped side plate 68. At one end of the upper flat plate 70, a stepped portion 70a that is bent downward is provided.

  The lower flat plate 72 is fixed by bolts 76 in close contact with the step portions 66b and 68b. The upper flat plate 70 and the rear L-shaped side plate 68 are connected by an angle member 74. The angle member 74 has a substantially L-shaped cross section, and is fixed to the inner bulged portion 68 a of the rear L-shaped side plate 68 and the stepped portion 70 a of the upper flat plate 70 via bolts 76. The upper flat plate 70 is fixed to the horizontal bulging portion 66 a of the front L-shaped side plate 66 through bolts 76.

  The front L-shaped side plate 66, the rear L-shaped side plate 68, the upper flat plate 70 and the lower flat plate 72 are configured to be flat at both ends in the stacking direction, and these side surfaces of the first end plate 24 a are connected via a plurality of bolts 76. And fixed to each side surface of the second end plate 24b.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the fuel cell electric vehicle 10 includes a brake system 80 for braking each wheel 78. The brake system 80 includes an input unit 84 having a master cylinder (not shown) to which the pedaling force of the brake pedal is transmitted. The input unit 84 is connected to an output unit 86 that is a braking force generation mechanism, and the output unit 86 applies a braking force to each wheel 78. A braking signal is input from the electric servo brake ECU 88 to the input unit 84 and the output unit 86.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the cooling medium supply manifold member 64 au is disposed at a position facing (facing) the brake system 80 along the vehicle length direction (arrow A direction). Specifically, the input unit 84 constituting the brake system 80 is located on the front surface of the dashboard 13 and arranged in the front box 12f. It is only necessary that the cooling medium supply manifold member 64au and the brake system 80 face each other when viewed from the front to the rear of the vehicle body 12, and even if the entire surface does not face each other. It only needs to be opposite.

  In the fuel cell stack 14, cooling medium supply manifold members 64au and 64ad project outward from the second end plate (one end plate) 24b. The upper cooling medium supply manifold member 64au is disposed at a position facing (facing) the input unit 84 along the vehicle length direction (arrow A direction) (see FIG. 5).

  The operation of the fuel cell vehicle 10 configured as described above will be described below.

  First, as shown in FIG. 2, an oxidant gas such as an oxygen-containing gas is supplied from the oxidant gas supply manifold member 60a of the first end plate 24a to the oxidant gas supply communication hole 38a. A fuel gas such as a hydrogen-containing gas is supplied from the fuel gas supply manifold member 62a of the first end plate 24a to the fuel gas supply communication hole 40a.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, in the second end plate 24b, a cooling medium such as pure water, ethylene glycol, or oil is supplied from the cooling medium supply manifold members 64au and 64ad to the pair of cooling medium supply communication holes 42a. The

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, the oxidant gas is introduced into the oxidant gas flow path 50 of the first metal separator 34 from the oxidant gas supply communication hole 38a. The oxidant gas moves in the direction of arrow A along the oxidant gas flow path 50 and is supplied to the cathode electrode 46 of the electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 32.

  On the other hand, the fuel gas is supplied to the fuel gas passage 52 of the second metal separator 36 from the fuel gas supply communication hole 40a. The fuel gas moves in the direction of arrow A along the fuel gas passage 52 and is supplied to the anode electrode 48 of the electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 32.

  Therefore, in the electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 32, the oxidizing gas supplied to the cathode electrode 46 and the fuel gas supplied to the anode electrode 48 are consumed by an electrochemical reaction in the electrode catalyst layer to generate power. Is called.

  Next, the oxidant gas consumed by being supplied to the cathode electrode 46 of the electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 32 is discharged in the direction of arrow B along the oxidant gas discharge communication hole 38b. On the other hand, the fuel gas supplied to and consumed by the anode electrode 48 of the electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 32 is discharged in the direction of arrow B along the fuel gas discharge communication hole 40b.

  The cooling medium supplied to the pair of cooling medium supply communication holes 42 a is introduced into the cooling medium flow path 54 between the first metal separator 34 and the second metal separator 36. The cooling medium once flows in the direction of arrow C and then moves in the direction of arrow A to cool the electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 32. The cooling medium moves outward in the direction of arrow C, and is then discharged in the direction of arrow B along the pair of cooling medium discharge communication holes 42b.

  In the fuel cell vehicle 10, as described above, electric power is supplied from the fuel cell stack 14 to the travel drive motor (not shown) and travels. At this time, as shown in FIG. 1, when an external load F, which is an impact, is applied to the fuel cell vehicle 10 from the front in the direction of the arrow Ab (the rear in the vehicle length direction), the front portion of the fuel cell vehicle 10 is deformed inside. easy. For this reason, the fuel cell stack 14 may move in the direction of the arrow Ab.

  In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the cooling medium supply manifold member 64au protruding outward from the second end plate 24b of the fuel cell stack 14 is provided along the vehicle length direction. It is arranged at a position facing 80 input units 84.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, when the external load F is applied to the fuel cell vehicle 10 and the fuel cell stack 14 moves rearward in the vehicle length direction, the cooling medium supply manifold member 64au contacts the input portion 84 ( collide. Accordingly, the resin-made cooling medium supply manifold member 64 au can be easily broken, so that the fuel cell stack 14 can be retracted satisfactorily.

  Accordingly, it is possible to secure a backward stroke at the time of collision of the fuel cell stack 14 and to suppress the damage of the input unit 84 (brake system 80) and the entry into the cabin 17 as much as possible. For this reason, the effect that the input part 84 which is a brake component can be favorably protected with a simple and economical configuration is obtained.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the cooling medium supply manifold member 64 au disposed above the cooling medium supply manifold members 64 au and 64 ad is disposed to face the input portion 84.

  Therefore, when the cooling medium supply manifold member 64au is destroyed, it is possible to minimize the amount of the cooling medium that leaks from the fuel cell stack 14 to the outside. Here, when the coolant supply manifold member 64ad disposed below is destroyed, most of the coolant in the fuel cell stack 14 is likely to leak. As a result, the time for grounding through the cooling medium may be increased.

  In the present embodiment, the brake system 80 is set at the position for the right steering wheel. However, the present invention can be applied to, for example, an automobile body in which the brake system 80 is set at the position for the left steering wheel. . In that case, what is necessary is just to respond | correspond by arrange | positioning the fuel cell stack 14 so that the position of the 1st end plate 24a and the 2nd end plate 24b may be replaced, for example.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Fuel cell electric vehicle 12 ... Automobile body 12f ... Front box 13 ... Dashboard 14 ... Fuel cell stack 16 ... Housing 17 ... Cabin 18 ... Fuel cell 24a, 24b ... End plate 32 ... Electrolyte membrane electrode assembly 34, 36 ... Metal separator 38a ... Oxidant gas supply communication hole 38b ... Oxidant gas discharge communication hole 40a ... Fuel gas supply communication hole 40b ... Fuel gas discharge communication hole 42a ... Cooling medium supply communication hole 42b ... Cooling medium discharge communication hole 44 ... Solid polymer electrolyte membrane 46 ... Cathode electrode 48 ... Anode electrode 50 ... Oxidant gas flow channel 52 ... Fuel gas flow channel 54 ... Cooling medium flow channel 64ad, 64au ... Cooling medium supply manifold members 64bd, 64bu ... Cooling medium discharge manifold member 65a ... Inlet manifold member 65b ... Outlet manifold member 78 Wheel 80 ... brake system 84 ... input section 86 ... the output unit

Claims (2)

A fuel cell stack comprising a fuel cell that generates electricity by an electrochemical reaction between a fuel gas and an oxidant gas, wherein the plurality of fuel cells are stacked along the vehicle width direction, and end plates are disposed at both ends in the stacking direction Is disposed in a front room formed in front of the dashboard,
The fuel cell is stacked with the electrode surface in an upright posture, and in the fuel cell stack, a cooling medium flow path for flowing a cooling medium in a horizontal direction along the electrode surface direction,
A cooling medium supply communication hole which communicates with the inlet side of the cooling medium flow path and distributes the cooling medium along the stacking direction of the fuel cell;
A cooling medium discharge communication hole that communicates with the outlet side of the cooling medium flow path and distributes the cooling medium along the stacking direction;
Is provided,
The cooling medium supply communication holes are respectively formed above and below the one horizontal end of the fuel cell stack, and the cooling medium discharge communication holes are respectively formed above and below the other horizontal end of the fuel cell stack. ,
On one of the end plate, the cooling medium manifold member to circulate the cooling medium into the fuel cell stack, along with it is provided to protrude outward of the one of said end plates,
The cooling medium manifold member disposed in the cooling medium supply communication hole provided above the gravity direction or the cooling medium discharge communication hole provided above the gravity direction is disposed at a position facing the brake system along the vehicle length direction. A fuel cell vehicle. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1 Symbol placement, the cooling medium manifold member, a fuel cell vehicle, characterized in that it is formed of a resin material.

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