JP6166223B2 - Vehicle with fuel cell - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel cell vehicle equipped with a fuel cell stack in which a plurality of fuel cells are stacked, the fuel cell stack being housed in a housing casing and mounted on a front box.

  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 side of the electrolyte membrane ( MEA). The electrolyte membrane / electrode structure is sandwiched between separators to constitute a power generation cell. A fuel cell is usually mounted on a fuel cell electric vehicle, for example, as an in-vehicle fuel cell stack by stacking a predetermined number of power generation cells.

  In particular, when the fuel cell stack is used for in-vehicle use, an external load is easily applied in addition to shaking and vibration. Therefore, it is necessary to reliably protect the fuel cell stack in the event of a vehicle collision. Therefore, for example, a vehicle mounting structure of a fuel cell disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known.

  In this vehicle mounting structure, as shown in FIG. 6, the fuel cell module 1 is disposed in the engine room ER in the front part of the vehicle. The fuel cell module 1 includes a fuel cell stack 2 and a case 3 that hermetically stores the fuel cell stack 2. In the fuel cell stack 2, the first stack 2a and the second stack 2b are arranged in parallel, and are held in the stacking direction by the end plates 4a and 4b.

  From one end plate 4 a, terminals 6 of the electrodes 5 a and 5 b protrude to the outside, and the terminals 6 are connected to a relay 8 through a bus bar 7.

  In this way, by arranging the fuel cell power take-out part at the side of the vehicle, the possibility of damage to the power take-out part at the time of a collision is reduced, and in particular, damage to the take-out terminal against the collision is prevented. It is said.

Japanese Patent No. 3870724

  In the above vehicle mounting structure, the gap t1 between the fuel cell stack 2 and the inner wall surface of the case 3 in the front direction of the vehicle is smaller than the gap t2 between the fuel cell stack 2 and the inner wall surface of the case 3 in the rear direction of the vehicle. The dimension is set (t1 <t2).

  For this reason, for example, when an impact is applied to the vehicle body from the front of the vehicle due to a frontal collision, the case 3 may not have a sufficient crush margin and may interfere (contact) the fuel cell stack 2. Therefore, there is a problem that the fuel cell is easily damaged and affects the insulating function and the hydrogen sealing function.

  The present invention solves this type of problem, and provides a fuel cell-equipped vehicle that secures the crushing allowance of the housing casing and can satisfactorily protect the fuel cell stack with a simple and economical configuration. The purpose is to do.

  A vehicle equipped with a fuel cell according to the present invention includes a fuel cell stack in which a plurality of fuel cells that generate electricity by an electrochemical reaction between a fuel gas and an oxidant gas are stacked. The fuel cell stack is housed in a housing casing and mounted on the front box of the vehicle body, and the stacking direction of the fuel cells is set in the vehicle width direction.

The fuel cell stack includes end plates disposed at both ends of the fuel cell in the stacking direction. Further, the pair of end plates includes a front connecting member provided so as to face a front inner wall surface located on the front side in the vehicle front-rear direction with respect to the fuel cell stack among the inner wall surfaces of the housing casing, and the housing casing And a rear connecting member provided so as to face the rear inner wall surface located on the rear side in the vehicle longitudinal direction from the fuel cell stack. Between the inner wall surface of the fuel cell stack and the housing casing are gaps respectively formed along the stacking direction, the dimension between the front inner wall surface of the gap in the vehicle longitudinal direction front side of the front coupling member It offers greater than the dimension between the rear inner wall surface of the gap in the vehicle longitudinal direction rear side of the rear connecting member.

  According to the present invention, the fuel cell stack is housed in the housing casing disposed in the front box with a gap between the housing and the inner wall surface. At that time, the gap on the front side in the vehicle front-rear direction is set to a size larger than the gap on the rear side in the vehicle front-rear direction.

  For this reason, when an external load is applied to the front box due to a collision from the front of the vehicle, the housing casing secures a sufficient crushing allowance and interferes with the fuel cell stack when the housing casing is deformed. It can suppress well. Therefore, the fuel cell stack can be reliably protected with a simple and economical configuration. Moreover, if the end plate is disposed opposite to the inner wall surface of the housing casing, even if the housing casing is deformed by an external load, the external plate receives the external load, and therefore the fuel cell stack is not affected. Avoided.

1 is a schematic plan view of a fuel cell electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the fuel cell stack and the housing casing taken along line II-II in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a partially exploded perspective view of the housing casing. It is a principal part disassembled perspective explanatory drawing of the fuel cell which comprises the said fuel cell stack. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the said storage casing at the time of an external load being provided. It is explanatory drawing of the vehicle mounting structure currently disclosed by patent document 1. FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in a fuel cell vehicle, for example, a fuel cell electric vehicle 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, a fuel cell stack 12 is accommodated in a front box (so-called motor room) 10f.

  The fuel cell stack 12 includes a plurality of stacked fuel cells 14, and the fuel cell 14 is accommodated in an accommodation casing 16 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). As shown in FIG. 3, the fuel cell 14 is stacked in the vehicle width direction (arrow B direction) intersecting the vehicle longitudinal direction (vehicle length direction) (arrow A direction) of the fuel cell electric vehicle 10 in a standing posture. .

  At one end in the stacking direction of the fuel cell 14, a first terminal plate 20a, a first insulating plate 22a, and a first end plate 24a are sequentially disposed outward. At the other end of the fuel cell 14 in the stacking direction, a second terminal plate 20b, a second insulating plate 22b, and a second end plate 24b are sequentially disposed outward.

  The first power output terminal 26a connected to the first terminal plate 20a faces outward from a substantially central portion (which may be eccentric from the central portion) of the horizontally long (rectangular) first end plate 24a. Extend. A second power output terminal 26b connected to the second terminal plate 20b extends outward from a substantially central portion of the horizontally long (rectangular) second end plate 24b.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the first end plate 24a and the second end plate 24b have a rectangular shape, and an R-shaped portion (curved portion) is provided at each corner. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, on each upper side of the first end plate 24a and the second end plate 24b, a connecting bar 28a having a certain length is disposed at a substantially central portion of the upper side. . On each lower side of the first end plate 24a and the second end plate 24b, a connecting bar 28b having a certain length is disposed at a substantially central portion of the lower side.

  One short side (the short side in front of the vehicle) of the first end plate 24a and one short side of the second end plate 24b are located at a substantially central portion of the one short side and have a certain length. A connecting bar 28c is provided. The other short side of the first end plate 24a and the other short side of the second end plate 24b are located at substantially the center of the other short side (the short side behind the vehicle) and have a certain length. A connecting bar 28d is disposed.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the connecting bars 28a and 28b have a U-shaped cross section. The connecting bars 28a, 28b are provided with concave portions 28ar, 28br that engage with convex portions 58a, 58b (described later) of the fuel cell 14 extending in the stacking direction. Both ends of the connecting bars 28a, 28b, 28c and 28d are fixed to the first end plate 24a and the second end plate 24b via screws 30, and are stacked on the stacked fuel cells 14 in the stacking direction (arrow B direction). The tightening load is applied (see FIG. 3). In this case, the connecting bar 28c is disposed to face an inner wall surface of a front side panel 66 (described later) constituting the housing casing 16, and the connecting bar 28d is disposed to face an inner wall surface of a rear side panel 68 (described later). Is done.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the fuel cell 14 includes an electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 32, and a cathode separator 34 and an anode separator 36 that sandwich the electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 32. The fuel cell 14 has a rectangular shape, and an R-shaped portion (curved portion) is provided at each corner.

  The cathode-side separator 34 and the anode-side 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 that has been subjected to a corrosion-proof surface treatment. The cathode-side separator 34 and the anode-side 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. For example, a carbon separator may be used for the cathode side separator 34 and the anode side separator 36 instead of the metal separator.

  The cathode side separator 34 and the anode side separator 36 have a horizontally long shape, the long side extends in the horizontal direction (arrow A direction), and the short side extends in the gravity direction (arrow C direction). In addition, you may arrange | position 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 and a fuel gas supply communication hole 40a are provided vertically at one end edge of the long side direction (arrow A direction) of the fuel cell 14 so as to communicate with each other in the arrow B direction. The oxidant gas supply communication hole 38a supplies an oxidant gas, for example, an oxygen-containing gas, while the fuel gas supply communication hole 40a supplies a fuel gas, for example, a hydrogen-containing gas.

  The other end edge in the long side direction of the fuel cell 14 communicates with each other in the direction of 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 above and below.

  The fuel cell 14 is in communication with each other in the direction of arrow B on one side of both ends in the short side direction (arrow C direction), that is, on the side of the oxidant gas supply communication hole 38a and the fuel gas supply communication hole 40a. Two cooling medium supply communication holes 42a are provided. Each cooling medium supply communication hole 42a supplies a cooling medium, and is provided on sides facing each other.

  Two cooling medium discharges are made by communicating with each other in the direction of arrow B on the other side of both ends in the short side direction of the fuel cell 14, that is, on the fuel gas discharge communication hole 40b and the oxidant gas discharge communication hole 38b side. A communication hole 42b is provided. Each of the cooling medium discharge communication holes 42b discharges the cooling medium and is provided on sides facing each other.

  The electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 32 includes, for example, a solid polymer electrolyte membrane (cation exchange membrane) 44 in which a perfluorosulfonic acid thin film is impregnated with water, and a cathode electrode 46 sandwiching the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 44. And an anode electrode 48.

  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 layer is formed on both surfaces of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 44, for example.

  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 cathode 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 40a and the fuel gas discharge communication hole 40b is formed on the surface 36a of the anode 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 anode side separator 36 and the surface 34b of the adjacent cathode side separator 34, there is a cooling medium flow channel 54 communicating with the cooling medium supply communication holes 42a, 42a and the cooling medium discharge communication holes 42b, 42b. It is formed. The cooling medium channel 54 circulates the cooling medium over the electrode range of the electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 32.

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

  As the first seal member 56a and the second seal member 56b, 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.

  In the fuel cell 14, convex portions 58 a and 58 b are respectively provided integrally or separately at the center of each long side (the upper side and the lower side in FIG. 4) of the cathode side separator 34 and the anode side separator 36. The convex portions 58a and 58b are formed of, for example, an insulating resin material and are integrally formed with the cathode side separator 34 and the anode side separator 36. The convex portions 58a and 58b may be made of a metal plate that is integral with the cathode side separator 34 and the anode side separator 36, and the surface may be subjected to insulation treatment.

  As shown in FIG. 3, an oxidant gas supply manifold 60a, an oxidant gas discharge manifold 60b, a fuel gas supply manifold 62a, and a fuel gas discharge manifold 62b are attached to the first end plate 24a. The oxidant gas supply manifold 60a communicates with the oxidant gas supply communication hole 38a, and the oxidant gas discharge manifold 60b communicates with the oxidant gas discharge communication hole 38b. The fuel gas supply manifold 62a communicates with the fuel gas supply communication hole 40a, and the fuel gas discharge manifold 62b communicates with the fuel gas discharge communication hole 40b.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a cooling medium supply manifold 64a and a cooling medium discharge manifold 64b communicating with the pair of cooling medium supply communication holes 42a and the pair of cooling medium discharge communication holes 42b are attached to the second end plate 24b.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the housing casing 16 includes a first end plate 24 a and a second end plate 24 b at two sides (surfaces) at both ends in the vehicle width direction (arrow B direction). As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, two sides (surfaces) at both ends in the vehicle length direction (arrow A direction) of the housing casing 16 are constituted by a front side panel 66 and a rear side panel 68. Two sides (surfaces) at both ends of the housing casing 16 in the vehicle height direction (arrow C direction) are constituted by an upper side panel 70 and a lower side panel 72.

  The front side panel 66 has a horizontally long plate shape arranged in the vertical direction, and has inner bulging portions 66 a and 66 b that bulge inward of the housing casing 16. The inner bulging portions 66a and 66b constitute inner surface R-shaped portions (curved portions) corresponding to the R-shaped portions at the upper and lower corners of the first end plate 24a and the second end plate 24b.

  The rear side panel 68 has a horizontally long plate shape arranged in the vertical direction, and has inner bulging portions 68 a and 68 b that bulge inwardly of the housing casing 16. The inner bulging portions 68a and 68b constitute inner surface R-shaped portions (curved portions) corresponding to the R-shaped portions at the upper and lower corners of the first end plate 24a and the second end plate 24b.

  The upper side panel 70 and the lower side panel 72 are each configured by a single flat plate (or a laminate of a plurality of plates). Bolt insertion holes 76 are formed at desired positions in the front side panel 66, the rear side panel 68, the upper side panel 70, and the lower side panel 72.

  The first end plate 24a, the second end plate 24b, the front side panel 66, and the rear side panel 68 are formed with screw holes 78 at desired positions. A screw 80 inserted into each hole 76 is screwed into each screw hole 78. Therefore, the upper side panel 70, the lower side panel 72, the front side panel 66, and the rear side panel 68 are fixed to the first end plate 24a and the second end plate 24b.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, a gap is formed in the stacking direction between the fuel cell stack 12 and the inner wall surface 16 m of the housing casing 16. Specifically, the dimension L1 of the clearance Sf on the vehicle front-rear direction front (arrow Af direction) side is set to be larger than the dimension L2 of the clearance Sb on the vehicle rear-rear direction rear side (arrow Ab direction) (L1>). L2). The dimension L1 of the gap Sf is the distance between the inner wall surface of the front side panel 66 and the surface of the connecting bar 28c, and the dimension L2 of the gap Sb is the distance between the inner wall surface of the rear side panel 68 and the surface of the connecting bar 28d. is there.

  The operation of the fuel cell stack 12 configured as described above will be described below.

  First, as shown in FIG. 3, an oxidizing gas such as an oxygen-containing gas is supplied from the oxidizing gas supply manifold 60a of the first end plate 24a to the oxidizing gas supply communication hole 38a. A fuel gas such as a hydrogen-containing gas is supplied from the fuel gas supply manifold 62a of the first end plate 24a to the fuel gas supply communication hole 40a. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, 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 64a to the pair of cooling medium supply communication holes 42a.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the oxidant gas is introduced into the oxidant gas flow path 50 of the cathode-side 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 flow path 52 of the anode 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 cathode side separator 34 and the anode side 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.

  As described above, the electric power output from the fuel cell stack 12 is supplied to a travel motor (not shown), so that the fuel cell electric vehicle 10 travels. At this time, as shown in FIG. 1, when an external load F that is an impact is applied to the fuel cell electric vehicle 10 from the front in the direction of the arrow Ab, the front portion of the fuel cell electric vehicle 10 is deformed inward. There are things to do.

  For this reason, as shown in FIG. 5, the external load F acts on the front side panel 66 which comprises the accommodation casing 16 in which the fuel cell stack 12 is accommodated. Accordingly, the front side panel 66 may be deformed rearward in the vehicle front-rear direction (arrow Ab direction).

  In this case, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, a gap is formed in the stacking direction between the fuel cell stack 12 and the inner wall surface 16 m of the housing casing 16. Specifically, the dimension L1 of the clearance Sf on the vehicle front-rear direction front (arrow Af direction) side is set to be larger than the dimension L2 of the clearance Sb on the vehicle rear-rear direction rear (arrow Ab direction) side (L1). > L2).

  Thereby, the front side panel 66 which comprises the accommodation casing 16 can ensure sufficient crushing allowance in the vehicle front-back direction back. Therefore, even when the front side panel 66 is deformed when the external load F is applied, a clearance L3 is provided between the deformed front side panel 66 and the fuel cell stack 12.

  Therefore, when the housing casing 16 is deformed by the external load F, it is possible to satisfactorily suppress the housing casing 16 from interfering with the fuel cell stack 12. In addition, the connecting bar 28 c is disposed so as to face the inner wall surface of the front side panel 66 constituting the housing casing 16. Thereby, it is possible to reliably protect the fuel cell stack 12 with a simple and economical configuration, and to suppress the influence on the insulating function and the hydrogen sealing function.

  Furthermore, each fuel cell 14 is provided with convex portions 58a and 58b in the vertical direction, and the convex portions 58a and 58b are fitted (engaged) with the concave portions 28ar and 28br of the connecting bars 28a and 28b. ing. For this reason, when the external load F is applied to the fuel cell stack 12, the movement of each fuel cell 14 in the vehicle front-rear direction (arrow A direction) is restricted. Accordingly, the fuel cell stack 12 can be more reliably suppressed from interfering with the housing casing 16.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Fuel cell electric vehicle 10f ... Front box 12 ... Fuel cell stack 14 ... Fuel cell 16 ... Housing casing 24a, 24b ... End plates 28a-28d ... Connection bar 32 ... Electrolyte membrane electrode assembly 34 ... Cathode side separator 36 ... Anode-side 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 channel 52 ... Fuel gas channel 54 ... Cooling medium channel 58a, 58b ... Convex portion 66 ... Front side panel 68 ... Rear side panel 70 ... Upper side panel 72 ... Lower side panel

Claims (1)

A fuel cell stack in which a plurality of fuel cells that generate electricity by an electrochemical reaction between a fuel gas and an oxidant gas are stacked; the fuel cell stack is housed in a housing casing and mounted on a front box of a vehicle body; The stacking direction of the fuel cells is a fuel cell-equipped vehicle set in the vehicle width direction,
The fuel cell stack includes end plates disposed at both ends of the fuel cell in the stacking direction,
The pair of end plates includes a front connecting member provided so as to face a front inner wall surface located on the front side in the vehicle front-rear direction with respect to the fuel cell stack among the inner wall surfaces of the housing casing, A rear connecting member provided so as to face a rear inner wall surface located on the rear side in the vehicle longitudinal direction from the fuel cell stack among the wall surfaces, and fixed to each other,
A gap is formed between the fuel cell stack and the inner wall surface of the housing casing along the stacking direction ,
The dimension between the front inner wall surface and the front connection member in the gap on the front side in the vehicle front-rear direction is larger than the dimension between the rear inner wall surface and the rear connection member in the gap on the rear side in the vehicle front-rear direction. fuel cell vehicle, characterized in that not large.

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