JP6852496B2 - Vehicle with fuel cell - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a fuel cell-equipped vehicle equipped with a fuel cell.

The fuel cell mounted on the vehicle has a fixed operating temperature range, and it is necessary to cool or heat the fuel cell to an operating temperature. There are two types of fuel cells, water-cooled and air-cooled. For hybrid vehicles and vehicles that do not require a large output, the air-cooled type, which has a simple structure and can be miniaturized, lightened, and cost-effective, is superior. ..

On the other hand, the air-cooled fuel cell tends to be inferior in temperature control ability as compared with the water-cooled fuel cell, and is easily affected by the outside air temperature. The performance of an air-cooled fuel cell deteriorates when the outside air temperature is high, and the start-up is delayed and the performance deteriorates when the outside air temperature is low. Therefore, improvement of the temperature adjustment ability is required.

As a conventional air-cooled fuel cell, the one described in Patent Document 1 is known. In Patent Document 1, air whose temperature has been adjusted by an air conditioning system for a vehicle interior is sent to a fuel cell, and the temperature of the fuel cell is adjusted and oxidized by this air.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-48821

However, the technique described in Patent Document 1 adjusts the temperature of the fuel cell by auxiliary using the temperature-controlled air for the vehicle interior, and the temperature of the air supplied to the fuel cell is for the vehicle interior. Because it depends on the set temperature of the air conditioning system, the time required for the fuel cell to reach the desired temperature range may be long depending on the set temperature.

Therefore, it is desired to supply the fuel cell with air having an optimum temperature so that the temperature of the fuel cell can be quickly reached in a desired temperature range, and to efficiently adjust the temperature of the fuel cell.

The present invention has been made by paying attention to the above-mentioned problems, and can efficiently adjust the temperature of the fuel cell to quickly bring it into the optimum operating state, and the fuel cell can generate electricity efficiently and stably. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle equipped with a fuel cell capable of providing a vehicle.

The present invention is a fuel cell-equipped vehicle having an outside air introduction device that supplies air taken in from the outside of the vehicle to the inside of the vehicle, and the outside air introduction device is formed with an air supply passage for the fuel cell that supplies air to the fuel cell. The fuel cell has an air supply duct for a fuel cell and an air supply duct for the passenger compartment in which an air supply passage for the passenger compartment for supplying air to the passenger compartment is formed, and the fuel cell is provided in the air supply passage for the fuel cell. A fuel cell temperature adjusting device for adjusting the temperature of the air supplied to the fuel cell is provided upstream of the fuel cell in the fuel cell air supply passage, and the passenger compartment air supply passage is provided. It has a temperature control device for a vehicle compartment that adjusts the temperature of the air supplied to the vehicle interior, and includes a temperature control unit that independently controls the temperature control device for the fuel cell and the temperature control device for the vehicle interior. When the temperature of the fuel cell is not within the predetermined temperature range, the temperature control unit first operates the temperature adjusting device for the fuel cell, and after the temperature of the fuel cell is within the predetermined temperature range, the temperature control unit further operates the above. It is characterized by operating a temperature control device for a passenger compartment.

As described above, according to the above invention, the temperature of the fuel cell can be efficiently adjusted to the optimum operating state quickly, and the fuel cell can generate electric power efficiently and stably.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a fuel cell-equipped vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a fuel cell temperature adjustment operation when the outside air temperature is low by the fuel cell-equipped vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of adjusting the temperature of the vehicle interior when the outside air temperature is low by the fuel cell-equipped vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a fuel cell temperature adjustment operation when the outside air temperature is high by the fuel cell-equipped vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of adjusting the temperature of the vehicle interior when the outside air temperature is high by the fuel cell-equipped vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing a specific example when a heat pump type structure is adopted for the vehicle interior temperature control device and the fuel cell temperature control device in the fuel cell-equipped vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram showing a cooling unit when a heater core type structure is adopted for the vehicle interior temperature control device and the fuel cell temperature control device in the fuel cell-equipped vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram showing a heating unit when a heater core type structure is adopted for the vehicle interior temperature control device and the fuel cell temperature control device in the fuel cell-equipped vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram showing a cooling unit when an electric heater type structure is adopted for the vehicle interior temperature control device and the fuel cell temperature control device in the fuel cell-equipped vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention. .. FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram showing a heating unit when an electric heater type structure is adopted for the vehicle interior temperature control device and the fuel cell temperature control device in the fuel cell-equipped vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention. .. FIG. 11 shows an example in which the fuel cell-equipped vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention exchanges heat between the vehicle interior air supply passage and the fuel cell air supply passage by a heat exchanger. It is a figure.

The fuel cell-equipped vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention is a fuel cell-equipped vehicle having an outside air introduction device that supplies air taken in from the outside of the vehicle to the inside of the vehicle, and the outside air introduction device supplies air to the fuel cell. It has an air supply duct for fuel cells in which an air supply passage for fuel cells is formed, a fuel cell is provided in the air supply passage for fuel cells, and a fuel cell is located upstream of the fuel cell in the air supply passage for fuel cells. It is characterized in that a fuel cell temperature adjusting device for adjusting the temperature of the air supplied to the fuel cell is provided. As a result, the fuel cell-equipped vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention can efficiently adjust the temperature of the fuel cell to quickly bring it into the optimum operating state, and the fuel cell can generate efficient and stable power generation. it can.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 11. As shown in FIG. 1, the fuel cell-equipped vehicle 50 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes an outside air introduction device 51 that supplies air taken in from the outside of the vehicle to the inside of the vehicle, and an air-cooled type vehicle provided in the outside air introduction device 51. It includes a fuel cell 4, a temperature control unit, and a control unit 60 as an open / close control unit.

A hydrogen tank 57 is connected to the fuel cell 4 via a regulator 56. The hydrogen stored in the hydrogen tank 57 is adjusted to a predetermined pressure by the regulator 56 and supplied to the fuel cell 4.

The fuel cell 4 has an intake port 4A for taking in air, an exhaust port 4B for discharging exhaust gas (water vapor, etc.), and a plurality of plate-shaped cells (not shown) located inside. The fuel cell 4 generates electricity by reacting oxygen in the air taken in from the intake port 4A with hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen tank 57 as a fuel gas in an internal cell. The electric power generated by the fuel cell 4 is supplied to a traveling motor (not shown). The fuel cell-equipped vehicle 50 may include an engine as a power source in addition to the motor.
Further, the fuel cell 4 in the present embodiment is provided on the exhaust port 4B side and is provided on a fan (not shown) for discharging exhaust (water vapor or the like) to the outside, or is provided on the intake port 4A or the exhaust port 4B and the intake amount thereof. Alternatively, a louver (not shown) for adjusting the displacement is also provided.

The outside air introduction device 51 has a tubular air supply duct 53 for a vehicle interior and a tubular air supply duct 54 for a fuel cell. The air supply duct 53 for the passenger compartment and the air supply duct 54 for the fuel cell are arranged in the front bonnet of the fuel cell-equipped vehicle 50, for example, and are forward so as to take in the running wind (left side in FIG. 1). It is open to the air.

The passenger compartment air supply duct 53 is formed with a passenger compartment air supply passage 53A that supplies air to the passenger compartment 52A. The vehicle interior air supply passage 53A is provided with a vehicle interior temperature adjusting device 30 for adjusting the temperature of the air supplied to the vehicle interior 52A. The vehicle interior temperature adjusting device 30 includes a vehicle interior cooler 31 that cools the air supplied to the vehicle interior 52A and a vehicle interior heater 32 that heats the air supplied to the vehicle interior 52A. The vehicle interior cooler 31 functions as a cooling unit for cooling the air, and the vehicle interior heater 32 functions as a heating unit for heating the air.

The vehicle interior cooler 31 is arranged at the upstream end of the vehicle interior air supply passage 53A. The vehicle interior heater 32 is arranged near the downstream end of the vehicle interior air supply passage 53A. The downstream end of the passenger compartment air supply passage 53A communicates with the passenger compartment 52A. The passenger compartment 52A is surrounded by the passenger compartment constituent members 52 such as ceilings and windows. The passenger compartment 52A is provided with an air outlet (not shown), and the air that has passed through the passenger compartment air supply passage 53A is introduced into the passenger compartment 52A from the air outlet.

A passenger compartment fan 1A is provided in the vicinity of the upstream side of the passenger compartment cooler 31. The passenger compartment fan 1A sucks the air outside the vehicle into the passenger compartment air supply passage 53A and blows the air toward the passenger compartment 52A as shown by an arrow A. The vehicle interior fan 1A is controlled by the control unit 60.

The fuel cell air supply duct 54 is formed with a fuel cell air supply passage 54A for supplying air to the fuel cell 4. A fuel cell 4 is provided in the fuel cell air supply passage 54A. In this embodiment, the fuel cell 4 is arranged at a position closer to the upstream of the intermediate portion in the length direction in the fuel cell air supply passage 54A.

On the upstream side of the fuel cell air supply passage 54A from the fuel cell 4, a fuel cell temperature adjusting device 40 for adjusting the temperature of the air supplied to the fuel cell 4 is provided.

By providing the fuel cell temperature adjusting device 40 on the upstream side of the fuel cell 4 in this way, the air temperature-controlled by the fuel cell temperature adjusting device 40 is efficiently supplied to the fuel cell 4. Therefore, the optimum temperature can be easily adjusted for the air-cooled fuel cell 4 which is easily affected by the outside air temperature and has a lower output than the water-cooled fuel cell 4.

The fuel cell temperature control device 40 includes a fuel cell cooler 41 for cooling the air supplied to the fuel cell 4 and a fuel cell heater 42 for heating the air supplied to the fuel cell 4. The fuel cell cooler 41 functions as a cooling unit for cooling the air, and the fuel cell heater 42 functions as a heating unit for heating the air.

The fuel cell cooler 41 is arranged at the upstream end of the fuel cell air supply passage 54A. A fuel cell fan 2A is provided in the vicinity of the upstream side of the fuel cell cooler 41. The fuel cell fan 2A sucks the air outside the vehicle into the fuel cell air supply passage 54A and blows the air toward the fuel cell 4 as shown by an arrow B. The fuel cell fan 2A is controlled by the control unit 60. The downstream end of the fuel cell air supply passage 54A communicates with the vehicle exterior space 55.

In this embodiment, the fuel cell 4 is housed in the middle portion of the tubular air supply passage 54A for the fuel cell of the outside air introduction device 51, and the surface temperature of the fuel cell 4 is adjusted at the same time as the air temperature is adjusted. Therefore, the upstream end portion that serves as the air inlet of the fuel cell air supply passage 54A secures an opening area capable of taking in an amount of air necessary for cooling the fuel cell 4.

Further, a sufficient gap is secured between the fuel cell air supply duct 54 and the fuel cell 4 for air to flow around the fuel cell 4. In the fuel cell air supply duct 54, at least one of the upstream end portion that takes in air and the downstream end portion that discharges the exhaust gas that has passed through the fuel cell 4 to the outside of the vehicle has a cross-sectional shape larger than that of the fuel cell 4. It is formed.

Here, the hydrogen regulated by the regulator 56 is supplied to the fuel cell 4 by a pipe 56A connected to the fuel cell 4 from the outside through the inside of the fuel cell air supply duct 54. The purge hydrogen discharged from the fuel cell 4 is also discharged to the outside through a pipe (not shown) that is similarly connected to the fuel cell 4 and extends to the outside through the inside of the fuel cell air supply duct 54.

The vehicle interior air supply duct 53 and the fuel cell air supply duct 54 may be integrally formed or may be separate.

In this embodiment, the vehicle interior air supply duct 53 and the fuel cell air supply duct 54 are arranged so as to be parallel to each other and adjacent to each other. By arranging the air supply duct 53 for the passenger compartment and the air supply duct 54 for the fuel cell so as to be parallel to each other and adjacent to each other, the temperature control device 30 for the passenger compartment and the temperature control for the fuel cell have similar component configurations to each other. The device 40 can be integrated and arranged. Therefore, the components of the vehicle interior temperature control device 30 and the fuel cell temperature control device 40 can be miniaturized, and maintainability can be improved. The air supply duct 53 for the vehicle interior and the air supply duct 54 for the fuel cell do not necessarily have to be parallel to each other, or may be separated from each other.

The vehicle interior air supply duct 53 and the fuel cell air supply duct 54 share a partition wall 70 that separates the vehicle interior air supply passage 53A and the fuel cell air supply passage 54A. In this way, since the air supply passage 53A for the passenger compartment and the air supply passage 54A for the fuel cell are separated by the partition wall 70, the heat radiated and the exhaust heat from the fuel cell 4 are released from the air in the air supply passage 53A for the passenger compartment. It can be suppressed from propagating to.

The partition wall 70 is formed with a communication passage 71 that communicates the vehicle interior air supply passage 53A and the fuel cell air supply passage 54A. The communication passage 71 is formed on the downstream side of the partition wall 70 from the fuel cell 4. The communication passage 71 is provided with an on-off valve 6A capable of opening / closing control, and the on-off valve 6A switches the opening / closing state of the communication passage 71. Further, a fan 6B is provided in the communication passage 71, and the fan 6B is controlled to blow air from the fuel cell air supply passage 54A to the passenger compartment air supply passage 53A as shown by an arrow C. Will be done. The on-off valve 6A opens with the downstream end in the air flow direction as a rotation fulcrum so that the upstream end projects into the fuel cell air supply passage 54A. As a result, when the on-off valve 6A is open, even if the fan 6B has a low air blowing capacity, the on-off valve 6A efficiently allows the air in the fuel cell air supply passage 54A to be taken into the passenger compartment air supply passage. You can guide to 53A. Further, since the opening of the on-off valve 6A reduces the passage cross-sectional area of the fuel cell air supply passage 54A, it is possible to promote the supply of air from the fuel cell air supply passage 54A to the vehicle interior air supply passage 53A.

Further, the connecting passage 71 is formed at a position on the upstream side of the vehicle interior heater 32 in the vehicle interior air supply passage 53A. By providing the vehicle interior heater 32 behind the communication passage 71 in this way, the high temperature from the fuel cell 4 that has flowed from the fuel cell air supply passage 54A to the vehicle interior air supply passage 53A through the communication passage 71. Since the exhaust can be further warmed by the vehicle interior heater 32, the heating effect of the vehicle interior 52A can be further enhanced.

That is, on the downstream side of the fuel cell 4, the vehicle interior air supply passage 53A and the fuel cell air supply passage 54A are communicated with each other by the communication passage 71, and the on-off valve 6A is provided in the communication passage 71 to provide fuel. The exhaust of the fuel cell 4 generated in the battery air supply passage 54A can be selectively introduced into the vehicle interior air supply passage 53A. As a result, the exhaust heat of the fuel cell 4 that has been warmed up can be used for heating the passenger compartment 52A, and energy can be saved during heating of the passenger compartment 52A. For example, by setting in advance whether to open or close the on-off valve 6A according to whether the temperature control device 30 for the passenger compartment is operating the heating operation or the cooling operation, the fuel cell Since it is possible to appropriately select whether or not to use the exhaust heat of No. 4, convenience can be improved.

For example, when heating the passenger compartment 52A after adjusting the fuel cell 4 to an appropriate temperature to stabilize the operation, the on-off valve 6A is opened to operate the fan 6B, so that the exhaust gas from the fuel cell 4 is used for the passenger compartment. It can be made to flow into the air supply passage 53A, and the intake air can be warmed by the exhaust heat. By doing so, after the temperature of the fuel cell 4 is adjusted, the vehicle interior 52A can be heated quickly and with energy saving.

Therefore, the air supply passage 53A for the passenger compartment and the air supply passage 54A for the fuel cell are separated by the partition wall 70, and the temperature regulator 30 for the passenger compartment and the temperature regulator 40 for the fuel cell are independently controlled. The air supplied to the fuel cell 4 can be quickly and finely controlled so as to have an optimum intake temperature according to the state of the fuel cell 4, and the fuel cell 4 can generate electricity stably. As a result, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the output of the fuel cell 4, improve the power generation efficiency, and improve fuel efficiency.

The control unit 60 is composed of a computer unit including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a flash memory, an input port, and an output port. , Control the control target electrically. That is, the control unit 60 is composed of an ECU (Electronic Control Unit).

The ROM of the control unit 60 stores various control constants, various maps, and the like, as well as a program for causing the computer unit to function as the control unit 60. That is, when the CPU executes the program stored in the ROM in the control unit 60, the computer unit functions as the control unit 60.

The control unit 60 independently controls the temperature adjusting device 40 for the fuel cell and the temperature adjusting device 30 for the passenger compartment, and independently controls the temperature of the air supplied to the fuel cell 4 and the temperature of the air supplied to the passenger compartment 52A. It is designed to be adjusted. By performing the temperature adjustment independently, both the optimum temperature adjustment for the fuel cell 4 and the optimum temperature adjustment for the passenger compartment 52A can be efficiently performed, and the convenience and comfort can be further improved. it can.

The control unit 60 first adjusts the temperature of the fuel cell 4 at the time of starting the vehicle 50 equipped with the fuel cell, and adjusts the room temperature of the passenger compartment 52A after the temperature of the fuel cell 4 falls within a predetermined temperature range. It is designed to do. That is, the control unit 60 operates the fuel cell temperature adjusting device 40 when the temperature of the fuel cell 4 is not within the predetermined temperature range, and when the temperature of the fuel cell 4 is within the predetermined temperature range, the fuel cell The temperature control device 40 and the temperature control device 30 for the passenger compartment are operated.

The control unit 60 controls to open the on-off valve 6A when a predetermined condition is satisfied in the process of adjusting the temperature of the fuel cell 4 and the room temperature of the vehicle interior 52A.

The flow of the temperature adjustment operation executed by the control unit 60 when the outside air temperature is low will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. The temperature adjustment operation of FIG. 2 is an operation of warming the fuel cell 4 to a predetermined target temperature when the outside air temperature is low. The temperature adjusting operation of FIG. 3 is an operation of warming the passenger compartment 52A to a predetermined target room temperature when the outside air temperature is low. After the fuel cell 4 has been heated to the target temperature and the room temperature of the passenger compartment 52A has been raised to the target temperature, the operation of maintaining the respective temperatures is taken over.

In FIG. 2, the control unit 60 turns on the fuel cell fan 2A and turns on the fuel cell 4 in step S1. Next, the control unit 60 adjusts the amount of air heated by the fuel cell heater 42 in step S2.

Next, the control unit 60 determines in step S3 whether or not the temperature Tfc of the fuel cell 4 is equal to or higher than the predetermined lower limit temperature Tmin. Here, in the present embodiment, the temperature Tfc of the fuel cell 4 is the temperature of a cell (not shown) that generates electricity by reacting the fuel gas and air inside the fuel cell 4, and is a plurality of temperatures in the fuel cell 4. A plurality of temperature sensors (not shown) for measuring the temperature Tfc are attached to the cell. The lower limit temperature Tmin is a temperature required for starting the fuel cell 4, and is set in advance as a map corresponding to the outside air temperature.

When the temperature Tfc of the fuel cell 4 is less than the predetermined lower limit temperature Tmin in step S3, the control unit 60 returns to step S2 and continues heating by the fuel cell heater 42.

When the temperature Tfc of the fuel cell 4 is equal to or higher than the predetermined lower limit temperature Tmin in step S3, the control unit 60 starts heating the vehicle interior 52A in step S4. As described above, when the outside air temperature is low, the control unit 60 prioritizes the operation of warming the fuel cell 4 over the operation of warming the vehicle interior 52A. The details of the operation of heating the passenger compartment 52A will be described later with reference to FIG.

Following step S4, the control unit 60 determines in step S5 whether or not the temperature Tfc of the fuel cell 4 is within the permissible range a with respect to the predetermined target temperature Tfctarget. That is, the control unit 60 determines whether or not Tfctarget-a ≦ Tfc ≦ Tfctarget + a is satisfied.

When the temperature Tfc of the fuel cell 4 is out of the permissible range a with respect to the predetermined target temperature Tfctarget in step S5, the control unit 60 returns to step S2 and continues heating by the fuel cell heater 42.

When the temperature Tfc of the fuel cell 4 is within the permissible range a with respect to the predetermined target temperature Tfctarget in step S5, the control unit 60 ends the current operation. Then, the control unit 60 shifts to an operation (not shown) for maintaining the temperature Tfc of the fuel cell 4.

In FIG. 3, the control unit 60 turns on the vehicle interior fan 1A in step S11. Next, the control unit 60 adjusts the amount of air heated by the vehicle interior heater 32 in step S12, opens the on-off valve 6A, and adjusts the rotation of the fan 6B.

Next, in step S13, the control unit 60 determines whether or not the room temperature Tc of the vehicle interior 52A is within the permissible range b with respect to the predetermined target room temperature Tctaget. That is, the control unit 60 determines whether or not Tcttaget−b ≦ Tc ≦ Tctarget + b is satisfied.

When the room temperature Tc of the vehicle interior 52A is out of the permissible range b with respect to the predetermined target room temperature Tctaget in step S13, the control unit 60 returns to step S12 and continues heating by the vehicle interior heater 32.

When the room temperature Tc of the vehicle interior 52A is within the permissible range b with respect to the predetermined target room temperature Tctaget in step S13, the control unit 60 ends the current operation. Then, the control unit 60 shifts to an operation (not shown) of maintaining the room temperature Tc of the vehicle interior 52A.

The flow of the temperature adjustment operation executed by the control unit 60 when the outside air temperature is high will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. The temperature adjustment operation of FIG. 4 is an operation of cooling the fuel cell 4 to a predetermined target temperature because the outside air temperature is high. The temperature adjustment operation of FIG. 5 is an operation of cooling the passenger compartment 52A to a predetermined target room temperature because the outside air temperature is high. After the temperature of the fuel cell 4 drops to the target temperature and after the room temperature of the passenger compartment 52A drops to the target temperature, the operation of maintaining the respective temperatures is taken over.

In FIG. 4, the control unit 60 turns on the fuel cell fan 2A and the fuel cell cooler 41 and turns on the fuel cell 4 in step S21. Next, the control unit 60 adjusts the rotation of the fuel cell fan 2A in step S22, and adjusts the refrigerant flow rate to the fuel cell cooler 41.

Next, the control unit 60 starts cooling the vehicle interior 52A in step S23. As described above, when the outside air temperature is high, the control unit 60 prioritizes the operation of cooling the fuel cell 4 over the operation of cooling the vehicle interior 52A. The details of the operation of cooling the passenger compartment 52A will be described later with reference to FIG.

Following step S23, the control unit 60 determines in step S24 whether or not the temperature Tfc of the fuel cell 4 is within the permissible range a with respect to the predetermined target temperature Tfctarget. That is, the control unit 60 determines whether or not Tfctarget-a ≦ Tfc ≦ Tfctarget + a is satisfied.

When the temperature Tfc of the fuel cell 4 is out of the permissible range a with respect to the predetermined target temperature Tfctarget in step S24, the control unit 60 returns to step S22 and continues cooling by the fuel cell cooler 41.

When the temperature Tfc of the fuel cell 4 is within the permissible range a with respect to the predetermined target temperature Tfctarget in step S24, the control unit 60 ends the current operation. Then, the control unit 60 shifts to an operation (not shown) for maintaining the temperature Tfc of the fuel cell 4.

In FIG. 5, the control unit 60 turns on the passenger compartment fan 1A and the passenger compartment cooler 31 in step S31. Next, the control unit 60 adjusts the rotation of the vehicle interior fan 1A in step S32 to adjust the flow rate of the refrigerant to the vehicle interior cooler 31.

Next, in step S33, the control unit 60 determines whether or not the room temperature Tc of the vehicle interior 52A is within the permissible range b with respect to the predetermined target room temperature Tctaget. That is, the control unit 60 determines whether or not Tcttaget−b ≦ Tc ≦ Tctarget + b is satisfied.

When the room temperature Tc of the vehicle interior 52A is out of the permissible range b with respect to the predetermined target room temperature Tctaget in step S33, the control unit 60 returns to step S32 and continues cooling by the vehicle interior cooler 31.

When the room temperature Tc of the vehicle interior 52A is within the permissible range b with respect to the predetermined target room temperature Tctaget in step S33, the control unit 60 ends the current operation. Then, the control unit 60 shifts to an operation (not shown) of maintaining the room temperature Tc of the vehicle interior 52A.

As described above, in this embodiment, when the temperature of the cell in the fuel cell 4 is out of the predetermined temperature range at the time of starting the fuel cell-equipped vehicle 50 or the like, the temperature adjusting device 30 for the vehicle interior is operated. In this case, first, only the fuel cell temperature adjusting device 40 is operated, and after the temperature of the cell in the fuel cell 4 is within a predetermined temperature range, the vehicle interior temperature adjusting device 30 is operated. That is, the temperature of the fuel cell 4 is preferentially adjusted.

Therefore, the fuel cell 4 can be brought into a state where power can be generated at an early stage, the state of the fuel cell 4 can be quickly stabilized, good power generation can be performed, and stable vehicle running becomes possible.

For example, when both the fuel cell 4 and the passenger compartment 52A are in a low temperature state, the fuel cell 4 is preferentially warmed to enable power generation. As a result, it is possible to prevent cells (not shown) in the fuel cell 4 from freezing due to the low temperature environment.

On the other hand, even in an environment where the ambient temperature of the fuel cell 4 is higher than the appropriate value, the fuel cell can be kept at an appropriate temperature by giving priority to cooling the fuel cell 4.

Here, the vehicle interior temperature control device 30 and the fuel cell temperature control device 40 have a heat pump type structure in which both heating and cooling of air are performed by using a heat pump, and air is supplied by using the heat generated by the engine. A heater core type structure for heating and an electric heater type structure for heating air by using an electric heater that generates heat by electricity can be adopted. Hereinafter, specific examples in the case of adopting the heat pump type, the heater core type and the electric heater type will be described.
(Heat pump type)

A specific example of the case where the heat pump type structure is applied to the vehicle interior temperature control device 30 and the fuel cell temperature control device 40 will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 6, in the vehicle interior temperature adjusting device 30, the vehicle interior cooler 31 is composed of the vehicle interior evaporator 1B, and the vehicle interior heater 32 is composed of the vehicle interior condenser 5.

Further, in the fuel cell temperature adjusting device 40, the fuel cell cooler 41 is composed of the fuel cell evaporator 2B, and the fuel cell heater 42 is composed of the fuel cell condenser 3.

The evaporator 1B for the passenger compartment and the evaporator 2B for the fuel cell are connected in parallel with each other. Further, the evaporator 1B for the vehicle interior and the evaporator 2B for the fuel cell are connected in series to the outdoor heat exchanger 8 via the expansion valve 9. Solenoid valves 16 and 17 for controlling the circulation amount of the refrigerant are connected to the evaporator 1B for the passenger compartment and the evaporator 2B for the fuel cell, respectively. The vehicle room evaporator 1B, the fuel cell evaporator 2B, the outdoor heat exchanger 8 and the expansion valve 9 are cooled so that the refrigerant circulates so as to cool at least one of the passenger compartment evaporator 1B and the fuel cell evaporator 2B. It constitutes a refrigerant circuit for use. Three-way valves 12, 13, 14, and 15 are provided at each branch of the cooling refrigerant circuit.

The passenger compartment capacitor 5 and the fuel cell capacitor 3 are connected in parallel with each other. Further, the vehicle interior condenser 5 and the fuel cell condenser 3 are connected in series to the outdoor heat exchanger 8 via the expansion valve 11. Solenoid valves 19 and 18 for controlling the circulation amount of the refrigerant are connected to the passenger compartment condenser 5 and the fuel cell condenser 3, respectively. The passenger compartment condenser 5, the fuel cell condenser 3, the outdoor heat exchanger 8, and the expansion valve 11 are heated by circulating a refrigerant so as to heat at least one of the passenger compartment condenser 5 or the fuel cell condenser 3 to a high temperature. It constitutes a refrigerant circuit for use. Three-way valves 12, 13, 14, and 15 are provided at each branch of the heating refrigerant circuit.

The cooling refrigerant circuit and the heating refrigerant circuit share a refrigerant passage, and a compressor 10 is provided in a shared portion of the refrigerant passage. Further, three-way valves 12, 13, 14, and 15 are provided at each branch of the refrigerant circuit, which is a combination of the cooling refrigerant circuit and the heating refrigerant circuit.

Therefore, in the refrigerant circuit of FIG. 6, the control unit 60 controls the three-way valves 12, 13, 14, 15 and the solenoid valves 16, 17, 18, and 19 to switch the flow path of the refrigerant and adjust the flow rate. Can be done. As a result, the cooling of the air by the evaporator 1B for the passenger compartment, the cooling of the air by the evaporator 2B for the fuel cell, the heating of the air by the condenser 5 for the passenger compartment, and the heating of the air by the condenser 3 for the fuel cell are independent. Can be controlled. Therefore, the temperature of the air supplied to the vehicle interior 52A and the temperature of the air supplied to the fuel cell 4 can be controlled independently.

In the heat pump type structure illustrated in FIG. 6, the refrigerant flow path is shared by the vehicle interior temperature adjusting device 30 and the fuel cell temperature adjusting device 40, but the vehicle interior temperature adjusting device 30 and the fuel are shared. The flow path of the refrigerant may be provided independently of the temperature adjusting device 40 for the battery. That is, the vehicle interior temperature control device 30 is configured from the refrigerant circuit in which the fuel cell evaporator 2B and the fuel cell condenser 3 are removed from the refrigerant circuit shown in FIG. 6, and the vehicle interior evaporator 1B is configured from the refrigerant circuit shown in FIG. The fuel cell temperature control device 40 may be configured from the refrigerant circuit from which the capacitor 5 for the passenger compartment is removed.
(Heater core type)

Specific examples of the case where the heater core type structure is applied to the vehicle interior temperature control device 30 and the fuel cell temperature control device 40 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. In this heater core type structure, a heat pump type structure is adopted for the cooling part for cooling the air, and the heater core of the engine is used for the heating part for warming the air.

As shown in FIG. 7, in the vehicle interior temperature adjusting device 30, the vehicle interior cooler 31 is composed of the vehicle interior evaporator 1B. In the fuel cell temperature control device 40, the fuel cell cooler 41 is composed of the fuel cell evaporator 2B.

The evaporator 1B for the passenger compartment and the evaporator 2B for the fuel cell are connected in parallel with each other. Further, the evaporator 1B for the vehicle interior and the evaporator 2B for the fuel cell are connected in series to the outdoor heat exchanger 8 via the expansion valve 9. Solenoid valves 16 and 17 for controlling the circulation amount of the refrigerant are connected to the evaporator 1B for the passenger compartment and the evaporator 2B for the fuel cell, respectively. The vehicle room evaporator 1B, the fuel cell evaporator 2B, the outdoor heat exchanger 8 and the expansion valve 9 are cooled so that the refrigerant circulates so as to cool at least one of the passenger compartment evaporator 1B and the fuel cell evaporator 2B. It constitutes a refrigerant circuit for use.

As shown in FIG. 8, in the vehicle interior temperature adjusting device 30, the vehicle interior heater 32 is composed of the vehicle interior heater core 5A. In the fuel cell temperature control device 40, the fuel cell heater 42 is composed of the fuel cell heater core 3A.

An engine 59 is connected to the fuel cell heater core 3A and the vehicle interior heater core 5A via a cooling water circulation path 20. The fuel cell heater core 3A and the vehicle interior heater core 5A are arranged in parallel with each other in the cooling water circulation path 20. The high-temperature cooling water discharged from the engine 59 is supplied to the fuel cell heater core 3A and the vehicle interior heater core 5A through the cooling water circulation path 20. Solenoid valves 18 and 19 for controlling the supply amount (circulation amount) of the cooling water are connected to the heater core 3A for the passenger compartment and the 5A for the fuel cell, respectively.

Here, the engine 59 generates the driving force of the fuel cell-equipped vehicle 50 by performing a series of four strokes including an intake stroke, a compression stroke, an expansion stroke, and an exhaust stroke. The engine 59 is composed of a four-cycle gasoline engine or a diesel engine.

In this heater core type structure, the flow rate of the refrigerant can be adjusted by controlling the solenoid valves 16 and 17 by the control unit 60. Thereby, the cooling of the air by the evaporator 1B for the vehicle interior and the cooling of the air by the evaporator 2B for the fuel cell can be controlled independently.

Further, in this heater core type structure, the flow rate of the cooling water can be adjusted by controlling the solenoid valves 18 and 19 by the control unit 60. Thereby, the heating of the air by the heater core 3A for the fuel cell and the heating of the air by the heater core 5A for the passenger compartment can be controlled independently. Therefore, the temperature of the air supplied to the vehicle interior 52A and the temperature of the air supplied to the fuel cell 4 can be controlled independently.
(Electric heater type)

Specific examples of the case where the electric heater type structure is applied to the vehicle interior temperature control device 30 and the fuel cell temperature control device 40 will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. In this electric heater type structure, a heat pump type structure is adopted for the cooling part for cooling the air, and an electric heater is used for the heating part for warming the air.

As shown in FIG. 9, in the vehicle interior temperature adjusting device 30, the vehicle interior cooler 31 is composed of the vehicle interior evaporator 1B. In the fuel cell temperature control device 40, the fuel cell cooler 41 is composed of the fuel cell evaporator 2B.

The evaporator 1B for the passenger compartment and the evaporator 2B for the fuel cell are connected in parallel with each other. Further, the evaporator 1B for the vehicle interior and the evaporator 2B for the fuel cell are connected in series to the outdoor heat exchanger 8 via the expansion valve 9. Solenoid valves 16 and 17 for controlling the circulation amount of the refrigerant are connected to the evaporator 1B for the passenger compartment and the evaporator 2B for the fuel cell, respectively. The vehicle room evaporator 1B, the fuel cell evaporator 2B, the outdoor heat exchanger 8 and the expansion valve 9 are cooled so that the refrigerant circulates so as to cool at least one of the passenger compartment evaporator 1B and the fuel cell evaporator 2B. It constitutes a refrigerant circuit for use.

As shown in FIG. 10, in the vehicle interior temperature adjusting device 30, the vehicle interior heater 32 is composed of the vehicle interior electric heater 5B. In the fuel cell temperature control device 40, the fuel cell heater 42 is composed of the fuel cell electric heater 3B.

The vehicle interior electric heater 5B and the fuel cell electric heater 3B are connected to the fuel cell 4 and generate heat by the electric power supplied from the fuel cell 4. The electric heater 5B for the vehicle interior and the electric heater 3B for the fuel cell are arranged in parallel with each other in the fuel cell 4. Switches 22 and 21 are connected to the electric heater 5B for the passenger compartment and the electric heater 3B for the fuel cell, respectively.

In this electric heater type structure, the flow rate of the refrigerant can be adjusted by controlling the solenoid valves 16 and 17 by the control unit 60. Thereby, the cooling of the air by the evaporator 1B for the vehicle interior and the cooling of the air by the evaporator 2B for the fuel cell can be controlled independently.

Further, in this electric heater type structure, the calorific value of the vehicle interior electric heater 5B and the fuel cell electric heater 3B can be adjusted by controlling the switches 22 and 21 by the control unit 60. Thereby, the heating of the air by the electric heater 3B for the fuel cell and the heating of the air by the electric heater 5B for the passenger compartment can be controlled independently. Therefore, the temperature of the air supplied to the vehicle interior 52A and the temperature of the air supplied to the fuel cell 4 can be controlled independently.
(Modification example)

As a modification, as shown in FIG. 11, a heat exchanger 73 may be provided in the vehicle interior air supply passage 53A. Inside the heat exchanger 73, a flow passage 74 separated from the vehicle interior air supply passage 53A is formed, and this flow passage 74 communicates with the fuel cell air supply passage 54A. The heat exchanger 73 is provided at a position upstream of the vehicle interior heater 32 in the vehicle interior air supply passage 53A. The air flowing through the vehicle interior air supply passage 53A is heated by the heat exchanger 73 and then further heated by the vehicle interior heater 32.

By doing so, the high-temperature air (exhaust) from the fuel cell 4 flowing through the fuel cell air supply passage 54A passes through the flow passage 74 inside the heat exchanger 73, so that the passenger compartment air supply passage 53A Heat exchange can be performed between the air supply passage 54A for the fuel cell and the air supply passage 54A for the fuel cell without mixing the air. Therefore, the heat generated by the fuel cell 4 can be used for heating the passenger compartment 52A.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the outside air introduction device 51 has the fuel cell air supply duct 54 in which the fuel cell air supply passage 54A for supplying air to the fuel cell 4 is formed, and the fuel cell air. A fuel cell 4 is provided in the supply passage 54A. Further, a fuel cell temperature adjusting device 40 for adjusting the temperature of the air supplied to the fuel cell 4 is provided on the upstream side of the fuel cell 4 in the fuel cell air supply passage 54A.

By providing the fuel cell temperature adjusting device 40 on the upstream side of the fuel cell 4 in this way, the air temperature-controlled by the fuel cell temperature adjusting device 40 is efficiently supplied to the fuel cell 4. Therefore, the optimum temperature can be easily adjusted for the air-cooled fuel cell 4 which is easily affected by the outside air temperature and has a lower output than the water-cooled fuel cell 4.

As a result, the temperature of the fuel cell can be efficiently adjusted to the optimum operating state quickly, and the fuel cell can generate electricity efficiently and stably.

Further, in the present embodiment, the outside air introduction device 51 has a vehicle interior air supply duct 53 in which a vehicle interior air supply passage 53A for supplying air to the vehicle interior 52A is formed, and the vehicle interior air supply passage 53A. Is separated from the air supply passage 54A for the fuel cell.

In this way, since the air supply passage 53A for the passenger compartment and the air supply passage 54A for the fuel cell are separated by the partition wall 70, the heat radiated and the exhaust heat from the fuel cell 4 is the air in the air supply passage 53A for the passenger compartment. It can be suppressed from propagating to.

Further, in the present embodiment, the outside air introduction device 51 has a communication passage 71 communicating with the vehicle interior air supply passage 53A and an open / closed state of the communication passage 71 on the downstream side of the fuel cell 4 in the fuel cell air supply passage 54A. It has an on-off valve 6A for switching between. The fuel cell-equipped vehicle 50 includes a control unit 60 that controls the on-off valve 6A to be opened when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

In this way, on the downstream side of the fuel cell 4, the vehicle interior air supply passage 53A and the fuel cell air supply passage 54A are communicated with each other by the communication passage 71, and the on-off valve 6A is provided in the communication passage 71. , The exhaust of the fuel cell 4 generated in the fuel cell air supply passage 54A can be selectively introduced into the vehicle interior air supply passage 53A.

As a result, the exhaust heat of the fuel cell 4 that has been warmed up can be used for heating the passenger compartment 52A, and energy can be saved during heating of the passenger compartment 52A. For example, when heating the passenger compartment 52A after adjusting the fuel cell 4 to an appropriate temperature to stabilize the operation, the on-off valve 6A is opened to operate the fan 6B, so that the exhaust gas from the fuel cell 4 is used for the passenger compartment. It can be made to flow into the air supply passage 53A, and the intake air can be warmed by the exhaust heat. By doing so, after the temperature of the fuel cell 4 is adjusted, the vehicle interior 52A can be heated quickly and with energy saving.

Further, in the present embodiment, the outside air introduction device 51 has a heat exchanger 73 in the vehicle interior air supply passage 53A, and is distributed inside the heat exchanger 73 separated from the vehicle interior air supply passage 53A. A passage 74 is formed, and the flow passage 74 communicates with the fuel cell air supply passage 54A.

By doing so, the high-temperature air (exhaust) from the fuel cell 4 flowing through the fuel cell air supply passage 54A passes through the flow passage 74 inside the heat exchanger 73, so that the passenger compartment air supply passage 53A Heat exchange can be performed between the air supply passage 54A for the fuel cell and the air supply passage 54A for the fuel cell without mixing the air. Therefore, the heat generated by the fuel cell 4 can be used for heating the passenger compartment 52A.

Further, in the present embodiment, the outside air introduction device 51 has a vehicle interior temperature adjusting device 30 for adjusting the temperature of the air supplied to the vehicle interior 52A in the vehicle interior air supply passage 53A. The fuel cell-equipped vehicle 50 includes a control unit 60 that independently controls the fuel cell temperature control device 40 and the vehicle interior temperature control device 30.

By doing so, the air supplied to the fuel cell 4 can be quickly and finely controlled to the optimum intake temperature according to the state of the fuel cell 4, and the fuel cell 4 can generate electricity stably. be able to. As a result, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the output of the fuel cell 4, improve the power generation efficiency, and improve fuel efficiency. Further, both the optimum temperature adjustment for the fuel cell 4 and the optimum temperature adjustment for the vehicle interior 52A can be efficiently performed, and the convenience and comfort can be further improved.

Further, in the present embodiment, when the temperature of the fuel cell 4 is not within the predetermined temperature range, the control unit 60 operates the fuel cell temperature adjusting device 40, and the temperature of the fuel cell 4 is within the predetermined temperature range. In this case, the fuel cell temperature control device 40 and the vehicle interior temperature control device 30 are operated.

By doing so, when the fuel cell-equipped vehicle 50 is started, the temperature of the fuel cell 4 is adjusted first, and after the temperature of the fuel cell 4 is within a predetermined temperature range, the room temperature of the passenger compartment 52A is reached. Is adjusted. Therefore, by adjusting the temperature of the fuel cell 4 in preference to the room temperature adjustment of the passenger compartment 52A, the fuel cell 4 can be made ready for power generation at an early stage, the state of the fuel cell 4 is quickly stabilized, and good power generation is performed. This can be done, and stable vehicle running becomes possible.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed, it is clear that some skilled in the art can make changes without departing from the scope of the present invention. All such modifications and equivalents are intended to be included in the following claims.

1A Vehicle compartment fan 1B Vehicle compartment evaporator 2A Fuel cell fan 2B Fuel cell evaporator 3 Fuel cell condenser 3A Fuel cell heater core 3B Fuel cell electric heater 4 Fuel cell 6A On-off valve 30 Vehicle compartment temperature control device 40 Fuel cell temperature control device 50 Fuel cell-equipped vehicle 51 Outside air introduction device 52A Vehicle room 53 Vehicle room air supply duct 53A Fuel cell air supply passage 54 Fuel cell air supply duct 54A Fuel cell air supply passage 60 Control unit ( Temperature control unit, open / close control unit)
71 consecutive passages 73 heat exchangers 74 flow passages

Claims (4)

A fuel cell-equipped vehicle equipped with an outside air introduction device that supplies air taken in from the outside of the vehicle to the inside of the vehicle.
The outside air introduction device is
An air supply duct for a fuel cell in which an air supply passage for a fuel cell that supplies air to a fuel cell is formed, an air supply duct for a passenger compartment in which an air supply passage for a passenger compartment that supplies air to the passenger compartment is formed, and an air supply duct for a passenger compartment. Have,
The fuel cell is provided in the air supply passage for the fuel cell.
A fuel cell temperature adjusting device for adjusting the temperature of the air supplied to the fuel cell is provided upstream of the fuel cell in the fuel cell air supply passage .
The passenger compartment air supply passage is provided with a passenger compartment temperature adjusting device for adjusting the temperature of the air supplied to the passenger compartment.
It is provided with a temperature control unit that independently controls the temperature control device for the fuel cell and the temperature control device for the passenger compartment.
The temperature control unit
When the temperature of the fuel cell is not within the predetermined temperature range, the temperature adjusting device for the fuel cell is first operated, and after the temperature of the fuel cell is within the predetermined temperature range, the temperature adjusting device for the passenger compartment is further operated. A fuel cell-equipped vehicle characterized by operating the temperature. The fuel cell-equipped vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle interior air supply passage and the fuel cell air supply passage are separated from each other. The outside air introducing device, downstream of the fuel cell in an air supply passage for a fuel cell, and the communication passage communicating with the air supply passage for the casing, an opening and closing valve for switching the opening and closing state of the communication path, the communication The fuel cell-equipped vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising a fan provided in the passage and blowing exhaust air from the fuel cell to the passenger compartment air supply passage. The outside air introduction device has a communication passage communicating with the passenger compartment air supply passage and an on-off valve for switching the open / closed state of the communication passage on the downstream side of the fuel cell in the fuel cell air supply passage. ,
The fuel cell-equipped vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising an on-off control unit that controls opening of the on-off valve when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

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