WO2011044964A1

WO2011044964A1 - Vehicle having a fuel cell system

Info

Publication number: WO2011044964A1
Application number: PCT/EP2010/004704
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stefan Fandel; Dieter Gürtler; Martin Heumos; Ralf Krause; Patrick Mangold; Stefan Reiff; Jürgen REINHARDT; Dirk Streichert
Original assignee: Daimler Ag
Priority date: 2009-10-13
Filing date: 2010-07-31
Publication date: 2011-04-21
Also published as: DE102009049198A1

Abstract

A vehicle (18) is equipped with a fuel cell system (1) for providing electric driving power. The driving power is provided to an electric drive motor (19). The fuel cell system (1) has a fuel cell (2), to which air and hydrogen from at least one hydrogen pressure accumulator (7.1, 7.2, 7.3) can be supplied. The fuel cell (2) is arranged in a front end (21) together with system electronics (24) and a cooling heat exchanger (22). In addition, further system components (25) for supplying air and hydrogen and for conditioning said reactants are arranged in the front end (21). In addition, a hydrogen pressure accumulator (7.1) is located in a center tunnel connected to the front end (21). Finally, the drive motor (19) is arranged in the area of a driven rear axle (20).

Description

Vehicle with a fuel cell system

The invention relates to a vehicle with a fuel cell system according to the

The preamble of claim 1 further defined type.

Vehicles with fuel cell systems are now well known by many vehicle manufacturers, at least in the status of prototypes and test vehicles. The arrangement of the fuel cell system takes place either in special rooms, which are typically planned for specially designed fuel cell vehicles. A possible structure for such a construction may be, for example, the arrangement of a fuel cell system in an intermediate floor, which is located in the lower region of the vehicle. This construction is generally referred to as underfloor construction. He is for example in the publication US 2003/0164255 A1

described by way of example. Also from publications on the, based on a production vehicle, known as F-Cell vehicle of the Applicant is such

Underfloor construction for the integration of a fuel cell system in a vehicle described.

This underfloor structure is typically associated with the disadvantage that the vehicle must be made comparatively high in order to still have sufficient space in the usual manner for passengers, luggage and the like in addition to the extending over the entire base of the vehicle fuel cell system. This is often a disadvantage in the design and design of vehicles, so that fuel cell vehicles typically only in relatively high-build vehicles, such as so-called SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicles), can be used. Another approach is taken by the vehicle described in EP 1 266 783 A2. Also, this vehicle is still relatively high and has various components in the underfloor area of the vehicle, which are designed here in particular as a cooler. The remaining components in the form of the fuel cell itself, its electronics and the electric traction motor are housed in the area which is arranged in the front of the vehicle and which is used in typical conventional vehicles very often as a space for the internal combustion engine. Again, to accommodate the superposed and decoupled via corresponding frame relative to the vehicle components comparatively much space

necessary. In the illustration of Figure 2 of said document is therefore to recognize that this vehicle is a comparatively high-build vehicle.

The object of the present invention is now to provide a vehicle with a fuel cell system to its drive, which does not necessarily have to be designed correspondingly high, and which in terms of

Driving behavior, and the center of gravity is based on a conventional vehicle.

According to the invention this object is achieved by the vehicle having the features in the characterizing part of claim 1. Further advantageous embodiments of the vehicle resulting from the dependent claims.

The structure of the vehicle according to the invention now provides that in addition to the fuel cell and its electronics and a cooling heat exchanger also further system components of the fuel cell, so the actual fuel cell system, are arranged with the front of the vehicle. In order to save space here, in particular in the height of the vehicle, the electric drive motor, however, relocated to the area of the rear axle, which he then drives indirectly via a gear unit or directly in the form of two wheel hub motors. In addition, at least one hydrogen pressure accumulator is arranged directly adjacent to the front of the vehicle in the region of a center tunnel, which is used in conventional vehicles of this type for receiving the transmission. This construction thus makes it possible to construct a very flat vehicle, which can be realized with a flat vehicle architecture and the typical structure and handling of a rear-wheel drive vehicle. Such a rear-wheel drive vehicle, as is typically the case for middle-class, upper-middle and upper-class saloons, may be used by the Structure according to the invention with the fuel cell system can be realized and designed, as is known and customary in conventional vehicles with internal combustion engines. This also makes it possible to integrate the fuel cell system in existing vehicle concepts, so as to have to completely redesign the vehicle, for example, in addition to a combustion drive to offer a drive with a fuel cell system in the otherwise unchanged vehicle.

In a particularly advantageous and advantageous embodiment of the vehicle according to the invention, it is provided that an electrical energy storage device is arranged in the region of the rear axle. In the region of the rear axle, which in this case is the driven axle of the vehicle according to the invention, an electrical energy storage device is also arranged. Since this is relatively difficult, it can be placed in particular in an area in front of the rear axle. Thus, the center of gravity of the vehicle is positively influenced and the driving behavior of the vehicle with rear-wheel drive with a correspondingly low design is maintained. The space is present anyway in conventional vehicles at this point, since otherwise mechanical transmission units for the power from the front of the vehicle to the rear axle are arranged, which are now formed only by cable strands.

In a very favorable and advantageous development of the invention

Vehicle, it is provided that in addition to the hydrogen pressure accumulator in the region of the center tunnel, at least one further hydrogen pressure accumulator is present. According to a very favorable and advantageous embodiment thereof, this hydrogen pressure accumulator can also be arranged in the region of the rear axle. The hydrogen pressure accumulator uses anyway available space without the

Restrict storage space in the vehicle. It can, for example, below a rear row of seats, so sedans typically the second row of seats from the front, are arranged.

An arrangement below a storage space in the rear, so for example in an intermediate floor below the trunk, at the point where the fuel tank is often arranged in conventional vehicles, can be advantageously used for the arrangement of another or the other hydrogen pressure accumulator. In all advantageous embodiments of this vehicle with flat vehicle architecture shown here, the front of the vehicle with the therein

Components of the fuel cell system connected to the rear of the vehicle and the components of the fuel cell or drive system therein only by electrical lines and optionally hydrogen lines, if multiple hydrogen pressure accumulator are used. Expensive mechanical power transmission via a cardan shaft or the like can be dispensed systemically, so that sufficient space is available to connect the two separately arranged parts of the Brennstoffzellenbeziehungsweise drive system in the necessary manner via lines with each other.

In particular, can be dispensed with costly installations in the underbody area of the vehicle. These would not only unnecessarily increase the structure of the vehicle, but would also be much more difficult to access for maintenance than those located under an open hood in the area of the rear axle, below a rear storage space and in the area of the front building, which was previously used as an engine compartment are.

Further advantageous embodiments of the vehicle according to the invention will become apparent from the remaining dependent claims and are based on the

Embodiment clear, which will be described below with reference to the figures.

Showing:

1 shows a basic representation of an exemplary fuel cell system. and FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view through the vehicle according to the invention.

In the illustration of Figure 1, a fuel cell system 1 can be seen. The core of the fuel cell system 1 is a fuel cell 2, which has a cathode space 3 which is separated from an anode space 5 by proton-conducting membranes 4. The fuel cell 2 should be formed in a preferred embodiment as a PEM fuel cell stack. The fuel cell 2 and the cathode compartment 3 of the fuel cell 2 is supplied via an air conveying device 6 air. In the fuel cell 2, the oxygen in this air is then along with Hydrogen from a hydrogen pressure accumulator 7 in electrical power and

Product water implemented. This takes place through the membranes 4. Of the

Hydrogen from the hydrogen pressure accumulator 7 is supplied via a valve device 8 to the anode chamber 5 of the fuel cell 2 metered. In order to always be able to supply the fuel cell 2 with a sufficient amount of hydrogen in all areas, typically more hydrogen is introduced into the anode chamber 5 than can be converted into it. The remaining hydrogen then passes via a recirculation line 9 and a recirculation conveyor 10 back into the region of the entrance of the anode compartment 5. From here it flows together with fresh hydrogen from the hydrogen pressure accumulator 7 again in the range of

Anodenraums 5. This so-called anode circuit is known from the general state of the art.

Now it is so that the conveyed to the fuel cell 2 air after the

Air conveyor 6 is correspondingly hot and dry. Therefore, it first flows through an intercooler 13, which may be formed, for example, as a gas-gas heat exchanger and the hot air is cooled by the cool exhaust air from the cathode compartment 3 accordingly. In addition, the supply air flows through a humidifier 14, which may be formed, for example, with membranes permeable to water vapor. In the humidifier 14, the now cooled but still dry supply air is then moistened by the moisture vapor permeable membranes through the moist exhaust air from the cathode compartment 3. Thus, a comparatively cool and moist air enters the cathode compartment 3. The oxygen contained in this air is - at least partially - implemented by the humidity in the air and

Keep membranes 4 moist, so that they can not dry out. This is for the performance of the membranes 4 and their integrity

or tightness important.

After flowing through the charge air cooler 13, the exhaust air passes from the

Cathode space 3 then in a turbine 15, in which it is relaxed to a part of the pressure energy, which in compressing the supply air in the air conveyor 6th

was spent recovering again. The turbine 15 is connected via a shaft 16 with the air conveyor 6. In the region of the shaft 16, an electric machine 17 is also arranged. If necessary, the air conveying device 6 can be driven accordingly via this machine 17. At the turbine 15 accumulating Power is also used via the shaft 16 to drive the air conveyor 6. If the air conveying device 6 requires no or only a minimal amount of power, in particular less than in the area of the turbine 15, then the electric machine 17 can also be operated as a generator so as to convert power gained by the turbine 15 into electrical power. This electrical power can in turn be used to drive other components and / or stored in an electrical energy storage device to be used again when needed for the electric machine 17 in engine operation or other electrical loads in the area of the fuel cell system 1.

This structure described so far is known from the prior art. He is thereby to be understood purely as an example, since other types and structures of

Fuel cell systems 1 with a fuel cell 2, at least one

Hydrogen pressure accumulator 7 and the system components that are essential for the operation of the fuel cell system 1, would be conceivable.

The fuel cell system 1, as described in FIG. 1, is now intended to drive a vehicle 18, which can be seen in FIG. It supplies the electrical power generated in the fuel cell 2 to a traction motor 19, which is arranged in the vehicle 18 in the region of a rear axle 20. The electric traction motor 19 may be formed as a single traction motor, which is typically arranged in the region of the rear axle 20 between the two wheels of the rear axle 20 and drives them indirectly via gear elements. It would also be conceivable to form the electric traction motor 19 in the form of two individual motors, which are designed as so-called wheel hub motors and would then be arranged in the wheels of the rear axle 20.

In the illustration of Figure 2 is also seen that the vehicle 18 has a total of a very flat architecture. It may in particular be a limousine. In the front 21 of this sedan 18, so in the area where in conventional powered by an internal combustion engine vehicles 18, the engine is arranged under a hood or hood, a cooling heat exchanger 22 is now placed in the embodiment shown here, which for cooling components of the Fuel cell system 1 as well as for cooling the fuel cell 2 itself and / or the electric drive motor 19 with can be used. The cooling heat exchanger 22 may be formed in several parts or multi-level and may also cooling tasks for an electrical energy storage device 23 or not shown here air conditioning

Take over vehicle 18 with. Starting from the front of the vehicle 18 follow in the front 21 to the cooling heat exchanger 22, a system electronics 24 for the

Fuel cell system 1 and the fuel cell 2 itself. In the following on the fuel cell 2 part then the system components 25 of the fuel cell system 1 are summarized. These can, according to the above description, in particular components for hydrogen and air supply, so the

Valve means 8, the recirculation conveyor 10, the turbine 15, the machine 17 and the air conveyor 6, the intercooler 13 and the humidifier 14 include. For controlling both the fuel cell 2 and this

System components 25 serve the system electronics 24, which also controls besides the electrical energy distribution in the vehicle 18 as a whole. The

Fuel cell 2, the system components 25 and optionally the system electronics 24 may be connected to a fixed unit, which is decoupled suspended in the vehicle 18.

In a region partially below the system components 25 and seen from the front of the vehicle 18 behind the fuel cell 2 is a first

Hydrogen pressure accumulator 7.1 of the vehicle 18. This is typically located in the center of the vehicle 18, in an area between the two front seats of the vehicle. He may also partially protrude into the front of the vehicle 18. This area, typically referred to as a center tunnel, is included

conventional rear wheel drive vehicles generally used to arrange the gearbox and from there via a mechanical

Power transmission, typically a cardan shaft, the power on the

driven wheels of the rear axle 20 to transmit. This area can now be used in the vehicle 18 to accommodate the first hydrogen pressure accumulator 7.1. This is arranged very close to the system components 25, so that a wiring at least for this part of the hydrogen pressure accumulator 7.1 to the system components 25 can be made relatively simple.

The hydrogen pressure accumulator 7.1 in the center tunnel can either in a conventional manner as a substantially cylindrical hydrogen pressure accumulator be constructed. However, according to a very favorable and advantageous development, it can also be constructed as a cone-shaped hydrogen pressure accumulator, as is known from the Applicant's application DE 10 2006 056 222 A1. Of the

Hydrogen pressure accumulator 7.1 protrudes into the area of the vehicle 18 in which the passengers are seated, namely typically in the area of the first row of seats, which is not shown here, however. The fact that it is located in the center tunnel, it does not disturb the space available in the range of this row of seats, however, compared to conventional vehicles, so no additional space required by the

Hydrogen pressure accumulator 7.1 arises. This front area of the

Fuel cell system 1 and the drive system for the vehicle 18 is connected via hydrogen lines and electrical lines - which are not shown here - with a rear area. As already mentioned, the electric traction motor 19 is located in this rear region, that is to say in the region of the rear axle 20. Immediately before the electric traction motor, a high-performance battery is arranged as an electrical energy storage device 23. This can be formed, for example, as a lithium-ion battery or in the form of high-performance capacitors. Also, a combination of these two components to an integrated

High-voltage storage device is conceivable. The electrical energy storage device 23 has the task in situations in which the electrical power of the

Fuel cell system 1 is not sufficient to provide additional power for the electric traction motor 19. It also has the task, in situations where the electrical power of the fuel cell 1 is greater than needed for the electric traction motor 19, to temporarily store this excess electrical power. The most important task of the electric energy storage device 23, however, lies in the

Braking the vehicle to save 18 resulting electrical power. This is due to the fact that can be braked in such situations in generator mode via the electric traction motor 19. In order to provide the required drag torque during braking of the vehicle 18, a current suitable for this purpose is taken from the electric traction motor 19 which is operated as a generator in this situation. The electrical energy generated thereby can be temporarily stored in the electrical energy storage device 23. The recuperated during braking of the vehicle 18 energy can restart and possibly also for the operation of

Used by auxiliary consumers in the vehicle 18. In the region of the rear axle 20 also two more hydrogen pressure storage 7.2 and 7.3 can be seen. The hydrogen pressure accumulator 7.3 is, like the electrical energy storage device 23, arranged in front of the region of the rear axle 20 and thus comes to rest under a rear or second row of seats in the vehicle 18. This space, which is typically used for components such as a fuel tank in conventional vehicles, can be used as meaningful. The position in front of the rear axle 20 is particularly favorable with regard to the center of gravity, since the center of gravity is thus displaced further in the direction of the vehicle center. In addition, the hydrogen pressure accumulator 7.3 can be seen, which is arranged in an area below a storage area in the rear 26 of the vehicle 18. Also, this space below the storage space or trunk is typically used by storage tanks for the fuel, so for example, gasoline or diesel, in conventional vehicles. This space can now also be used to position additional hydrogen pressure accumulators 7.3 when using the vehicle 18 with a fuel cell system 1.

Overall, it can be seen from the illustration of FIG. 2 that with a very flat architecture of the vehicle 18, which can be realized without changes in the design of sedans, a fuel cell system 1 can be functionally positioned and installed. The typically available for passengers and luggage space above the dashed lines remains unaffected. This allows conventional vehicles 18 to convert to fuel cell vehicles, such as without changing the design, structural parts, and structure of the vehicle 18, to provide vehicles 18 with fuel cell drives in addition to conventional vehicles having internal combustion engines.

Claims

claims

1. A vehicle with a fuel cell system for providing the electrical drive power for a drive electric motor, wherein the

Fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell, which is supplied to air and hydrogen from a hydrogen pressure storage, the fuel cell is arranged in a front frame together with a system electronics and at least one cooling heat exchanger,

characterized in that

further system components (25) for air and hydrogen supply and for conditioning of these educts in the front building (21) are arranged so that at least one hydrogen pressure accumulator (7.1) is arranged in a frontal to the front (21) center tunnel, and that the electric

Traction motor (19) in the region of a driven rear axle (20) is arranged.

2. Vehicle according to claim 1,

characterized in that

an electrical energy storage device (23) in the region of the rear axle (20) is arranged.

3. Vehicle according to claim 2,

characterized in that

the electrical energy storage device (23) is arranged in the region in the direction of travel in front of the rear axle (20).

4. Vehicle according to claim 1, 2 or 3,

characterized in that

the fuel cell (2), the system electronics (24), the cooling heat exchanger (22) and the system components (25) in the front (21) under a hood from the front in the order cooling heat exchanger (22), system electronics (24),

Fuel cell (2), system components (25) are arranged.

5. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 4,

characterized in that

in addition to the hydrogen pressure accumulator (7.1) in the region of the central tunnel at least one further hydrogen pressure accumulator (7.2, 7.3) is present.

6. Vehicle according to claim 5,

characterized in that

at least one hydrogen pressure accumulator (7.2) in the region of the rear axle (20) is arranged.

7. Vehicle according to claims 3 and 6,

characterized in that

at least one hydrogen pressure accumulator (7.2) in the region of the rear axle (20) in front of the electrical energy storage device (23) is arranged.

8. Vehicle according to one of claims 5, 6 or 7,

characterized in that

at least one hydrogen pressure accumulator (7.2) is arranged below a rear row of seats.

9. Vehicle according to one of claims 5 to 8,

characterized in that

at least one hydrogen pressure accumulator (7.3) below a storage space in the rear (26) is arranged.

10. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 9,

marked by

his education as a passenger car.