Fuel cell ship

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12428118-B2
Application number	US-202217830061-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2022
Priority date	Jun 2, 2021
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

An exemplary fuel cell ship is a fuel cell ship for propelling a hull by using electric power supplied from a fuel cell that generates electric power through an electrochemical reaction of fuel, and includes a plurality of compartments including an emission source of the fuel, in which the plurality of compartments include a tank compartment installed therein with a fuel tank that stores the fuel and a fuel cell compartment installed therein with the fuel cell. The tank compartment and the fuel cell compartment are each sealed except for a ventilation port through which the inside of the compartment is ventilated.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fuel cell ship for propelling a hull by using electric power supplied by a fuel cell configured to generate electric power through an electrochemical reaction of fuel, the fuel cell ship comprising:
a plurality of compartments including an emission source of the fuel,
wherein the plurality of compartments include:
a tank compartment installed therein with a fuel tank configured to store the fuel; and
a fuel cell compartment installed therein with the fuel cell,

the tank compartment and the fuel cell compartment are each sealed except for a ventilation port for ventilating inside thereof; and
each of the plurality of compartments is independently provided with a ventilation device configured to enable ventilation.

2. The fuel cell ship according to claim 1 , wherein the ventilation device is configured to employ forced ventilation.

3. The fuel cell ship according to claim 1 , wherein at least a part of an exhaust path for the ventilation of the fuel cell compartment and at least a part of an exhaust path for the ventilation of the tank compartment are used in common.

4. The fuel cell ship according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a fuel supply pipe that connects the fuel tank and the fuel cell; and
an outer pipe arranged outside the fuel supply pipe, the outer pipe configuring a double pipe together with the fuel supply pipe,
wherein one end of the outer pipe surrounds the ventilation port for exhaust of the fuel cell compartment and is connected to the fuel cell compartment.

5. The fuel cell ship according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a fuel supply pipe that connects the fuel tank and the fuel cell, wherein the plurality of compartments further include a duct compartment that houses a part of the fuel supply pipe, and the duct compartment is sealed except for the ventilation port.

6. The fuel cell ship according to claim 5 , wherein:
each of the plurality of compartments is independently provided with a ventilation device configured to enable ventilation, and
at least two compartments, out of the tank compartment, the duct compartment, and the fuel cell compartment, share at least a part of an exhaust path for the ventilation.

7. The fuel cell ship according to claim 6 , wherein at least a part of an exhaust path for the ventilation of the tank compartment is configured to be utilized for an exhaust path for the ventilation of the duct compartment.

8. The fuel cell ship according to claim 6 , wherein at least a part of an exhaust path for the ventilation of the duct compartment is configured to be utilized for an exhaust path for the ventilation of the fuel cell compartment.

9. The fuel cell ship according to claim 8 , further comprising:
an outer pipe arranged outside the fuel supply pipe, the outer pipe configuring a double pipe together with the fuel supply pipe,
wherein the duct compartment and the fuel cell compartment are configured to communicate with each other via the outer pipe.

10. The fuel cell ship according to claim 1 , wherein each ventilation device is configured to continuously ventilate each respective compartment.

11. A fuel cell ship for propelling a hull by using electric power supplied by a fuel cell configured to generate electric power through an electrochemical reaction of fuel, the fuel cell ship comprising:
a plurality of compartments including an emission source of the fuel,
wherein the plurality of compartments include:
a tank compartment installed therein with a fuel tank configured to store the fuel; and
a fuel cell compartment installed therein with the fuel cell, and
the tank compartment and the fuel cell compartment are each sealed except for a ventilation port for ventilating inside thereof; and

a fuel supply pipe that connects the fuel tank and the fuel cell, wherein the plurality of compartments further include a duct compartment that houses a part of the fuel supply pipe, and the duct compartment is sealed except for the ventilation port.

12. The fuel cell ship according to claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of compartments is independently provided with a ventilation device configured to enable ventilation, and
at least two compartments, out of the tank compartment, the duct compartment, and the fuel cell compartment, share at least a part of an exhaust path for the ventilation.

13. The fuel cell ship according to claim 12 , wherein at least a part of an exhaust path for the ventilation of the tank compartment is configured to be utilized for an exhaust path for the ventilation of the duct compartment.

14. The fuel cell ship according to claim 12 , wherein at least a part of an exhaust path for the ventilation of the duct compartment is configured to be utilized for an exhaust path for the ventilation of the fuel cell compartment.

15. The fuel cell ship according to claim 14 , further comprising:
an outer pipe arranged outside the fuel supply pipe, the outer pipe configuring a double pipe together with the fuel supply pipe,
wherein the duct compartment and the fuel cell compartment are configured to communicate with each other via the outer pipe.

16. The fuel cell ship according to claim 12 , wherein each ventilation device is configured to continuously ventilate each respective compartment.

Assignees

• Yanmar Holdings Co Ltd

Inventors

• Maruyama Takehiro
• Yamaguchi Yasuyoshi
• Hiraiwa Takuya
• Shinagawa Manabu
• Kimura Yukihiko

Classifications

• H01M2250/20

  Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• H01M8/04201

  Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes · CPC title

• H01M8/04119

  with simultaneous supply or evacuation of electrolyte; Humidifying or dehumidifying · CPC title

• B63H2021/003

  the power plant using fuel cells for energy supply or accumulation, e.g. for buffering photovoltaic energy · CPC title

• Y02T70/50

  Measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to the propulsion system · CPC title