Fuel cell mount apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022037688-A1
Application number	US-202117382403-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 22, 2021
Priority date	Jul 30, 2020
Publication date	Feb 3, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fuel cell mount apparatus includes a plurality of fuel cell stacks, a pipe arrangement, a fluid adjustment part, a pressure detection part, and a control device. The pipe arrangement is individually connected to each of the fuel cell stacks. The fluid adjustment part adjusts a pressure or a flow rate of a fluid which flows through the pipe arrangement. The pressure detection part is disposed on a portion which requires a desired pressure or flow rate of the fluid in the pipe arrangement and detects the pressure of the fluid. The control device controls the fluid adjustment part on the basis of a detection result of the pressure detection part.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fuel cell mount apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of fuel cell stacks; a pipe arrangement that is individually connected to each of the fuel cell stacks; a fluid adjustment part that adjusts a pressure or a flow rate of a fluid which flows through the pipe arrangement; a pressure detection part that is disposed on a portion which requires a desired pressure or flow rate of the fluid in the pipe arrangement and that detects the pressure of the fluid; and a control device that controls the fluid adjustment part based on a detection result of the pressure detection part.

2 . The fuel cell mount apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein each of the pipe arrangements that branches from one suction port and that individually supplies suctioned air to each of the fuel cell stacks is connected to each of the fuel cell stacks, the fluid adjustment part is an air compressor that supplies air to the fuel cell stack, the pipe arrangement includes a suction passage that introduces air to the air compressor from the suction port and a feed passage that feeds the air which is discharged from the air compressor to the fuel cell stack, and the pressure detection part is arranged on the feed passage and on the suction passage in a vicinity of the air compressor.

3 . The fuel cell mount apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the control device controls an output of the air compressor such that an air pressure of the fuel cell stack reaches a target air pressure, obtains a pressure ratio of a feed side and a suction side of the air compressor based on a detection result of the pressure detection part, and lowers the output of the air compressor when the obtained pressure ratio becomes equal to or more than a specified pressure ratio.

4 . The fuel cell mount apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the pipe arrangement includes a discharge passage of a hydrogen gas that is discharged from the fuel cell stack, the fluid adjustment part is a purge valve that adjusts a flow rate of the hydrogen gas which flows through the discharge passage, and the pressure detection part is arranged on a downstream side of the purge valve of the discharge passage.

5 . The fuel cell mount apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the pipe arrangement includes a water discharge passage that discharges water separated from a hydrogen gas which has flowed in the fuel cell stack, the fluid adjustment part is a drain valve that adjusts a flow rate of the water which flows through the water discharge passage, and the pressure detection part is disposed on a downstream side of the drain valve of the water discharge passage.

6 . The fuel cell mount apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the pipe arrangement includes: a cooling liquid discharge passage that allows a cooling liquid which has cooled the fuel cell stack to flow to a cooling device; and a cooling liquid feed passage that feeds the cooling liquid which has flowed through the cooling device to the fuel cell stack, the fluid adjustment part is a cooling liquid pump that allows the cooling liquid to flow to the fuel cell stack and the cooling liquid feed passage, and the pressure detection part detects a pressure difference between a portion of the cooling liquid feed passage close to a connection part with the fuel cell stack and a portion of the cooling liquid discharge passage close to a connection part with the fuel cell stack.

7 . The fuel cell mount apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the pipe arrangement is a gas pipe arrangement that connects the hydrogen tank to the fuel cell stack, the fluid adjustment part is a variable pressure adjustment valve that is arranged on the gas pipe arrangement in a vicinity of the hydrogen tank, and the pressure detection part is arranged in a vicinity of the fuel cell stack.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Mori Takanori
• Taruya Kenji
• Igarashi Daishi

Classifications

• Y02T90/40

  Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/04753 Primary

  of fuel cell reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/04746

  Pressure; Flow · CPC title

• H01M8/04768

  of the coolant · CPC title