JP2009168166A - Valve system and fuel cell system for high pressure tank - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to reduce the number of high-pressure pipes connected to a high-pressure valve for a hydrogen tank as much as possible to improve the efficiency of filling hydrogen gas into the hydrogen tank.
A valve system for a high-pressure tank having a high-pressure valve 51, wherein hydrogen gas stored in a hydrogen tank 50 is supplied to the outside of the hydrogen tank, and the hydrogen gas stored in the hydrogen tank 50 is supplied to the outside of the hydrogen tank. A gas flow path 511 for flowing in, an electromagnetic valve 52 for shutting off or allowing the supply of hydrogen gas from the inside of the hydrogen tank to the outside of the hydrogen tank, and mounted on the outer surface of the hydrogen tank, according to the temperature rise of the hydrogen tank And a Peltier element for supplying a current to the solenoid valve 52. The solenoid valve 52 has a solenoid coil 523 for moving the valve element 521 by electromagnetic force, and when current is supplied from the Peltier element to the solenoid coil. The valve element is moved in the valve opening direction according to the amount of current.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a valve system for a high-pressure tank and a fuel cell system including the same.

The fuel cell system uses, as an energy source, a fuel cell that receives supply of a reaction gas, a fuel gas and an oxidizing gas, and generates electric power by an electrochemical reaction of the reaction gas. The fuel gas supplied to the fuel cell is compressed in a high pressure and then stored in a high pressure tank. The high-pressure tank is provided with a high-pressure tank valve. The high-pressure tank valve includes an inflow passage for allowing fuel gas to flow into the high-pressure tank, a check valve provided in the inflow passage, and the like. And a gas supply mechanism including a supply flow path for supplying the fuel gas stored in the high-pressure tank to the fuel cell, and an electromagnetic valve provided in the supply flow path. The following Patent Document 1 discloses a technique related to a solenoid valve that constitutes a gas supply mechanism of a high-pressure tank valve. And in the conventional solenoid valve containing the solenoid valve currently disclosed by this patent document 1, when closing, a sealing pressure is generated by pressing a valve body against a valve seat using the energizing force of a spring. Yes.
JP 2005-282837 A

  Incidentally, the conventional high-pressure tank valve described above is provided with a gas inflow mechanism and a gas supply mechanism independently. Therefore, for example, in a fuel cell vehicle (FCHV) equipped with a plurality of high-pressure tanks, high-pressure piping connecting the fuel gas filling port to the gas inflow mechanism of each high-pressure tank valve, and for each high-pressure tank There are provided as many high-pressure tanks as the number of high-pressure tanks connecting the gas supply mechanism of the valve to the fuel gas supply passage for supplying fuel gas to the fuel cell. As the number of high-pressure pipes connected to the high-pressure tank valve increases, various problems such as high cost, increased weight, and deteriorated assembling property become more serious. In order to solve this problem, the fuel gas inflow passage and the supply passage included in the conventional high-pressure tank valve described above are integrated into one common passage, and an electromagnetic valve is provided in the common passage. It is possible.

  However, when an electromagnetic valve is provided in the common flow path, it can function in the same manner as before when supplying fuel gas. However, when the fuel gas is introduced (filled), the above-described spring biasing force or the like is used. The pressure of the fuel gas filled in the high-pressure tank is reduced by the amount of cracking pressure generated, and the efficiency of filling the fuel gas into the high-pressure tank is reduced. Specifically, for example, if the cracking pressure of 3 MPa occurs when the original pressure of the fuel gas is 70 MPa, the pressure of the fuel gas filled in the high-pressure tank is reduced to 67 MPa. Here, the cracking pressure is a pressure at which the pressure on the inlet side of the solenoid valve is increased and the fuel gas starts to flow toward the outlet side.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems caused by the prior art, and can reduce the number of high-pressure pipes connected to a valve device for a high-pressure tank as much as possible, and can reduce fuel to the high-pressure tank. An object of the present invention is to provide a valve system for a high-pressure tank and a fuel cell system including the same, which can improve gas charging efficiency.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a valve system for a high-pressure tank according to the present invention is a valve system for a high-pressure tank including a valve device for a high-pressure tank used for a high-pressure tank that stores high-pressure gas, The high-pressure gas stored in the high-pressure tank is supplied to the outside of the high-pressure tank, and the high-pressure gas stored in the high-pressure tank is introduced from the outside of the high-pressure tank. A shut-off valve that shuts off or allows the supply of high-pressure gas to the outside, a thermoelectric generator that is attached to the outer surface of the high-pressure tank and supplies current to the shut-off valve in response to a temperature rise of the high-pressure tank, and a valve included in the shut-off valve Control means for controlling the opening and closing of the body, the shut-off valve has a coil for moving the valve body by electromagnetic force, when a current is supplied from the thermoelectric generator to the coil, And wherein the moving the valve body in the valve opening direction in response to the supplied amount of current.

  According to the present invention, when the high pressure gas is supplied or inflow, the high pressure gas can be supplied or inflow through the one gas flow path provided in the valve device for the high pressure tank. The high-pressure pipe connected to the gas flow path of the valve device for the engine can be a single high-pressure pipe having both a high-pressure gas supply function and an inflow function. As a result, the number of high-pressure pipes connected to the high-pressure tank valve device can be reduced to the same number as the number of high-pressure tanks. When the high-pressure tank is filled with high-pressure gas and the temperature of the high-pressure tank rises, a current is supplied from the thermoelectric generator installed in the high-pressure tank to the shut-off valve, and the valve body of the shut-off valve is opened according to this current. Since it can be moved in the valve direction, it is possible to reduce the cracking pressure in the shut-off valve that is generated when the high-pressure gas is filled.

  The valve system for the high-pressure tank may further include a wiring for electrically connecting the thermoelectric generator and the coil.

  A fuel cell system according to the present invention includes one or a plurality of high-pressure tanks for storing high-pressure gas, the above-described valve system for the high-pressure tank, a filling port for filling the high-pressure gas into the high-pressure tank, and a high pressure from the high-pressure tank. A fuel cell that receives the supply of gas, a first high-pressure gas passage for flowing the high-pressure gas flowing in from the filling port to the high-pressure tank side, and a first high-pressure gas for supplying the high-pressure gas to the fuel cell from the high-pressure tank side A second high pressure gas flow path, a first high pressure gas flow path, a second high pressure gas flow path, and a third high pressure gas flow path for connecting the gas flow path of the valve device. It is characterized by.

  According to the present invention, the high pressure gas supplied from the high pressure tank to the fuel cell and the inflow of the high pressure gas from the filling port to the high pressure tank are provided in the valve device for the high pressure tank. Since it can be performed via the gas flow path, only the third high pressure gas flow path having both the high pressure gas supply function and the inflow function can be connected to the high pressure tank valve device. Therefore, the number of third high-pressure gas flow paths connected to the high-pressure tank valve device can be suppressed to the same number as the number of high-pressure tanks. When the high-pressure tank is filled with high-pressure gas and the temperature of the high-pressure tank rises, a current is supplied from the thermoelectric generator installed in the high-pressure tank to the shut-off valve, and the valve body of the shut-off valve is opened according to this current. Since it can be moved in the valve direction, it is possible to reduce the cracking pressure in the shut-off valve that is generated when the high-pressure gas is filled.

  According to the present invention, the number of high-pressure pipes connected to a valve device for a high-pressure tank can be reduced as much as possible, and the charging efficiency of fuel gas into the high-pressure tank can be improved.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a valve system for a high-pressure tank and a fuel cell system including the same will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, the case where the fuel cell system according to the present invention is used as an on-vehicle power generation system of a fuel cell vehicle will be described.

  A valve system for a high-pressure tank and a fuel cell system having the same according to the present invention are provided on the fuel cell side by concentrating the fuel gas inlet / outlet ports on the fuel cell side and the filling port side of the high-pressure tank valve device. The number of high-pressure pipes used to connect the piping and filling port side piping to the above-mentioned entrance / exit of the valve device for the high-pressure tank is kept to be the same as the number of high-pressure tanks, and a thermoelectric generator is attached to the high-pressure tank. By moving the shut-off valve in the valve opening direction in accordance with the temperature rise, the cracking pressure in the shut-off valve that is generated when the high-pressure gas is filled is reduced. Hereinafter, the configuration of a valve system for a high-pressure tank having such characteristics and a fuel cell system including the same will be described in detail.

  First, the configuration of the fuel cell system in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram schematically showing a fuel cell system in the present embodiment.

  As shown in the figure, the fuel cell system 1 includes a fuel cell 2 that generates electric power by an electrochemical reaction upon receiving supply of an oxidizing gas and a fuel gas (high pressure gas) as reaction gases, and air as an oxidizing gas. It has an oxidizing gas piping system 3 that supplies the fuel cell 2, a hydrogen gas piping system 4 that supplies hydrogen as fuel gas to the fuel cell 2, and a control unit 6 (control means) that controls the entire system.

  The fuel cell 2 is, for example, a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, and has a stack structure in which a large number of single cells are stacked. The single cell has a cathode electrode (air electrode) on one surface of an electrolyte made of an ion exchange membrane, an anode electrode (fuel electrode) on the other surface, and further sandwiches the cathode electrode and anode electrode from both sides. It has the structure which has a pair of separator. In this case, hydrogen gas is supplied to the hydrogen gas flow path of one separator, oxidizing gas is supplied to the oxidizing gas flow path of the other separator, and electric power is generated by the chemical reaction of these reaction gases.

  The oxidizing gas piping system 3 is discharged from the fuel cell 2, a compressor 31 that takes in and compresses the oxidizing gas in the atmosphere, sends it, an air supply channel 32 for supplying the oxidizing gas to the fuel cell 2, and And an air discharge passage 33 for discharging the oxidizing off gas. The air supply flow path 32 and the air discharge flow path 33 are provided with a humidifier 34 that humidifies the oxidizing gas pumped from the compressor 31 using the oxidizing off gas discharged from the fuel cell 2. The oxidizing off gas that has undergone moisture exchange or the like in the humidifier 34 is finally exhausted into the atmosphere outside the system as exhaust gas.

  The hydrogen gas piping system 4 supplies a fuel supply source system 5 having a hydrogen tank 50 (high pressure tank) as a fuel supply source and high pressure hydrogen gas (high pressure gas) stored in the hydrogen tank 50 to the fuel cell 2. And a hydrogen circulation passage 42 for returning the hydrogen off-gas discharged from the fuel cell 2 to the hydrogen supply passage 41.

  The hydrogen supply channel 41 is provided with a regulator 43 that adjusts the pressure of the hydrogen gas to a preset secondary pressure. As a result, high-pressure hydrogen gas flows through the flow path (second high-pressure gas flow path) on the upstream side of the regulator 43 in the hydrogen supply flow path 41, and downstream of the regulator 43 in the hydrogen supply flow path 41. The hydrogen gas after being regulated (decreased) to the secondary pressure flows through the flow path on the side.

  The fuel supply source system 5 includes a hydrogen tank 50 disposed on the upstream side of the hydrogen supply passage 41, a high-pressure valve 51 (valve device for a high-pressure tank) provided on the hydrogen supply passage 41 side of the hydrogen tank 50, A filling port 56 for filling the hydrogen tank 50 with hydrogen gas, and a filling channel 57 (first high-pressure gas channel) for allowing the hydrogen gas flowing from the filling port 56 to flow into the hydrogen tank 50 side; A connecting portion 58 that connects the hydrogen supply flow path 41 and the filling flow path 57, and a high-pressure pipe 55 (third high-pressure gas flow path) for connecting the connecting portion 58 and the high-pressure valve 51. Have. The hydrogen supply channel 41, the filling channel 57 and the high-pressure pipe 55 are connected to each other via a connecting portion 58.

  Here, with reference to FIG. 2, the structure of the valve system for a high-pressure tank in the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a valve system for a high-pressure tank.

  The valve system for the high-pressure tank includes a high-pressure valve 51 and a Peltier element 53 (see FIG. 1) as a thermoelectric generator mounted on the hydrogen tank 50.

  The high pressure valve 51 has a gas flow path 511 and an electromagnetic valve 52. The gas flow path 511 is a flow path for supplying the hydrogen gas stored in the hydrogen tank 50 to the outside of the hydrogen tank 50 and allowing the hydrogen gas stored in the hydrogen tank 50 to flow from the outside of the hydrogen tank 50.

  The electromagnetic valve 52 is a shut-off valve that is provided in the gas flow path 511 and shuts off or allows the supply of hydrogen gas from the hydrogen tank 50 to the outside of the hydrogen tank 50. The electromagnetic valve 52 includes a valve body 521, a valve seat 522, a solenoid coil 523 (coil), and a spring 524. The solenoid coil 523 is connected to a wiring 54 for electrically connecting to the Peltier element 53. In addition to the wiring 54, the solenoid coil 523 is additionally connected with a wiring for electrically connecting to a drive source such as a fuel cell or a battery, but the illustration is simplified. Therefore, it is omitted.

  The valve body 521 is accommodated and held so as to be movable in the axial direction of the gas flow path 511 (the flow direction of hydrogen gas). The gas passage 511 is opened and closed by the valve body 521 moving in the axial direction. The valve body 521 moves (strokes) by being driven by the solenoid coil 523. Specifically, the current supplied from the drive source to the solenoid coil 523 is controlled by the control unit 6 so that the valve body 521 moves. Holding of the valve closed state and the valve open state in the electromagnetic valve 52 is controlled as follows using the electromagnetic force generated by the solenoid coil 523.

  The urging force of the spring 524 and the fluid pressure of hydrogen gas act on the valve body 521 in the valve closing direction. Therefore, in the non-control state, the valve body 521 is pressed against the valve seat 522 by the force acting in the valve closing direction, and the electromagnetic valve 52 is closed. On the other hand, when current is supplied from the drive source to the solenoid coil 523, magnetism is generated, and electromagnetic force acts on the valve body 521. When this electromagnetic force exceeds the force acting in the valve closing direction, the electromagnetic valve 52 is opened.

  The solenoid valve 52 shown in FIG. 2 is a direct acting solenoid valve, but the type of the solenoid valve is not limited to this. For example, a pilot type or a magna lift type solenoid valve may be used.

  The Peltier element 53 is attached to the outer surface of the hydrogen tank 50. The Peltier element 53 is a thermoelectric power generation element that converts a temperature difference generated between the hydrogen tank side of the Peltier element 53 and the atmosphere side (the side opposite to the hydrogen tank) into a current and outputs the current. The current output from the Peltier element 53 is supplied to the solenoid coil 523 of the solenoid valve 52 via the wiring 54. As a result, magnetism is generated in the solenoid coil 523, and electromagnetic force acts on the valve body 521. Then, the valve body 521 is moved in the valve opening direction.

  That is, when current is supplied from the Peltier element 53 to the solenoid coil 523, the electromagnetic valve 52 moves the valve body 521 in the valve opening direction according to the supplied current amount. In other words, as the amount of current supplied from the Peltier element 53 increases, the electromagnetic valve 52 increases the electromagnetic force for moving in the valve opening direction that acts on the valve body 521.

  Here, when the filling of hydrogen gas is started, the temperature of the hydrogen tank 50 rises. Due to this temperature rise, the temperature on the hydrogen tank side of the Peltier element 53 rises, and a temperature difference is generated between the temperature on the atmosphere side. That is, when the filling of hydrogen gas is started, a current is supplied from the Peltier element 53 to the solenoid coil 523.

  The present invention uses the current output from the Peltier element 53 when hydrogen gas is charged to generate magnetism in the solenoid coil 523 and apply an electromagnetic force to the valve body 521 to close it by the biasing force of the spring. The valve body 521 that is to be held in the valve state is moved in the valve opening direction.

  Thereby, when the hydrogen gas is filled in the hydrogen tank 50, the cracking pressure generated in the electromagnetic valve 52 can be reduced. And since the pressure of the hydrogen gas with which the hydrogen tank 50 is filled can be increased by the reduced cracking pressure, the filling efficiency of the hydrogen gas into the hydrogen tank 50 can be improved.

  The hydrogen circulation channel 42 shown in FIG. 1 is provided with a hydrogen pump 44 that pressurizes the hydrogen off gas in the hydrogen circulation channel 42 and sends it to the hydrogen supply channel 41 side. In addition, a discharge flow path 47 is connected to the hydrogen circulation flow path 42 via a gas-liquid separator 45 and an exhaust drain valve 46. The gas-liquid separator 45 recovers moisture from the hydrogen off gas. The exhaust / drain valve 46 discharges (purges) the moisture recovered by the gas-liquid separator 45 and the hydrogen off-gas containing impurities in the hydrogen circulation passage 42 in accordance with a command from the control unit 6. The hydrogen off-gas discharged from the exhaust / drain valve 46 is diluted by the diluter 48 and merges with the oxidizing off-gas in the air discharge passage 33.

  The control unit 6 detects an operation amount of an acceleration operation member (accelerator or the like) provided in the fuel cell vehicle, and provides control information such as an acceleration request value (for example, a required power generation amount from a power consumption device such as a traction motor). In response, the operation of various devices in the system is controlled. In addition to the traction motor, the power consuming device includes, for example, an auxiliary device (for example, a compressor 31 and a hydrogen pump 44 motor) necessary for operating the fuel cell 2 and various devices ( Actuators used in transmissions, wheel control devices, steering devices, suspension devices, etc.), passenger space air conditioners (air conditioners), lighting, audio, and the like.

  The control unit 6 controls the amount of movement of the valve body 521 of the electromagnetic valve 52 by controlling the amount of current supplied from the drive source to the solenoid coil 523. Thereby, the valve closing state and the valve opening state of the electromagnetic valve 52 are controlled.

  Here, the control unit 6 physically includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM that stores a control program and control data processed by the CPU, a RAM that is mainly used as various work areas for control processing, And an input / output interface. These elements are connected to each other via a bus. Various sensors such as a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor are connected to the input / output interface, and various drivers for driving the compressor 31, the hydrogen pump 44, the exhaust / drain valve 46, the electromagnetic valve 52, and the like are connected. .

  The CPU receives the detection results of the various sensors via the input / output interface according to the control program stored in the ROM, and processes them using the various data in the RAM, so that the electromagnetic valve 52 in the fuel cell system is processed. Controls various processes such as opening and closing processes. Further, the CPU controls the entire fuel cell system 1 by outputting control signals to various drivers via the input / output interface.

  As described above, according to the fuel cell system 1 in the embodiment, the supply of hydrogen gas from the hydrogen tank 50 to the fuel cell 2 and the inflow of hydrogen gas from the filling port 56 to the hydrogen tank 50 are performed using the high-pressure valve 51. Therefore, only the high-pressure pipe 55 having both a hydrogen gas supply function and an inflow function can be connected to one end of the gas flow path 511 of the high-pressure valve 51. it can. Therefore, the number of high-pressure pipes 55 connected to the high-pressure valve 51 can be suppressed to the same number as the number of hydrogen tanks 50. Further, by suppressing the number of the high-pressure pipes 55 connected to the high-pressure valve 51, various effects such as cost reduction, promotion of weight reduction, and improvement of assemblability can be achieved.

  Further, according to the fuel cell system 1 in the embodiment, when the hydrogen tank 50 is filled with hydrogen gas and the temperature of the hydrogen tank 50 rises, the Peltier element 53 mounted on the outer surface of the hydrogen tank 50 causes the electromagnetic valve 52 to A current is supplied to the solenoid coil 523, and the valve body 521 of the solenoid valve 52 can be moved in the valve opening direction in accordance with the current. Therefore, the cracking pressure in the solenoid valve 52 generated when hydrogen gas is filled is reduced. Can be made. And since the pressure of the hydrogen gas with which the hydrogen tank 50 is filled can be increased by the reduced cracking pressure, the filling efficiency of the hydrogen gas into the hydrogen tank 50 can be improved.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the fuel cell system according to the present invention is mounted on a fuel cell vehicle is described. However, the present invention is also applied to various mobile bodies (robots, ships, aircrafts, etc.) other than the fuel cell vehicle. The fuel cell system according to the invention can be applied. Moreover, the fuel cell system according to the present invention can also be applied to a stationary power generation system used as a power generation facility for buildings (houses, buildings, etc.).

It is a lineblock diagram showing typically the fuel cell system in an embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows typically the valve system for high pressure tanks in embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Fuel cell system, 2 ... Fuel cell, 3 ... Oxidation gas piping system, 4 ... Hydrogen gas piping system, 5 ... Fuel supply system, 6 ... Control part, 41 ... Hydrogen supply flow path, 43 ... Regulator, 50 ... Hydrogen tank, 51 ... high pressure valve, 52 ... solenoid valve, 53 ... Peltier element, 54 ... wiring, 55 ... high pressure piping, 56 ... filling port, 57 ... filling channel, 511 ... gas channel, 521 ... valve element, 522 ... Valve seat, 523 ... Solenoid coil, 524 ... Spring.

Claims (3)

A valve system for a high-pressure tank including a valve device for a high-pressure tank used for a high-pressure tank that stores high-pressure gas,
A gas flow path for supplying the high-pressure gas stored in the high-pressure tank to the outside of the high-pressure tank and allowing the high-pressure gas stored in the high-pressure tank to flow from outside the high-pressure tank;
A shutoff valve that is provided in the gas flow path and shuts off or allows the supply of high pressure gas from the high pressure tank to the outside of the high pressure tank;
A thermoelectric generator that is mounted on the outer surface of the high-pressure tank, and supplies a current to the shut-off valve in response to a temperature rise of the high-pressure tank;
Control means for controlling opening and closing of a valve body included in the shut-off valve,
The shut-off valve has a coil for moving the valve body by electromagnetic force, and when a current is supplied from the thermoelectric generator to the coil, the valve body is controlled according to the supplied amount of current. A valve system for a high-pressure tank, which is moved in the valve opening direction.   The valve system for a high-pressure tank according to claim 1, further comprising a wiring for electrically connecting the thermoelectric generator and the coil. One or more high-pressure tanks for storing high-pressure gas;
The valve system for a high-pressure tank according to claim 1 or 2,
A filling port for filling the high-pressure gas into the high-pressure tank;
A fuel cell that receives supply of high-pressure gas from the high-pressure tank;
A first high-pressure gas flow path for flowing the high-pressure gas introduced from the filling port into the high-pressure tank side;
A second high-pressure gas passage for supplying high-pressure gas from the high-pressure tank side to the fuel cell;
A third high pressure gas flow path for connecting between the first high pressure gas flow path and the second high pressure gas flow path and the gas flow path of the valve device;
A fuel cell system comprising:

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