JP-2026074549-A - Fuel cell system

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a fuel cell system that can stably secure hydrogen gas at the concentration necessary for power generation using a fuel cell. [Solution] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a fuel cell system 1 comprising a first pressure sensor P1 for measuring the pressure between a hydrogen storage alloy canister 41 and an injector 42 in a hydrogen gas supply passage 31, and a control unit 13 for controlling an exhaust drain valve 51. The control unit 13 controls the number of opening and closing operations of the exhaust drain valve 51 per unit time to be greater than when the measured value of the first pressure sensor P1 is higher than the measured value of the first pressure sensor P1 is higher than the predetermined pressure PA. [Selection Diagram] Figure 4

Inventors

• 浅沼 大作

Assignees

• 愛三工業株式会社

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20241021

Claims (3)

1. Fuel cells and A hydrogen gas supply passage for supplying hydrogen gas to the fuel cell, A hydrogen storage container filled with a hydrogen storage alloy and releasing the hydrogen gas into the hydrogen gas supply passage, A hydrogen supply device is arranged in the hydrogen gas supply passage and supplies the hydrogen gas released from the hydrogen storage container to the fuel cell. A hydrogen off-gas discharge passage for discharging hydrogen off-gas from the fuel cell to the outside, An exhaust control valve is provided in the hydrogen off-gas discharge passage and controls the discharge of the hydrogen off-gas to the outside, In a fuel cell system having, A pressure measuring unit for measuring the pressure between the hydrogen storage container and the hydrogen supply device in the hydrogen gas supply passage, and at least one of a container temperature measuring unit for measuring the temperature of the hydrogen storage container, It includes a control unit that controls the exhaust control valve, The control unit, When the pressure measurement value of the pressure measuring unit is below a predetermined pressure, the number of opening and closing operations of the exhaust control valve per unit time is controlled to be higher than when the pressure measurement value of the pressure measuring unit is higher than the predetermined pressure. and/or, When the measurement value of the container temperature measuring unit is below a predetermined container temperature, the number of opening and closing operations of the exhaust control valve per unit time is controlled to be higher than when the measurement value of the container temperature measuring unit is above the predetermined container temperature. A fuel cell system characterized by the following.
2. In the fuel cell system of claim 1, The control unit controls the exhaust control valve to increase the number of opening and closing operations by shortening the closing time of the exhaust control valve. A fuel cell system characterized by the following.
3. In the fuel cell system of claim 1 or 2, A fan that blows the heat generated by the fuel cell toward the hydrogen storage container, It has a battery temperature measuring unit for measuring the temperature of the fuel cell, The control unit controls the fan, The control unit, If the measurement value of the battery temperature measuring unit is above a predetermined battery temperature, the fan will be activated. If the measurement value of the battery temperature measuring unit is below the predetermined battery temperature, the fan will be stopped. A fuel cell system characterized by the following.

Description

This disclosure relates to a fuel cell system having a fuel cell that generates electricity by receiving a supply of fuel gas and oxidizer gas. Patent Document 1 discloses a fuel cell system that supplies hydrogen gas released from a hydrogen storage alloy canister (hydrogen storage alloy) to a fuel cell to generate electricity. Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-184418 This is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the fuel cell system (open cathode type system) of this embodiment.This is a characteristic diagram of the temperature, hydrogen pressure, and hydrogen concentration of a hydrogen storage alloy canister.This diagram shows that the fuel cell stack, hydrogen storage alloy canister, and battery are arranged inside the case.This is a flowchart illustrating the control process performed in this embodiment.This is a diagram illustrating a modified fuel cell system (closed cathode system). Embodiments of the fuel cell system described herein will be explained. (Fuel cell system configuration) As shown in Figure 1, the fuel cell system 1 of this embodiment includes an FC stack 11 (air-cooled FC stack), a battery 12 (secondary battery), a hydrogen system 21, and an air system/cooling system 22. The FC stack 11 is an example of the "fuel cell" of this disclosure. The FC stack 11 generates electricity by receiving a supply of fuel gas and an oxidizer gas. In this embodiment, the fuel gas is hydrogen gas, and the oxidizer gas is air. Specifically, the FC stack 11 generates electricity by receiving hydrogen gas from the hydrogen system 21 and air from the air/cooling system 22. The electricity generated by the FC stack 11 is then supplied to the battery 12 and an inverter and motor (not shown). The battery 12 is connected to the FC stack 11 and charges using the power generated by the FC stack 11. This battery 12 also supplies power to an inverter and motor (not shown). The hydrogen system 21 is located on the anode side of the FC stack 11. This hydrogen system 21 includes a hydrogen gas supply passage 31 and a hydrogen off-gas discharge passage 32. The hydrogen gas supply passage 31 is a passage for supplying hydrogen gas from the hydrogen storage alloy canister 41, where hydrogen gas is stored, to the FC stack 11. The hydrogen off-gas discharge passage 32 is a passage for discharging hydrogen gas (i.e., hydrogen off-gas) discharged from the FC stack 11. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the hydrogen system 21 includes a hydrogen storage alloy canister 41 in the hydrogen gas supply passage 31. Starting from the hydrogen storage alloy canister 41 side, it is equipped with a first pressure sensor P1, an injector 42, and a second pressure sensor P2. Furthermore, the hydrogen storage alloy canister 41 is an example of the "hydrogen storage container" described herein. The first pressure sensor P1 is an example of the "pressure measuring unit" described herein. The injector 42 is an example of the "hydrogen supply device" described herein. The hydrogen storage alloy canister 41 is a container filled with a hydrogen storage alloy that has the properties of absorbing and releasing hydrogen gas. Specifically, the hydrogen storage alloy canister 41 is filled with a hydrogen storage alloy and can release hydrogen gas into the hydrogen gas supply passage 31 or absorb hydrogen gas from a hydrogen tank (not shown). The first pressure sensor P1 measures the pressure between the hydrogen storage alloy canister 41 and the injector 42 in the hydrogen gas supply passage 31 (i.e., the discharge pressure of the hydrogen storage alloy canister 41). The injector 42 is a device that injects and supplies hydrogen gas released from the hydrogen storage alloy canister 41 to the downstream FC stack 11. The second pressure sensor P2 measures the outlet pressure of the injector 42 (i.e., the injection pressure). Furthermore, the hydrogen system 21 includes an exhaust drain valve 51 in the hydrogen off-gas discharge passage 32 that controls the switching between discharge and shutoff of hydrogen off-gas and moisture to the outside. Note that the exhaust drain valve 51 is an example of the "exhaust control valve" described herein. On the other hand, the air and cooling system 22 is located on the cathode side of the FC stack 11. This air and cooling system 22 includes an air supply passage 61, an air-off gas discharge passage 62, and a fan 63. The air supply passage 61 is a passage for supplying air from outside the fuel cell system 1 to the FC stack 11. The air-off gas discharge passage 62 is a passage for discharging air (i.e., air-off gas) discharged from the FC stack 11. The fan 63 supplies air to the FC stack 11 via the air supply passage 61 and discharges air-off gas from the FC stack 11 via the air-off gas discharge passage 62. In this embodiment, the fan 63 not only supplies air to the FC stack 11 via the air supply passage 61, thereby generating electricity using that air, but also serves to cool the FC stack 11.