US-12620611-B2 - Fuel cell unit

US12620611B2US 12620611 B2US12620611 B2US 12620611B2US-12620611-B2

Abstract

A fuel cell unit includes: a fuel cell module; and a power converter. The fuel cell module includes a first fuel cell module including a first fuel cell stack that is a stack of first single cells, and a second fuel cell module including a second fuel cell stack that is a stack of second single cells. The power converter includes a first power converter, and a second power converter. The first power converter is located on a first surface of the first fuel cell module. The second power converter is located on a first surface of the second fuel cell module. The first surfaces face each other. A first normal direction to the first surfaces is orthogonal to a stacking direction of the first single cells and the second single cells.

Inventors

Yoshihiro Shinozaki
Masayuki Ito
Keita KINOSHITA
Hirofumi Kanazawa
Yugo Ichida

Assignees

TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20230606
Priority Date: 20220705

Claims (5)

1 . A fuel cell unit comprising: a fuel cell module; and a power converter configured to convert power of the fuel cell module, wherein: the fuel cell module includes a first fuel cell module including a first fuel cell stack that is a stack of a plurality of first single cells, and a second fuel cell module including a second fuel cell stack that is a stack of a plurality of second single cells; the power converter includes a first power converter configured to convert power of the first fuel cell module, and a second power converter configured to convert power of the second fuel cell module; the first power converter is located on a first surface of the first fuel cell module; the second power converter is located on a first surface of the second fuel cell module; the first surface of the first fuel cell module and the first surface of the second fuel cell module face each other; and a first normal direction to the first surface of the first fuel cell module and the first surface of the second fuel cell module is orthogonal to a stacking direction of the first single cells and the second single cells.
2 . The fuel cell unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first power converter and the second power converter are housed in separate power converter cases.
3 . The fuel cell unit according to claim 1 , wherein both the first power converter and the second power converter are housed in a single power converter case.
4 . The fuel cell unit according to claim 1 , the fuel cell unit further comprising: a first auxiliary device configured to assist in operation of the first fuel cell module; and a second auxiliary device configured to assist in operation of the second fuel cell module, wherein: the first auxiliary device is located on a second surface of the first fuel cell module; the second auxiliary device is located on a second surface of the second fuel cell module; a second normal direction to the second surface of the first fuel cell module and the second surface of the second fuel cell module is orthogonal to the first normal direction; and the first auxiliary device and the second auxiliary device face each other.
5 . The fuel cell unit according to claim 4 , wherein: the first auxiliary device protrudes beyond the first fuel cell module toward the power converter in the first normal direction; and the second auxiliary device protrudes beyond the second fuel cell module toward the power converter in the first normal direction.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-108244 filed on Jul. 5, 2022, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field The present disclosure relates to fuel cell units. 2. Description of Related Art A fuel cell is a cell that generates electrical energy through a chemical reaction between an oxidant gas containing oxygen and a fuel gas containing hydrogen. A cell (single cell) that is a basic unit of a fuel cell (fuel cell stack) typically includes a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) that is composed of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane and electrode catalyst layers formed on both sides of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane. Gas diffusion layers (GDLs) are located on both sides of the electrode catalyst layers, and separators having gas channels are located on both sides of the gas diffusion layers. A fuel cell unit is composed of at least a fuel cell stack and a power converter. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-311038 (JP 2008-311038 A) discloses a fuel cell system in which at least two surfaces of a power conversion device are covered by a power supply device including a fuel cell. SUMMARY In the case where a fuel cell unit is mounted on, for example, a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), it is possible to mount a fuel cell unit including a plurality of fuel cell stacks in response to a demand for high output. However, such a fuel cell unit does not have good mountability (installability). The present disclosure provides a fuel cell unit with good mountability. A first aspect of the present disclosure provides a fuel cell unit. This fuel cell unit is a fuel cell unit including a fuel cell module and a power converter configured to convert power of the fuel cell module. The fuel cell module includes: a first fuel cell module including a first fuel cell stack that is a stack of a plurality of first single cells; and a second fuel cell module including a second fuel cell stack that is a stack of a plurality of second single cells. The power converter includes: a first power converter configured to convert power of the first fuel cell module; and a second power converter configured to convert power of the second fuel cell module. The first power converter is located on a first surface of the first fuel cell module, and the second power converter is located on a first surface of the second fuel cell module. The first surface of the first fuel cell module and the first surface of the second fuel cell module face each other. A first normal direction to the first surface of the first fuel cell module and the first surface of the second fuel cell module is orthogonal to a stacking direction of the first single cells and the second single cells. In the fuel cell unit of the first aspect, the first power converter and the second power converter may be housed in separate power converter cases. A second aspect of the present disclosure provides a fuel cell unit. This fuel cell unit is a fuel cell unit including a fuel cell module and a power converter configured to convert power of the fuel cell module. The fuel cell module includes: a first fuel cell module including a first fuel cell stack that is a stack of a plurality of first single cells; and a second fuel cell module including a second fuel cell stack that is a stack of a plurality of second single cells. The power converter includes a common power converter configured to convert power of the first fuel cell module and to convert power of the second fuel cell module. The common power converter is located on a first surface of the first fuel cell module and is also located on a first surface of the second fuel cell module. The first surface of the first fuel cell module and the first surface of the second fuel cell module face each other. A first normal direction to the first surface of the first fuel cell module and the first surface of the second fuel cell module is orthogonal to a stacking direction of the first single cells and the second single cells. In the fuel cell unit of the first aspect, both the first power converter and the second power converter may be housed in a single power converter case. In the fuel cell unit of the second aspect, the common power converter may be housed in a single power converter case. In the fuel cell unit of the second aspect, the first fuel cell module may include a first positive terminal plate located on a positive electrode side of the first fuel cell stack, a first negative terminal plate located on a negative electrode side of the first fuel cell stack, and a first fuel cell case configured to house the first fuel cell stack, the first positive terminal plate, and the first negative terminal plate. The second fuel cell module may include a second positive terminal plate located on a positive electrode side of the second fuel cell stack, a second negative terminal plate