JP2015072879A - Fuel cell system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fuel cell system having excellent safety and improved efficiency, and capable of being continuously operated.SOLUTION: A fuel cell system comprises: a fuel cell 3 which generates power with hydrogen as fuel; a hydrogen storage container 9 which stores a hydrogen storage alloy and supplies hydrogen to the fuel cell 31 by the hydrogen storage alloy; a secondary battery 31 serving as an auxiliary power supply; a control device 14 which controls the system; and an exhaust heat passage 10 which is connected to an outside space and in which a member which generates exhaust heat is heat-transferably arranged. An introduction path 21 for air to be supplied to the fuel cell 3 is arranged in the exhaust heat passage 10 so as to increase a temperature of the air to be introduced into the fuel cell 3. Preferably, a cooling fan 12 is provided which introduces outside air from the outside of a machine and blows the air to the fuel cell 3, and a ventilation flue is provided so that at least a part of the blast sent by the cooling fan 12 comes into contact with the hydrogen storage container 9. The fuel cell system is also configured so that a part of the blast is introduced into the exhaust heat passage.

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel cell system that can be used as an emergency generator or a portable power source.

Engine generators have been widely known as emergency power generators for a long time. 1) Cannot generate power immediately after the commercial power is turned off. 2) Noise of 70 dB or more is generated and cannot be used at night. 3) CO ₂ and NO _x are contained in the exhaust gas, and there are problems such as inducing environmental problems, and development of a device using hydrogen and a fuel cell is being promoted to solve the problems. . For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 propose a fuel cell system using a high-pressure hydrogen cylinder as hydrogen supply means.
Patent Document 3 proposes an apparatus that can supply fuel to a fuel cell by supplying hydrogen stored in a hydrogen storage alloy.

JP 09-171842 A JP 2007-87164 A JP 05-190196 A

However, the conventional fuel cell system has the following problems.
(1) In the high-pressure gas cylinder system, power cannot be generated if the gas in the cylinder is exhausted. Even if it is structured to replace the cylinder, the power supply stops at the time of replacement. Moreover, since it is a high pressure gas, when installing it safely, a predetermined safety distance is required, and there is a problem that the place of use is limited.
(2) In the hydrogen storage alloy system, continuous operation is difficult and efficient operation is not sufficiently performed.
In addition, in the operation of a fuel cell, a fuel cell with a small output / capacity cannot be equipped with a large auxiliary machine such as a heater or a bubbler on the cathode side, so the cathode side has an air pump, a humidifier, a fuel cell, or It has a simple configuration with only an air pump and a fuel cell. Therefore, when the output of the fuel cell increases, only the temperature of the fuel cell rises, and a difference occurs between the air inlet temperature and the air outlet temperature of the fuel cell. As a result, the cathode side becomes dry, increasing the cell resistance and the catalyst. There is a problem that the cell voltage decreases due to a decrease in activity.

  The present invention has been made against the background of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a fuel cell system that can be continuously operated and can be efficiently operated with high safety.

That is, among the fuel cell systems of the present invention, the first aspect of the present invention is a fuel cell that generates power using hydrogen as a fuel,
A hydrogen storage container containing hydrogen storage alloy, and supplying hydrogen to the fuel cell by the hydrogen storage alloy;
A secondary battery as an auxiliary power source,
A control device for controlling the system;
A heat collecting means for collecting waste heat of a member that generates waste heat;
An exhaust heat passage through which the exhaust heat collected by the heat collection means is exhausted to an outside space;
An introduction path for air supplied to the fuel cell is disposed in the exhaust heat passage so that the collected exhaust heat is transferred and the temperature of the air introduced into the fuel cell rises. Features.

  The fuel cell system according to a second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect of the present invention, the member that generates exhaust heat includes at least one or both of the fuel cell and the control device.

  A fuel cell system according to a third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, the hydrogen storage container is connected to the fuel cell directly or via a heat transfer member.

  A fuel cell system according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the fuel cell system according to any one of the first to third aspects of the present invention, wherein the hydrogen storage container is installed above the fuel cell, and the exhaust heat is disposed below the fuel cell. A passage is located.

  A fuel cell system according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the fuel cell system according to any one of the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, wherein the control device is located below the fuel cell and a part is exposed to the exhaust heat passage. It is characterized by being.

  A fuel cell system according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the fuel cell system according to any one of the first to fifth aspects of the present invention, further comprising a cooling fan that introduces outside air into the fuel cell from outside the apparatus and blows air. A ventilation path is provided so that at least a part of the air sent by the fan comes into contact with the hydrogen storage container.

  The fuel cell system according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the sixth aspect of the present invention, a part of the blast is introduced into the exhaust heat passage.

  In the fuel cell system according to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the sixth or seventh aspect of the present invention, an air blowing space is provided around the fuel cell so that the air can move at least to the ventilation path. Features.

  A fuel cell system according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is the fuel cell system according to any one of the first to eighth aspects of the present invention, wherein the heat collecting member includes a blower fan that sends the exhaust heat on the fuel cell side to the exhaust heat passage side. It is characterized by having.

  The fuel cell system of the tenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the ninth aspect of the present invention, a second blower fan that blows air to the introduction path is disposed in the exhaust heat passage.

  The fuel cell system according to an eleventh aspect of the present invention is the fuel cell system according to any one of the first to tenth aspects of the present invention, wherein the heat collecting member is attached to the member that generates exhaust heat, and a heat dissipation portion is the exhaust heat. It has the heat sink located in a channel | path, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  In the fuel cell system of the twelfth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to eleventh aspects of the present invention, the air introduction path is one or more of an air pump, an air transfer pipe, and a humidifier. Features.

  A fuel cell system according to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention is the fuel cell system according to any one of the first to twelfth aspects of the present invention, wherein the secondary battery is located on the opposite side of the fuel cell across the exhaust heat path. It is arrange | positioned at the back surface side of.

  The fuel cell system according to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention is the fuel cell system according to any one of the first to thirteenth aspects of the present invention, wherein the difference between the air inlet temperature and the air outlet temperature of the fuel cell is 10 ° C. or less in a steady state. It is characterized by.

  A fuel cell system according to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention is the fuel cell system according to any one of the first to fourteenth aspects, further comprising a heating unit that heats the hydrogen storage container with a commercial power source during standby.

  The fuel cell system according to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention is the fuel cell system according to any one of the first to fifteenth aspects, further comprising a cooling unit that cools the hydrogen storage container with a commercial power source during standby.

  A fuel cell system according to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention is the fuel cell system according to any one of the first to sixteenth aspects, further comprising a cooling unit that cools the fuel cell with a commercial power source during standby.

  In the fuel cell system of the eighteenth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to seventeenth aspects of the present invention, the control device stops the operation of the fuel cell and supplies power to the outside by the secondary battery. It is possible to provide an exchange mode that enables the replacement of the hydrogen storage container.

That is, according to the present invention, the fuel cell can be efficiently operated by arranging the internal devices so that the difference between the air inlet temperature and the air outlet temperature of the fuel cell is reduced.
Further, according to another embodiment, if the endothermic reaction of the hydrogen storage container can be used in addition to forced air cooling from the outside for cooling the fuel cell, the fuel cell can be stably and efficiently operated. can do.
Further, according to another embodiment, if the hydrogen storage container can be cooled by the temperature in the casing during standby, the internal pressure of the hydrogen storage container does not increase, and the safety is improved.
Furthermore, according to another embodiment, it is possible to start immediately after a power failure or the like and perform continuous operation, thereby obtaining an efficient and safe operation. In particular, a hydrogen storage container is used as the hydrogen supply means, and a commercial power source can be connected as a secondary battery for power supply when replacing the hydrogen storage container. Therefore, the hydrogen storage container can be operated continuously by replacing the hydrogen storage container. If the hydrogen storage container can be heated by a commercial power supply during standby as a measure for keeping the hydrogen storage container at a low temperature, hydrogen can be efficiently supplied from the hydrogen storage container even when the environmental temperature is low.

It is a figure which shows the plane in the system housing | casing in one Embodiment of this invention. Similarly, it is a figure which shows the AA line cross section of FIG. Similarly, it is a figure which shows the BB sectional view of FIG. Similarly, it is a figure which shows the CC line cross section of FIG. Similarly, it is a figure which shows the DD sectional view of FIG. Similarly, it is a figure which shows the EE sectional view of FIG. Similarly, it is a figure showing a piping route. Similarly, it is a figure which shows an electrical connection state. It shows a PCT line diagram of the AB ₅ alloys. Similarly, it is a front view which shows the flow of ventilation. Similarly, it is a side view which shows the flow of ventilation. Similarly, it is the figure which compared the fuel cell by equipment arrangement | positioning.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
A horizontal plate 2A is disposed along the horizontal direction at a substantially central height position in the quadrangular cylindrical system housing 1, and a fuel cell 3 is installed above the horizontal plate 2A. The fuel cell 3 is constituted by a solid molecular fuel cell, for example. Further, on both sides of the fuel cell 3, vertical plates 2C and 2C are installed.
In addition, on the front and back side surfaces of the fuel cell 3, a plurality of cooling fans 4 (in the figure, three horizontal rows × vertical three rows in the figure) are arranged in a region covering the entire fuel cell 3 along the side surface of the system housing 1. Are installed on the front and back sides, respectively, and air can be blown toward the fuel cell 3 from the outside air side. The system housing 1 is opened on the outside air side of the cooling fan 4, and air is introduced from the outside air side toward the cooling fan 4. A safety net or the like may be arranged on the opening side of the cooling fan 4 to enhance safety.

A horizontal plate 2B that is in direct contact with the fuel cell 3 is installed above the fuel cell 3, and a plurality of hydrogen storage container installation bases 5 are provided along the longitudinal direction so as to be in contact with the horizontal plate 2B. It has been. A plurality of cylindrical hydrogen storage containers 9 (three in the figure) can be installed on each hydrogen storage container installation base 5 and fixed by clamps 6 or the like. The hydrogen storage container 9 can be attached and detached by removing the clamp 6 and can be easily replaced. Each hydrogen storage container 9 is connected to hydrogen pipes 90A, 90B, and 90C arranged in the system housing 1 so that hydrogen can be released to the outside after installation. The hydrogen storage container 9 can be replaced by moving in the front-rear direction from the front side of the system housing 1.
A duct 1A is constituted by the horizontal plates 2A and 2B and the vertical plates 2C and 2C.

  In addition, a heat transfer member 5 </ b> A that contacts a hydrogen storage container 9 installed on the fuel cell 3 is provided on the fuel cell 3, and the heat transfer member 5 </ b> A is in contact with the fuel cell 3. By selecting the material of the heat transfer member 5A and the hydrogen storage container installation base 5 as a material having good thermal conductivity, the temperature of the fuel cell 3 is transmitted to the hydrogen storage container 9 by heat transfer and the fuel cell 3 is cooled by absorbing heat. In addition, the temperature of the hydrogen storage container 9 can be raised. Therefore, the hydrogen storage container installation stand 5 corresponds to a heat transfer member together with the heat transfer member 5A.

Further, the horizontal plate 2B, the hydrogen storage containers 9 and the hydrogen storage container installation bases 5 are arranged with a gap therebetween in the longitudinal direction, and these gaps are located on the lower fuel cell 3 side. It functions as the ventilation path 7 through which the air sent from is passed. The blown air that has passed through the ventilation path 7 can further contact the hydrogen storage container 9 and transfer heat. Around the fuel cell 3, there is a space 3 </ b> A that reaches the ventilation path 7 as described above.
An openable / closable lid 8 is provided above the system housing 1, and an exhaust port 8 </ b> A through which the air that has passed through the hydrogen storage container 9 is exhausted is provided on a side surface of the lid 8.

  When the fuel cell 3 and the hydrogen storage container 9 are configured to transfer heat directly (including other members), the air flow in the space where the hydrogen storage container is placed is reduced, and the heat transfer coefficient of air Tends to be smaller. Therefore, the cooling fan 4, the horizontal plate 2 </ b> A, and the heat transfer member are transmitted so that the air heated by the fuel cell 3 is transmitted to the space where the hydrogen storage container 9 is placed while the fuel cell 3 and the hydrogen storage container 9 are in contact with each other. 5A, the opening of the hydrogen storage container installation base 5 is adjusted in the space 3A.

In addition, a partition plate 30 extending in the lateral direction is provided on the lower side of the fuel cell 3 so as to be spaced from the bottom surface of the system housing 1, and a heat exhaust passage is provided between the fuel cell 3 and the partition plate 30. 10 is formed.
A heat sink 11 as heat collecting means is provided on the lower surface side of the fuel cell 3 so as to be exposed to the exhaust heat passage 10, and the heat sink 11 is directly connected to the fuel cell 3. Also, a blower fan 12 as heat collecting means is provided on the lower surface of the heat sink 11. The blower fan 12 sucks exhaust heat from the fuel cell 3 and the heat sink 11 and sends it to the exhaust heat passage 10 on the lower side. .
In this embodiment, the air blown by the cooling fan 4 is configured to be sent upward, but part of the air sent by the cooling fan 4 passes between the heat sinks 11 and around the heat sink 11. Thus, it is also possible to move to the lower side of the exhaust heat passage 10.

A control device 14 is installed on one side edge of the partition plate 30 along one side surface of the system housing 1. The control device 14 includes a CPU, various control circuits, and the like, and controls the entire system. In the present invention, the configuration of the control device is not limited to the above, and the configuration is not particularly limited as long as the entire system can be controlled.
Further, a heat sink 15 as heat collecting means is provided on the surface side of the control device 14 (inside the housing) so as to be exposed to the exhaust heat passage 10, and the heat sink 15 is directly connected to the control device 14. Yes. Further, a blower fan 16 is provided inside the housing of the heat sink 15, and air is sucked from the exhaust heat space 10 side toward the control device 14 and the heat sink 15 by the blower fan 16 to control the control device 14 and the heat sink 15. It is configured to blow out to the side. The control device 14 is cooled by the air in the exhaust heat space 10 that is relatively cooler than the control device 14 by the blower fan 16. The blower fan 16 corresponds to a second blower fan of the present invention.

An air pump 20 is installed on the partition plate 30 on the other side of the control device 14, and an air transfer pipe 21 is connected to the air transfer side of the air pump 20. The air transfer pipe 21 extends upward and is connected to the air inlet 3 </ b> A of the fuel cell 3 via a humidifier 22 disposed above the air pump 20. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, an air discharge pipe 23 </ b> A is connected to the fuel cell 3. The air discharge pipe 23A is connected to an exhaust port provided on the lower surface side of the system housing 1 through the humidifier 22 and then through the discharge pipe 23 extending downward to be released into the atmosphere.
In the humidifier 22, the air passing through the air transfer pipe 21 is humidified by the air discharged from the fuel cell 3 side through the air discharge pipe 23A. At this time, the air introduced into the fuel cell 3 is slightly warmed by the air discharged from the fuel cell 3, but the temperature rise is small.

  The exhaust heat blow sent by the blower fan 12 mainly heats the humidifier 22 and the surrounding air transfer pipe 21. Further, the air sent by the blower fan 16 receives heat from the control device 14 and the heat sink 15 and rises in temperature. From the upper side and the lower side of the control device 14, the air pump 20 and the surrounding air transfer pipe 21. These are heated to heat them. The exhaust heat blow is further sucked by the blower fan 16 and circulates in the space between the air pump 20 and the control device 14. The air blown by the blower fan 16 may be received directly through the introduction path or indirectly.

In addition, after the exhaust heat which passes the exhaust heat passage 10 contacts the air pump 20, the air transfer pipe 21, and the humidifier 22 and heats internal air on the ventilation side of the ventilation fan 12 and the ventilation fan 16, a part is The air is discharged from an exhaust port (not shown) provided in the system housing 1 to the outside air.
The air pump 20, the air transfer pipe 21, and the humidifier 22 correspond to the air introduction path of the present invention. In the present invention, the route heated by the exhaust heat passage 10 is not limited to the above. However, heating with the air pump 20 or the humidifier 22 can effectively heat the air introduced into the fuel cell 3.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the hydrogen storage container 8 is the part that most wants to transmit heat among the system use parts. 22 is transmitted to the air introduction side. In addition, since the cooling fan 4 blows air from the front and back of the fuel cell 3, the blown air is less likely to stay and the fuel cell 3 is effectively cooled, and the blown air quickly flows upward to effectively heat the upper side. It can be performed. Further, the cooling fan 4 can be effectively blown through the front and back ducts 1 </ b> A, so that the blowing upward of the fuel cell 3 is performed smoothly. Further, the hydrogen storage container 9 is arranged at the upper part of the system housing 1 in consideration of hydrogen leakage.

  Further, in the space below the partition wall 30, a secondary battery 31 is disposed, and an inverter 32 is further installed. In the space below the partition wall 30, a communication path that opens to the outside is provided. By installing the secondary battery 31 or the like on the lower side of the partition wall 30, it is possible to dispose devices that are desired to avoid a temperature rise from exhaust heat.

Next, the piping path of the fuel cell system of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
In the air transfer pipe 21 connected to the air pump 20, the flow rate is adjusted by the flow meter 21 </ b> A, introduced into the humidified side of the humidifier 22, passed through the humidifier 22, and then connected to the air inlet 3 </ b> A of the fuel cell 3. ing. The temperature of the air that has passed through the humidifier 22 can be measured by, for example, the thermometer 21A1 at the discharge outlet, and the exhaust gas temperature introduced into the humidifier 22 can be measured by the thermometer 21A2, and the air introduced into the humidifier The temperature can be measured, for example, with a thermometer 23A1.
An air discharge pipe 23A and a hydrogen discharge pipe 23B are connected to the outlet side of the fuel cell 3, respectively. The air discharge pipe 23 </ b> A is introduced to the humidification side of the humidifier 22, passes through the humidifier 22, and is connected to the pipe 23 through the air outlet valve 23 </ b> A <b> 10. The hydrogen release pipe 23B is connected to the pipe 23 via the hydrogen outlet valve 23B10. In the hydrogen release pipe 23B, the hydrogen outlet valve 23B10 is periodically opened to discharge moisture in the fuel cell 3.

Hydrogen pipes 90A, 90B, and 90C are connected to the hydrogen storage container 9, respectively. The hydrogen pipe 90A, the hydrogen pipe 90B, and the hydrogen pipe 90C are merged. In the merged hydrogen pipe 91, a part of the hydrogen is passed through the safety valve 91C. Can be purged through. When the pressure of the hydrogen pipe 91 becomes a specified pressure or higher, hydrogen can be released through the safety valve 91C. The hydrogen pipe 91 is provided with a regulator 91A and a hydrogen inlet valve 91B, and the supply pressure of hydrogen can be adjusted by the regulator 91. In the hydrogen pipe 91, the air pipe 93 can be merged on the downstream side of the hydrogen inlet valve 91 </ b> B, and the hydrogen pipe 92 is a downstream side of the hydrogen pipe 91.
The hydrogen pipe 92 is connected to the hydrogen inlet 3 </ b> C of the fuel cell 3 at the tip side through a hydrogen inlet valve 92 </ b> A. The air pipe 93 can be joined to the hydrogen pipe 92 via the air-hydrogen relay valve 94 as described above, and the air-hydrogen relay valve 94 is normally closed. The air pipe 93 is used to open the air-hydrogen relay valve 94 and send air into the air pipe 93, the hydrogen pipe 92, and the fuel cell 3 to remove moisture inside when the system is stopped.
Each of the valves can be controlled by the control device 14.

Next, the electrical connection state of the fuel cell system of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
In the fuel cell system, a commercial power source is connected to an AC / DC converter and a terminal 1 of the switch SW. At the time of standby, the switch SW connects the terminal 1 and the terminal 3 on the AC output side of the system, and commercial power is output outside the system.
Further, during standby, the output of the AC / DC converter supplied with power from the commercial power source is input to the DC / DC converter and used for charging the secondary battery 31.

Note that the output of the AC / DC converter is connected to a heater that heats the hydrogen storage container 9, and can heat the hydrogen storage container 9 as necessary during standby. The heater corresponds to a heating unit that heats the hydrogen storage container. The configuration of the heater is not particularly limited.
For example, the heating of the hydrogen storage container is performed as follows. The temperature (Ti) of the hydrogen storage container required at startup is set, and when the temperature of the hydrogen storage container becomes Ti or less, the heater for the hydrogen storage container is operated by a commercial power source, and the temperature of the hydrogen storage container is Ti or less Do not become. As a result, the fuel cell system can be reliably started even in a state where the ambient temperature is low. The temperature of the hydrogen storage container is measured with an appropriate thermometer, and the output can be transmitted to the control device 14 that operates with the secondary battery, whereby the above control can be executed by the control program of the control device 14.

  In addition, when the commercial power source is cut off due to a power failure or when the commercial power source is not activated, the control device 14 operates to operate the valve so that hydrogen is supplied from the hydrogen storage container 9 to the fuel cell 3. In addition, the fuel cell 3 is operated by starting the air pump 20 and supplying air to the fuel cell 3. The power generated by the fuel cell 3 is output to the DC / DC converter. The output of the DC / DC converter is output to a DC / AC inverter, and an AC output having the same frequency as that of the commercial power supply is obtained and input to the terminal 2 of the switch SW. At this time, in the switch SW, the connection between the terminal 1 and the terminal 3 is released, the terminal 2 and the terminal 3 are connected, and AC output is output from the fuel cell system. The operation of the switch SW can be performed by the control of the control device 14, for example. The AC / DC converter, the DC / DC converter, and the DC / AC inverter can be housed in the system as a converter / inverter device 32. The operation of the AC / DC converter, the DC / DC converter, and the DC / AC inverter can be controlled by the control device 14.

If the operation of the fuel cell 3 is difficult due to replacement of the hydrogen storage container 9 or the like with the commercial power supply shut off, the DC output is output from the secondary battery 31 to the DC / AC inverter, and the DC / AC inverter Can be externally supplied as an AC output.
As described above, in the present embodiment, from the viewpoint of safety, a hydrogen storage container is used as a hydrogen supply means and a secondary battery is provided, so that continuous operation is possible even during replacement. Furthermore, the problem related to hydrogen release at low temperatures can be solved by heating the hydrogen storage container in advance with a commercial power supply during standby.

  Although not shown in FIG. 8, when the temperature of the hydrogen storage container 9 is high during standby, control for cooling the temperature of the hydrogen storage container 9 may be performed. In the present embodiment, when the cooling fan 4 is operated in a state where the fuel cell 3 is not operating, the hydrogen storage container 9 can be cooled together with the cooling of the fuel cell 3. For example, during a hot weather, the temperature in the system housing 1 increases rapidly, and the temperature of the built-in hydrogen storage container 9 also increases. In the hydrogen storage alloy, the pressure and temperature are defined by the PCT curve. When the temperature rises, the pressure rises, and the pressure in the primary pipe rises accordingly.

FIG. 9 shows a PCT diagram of AB ₅ alloy in consideration of the Japanese climate and the high-pressure gas safety law. In this embodiment, it can be suitably used AB ₅ alloys. When the temperature of the hydrogen storage alloy exceeds 40 ° C. when the hydrogen is fully filled with AB ₅ alloy, the pressure in the container exceeds 1 MPaG. Therefore, in this embodiment, for example, when the temperature in the system housing 1 exceeds 40 ° C., the cooling fan 4 operates and the temperature of the hydrogen storage container 9 can be prevented from rising. Further, when the temperature of the fuel cell 3 becomes high at the time of power generation of the fuel cell 3, the saturated water vapor pressure of the air is increased and the film is likely to be in a dry state. Can be prevented.
As described above, the temperature of the hydrogen storage container 9 is measured by an appropriate thermometer, and the output is transmitted to the control device 14 that operates on the secondary battery 31, whereby the above control is executed by the control program of the control device 14. be able to.

Next, the operation of the fuel cell system of this embodiment will be described.
When the commercial power source is shut off or used as a portable power source, the control device 14 is operated by the power of the secondary battery 31 to perform valve operation, and hydrogen is supplied from the hydrogen storage container 9 to the hydrogen inlet 3C of the fuel cell 3. Supplied. In addition, the air pump 20 operates, sucks air and sends it through the air transfer pipe 21, and supplies air to the fuel cell 3 via the humidifier 22. The cooling fan 4 is desirably operated after the temperature of the fuel cell 3 has become sufficiently high. The operating temperature is preferably 45 ° C. or higher, and the cooling fan 4 can be operated when this temperature is exceeded or when the temperature is higher. When the operating temperature becomes lower than a predetermined temperature range, the cooling fan 4 can be stopped. Further, the rotational speed and the air volume of the cooling fan 4 may be adjusted according to the operating temperature.
The temperature of the fuel cell 3 is measured using a thermometer or the like, and the result is transmitted to the control device 14 so that the operation of the cooling fan 4 can be controlled.

  When the temperature of the fuel cell 3 rises, the cooling fan 4 is operated to introduce outside air to cool the fuel cell 3. The air blown toward the fuel cell 3 is heated by the contact with the fuel cell 3 or the passage around it. As shown in FIG. 10, the air blows up through the space 3 </ b> A and heats the hydrogen storage container 9 while passing through the ventilation path 7, thereby cooling the fuel cell 3 and receiving heat from the fuel cell 3. It is possible to effectively release hydrogen from the fuel cell 3 and supply it to the fuel cell 3. The air that heated the hydrogen storage container 9 rises and is exhausted out of the fuel cell system through the exhaust port 8A.

  In the cooling of the fuel cell 3, in an air-cooled fuel cell, it is common to forcibly cool it with a cooling fan. However, as the output of the fuel cell 3 increases, exhaust heat increases, and accordingly It is also necessary to increase the number of cooling fans. As the number of cooling fans increases, the auxiliary machine power increases. As a result, the power that the fuel cell should generate also increases, and the exhaust heat increases. Therefore, in this embodiment, the exhaust heat of the fuel cell 3 is also efficiently supplied to the hydrogen storage container 9 by bringing the fuel cell 3 and the hydrogen storage container 9 into contact with each other so that the heat absorption amount of the hydrogen storage container 9 is maximized. It is trying to be transmitted.

  On the lower side of the fuel cell 3, the air heated by the blower fan 12 by receiving the heat of the heat sink 11 and the heat of the fuel cell 3 is blown downward in the exhaust heat passage 10. Further, in the control device 14, exhaust heat is generated by the operation, the exhaust heat is transmitted to the heat sink 15, ambient air is sucked by the blower fan 16, the control device 14 is cooled, and the exhaust heat is sent forward. It is done. As shown in FIG. 11, the air whose temperature has risen by the air blown by the blower fan 12 and the blower fan 16 is sent to the air pump 20, the air transfer pipe 21, and the humidifier 22 side through the exhaust heat passage 10. Inside these, air is effectively heated in the introduction path and introduced into the fuel cell 3.

In this embodiment, for the fuel cell 3 that generates the most heat, the hydrogen storage container 9 is installed on the upper surface and the humidifier 22 is installed on the lower surface. It arrange | positions so that it may convey to the pump 20. As the temperature of the air gas supplied to the fuel cell 3 is higher, the air humidification performance is increased and the performance of the fuel cell is improved.
Moreover, although the air supplied to the fuel cell 3 is humidified using the humidifier 22, the higher the temperature of the humidifier 22, the greater the amount of humidification of the air and the better the performance of the fuel cell 3. Therefore, the heat sink 11 and the blower fan 12 are installed so that the heat of the fuel cell 3 is transmitted to the space where the humidifier 22 is placed.

  Note that the amount of air introduced into the exhaust passage 10 varies depending on the flow rate of the air blowing fan 12 and the air blowing fan 16, and the air pump 20, the air transfer pipe 21, and the humidifier 22 side are controlled by the control device 14. It is possible to adjust the amount of air sent and the temperature. Efficiency can be improved by efficiently transmitting the exhaust heat of the fuel cell 3 and the exhaust heat generated by the control device 14 to the air pump 20 and the humidifier 22. The difference between the air outlet temperature and the air inlet temperature in the fuel cell 3 can be set to, for example, 10 ° C. or less depending on the control contents at the steady state, and the efficiency of the fuel cell 3 can be improved. The difference between the air outlet temperature and the air inlet temperature is more preferably 5 ° C. or less for the same reason.

Next, the step of replacing the hydrogen storage alloy (exchange mode) will be described below.
When there is one hydrogen storage container (case 1)
(1) When the remaining amount of hydrogen calculated by the control device falls below, for example, 10%, the exchange switch is turned to “during replacement”.
(2) When the replacement switch is tilted to “at the time of replacement”, the control device temporarily stops the power generation of the fuel cell and performs processing necessary for the temporary stop of power generation. At the same time, the power supply is switched to the secondary battery.
(3) After switching to the secondary battery, the hydrogen storage container is removed and replaced.
(4) After the replacement, when the replacement switch is returned to “normal time”, the remaining amount of hydrogen returns to 100%, and the fuel cell returns to power generation.

When there are multiple hydrogen storage containers (case 2)
When there are a plurality of hydrogen storage containers, in addition to the above method, the following method can be used for replacement.
(1) When the remaining amount of hydrogen calculated by the control device falls below, for example, 10%, one hydrogen storage container is replaced. In the meantime, power generation is performed in the remaining hydrogen storage containers.
(2) After replacing the hydrogen storage container, the remaining hydrogen storage containers are also replaced in order.
(3) After replacing all the hydrogen storage containers, press the remaining capacity reset button to return the remaining capacity of the hydrogen storage container to 100%.
In addition, even when it has two or more hydrogen storage containers, it is possible to perform replacement | exchange operation | work by the procedure of case1.

FIG. 12 shows a comparison result of the fuel cell obtained by the device arrangement.
A comparison was made with a comparison apparatus (a system housing is not installed) having the same fuel cell and hydrogen storage container as in the above embodiment and not having a configuration for heating the air introduction path using exhaust heat. In the comparison device, the introduction air was introduced into the fuel cell through a humidifier, and the test was conducted at 400 W and a fuel outlet temperature of 45 ° C.
In the apparatus of the embodiment, continuous operation was performed, and the difference between the air inlet temperature and the outlet temperature was 5 ° C., and a stable output was obtained. On the other hand, in the comparison device, since the air introduction side is not heated to the fuel cell, the temperature difference between the air introduction side and the air discharge side is large (over 10 ° C.), the water balance in the fuel cell stack is deteriorated, and the fuel The battery voltage tended to decrease. Further, in the comparison device, a moisture removal sequence is performed in a timely manner in order to suppress a voltage drop. However, it is not desirable to perform this sequence frequently in order to reduce the life of the fuel cell.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 System housing 1A Duct 3 Fuel cell 3A Air inlet side 3B Air outlet side 3C Hydrogen inlet side 4 Cooling fan 5 Hydrogen storage container installation stand 5A Heat transfer member 6 Bracket 7 Ventilation path 8 Exhaust port 9 Hydrogen storage container 10 Exhaust heat path 11 Heat sink 12 Blower fan 14 Control device 15 Heat sink 16 Blower fan 20 Air pump 21 Air transfer pipe 22 Humidifier 30 Bulkhead 31 Secondary battery 32 Inverter

Claims (18)

A fuel cell that generates electricity using hydrogen as a fuel;
A hydrogen storage container containing hydrogen storage alloy, and supplying hydrogen to the fuel cell by the hydrogen storage alloy;
A secondary battery as an auxiliary power source,
A control device for controlling the system;
A heat collecting means for collecting waste heat of a member that generates waste heat;
An exhaust heat passage through which the exhaust heat collected by the heat collection means is exhausted to an outside space;
An introduction path for air supplied to the fuel cell is disposed in the exhaust heat passage so that the collected exhaust heat is transferred and the temperature of the air introduced into the fuel cell rises. A fuel cell system.   The fuel cell system according to claim 1, wherein the member that generates exhaust heat includes at least one or both of the fuel cell and the control device.   The fuel cell system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the hydrogen storage container is connected to the fuel cell directly or via a heat transfer member.   The fuel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the hydrogen storage container is installed on the upper side of the fuel cell, and the exhaust heat passage is located on the lower side of the fuel cell. Battery system.   The fuel cell system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control device is positioned below the fuel cell, and a part of the control device is exposed to the exhaust heat passage.   A cooling fan that introduces outside air from the outside of the apparatus and blows air to the fuel cell is provided, and an air passage is provided so that at least a part of the air sent by the cooling fan contacts the hydrogen storage container. The fuel cell system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the fuel cell system is provided.   The fuel cell system according to claim 6, wherein a part of the air is introduced into the exhaust heat passage.   The fuel cell system according to claim 6 or 7, wherein an air blowing space is provided around the fuel cell so that the air can move at least to the ventilation path.   The fuel cell system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the heat collecting member has a blower fan that sends out exhaust heat on the fuel cell side to the exhaust heat passage side.   The fuel cell system according to claim 9, wherein a second blower fan that blows air to the introduction path is disposed in the exhaust heat passage.   11. The heat collection member according to claim 1, further comprising: a heat sink attached to the member that generates exhaust heat and having a heat dissipating portion located in the exhaust heat passage. Fuel cell system.   The fuel cell system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the air introduction path is one or more of an air pump, an air transfer pipe, and a humidifier.   The said secondary battery is arrange | positioned in the back surface side of the partition located in the opposite side to the said fuel cell across the said exhaust heat path, The any one of Claims 1-12 characterized by the above-mentioned. Fuel cell system.   14. The fuel cell system according to claim 1, wherein a difference between an air inlet temperature and an air outlet temperature of the fuel cell is 10 ° C. or less in a steady state.   The fuel cell system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, further comprising a heating unit that heats the hydrogen storage container with a commercial power source during standby.   The fuel cell system according to any one of claims 1 to 15, further comprising a cooling unit that cools the hydrogen storage container with a commercial power source during standby.   The fuel cell system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, further comprising a cooling unit that cools the fuel cell with a commercial power source during standby.   The control device has an exchange mode for stopping the operation of the fuel cell and allowing the secondary battery to supply electric power to the outside so that the hydrogen storage container can be replaced. The fuel cell system according to any one of 1 to 17.

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