Fuel cell module

Abstract

To provide a fuel cell module which can realize weight saving.SOLUTION: A fuel cell module comprises: a fuel cell stack; an auxiliary machine assembly with an air compressor; and a frame member which supports them. The frame member includes: a pair of side members which extends in a first direction where the fuel cell stack and the auxiliary machine assembly are arrayed; a pair of cross members which extends along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, are arrayed to be a rectangular shape with the pair of side members, and are shorter than the pair of side members; and four connection members which connect the pair of side members with the pair of cross members where the pair of side members and the pair of cross members are arrayed in the rectangular shape. The fuel cell stack is fixed to the pair of side members respectively and fixed to one of the pair of cross members or the connection members connected thereto. The auxiliary machine assembly is fixed to the pair of side members respectively and fixed to the other of the pair of cross members or the connection member connected thereto.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a fuel cell module mounted on a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a fuel cell module to be mounted on a vehicle. The fuel cell module includes a fuel cell stack, multiple accessories that drive the fuel cell stack, and a rectangular frame member that supports them. The frame member is composed of a pair of side members and a pair of cross members that are shorter than the pair of side members. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-86178 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Because the fuel cell stack and multiple accessories are heavy objects, when vibrations are input from the vehicle body to the frame member, relatively large vibrations can occur throughout the entire fuel cell module. As a result, the frame member may be deformed, such as bent or twisted. Therefore, frame members that secure heavy objects such as the fuel cell stack and accessories, as in Patent Document 1, may be provided with reinforcing members that extend across a pair of side members to reinforce the frame member. However, the added reinforcing members increase the number of parts that make up the frame member, increasing the weight of the fuel cell module. In consideration of the above issues, this specification provides a technology that can reduce the weight of a fuel cell module. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The technology disclosed in this specification is embodied in a fuel cell module mounted on a vehicle. In a first aspect of the technology, the fuel cell module may include a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cells, an accessory assembly including an air compressor that supplies air to the fuel cell stack, and a frame member that supports the fuel cell stack and the accessory assembly. The frame member may include a pair of side members extending in a first direction in which the fuel cell stack and the accessory assembly are arranged, a pair of cross members extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, arranged in a rectangular shape together with the pair of side members and shorter than the pair of side members, and four connecting members that connect the pair of rectangularly arranged side members to the pair of cross members. The fuel cell stack may be fixed to each of the pair of side members and to one of the pair of cross members or the connecting member connected thereto. The accessory assembly may be fixed to each of the pair of side members and to the other of the pair of cross members or the connecting member connected thereto.

[0006] In the above-described configuration, the fuel cell stack and the auxiliary assembly are fixed to each of a pair of side members. This configuration allows the fuel cell stack and the auxiliary assembly, which are fixed across the pair of side members, to function as reinforcing members for the frame members. Therefore, deformation of the frame members due to the heavy fuel cell stack and the auxiliary assembly can be suppressed without providing additional reinforcing members to the frame members. Furthermore, the number of parts in the frame members is relatively reduced, resulting in a lighter fuel cell module.

[0007] In a second aspect of the present technology, in the first aspect, each of the four connection members may have an attachment portion that is attached to the body of the vehicle. In this case, the fuel cell stack may be fixed to the connection members near the attachment portion. The attachment portion that is attached to the body is a portion of the frame member that is less susceptible to elastic deformation. By fixing the fuel cell stack near such an attachment portion, vibrations that occur in the frame member and the fuel cell stack when the vehicle is running, for example, are suppressed.

[0008] In a third aspect of the present technology, in the first or second aspect, the auxiliary assembly may further include a relay box disposed below the air compressor and a bracket that secures the air compressor to the frame member. In this case, the relay box may include a first connector electrically connected to the fuel cell stack and a second connector electrically connected to the air compressor. The bracket may include a plate-shaped portion interposed between the air compressor and the relay box, and a plurality of legs provided on the plate-shaped portion and extending from the plate-shaped portion to the frame member. Furthermore, the plurality of legs may secure the relay box to the frame member. With this configuration, the air compressor and the relay box are integrally secured to the frame member by a common bracket. This increases the rigidity of the auxiliary assembly as a whole.

[0009] In a fourth aspect of the present technology, in any one of the first to third aspects, the pair of side members and the pair of cross members may each have a cylindrical shape. With this configuration, the side members and the cross members have high rigidity, thereby suppressing elastic deformation and vibration occurring in the frame members.

[0010] In a fifth aspect of the present technology, in the fourth aspect, the pair of side members or the pair of cross members may be provided with a through-hole collar extending from an upper wall to a lower wall thereof. In this case, at least one of the plurality of legs may be fixed by a bolt passing through the through-hole collar. With this configuration, the pair of side members or the pair of cross members provided with the through-hole collar have improved rigidity against loads from the vertical direction. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a fuel cell module. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] 10 shows a side view of the fuel cell module as seen from one side in the second direction. [Figure 4] 10 shows a side view of the fuel cell module as seen from the other side in the first direction. [Figure 5] 2 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] A fuel cell module 10 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The fuel cell module 10 is mounted on a vehicle such as an electric vehicle. The fuel cell module 10 supplies generated electric power to a traction motor of the electric vehicle. Alternatively, the fuel cell system 100 charges the battery of the electric vehicle with the generated electric power. As shown in FIG. 1, the fuel cell module 10 includes a fuel cell stack 20, an accessory assembly 30, and a frame member 50. The frame member 50 supports the fuel cell stack 20 and the accessory assembly 30.

[0013] As shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4, the fuel cell stack 20 is disposed on a frame member 50. The fuel cell stack 20 has a plurality of fuel cell units. In each of the plurality of fuel cell units, fuel gas reacts with air to generate electricity. In this embodiment, the fuel gas is hydrogen.

[0014] The auxiliary assembly 30 is disposed on the frame member 50. The auxiliary assembly 30 includes an air compressor 32 and a relay box 34. The air compressor 32 supplies air to the fuel cell stack 20. The relay box 34 is electrically connected to the fuel cell stack 20 and the air compressor 32. The relay box 34 is also referred to as a junction box. The relay box 34 has a first connector 34a and a second connector 34b disposed on a side surface 34s thereof. The first connector 34a is electrically connected to the fuel cell stack 20, and the second connector 34b is electrically connected to the air compressor 32. The relay box 34 is disposed below the air compressor 32. The auxiliary assembly 30 is arranged together with the fuel cell stack 20 in a first direction.

[0015] Here, the first direction in this specification refers to the direction in which the fuel cell stack 20 and the auxiliary assembly 30 are arranged, and is defined by the x-axis in the drawings. The up-down direction refers to the direction in which the frame member 50 and the fuel cell stack 20 are arranged, and is defined by the z-axis in the drawings. The second direction refers to a direction perpendicular to the first direction and the up-down direction, and is defined by the y-axis in the drawings. In this specification, the negative direction of the x-axis, i.e., the right side of the paper in FIG. 1, is expressed as one side of the first direction, and the positive direction of the x-axis, i.e., the left side of the paper in FIG. 1, is expressed as the other side of the first direction. The negative direction of the y-axis, i.e., the lower side of the paper in FIG. 1, is expressed as one side of the second direction, and the positive direction of the y-axis, i.e., the upper side of the paper in FIG. 1, is expressed as the other side of the second direction. The negative direction of the z axis, i.e., the depth of the paper in Figure 1, is expressed as the lower side (downward) in the vertical direction, and the positive direction of the z axis, i.e., the front side of the paper in Figure 1, is expressed as the upper side (upward) in the vertical direction.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 2, the frame member 50 is a rectangular member. It has a pair of side members 52, 54, a pair of cross members 56, 58, and four connecting members 60, 62, 64, 66. The pair of side members 52, 54 and the pair of cross members 56, 58 are rectangular tubular members. With this configuration, the side members 52, 54 and the cross members 56, 58 have high rigidity, thereby suppressing elastic deformation and vibration occurring in the frame member 50. The pair of side members 52, 54 and the pair of cross members 56, 58 are made of metal such as steel.

[0017] The pair of side members 52, 54 extend along a first direction (i.e., the x-axis direction). The pair of side members 52, 54 are arranged spaced apart from each other in a second direction (i.e., the y-axis direction). The pair of side members 52, 54 includes a first side member 52 located on one side in the second direction and a second side member 54 located on the other side in the second direction.

[0018] The pair of cross members 56, 58 are shorter than the pair of side members 52, 54. The pair of cross members 56, 58 extend along the second direction. The pair of cross members 56, 58 are arranged spaced apart from each other in the first direction. The pair of cross members 56, 58 includes a first cross member 56 located on one side in the first direction and a second cross member 58 located on the other side in the first direction. The pair of cross members 56, 58 are arranged in a rectangular shape together with the pair of side members 52, 54.

[0019] The four connecting members 60, 62, 64, and 66 are cast iron members. The four connecting members 60, 62, 64, and 66 connect a pair of side members 52, 54 and a pair of cross members 56, 58, which are arranged in a rectangular shape, to each other. The four connecting members 60, 62 include a first connecting member 60, a second connecting member 62, a third connecting member 64, and a fourth connecting member 66. The first connecting member 60 connects one end of the first side member 52 to one end of the first cross member 56. The first connecting member 60 is fastened to the first side member 52 and the first cross member 56 by one or more fastening members 68, such as bolts. The first connecting member 60 has an attachment portion 60a that is attached to the vehicle body. The other connecting members 62, 64, and 66 are configured in the same manner as the first connecting member 60.

[0020] The second connecting member 62 connects one end of the second side member 54 and the other end of the first cross member 56 to each other. The second connecting member 62 is fastened to the second side member 54 and the first cross member 56 by one or more fastening members 70 such as bolts. The second connecting member 62 has an attachment portion 62a that is attached to the vehicle body.

[0021] The third connecting member 64 connects the other end of the first side member 52 and one end of the second cross member 58 to each other. The third connecting member 64 is fastened to the first side member 52 and the second cross member 58 by one or more fastening members 72 such as bolts. The third connecting member 64 has an attachment portion 64a that is attached to the vehicle body.

[0022] The fourth connecting member 66 connects the other end of the second side member 54 and the other end of the second cross member 58 to each other. The fourth connecting member 66 is fastened to the second side member 54 and the second cross member 58 by one or more fastening members 74 such as bolts. The fourth connecting member 66 has an attachment portion 66a that is attached to the vehicle body.

[0023] 1 and 3, the structure for fixing the fuel cell stack 20 to the frame member 50 will be described. The fuel cell stack 20 has a plurality of fixing portions 22, 24 extending from a side surface 20s of the fuel cell stack 20 on both sides in the second direction. The plurality of fixing portions 22, 24 have a pair of first fixing portions 22 that fix the fuel cell stack 20 to the pair of side members 52, 54, and a pair of second fixing portions 24 that fix the fuel cell stack 20 to the first connecting member 60 and the second connecting member 62. As a result, the fuel cell stack 20 is fixed to each of the pair of side members 52, 54, and is also fixed to each of the first connecting member 60 and the second connecting member 62.

[0024] The fuel cell stack 20 is fixed by a pair of second fixing portions 24 near the mounting portions 60a, 62a of the first connecting member 60 and the second connecting member 62. The mounting portions 60a, 62a, which are attached to the vehicle body, are portions of the frame member 50 that are less susceptible to elastic deformation. Fixing the fuel cell stack 20 near such mounting portions 60a, 62a suppresses vibrations that occur in the frame member 50 and the fuel cell stack 20, for example, when the vehicle is traveling. The multiple fixing portions 22, 24 are fastened to the frame member 50 by multiple fastening members 76, such as bolts. However, in a modified example, the fuel cell stack 20 may be connected to the first cross member 56 instead of the first connecting member 60 and the second connecting member 62.

[0025] The structure for fixing the accessory assembly 30 to the frame member 50 will now be described. The accessory assembly 30 has a bracket 36 that fixes the air compressor 32 to the frame member 50. The bracket 36 has a plate-shaped portion 38 and multiple (three in this embodiment) leg portions 40, 42, 44. The plate-shaped portion 38 is a plate-shaped member and is interposed between the air compressor 32 and the relay box 34. The multiple leg portions 40, 42, 44 are bent plate-shaped members. Each of the multiple leg portions 40, 42, 44 is fastened to the plate-shaped portion 38 by a fastening member 78 such as a bolt. The multiple leg portions 40, 42, 44 extend downward from the plate-shaped portion 38 toward the frame member 50. The multiple leg portions 40, 42, 44 have a first leg portion 40, a second leg portion 42, and a third leg portion 44. The first leg 40 is fastened to the first side member 52 by a fastening member 80 such as a bolt. The second leg 42 is fastened to the second cross member 58 by a fastening member 82 such as a bolt. The third leg 44 is fastened to the second side member 54 by a fastening member 84 such as a bolt. As a result, the accessory assembly 30 is fixed to each of the pair of side members 52, 54, and is also fixed to the second cross member 58. However, in a modified example, the accessory assembly 30 may be connected to at least one of the third connecting member 64 and the fourth connecting member 66 instead of the second cross member 58.

[0026] Referring to FIG. 5, the fastening structure between the frame member 50 and the bracket 36 will be described using the second cross member 58 and the second leg 42 as an example. As shown in FIG. 5, the second cross member 58 is a rectangular tubular member as described above, and includes an upper wall 58a, a lower wall 58b located on the opposite side thereof, and a pair of side walls 58c extending between the upper wall 58a and the lower wall 58b. The second cross member 58 has a through-hole 90. The through-hole 90 extends from the upper wall 58a to the lower wall 58b within the second cross member 58. The through-hole 90 is a tubular member having a through-hole 80h extending from the upper wall 58a to the lower wall 58b. The second leg 42 is fixed by a fastening member 82, such as a bolt, that passes through the through-hole 90h of the through-hole 90. The through-hole 90 is made of a metal material. The first cross member 56, the first side member 52, and the second side member 54 are configured similarly to the second cross member 58, and each has a through-hole collar. Like the second leg 42, the first leg 40 is fixed to the first side member 52, and the third leg 44 is fixed to the second side member 54. This configuration improves the rigidity of the pair of side members 52, 54 or the pair of cross members 56, 58, which are provided with through-hole collars, against loads from the vertical direction. However, this is not limited to all of the multiple legs 40, 42, 44, and at least one of the multiple legs 40, 42, 44 may be fixed by a bolt that passes through a through-hole collar.

[0027] Each of the plurality of legs 40, 42, 44 is connected to the relay box 34 by a fastening member 86 such as a bolt. As a result, the plurality of legs 40, 42, 44 fix the relay box 34 to the frame member 50.

[0028] In the fuel cell module 10 of this embodiment, the fuel cell stack 20 and the accessory assembly 30 are fixed to a pair of side members 52, 54, respectively. With this configuration, the fuel cell stack 20 and the accessory assembly 30, which are fixed across the pair of side members 52, 54, can also function as reinforcing members that reinforce the frame member 50. Therefore, deformation of the frame member 50 due to the fuel cell stack 20 and the accessory assembly 30, which are heavy objects, can be suppressed without providing additional reinforcing members to the frame member 50. As a result, the number of parts in the frame member 50 can be relatively reduced, and the weight of the fuel cell module 10 can be reduced.

[0029] In this embodiment, the accessory assembly 30 secures the air compressor 32 to the frame member 50 by a bracket 36. The bracket 36 has a plate-like portion 38 interposed between the air compressor 32 and the relay box 34, and a plurality of legs 40, 42, 44 provided on the plate-like portion 38 and extending from the plate-like portion 38 to the frame member 50. Furthermore, the bracket 36 secures the relay box 34 to the frame member 50 by the plurality of legs 40, 42, 44 of the bracket 36. With this configuration, the air compressor 32 and the relay box 34 are integrally secured to the frame member 50 by the common bracket 36. This increases the rigidity of the accessory assembly 30 as a whole.

[0030] The accessory assembly 30 may include other accessories for driving the fuel cell stack 20 in addition to the air compressor 32 and the relay box 34 described above. The other accessories may include, for example, a converter for the air compressor 32, a water pump for circulating cooling water for cooling the fuel cell stack 20, and the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0031] 10: fuel cell module, 20: fuel cell stack, 30: auxiliary assembly, 32: air compressor, 34: relay box, 34a, 34b: connector, 36: bracket, 38: plate-shaped portion, 40, 42, 44: leg portion, 50: frame member, 52, 54: side member, 56, 58: cross member, 60, 62, 64, 66: connecting member, 60a, 62a, 64a, 66a: mounting portion, 90: through collar

Claims

1. A fuel cell module mounted on a vehicle, a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cell units; an accessory assembly including an air compressor that supplies air to the fuel cell stack; a frame member supporting the fuel cell stack and the accessory assembly, The frame member is a pair of side members extending in a first direction in which the fuel cell stack and the auxiliary assembly are arranged; a pair of cross members extending along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, arranged in a rectangular shape together with the pair of side members, and shorter than the pair of side members; four connecting members that connect the pair of side members and the pair of cross members, which are arranged in a rectangular shape, the fuel cell stack is fixed to each of the pair of side members, and is also fixed to one of the pair of cross members or the connecting member connected thereto; The accessory assembly is fixed to each of the pair of side members and is fixed to the other of the pair of cross members or the connecting member connected thereto.

2. each of the four connection members has a mounting portion that is attached to a body of the vehicle; 2. The fuel cell module according to claim 1, wherein the fuel cell stack is fixed to the connecting member near the mounting portion.

3. the accessory assembly further includes a relay box disposed below the air compressor and a bracket that fixes the air compressor to the frame member; the relay box has a first connector electrically connected to the fuel cell stack and a second connector electrically connected to the air compressor; the bracket has a plate-shaped portion interposed between the air compressor and the relay box, and a plurality of legs provided on the plate-shaped portion and extending from the plate-shaped portion to the frame member, 3. The fuel cell module according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of legs secure the relay box to the frame member.

4. The fuel cell module according to claim 3 , wherein each of the pair of side members and the pair of cross members has a cylindrical shape.

5. The pair of side members or the pair of cross members are provided with through-collars extending from their upper walls to their lower walls, 5. The fuel cell module of claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of legs is secured by a bolt passing through the feedthrough collar.

Images