Fuel cell system and fuel cell system installation area

Abstract

To provide a technique that can reduce the possibility of adverse effects caused by salt damage in a fuel cell system.SOLUTION: An exemplary fuel cell system includes a fuel cell module, an air intake portion that takes in air to the fuel cell module, and a housing that houses the fuel cell module and the air intake portion. The housing includes a first outer wall in which a salt removal device is disposed upstream of the air intake portion, and a second outer wall in which an electric wire arrangement portion in which electric wires are arranged is provided.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fuel cell system and an installation area thereof. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a configuration is known in which a salt removal filter is attached to an opening formed in a container that houses a fuel cell system (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, air that has passed through the salt removal filter is sent to the fuel cell stack through a dedicated pipe. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-26769 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Fuel cell systems are sometimes installed on ships and are also used on the coasts of the sea. In these cases, it is particularly important to deal with salt damage, and technology to suppress the effects of salt damage is required. Furthermore, in fuel cell systems, for example, due to layout restrictions, it may not be possible to install dedicated piping connecting the salt removal filter to the fuel cell stack. In such cases, an air intake is provided inside the housing, and it is thought that salt damage countermeasures different from conventional configurations will be required.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a technique that can reduce the possibility of adverse effects caused by salt damage in a fuel cell system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An exemplary fuel cell system of the present invention includes a fuel cell module, an air intake section that takes in air into the fuel cell module, and a housing that houses the fuel cell module and the air intake section. The housing has a first outer wall on which a desalination device is disposed upstream of the air intake section, and a second outer wall on which an electric wire arrangement section in which electric wires are disposed is provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the possibility of adverse effects caused by salt damage in a fuel cell system. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] Schematic perspective view showing the appearance of a fuel cell system [Figure 2] Schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of a fuel cell system [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a partition wall provided inside a housing. [Figure 4A] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another example of a through hole and a sealing structure provided in a partition wall. [Figure 4B] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another example of a through hole and a sealing structure provided in a partition wall. [Figure 5] Schematic diagram for explaining a modification regarding a vent passage. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the hydrogen supply connection section and its surroundings. [Figure 7] Schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a hydrogen flow path arranged in the first compartment. [Figure 8A] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a cover member according to a modified example. [Figure 8B] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a cover member according to a modified example. [Figure 9] Schematic diagram showing the relationship between the fuel cell module and the exhaust path [Figure 10] A schematic horizontal cross-sectional view of the fuel cell system taken along the line AA in Figure 1. [Figure 11]A front view showing the schematic configuration of the right end side of the second section [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the fuel cell system shown in FIG. 1 with a part of the detachable wall removed. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the general configuration of a fuel cell system installation area. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same or equivalent parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will not be repeated unless otherwise necessary.

[0010] <1. Overview of fuel cell system> FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the appearance of a fuel cell system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the internal configuration of the fuel cell system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, arrows of solid lines, dashed lines, and dashed double-dashed lines indicate fluid passages (in a detailed example, piping) and the direction in which fluids flow through the fluid passages. In FIG. 2, dashed lines indicate wiring. First, an overview of the fuel cell system 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0011] As shown in Fig. 1, the fuel cell system 100 includes a housing 1. As shown in Fig. 2, the housing 1 houses fuel cell modules 2. In other words, the fuel cell system 100 includes fuel cell modules 2. Specifically, the number of fuel cell modules 2 housed in the housing 1 is four. However, the number of fuel cell modules 2 housed in the housing 1 may be one or a number other than four.

[0012] The fuel cell module 2 includes a fuel cell stack 2a. The fuel cell module 2 also includes a boost converter, an air supply compressor, and a coolant circulation pump (none of which are shown). The fuel cell stack 2a is composed of a plurality of stacked cells. Each cell has a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode, a cathode, and a pair of separators. The anode and cathode sandwich the solid polymer electrolyte membrane. The anode is the negative electrode (fuel electrode). The anode includes an anode catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer. The cathode is the positive electrode (air electrode). The cathode includes a cathode catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer. The anode, solid polymer electrolyte membrane, and cathode form a membrane electrode assembly (MEA). The pair of separators sandwich the membrane electrode assembly. Each separator has a plurality of grooves. Each groove of one separator forms a flow path for hydrogen gas. The grooves in the other separator form flow paths for the oxidant gas.

[0013] At the anode side, hydrogen is decomposed into hydrogen ions and electrons by a catalyst. The hydrogen ions pass through the solid polymer electrolyte membrane and move to the cathode side. Meanwhile, the electrons pass through an external circuit and move to the cathode side. This generates an electric current (electricity is generated). At the cathode side, oxygen contained in the oxidant gas combines with the electrons that have flowed through the external circuit and the hydrogen ions that have passed through the solid polymer electrolyte membrane to produce water. The produced water is contained in the exhaust gas and released outside the fuel cell system 100. The power generated by the fuel cell stack is boosted by a boost converter and taken out of the fuel cell system 100.

[0014] From a safety standpoint, the fuel cell system 100 is appropriately equipped with measures to prevent hydrogen leakage. Furthermore, even if hydrogen leaks, the fuel cell system 100 is capable of safely treating the leaked hydrogen. As shown in FIG. 1, the fuel cell system 100 is also equipped with a desalination device 3. By devising an arrangement for the desalination device 3, the fuel cell system 100 is configured to be able to suppress salt damage. The fuel cell system 100 is not intended to be particularly limited, but is suitable for use on ships, for example.

[0015] The housing 1 provided in the fuel cell system 100 is, for example, rectangular parallelepiped-shaped. In the following description of the fuel cell system 100, directions are defined as follows: The direction perpendicular to the horizontal floor surface on which the fuel cell system 100 is placed is the up-down direction, and the side on which the fuel cell system 100 is placed relative to the floor surface is defined as the top. The side of the housing 1 on which the salt removal device 3 is placed is defined as the front side, and the side opposite the front side of the housing 1 is defined as the rear side, defining the front and rear. The direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the front-rear direction is defined as the left side, and the right side when viewed from the front to the rear is defined as the right side. When the housing 1 is viewed in plan from above, the longitudinal direction of the housing 1 is the left-right direction, and the lateral direction is the front-rear direction. These directions are names used merely for explanation and are not intended to limit the actual positional relationships or directions.

[0016] <2. Detailed configuration of fuel cell system> [2-1. About the plot] As shown in FIG. 2, the housing 1 includes a first compartment 11 and a second compartment 12. The second compartment 12 is adjacent to the first compartment 11. Specifically, the first compartment 11 and the second compartment 12 are arranged vertically. The first compartment 11 is arranged above the second compartment 12. Note that the configuration in which the first compartment 11 and the second compartment 12 are arranged vertically is an example, and other configurations are also possible. For example, the first compartment and the second compartment may be arranged horizontally. The fuel cell module 2 is arranged in the first compartment 11. The accessories related to the operation of the fuel cell module 2 are arranged in the second compartment 12. The accessories will be described later.

[0017] The partition wall 13 separates the first compartment 11 from the second compartment 12. The partition wall 13 forms the bottom wall of the first compartment 11. The partition wall 13 also forms the top wall of the second compartment 12.

[0018] In addition to the partition wall 13, the first compartment 11 is composed of a first compartment front wall 11a, a first compartment rear wall 11b, a first compartment left wall 11c, a first compartment right wall 11d, and a first compartment top wall 11e. The first compartment front wall 11a forms the upper part of the front wall 1a of the housing 1. The first compartment rear wall 11b forms the upper part of the rear wall 1b of the housing 1. The first compartment left wall 11c forms the upper part of the left wall 1c of the housing 1. The first compartment right wall 11d forms the upper part of the right wall 1d of the housing 1. The first compartment top wall 11e forms the top wall 1e of the housing 1.

[0019] In addition to the partition wall 13, the second compartment 12 is composed of a second compartment front wall 12a, a second compartment rear wall 12b, a second compartment left wall 12c, a second compartment right wall 12d, and a second compartment bottom wall 12e. The second compartment front wall 12a constitutes the lower part of the front wall 1a of the housing 1. The second compartment rear wall 12b constitutes the lower part of the rear wall 1b of the housing 1. The second compartment left wall 12c constitutes the lower part of the left wall 1c of the housing 1. The second compartment right wall 12d constitutes the lower part of the right wall 1d of the housing 1. The second compartment bottom wall 12e constitutes the bottom wall 1f of the housing 1.

[0020] In detail, the partition wall 13 airtightly separates the first compartment 11 from the second compartment 12. In this embodiment, as will be described in detail later, the first compartment 11 is a compartment from which hydrogen may leak. However, because the partition wall 13 is provided to airtightly separate the two compartments 11 and 12, even if hydrogen leaks in the first compartment 11, hydrogen can be prevented from flowing into the second compartment 12. This eliminates the need for equipment placed in the second compartment 12 to have an explosion-proof structure against hydrogen. It also eliminates the need to provide a function for ventilating hydrogen that leaks into the second compartment 12.

[0021] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a partition wall 13 provided inside the housing 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the partition wall 13 has a through-hole 131 penetrating in the vertical direction in a portion thereof. The through-hole 131 is provided to allow components 4, such as wiring or piping, to pass through. That is, the fuel cell system 100 includes the components 4 that are disposed across the first compartment 11 and the second compartment 12, passing through the through-hole 131 provided in the partition wall 13. The components 4 may include at least one of wiring and piping. In this embodiment, the components 4 include wiring and piping. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the components 4 are wiring 41. The partition wall 13 has one through-hole 131 for each of the multiple wirings 41. However, this is merely an example, and a single through-hole 131 may be configured to pass multiple wirings 41 together. The wirings 41 include power lines and signal lines. The signal lines include control lines and sensor lines.

[0022] As shown in Fig. 3, the partition wall 13 is provided with a seal structure 132 that seals the gap between the through hole 131 and the member 4. The seal structure 132 ensures airtightness, and even if hydrogen leaks from the first compartment 11, it is possible to prevent hydrogen from flowing into the second compartment 12. The seal structure 132 may be formed using a sealing material such as a silicone-based caulking agent. Fig. 3 shows a configuration in which airtightness is ensured using a sealing material. As another example, the seal structure 132 may be formed using a cable gland.

[0023] In addition, even when the member 4 arranged across the first section 11 and the second section 12 is a pipe, a sealing structure similar to that in the case of the wiring 41 may be applied.

[0024] 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating other examples of the through-holes and sealing structures provided in the partition wall 13. In the fuel cell system 100 of this embodiment, the piping has the configuration shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B.

[0025] 4A shows an adapter 133 for arranging multiple pipes 42 across the first compartment 11 and the second compartment 12. The adapter 133 includes a plate-like member 1331 integrated with the multiple pipes 42. The plate-like member 1331 and the multiple pipes 42 form a single member, and no gaps exist between the plate-like member 1331 and each of the pipes 42. In other words, the adapter 133 is configured to include a seal structure.

[0026] Five pipes 42 are attached to the adapter 133. The five pipes 42 are aligned in the left-right direction. The rightmost pipe 42a is a pipe through which air flows. The second and third pipes 42b and 42c from the right are pipes through which a cooling liquid (first coolant) for the fuel cell stack 2a included in the fuel cell module 2 flows. The fourth and fifth pipes 42d and 42e from the right are pipes through which a cooling liquid (second coolant) for the power electronics devices, including the boost converter included in the fuel cell module 2, flows.

[0027] 4B shows the mounting structure of the adapter 133 shown in FIG. 4A to the partition wall 13. As shown in FIG. 4B, the adapter 133 is arranged to block one through-hole 131A provided in the partition wall 13. This results in a configuration in which multiple pipes 42 pass through the through-hole 131A and are arranged across the first compartment 11 and the second compartment 12. A seal member 1321 that forms the seal structure 132A is arranged between the adapter 133 and the partition wall 13. As described above, the adapter 133 itself is configured to include the seal structure. This prevents hydrogen from flowing from the first compartment 11 to the second compartment 12.

[0028] The pipes 42 included in the adapter 133 are connected to the corresponding pipes at both ends in the vertical direction in the first compartment 11 and the second compartment 12 in a sealed state.

[0029] [2-2. About Section 1] As shown in FIG. 2, a hydrogen flow passage 5 (indicated by a thick solid line) is disposed in the first compartment 11. In other words, the fuel cell system 100 includes a hydrogen flow passage 5 disposed within the housing 1. More specifically, the hydrogen flow passage 5 includes a hydrogen supply passage 51 that supplies hydrogen to the fuel cell module 2. The hydrogen flow passage 5 also includes a vent passage 52 that discharges hydrogen from the fuel cell module 2. The hydrogen flow passage 5 can be formed by connecting multiple pipes. The joints between the pipes may cause hydrogen leakage. Taking this into consideration, the first compartment 11 is provided with measures to prevent hydrogen leakage.

[0030] The casing 1 has a connection part 6 (see FIG. 1 ) between the hydrogen flow passage 5 and the external hydrogen flow passage 200 arranged outside the casing 1, on a wall other than the partition wall 13 among the walls 11a to 11e, 13 that constitute the first compartment 11. The connection part 6 may be the connection point itself that connects the hydrogen flow passage 5 and the external hydrogen flow passage 200, or it may be a means for realizing the connection between the two. In this embodiment, the connection part 6 is an opening that exposes or positions the end of the hydrogen flow passage 5 arranged in the first compartment 11 outside the casing 1. The hydrogen flow passage 5 and the external hydrogen flow passage 200 can be connected using this opening. The connection is, specifically, a connection between pipes.

[0031] In this embodiment, the connection part 6 is provided on the right wall 11d of the first compartment. However, the connection part 6 may also be provided on a wall constituting the first compartment 11 other than the partition wall 13, such as the left wall 11c of the first compartment. By providing the connection part 6 on a wall constituting the first compartment 11 other than the partition wall 13, it is possible to configure the second compartment 12 so that the hydrogen flow passage 5 is not disposed therein. In other words, it is possible to eliminate the need to take measures against hydrogen leakage in the second compartment 12. This makes it easier to take measures against hydrogen leakage in the fuel cell system 100.

[0032] Like the hydrogen flow passage 5 disposed inside the casing 1, the external hydrogen flow passage 200 includes an external hydrogen supply passage 201, which is a passage for supplying hydrogen, and an external vent passage 202, which is a passage for discharging hydrogen. Correspondingly, the connection portion 6 also has a hydrogen supply connection portion 61 for connecting the hydrogen supply passage 51 and the external hydrogen supply passage 201, and a vent connection portion 62 for connecting the vent passage 52 and the external vent passage 202 (see FIG. 1). In this embodiment, the hydrogen supply connection portion 61 and the vent connection portion 62 are provided on the same wall (first compartment right wall 11d) that constitutes the first compartment 11. However, this is merely an example, and the hydrogen supply connection portion 61 and the vent connection portion 62 may be provided on different walls that constitute the first compartment 11.

[0033] In this embodiment, a plurality of fuel cell modules 2 are arranged in the first compartment 11. The plurality of fuel cell modules 2 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction. Specifically, the number of fuel cell modules 2 arranged in the first compartment 11 is four. Hydrogen that enters the hydrogen supply passage 51 inside the housing 1 from the external hydrogen supply passage 201 passes through a valve device 53 and reaches a branching section 56 that branches the hydrogen supply passage 51 into four. At the branching section 56, the hydrogen is distributed to the four hydrogen supply passages 51 that are provided exclusively for each fuel cell module 2. The distributed hydrogen is then supplied to each fuel cell module 2.

[0034] As can be seen from the above explanation, there is only one hydrogen supply passage 51 in the first compartment 11 that is connected to the external hydrogen supply passage 201 using the connection part 6. That is, in this embodiment, the hydrogen supply passage 51 in the first compartment 11 at the position where the connection part 6 is provided is not provided for each of the plurality of fuel cell modules 2, but is shared among the plurality of fuel cell modules 2. By sharing in this way, the number of connection parts 6 can be reduced. Furthermore, by reducing the number of connection parts 6, the airtightness (sealing performance) of the first compartment 11 can be improved.

[0035] The valve device 53 includes a shutoff valve that shuts off the supply of hydrogen to the fuel cell module 2. The valve device 53 also includes a bleed valve that releases hydrogen to the vent passage 52 when the supply of hydrogen to the fuel cell module 2 is shut off. In this embodiment, the valve device 53 is disposed within the first compartment 11 between the wall on which the connection portion 6 is provided (the first compartment right wall 11d) and the fuel cell module 2. Specifically, the valve device 53 is disposed between the first compartment right wall 11d and the fuel cell module 2 in the left-right direction. Because the valve device 53 is disposed in this position, the connection portion 6 can be disposed at a position away from the fuel cell module 2. At or near the connection portion 6, pipes through which hydrogen flows are connected to each other, so the possibility of hydrogen leakage is higher than in other areas. In this regard, in this embodiment, the connection portion 6 is disposed at a position away from the fuel cell module 2, thereby reducing the possibility of leaked hydrogen reaching the fuel cell module 2. In other words, safety can be improved.

[0036] The vent passage 52 includes a shared vent passage 521 shared among multiple fuel cell modules 2. Hydrogen discharged from each fuel cell module 2 is sent to the shared vent passage 521. With this configuration, the number of vent connectors 62 connecting the vent passage 52 and the external vent passage 202 can be minimized. In this embodiment, the shared vent passage 521 is provided, so there is only one vent connector 62. The vent connector 62 is an opening that exposes or positions the end of the shared vent passage 52 to the outside of the housing 1. It should be noted that the configuration described above is merely a preferred configuration, and a configuration in which separate vent passages are provided for each fuel cell module 2 and separately discharge hydrogen to the outside of the housing 1 may also be used.

[0037] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a modified example of the vent passage 52. As shown in FIG. 5, the fuel cell system 100 may be configured to include a drain unit 57 connected to the vent passage 52. Specifically, the drain unit 57 includes a drain passage connected to the vent passage 52 and a drain valve that discharges drain water. Providing the drain unit 57 can prevent condensed water generated in the vent passage 52 from flowing back into the fuel cell stack 2a of the fuel cell module 2. As a result, the occurrence of breakdowns in the fuel cell system 100 can be reduced.

[0038] 5, the drain portion 57 is provided outside the housing 1. However, the drain portion 57 may also be provided inside the housing 1. The number of drain portions 57 connected to the vent passage 52 may be one or more. The drain portion 57 may be provided not only at the end of the vent passage 52 but also in a middle portion of the vent passage 52.

[0039] As described above, the first compartment 11 has the hydrogen flow passage 5, which is formed by connecting multiple pipes, and therefore there is a possibility of hydrogen leakage. For this reason, the first compartment 11 is provided with a configuration that enables ventilation as a countermeasure against hydrogen leakage. The first compartment 11 is provided with an intake port 111 and an exhaust port 112 for ventilation (see FIGS. 1 and 2). The term "ventilation" may be interpreted as meaning the replacement of air, or may be interpreted as meaning the replacement of an inert gas, such as nitrogen gas or argon gas. In this regard, the first compartment 11 may be configured so that it can be filled with an inert gas. With such a configuration, if hydrogen leakage occurs in the first compartment 11, the possibility of the leaked hydrogen reacting with oxygen within the first compartment 11 can be reduced.

[0040] The air intake 111 may be provided in at least one of the walls 11a to 11e, 13 constituting the first compartment 11, excluding the partition wall 13. In this embodiment, the air intake 111 is provided in the right wall 11d of the first compartment. The air intake 111 provided in the right wall 11d of the first compartment is a through-hole that passes through the wall in the left-right direction. A ventilation fluid (e.g., air, nitrogen gas, argon gas, etc.) is supplied into the first compartment 11 from the air intake 111. A pipe for supplying the ventilation fluid is attached to the air intake 111.

[0041] In this embodiment, the opening that constitutes the connection part 6 functions as an inlet for the ventilation fluid. In other words, the opening that constitutes the connection part 6 functions as an air intake port. The configuration related to this will be described using the case where the connection part 6 is a hydrogen supply connection part 61 as an example. Although not described further, a similar configuration may also be adopted when the connection part 6 is a vent connection part 62.

[0042] 6 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the periphery of hydrogen supply connection part 61 provided in fuel cell system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Hydrogen supply connection part 61 is an opening part AP, and opening part AP is used to connect pipe 51P that constitutes hydrogen supply passage 51 and pipe 201P that constitutes external hydrogen supply passage 201. When two pipes 51P, 201P are connected, opening part AP that constitutes hydrogen supply connection part 61 is not entirely blocked, and the interior of first compartment 11 communicates with the outside of casing 1 via opening part AP.

[0043] An outer pipe 203 is arranged around the pipe 201P that constitutes the external hydrogen supply passage 201 so as to surround the pipe 201P. In other words, the pipe 201P that constitutes the external hydrogen supply passage 201 is arranged inside the outer pipe 203. Hereinafter, in the description of Figure 6, the pipe 201P that constitutes the external hydrogen supply passage 201 will be referred to as the inner pipe 201P.

[0044] The housing 1 is provided so that an outer pipe 203 can be attached, the outer pipe 203 surrounding the outer periphery of the inner pipe 201P that constitutes the external hydrogen flow passage 200 (for example, the external hydrogen supply passage 201). The outer pipe 203 is attached to the housing 1 using, for example, screws. The outer pipe 203 surrounds an opening AP that constitutes the hydrogen supply connection part 61. The inner diameter of the outer pipe 203 is larger than the diameter of the opening AP. An internal space 204 formed between the inner pipe 201P and the outer pipe 203 communicates with the interior of the first compartment 11 via the opening AP. A ventilating fluid can be flowed through the internal space 204. That is, the first compartment 11 is provided so that a ventilating fluid can be supplied via the internal space 204 between the inner pipe 201P and the outer pipe 203.

[0045] Since the ventilation fluid can be supplied into the first compartment 11 by utilizing the internal space 204, the size of the intake port 111 described above can be reduced. In some cases, the intake port 111 may not be provided. Furthermore, even if hydrogen leaks from the inner pipe 201P, the leaked hydrogen can be sent from the internal space 204 into the first compartment 11 together with the ventilation fluid, and the hydrogen can be safely discharged to the outside. Discharge of the ventilation fluid from the first compartment 11 will be described below.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 6, the hydrogen concentration detector 50 is preferably disposed near the connection 6 in the first compartment 11. Specifically, the vicinity of the connection 6 is the hydrogen leak detection range. With this configuration, it is possible to quickly detect hydrogen leakage from the connection point between the two pipes 51P, 201P or from the inner pipe 201P. By quickly detecting hydrogen leakage, it is possible to quickly stop the operation of the fuel cell system 100.

[0047] The first compartment 11 has a ventilation device that ventilates the compartment, or a ventilation device connection part that is connected to a ventilation device. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the first compartment 11 has a ventilation device connection part 113 that is connected to a ventilation device 300. The ventilation device connection part 113 includes an exhaust port 112. The ventilation device 300 is disposed downstream of the exhaust port 112 in the flow of the ventilation fluid. The ventilation device 300 discharges the ventilation fluid to an area excluding the second compartment 12. When the ventilation device 300 is driven, the fluid in the first compartment 11 is discharged to the outside of the first compartment 11 through the exhaust port 112. Even if hydrogen leaks in the first compartment 11, the hydrogen can be discharged to the outside of the housing 1 together with the ventilation fluid to prevent hydrogen from leaking into the second compartment 12.

[0048] Specifically, the exhaust port 112 is provided in the first compartment upper wall 11e (top wall 1e of the housing 1). That is, the ventilation device connection part 113 is provided in the first compartment upper wall 11e, which is the upper wall of the first compartment 11. Even in the event of a hydrogen leak, the hydrogen can be easily discharged because it can be guided above the fuel cell module 2.

[0049] When the first compartment 11 is configured to have the ventilation device 300, the ventilation device 300 may be configured to be disposed downstream of the flow of the ventilation fluid with respect to the exhaust port 112. In this case as well, the ventilation device 300 is preferably provided on the first compartment upper wall 11e, which is the upper wall of the first compartment 11.

[0050] The first compartment 11 is designed to facilitate the discharge of leaked hydrogen through the exhaust port 112. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the hydrogen flow passage 5 disposed in the first compartment 11. As shown in Figure 7, a pipe connection part 54 is provided in the first compartment 11 to connect the pipes 5P that make up the hydrogen flow passage 5.

[0051] In this embodiment, the pipe connection part 54 includes an upper pipe connection part 541 that is disposed above the fuel cell module 2. There is a possibility that hydrogen may leak from the pipe connection part 54, but by using the upper pipe connection part 541, it is possible to prevent leaked hydrogen from flowing in the direction of the fuel cell module 2. In other words, safety can be improved.

[0052] When a plurality of pipe connectors 54 are provided in the fuel cell system 100, it is preferable that all of the pipe connectors 54 are upper pipe connectors 541. However, at least some of the plurality of pipe connectors 54 may be configured to be other than the upper pipe connectors 541.

[0053] The fuel cell system 100 includes a cover member that covers at least a portion of the pipe connection portion 54. By providing a cover member, if highly diffusible hydrogen leaks from the pipe connection portion 54, the diffusion of hydrogen within the first compartment 11 can be suppressed. In the example shown in FIG. 7, a plate-shaped member 55 arranged below the pipe connection portion 54 that connects two pipes 5P extending in the left-right direction corresponds to the cover member that covers a portion of the pipe connection portion 54. The plate-shaped member 55 (cover member) arranged below prevents the diffusion of leaked hydrogen toward the fuel cell module 2, and can suppress the accumulation of leaked hydrogen behind components.

[0054] 8A and 8B are diagrams illustrating a modified cover member 55A. FIG. 8A is a side view, and the dashed-dotted line indicates the internal structure. FIG. 8B is a top view. In this modified example, two connected pipes 5P extend vertically. The pipe connection portion 54 is composed of a flange portion 5F provided at the lower end of the upper pipe 5P and a flange portion 5F provided at the upper end of the lower pipe 5P. The cover member 55A is cylindrical and extends vertically, and is disposed around the pipe connection portion 54. The cover member 55A covers the entire periphery of the pipe connection portion 54. The cylindrical cover member 55A has a plurality of claws 551 protruding inward inside. The claws 551 hook onto the pipe connection portion 54, and the cover member 55A is supported by the pipe connection portion 54. Even with this configuration, the diffusion of leaked hydrogen can be prevented.

[0055] Additionally, an exhaust passage 7 and a reserve tank 8 are arranged in the first section 11 (see FIG. 2). In FIG. 2, the exhaust passage 7 is indicated by a thin two-dot chain line.

[0056] The exhaust passage 7 is connected to the fuel cell module 2. More specifically, the exhaust passage 7 is an exhaust pipe. The exhaust passage 7 is used to distribute exhaust gas from the fuel cell module 2. The exhaust gas includes, for example, water vapor generated during power generation, oxygen and nitrogen supplied to the fuel cell module 2 but not used, and hydrogen purged and discharged from the anode path of the fuel cell stack 2a as needed. In this embodiment, a separate exhaust passage 7 is connected to each of the four fuel cell modules 2 arranged in the first section 11. That is, four exhaust passages 7 are arranged in the first section 11. The four exhaust passages 7 are connected to an exhaust passage collector 71 arranged in the first section 11. The exhaust passage collector 71 is arranged at the right end of the first section 11. The exhaust gases from the four exhaust passages 7 are collected at the exhaust passage collector 71 and released to the outside of the first section 11 through a single terminal exhaust passage 72 (see FIG. 1 ). The exhaust passage collector 71 may be arranged outside the first section 11. Alternatively, the exhaust confluence section 71 may not be provided, and the outlets of the exhaust passages 7 may be directly connected to external exhaust passages outside the first section 11 .

[0057] 1, the tip (right end) of the terminal exhaust path 72 protrudes to the outside from the first compartment right wall 11d. An external exhaust path (not shown) is connected to the tip of the terminal exhaust path 72, and exhaust gas from the fuel cell module 2 is released to an appropriate location.

[0058] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the fuel cell module 2 and the exhaust path 7. As shown in FIG. 9, the exhaust path 7 includes a flow path that guides the exhaust gas downward below the fuel cell module 2. The flow path that guides the exhaust gas downward is obtained by forming a downwardly extending portion 7a in the exhaust path 7. The downwardly extending portion 7a does not necessarily have to be parallel to the vertical direction, but may be inclined relative to the vertical direction. By providing a flow path that guides the exhaust gas downward, it is possible to prevent condensed water generated in the exhaust path 7 from flowing back into the fuel cell stack 2a. In other words, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of malfunctions in the fuel cell system 100.

[0059] The reserve tank 8 is included in the cooling system CS provided for the fuel cell module 2 (see FIG. 2). Specifically, the cooling system CS provided for the fuel cell module 2 includes a first cooling system CS1 and a second cooling system CS2. Therefore, specifically, the reserve tank 8 includes a first reserve tank 81 included in the first cooling system CS1 and a second reserve tank 82 included in the second cooling system CS2.

[0060] The first cooling system CS1 is a cooling system that cools the fuel cell stack 2a of the fuel cell module 2. That is, a reserve tank 81 included in the cooling system CS1 that cools the fuel cell stack 2a of the fuel cell module 2 is arranged in the first section 11. The first cooling system CS1 circulates a first coolant that cools the fuel cell stack 2a by driving a pump (not shown) included in the fuel cell module 2. Note that the pump may be arranged outside the fuel cell module 2. The first reserve tank 81 stores and discharges the first coolant as needed.

[0061] The first reserve tank 81 is disposed above the fuel cell stack. Therefore, even if hydrogen is contained in the first coolant due to a malfunction, the hydrogen can be released to a position higher than the fuel cell stack 2a. A first cooling system CS1 is provided for each fuel cell module 2. Therefore, in this embodiment, four first reserve tanks 81 are disposed in the first section 11.

[0062] As shown in Fig. 2, each first reserve tank 81 is connected to an air vent pipe 811 (thin solid line). Also, as shown in Fig. 1, the end of the air vent pipe 811 is exposed to the outside through an opening (not shown) in the right wall 11d of the first compartment. Even if hydrogen is contained in the first coolant due to a malfunction, the hydrogen can be discharged to the outside of the first compartment 11 through the air vent pipe 811.

[0063] The second cooling system CS2 is a cooling system that cools the power electronics devices included in the fuel cell module 2. That is, a reserve tank 82 included in the cooling system CS2 that cools the power electronics devices included in the fuel cell module 2 is disposed in the first section 11. The second cooling system CS2 circulates a second coolant that cools the power electronics devices by driving a pump (not shown) included in the fuel cell module 2. Note that the pump may be disposed outside the fuel cell module 2. The second reserve tank 82 stores and discharges the second coolant as needed.

[0064] The second cooling system CS2 is provided for each fuel cell module 2. For this reason, in this embodiment, four second reserve tanks 82 are arranged in the first section 11.

[0065] [2-3. About the second section] As described above, the second section 12 is where the auxiliaries related to the operation of the fuel cell module 2 are located. The auxiliaries include at least one of a power distribution panel, an air intake section that draws air into the fuel cell module 2, and a heat exchanger through which a coolant flows to cool the components included in the fuel cell module 2.

[0066] 2, in this embodiment, the accessories include an air intake unit 9, a heat exchanger 10, and a switchboard 20. That is, the fuel cell system 100 includes the air intake unit 9, the heat exchanger 10, and the switchboard 20. The housing 1 houses the air intake unit 9, the heat exchanger 10, and the switchboard 20.

[0067] More specifically, the air intake section 9 takes in air to be supplied to the air electrode of the fuel cell stack 2a. In this embodiment, the air intake section 9 is arranged in the second section 12. That is, the air intake section 9 is arranged in a section where hydrogen leakage does not occur. This makes it possible to prevent air containing hydrogen from being taken in through the air intake section 9. As a result, it is possible to prevent air containing hydrogen from being supplied to the air electrode of the fuel cell stack.

[0068] More specifically, the second compartment 12 is provided with the same number of air intake units 9 as the number of fuel cell modules 2 arranged in the first compartment 11. In this embodiment, there are four fuel cell modules 2, and four air intake units 9. In this embodiment, the air intake unit 9 is not shared among the multiple fuel cell modules 2, but is provided for each fuel cell module 2. As a result, if a malfunction occurs in one of the multiple fuel cell modules 2, there is no need to shut down all of the fuel cell modules 2, and the fuel cell modules 2 that are not malfunctioning can continue to operate.

[0069] More specifically, air intake unit 9 includes a filter. An air pipe 421 (shown by a thick two-dot chain line in FIG. 2) through which air flows is connected to air intake unit 9. Air pipe 421 includes pipe 42a provided in adapter 133 (see FIG. 4A), and is disposed across first compartment 11 and second compartment 12. When a compressor included in fuel cell module 2 is activated, air taken in through air intake unit 9 is supplied to the air electrode of fuel cell stack 2a included in fuel cell module 2.

[0070] In this embodiment, the heat exchanger 10 is disposed in the second section 12. By disposing the heat exchanger 10, which has a large volume, in the second section 12, it is possible to suppress an increase in the volume of the first section 11. By suppressing an increase in the volume of the first section 11, it is possible to suppress an increase in the size of the ventilation device 300.

[0071] The heat exchanger 10 constitutes a cooling system CS provided for the fuel cell module 2. As described above, in this embodiment, the cooling system CS includes a first cooling system CS and a second cooling system CS. To this end, in detail, the heat exchanger 10 includes a first heat exchanger 101 that constitutes the first cooling system CS1 and a second heat exchanger 102 that constitutes the second cooling system CS2. The first heat exchanger 101 and the second heat exchanger 102 are provided for each fuel cell module 2. That is, four first heat exchangers 101 and four second heat exchangers 102 are arranged in the second section 12.

[0072] The first heat exchanger 101 exchanges heat between the first coolant and a third coolant supplied from outside the housing 1.

[0073] The first coolant is sent from the fuel cell stack 2a to the first heat exchanger 101 and returned from the first heat exchanger 101 to the fuel cell stack 2a using a first coolant pipe 422 that connects the first heat exchanger 101 to a pump included in the fuel cell module 2. The first coolant pipe 422 includes pipes 42b and 42c provided in the adapter 133 (see FIG. 4A), and is arranged across the first compartment 11 and the second compartment 12. The first coolant pipe 422 is indicated by a thin dashed line in FIG. 2.

[0074] The third coolant is supplied from outside the housing 1 to the first heat exchanger 101 using a third coolant pipe 424 arranged in the second compartment 12, and is discharged from the first heat exchanger 101 to the outside of the housing 1. As shown in FIG. 1, a connection port 121 is provided on the right wall 12d of the second compartment for connecting the third coolant pipe 424, which supplies and discharges the third coolant, to an external pipe. The third coolant is supplied to the third coolant pipe 424 using a device arranged outside the housing 1. The third coolant may be seawater, although it is not intended to be particularly limited. The third coolant pipe 424 is indicated by a thick dashed line in FIG. 2.

[0075] The second heat exchanger 102 exchanges heat between the second coolant and a third coolant supplied from outside the housing 1. The equipment for supplying and discharging the third coolant is shared with the first heat exchanger 101.

[0076] The second coolant is sent from the power electronics equipment to the second heat exchanger 102 and returned from the second heat exchanger 102 to the power electronics equipment using a second coolant pipe 423 that connects the second heat exchanger 102 to a pump included in the fuel cell module 2. The second coolant pipe 423 is configured to include pipes 42d and 42e provided in the adapter 133 (see FIG. 4A), and is arranged across the first section 11 and the second section 12. The second coolant pipe 423 is indicated by a thin dashed line in FIG. 2.

[0077] The third coolant is supplied to the second heat exchanger 102 from outside the housing 1 using a third coolant pipe 424 arranged in the second compartment 12, and is discharged from the second heat exchanger 102 to outside the housing 1.

[0078] In this embodiment, the distribution board 20 is disposed in the second compartment 12. That is, the distribution board 20 is disposed in a compartment where hydrogen leakage will not occur. Even if hydrogen leakage occurs in the first compartment 11, the leaked hydrogen can be prevented from coming into contact with the distribution board 20. Specifically, the distribution board 20 is disposed at the right end of the second compartment 12. An electric wire arrangement section 122 for arranging electric wires connected to the distribution board 20 is provided on the right wall 12d of the second compartment. Specifically, the electric wire arrangement section 122 is a section for leading electric wires from the inside of the housing 1 to the outside, and for leading electric wires from the outside to the inside. Furthermore, the electric wire arrangement section 122 may be a section for connecting electric wires inside the housing 1 with external electric wires. The electric wire arrangement section 122 may be configured as an opening for passing electric wires through, a connector for connecting electric wires, or the like.

[0079] The switchboard 20 includes various terminals and relays. The various terminals include, for example, a terminal connected to a power line 411 (thick dashed line in FIG. 2) through which power generated by the fuel cell module 2 flows. The power line 411 is included in wiring 41 (see FIG. 3) arranged across the first section 11 and the second section 12. The various terminals also include a terminal connected to a control line 412 (thin dashed line in FIG. 2) that controls the fuel cell module 2. The control line 412 is included in wiring 41 (see FIG. 3) arranged across the first section 11 and the second section 12. The various terminals also include a terminal connected to a sensor line that is connected to sensors such as a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor. The various terminals also include a terminal connected to a communication line that communicates with an external control device.

[0080] The external control device is a control device that controls the fuel cell system 100. In this embodiment, the control device is arranged outside the housing 1. However, the control device may also be arranged inside the switchboard 20. The control device arranged inside the switchboard 20 may also be remotely controlled from outside.

[0081] Fig. 10 is a schematic horizontal cross-sectional view of the fuel cell system 100 taken along the line AA in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 10, in this embodiment, the desalination device 3 is installed on the front wall 12a of the second compartment. However, the desalination device 3 may be installed on any of the walls 12a to 12e, 13 that make up the second compartment 12, excluding the partition wall 13.

[0082] The salt removal device 3 includes a salt removal filter 3a. Specifically, the salt removal filter 3a is a rectangular plate. As shown in FIG. 1 , a window 123 is provided in the second compartment front wall 12a, which allows air to be taken into the second compartment 12 through the salt removal filter 3a. Air is taken into the second compartment 12 through the window 123 and the salt removal filter 3a. The air from which salt has been removed by the salt removal filter 3a is taken into the second compartment 12.

[0083] Specifically, a plurality of desalination devices 3 are disposed in the fuel cell system 100. While a single desalination device 3 may be provided, disposing of a plurality of desalination devices 3 can reduce the burden on each desalination device 3. As a result, it is possible to lengthen the maintenance intervals of the desalination devices 3, reduce the frequency of replacing the desalination filters 3a, and reduce the pressure loss of air passing through the desalination devices 3. More specifically, four desalination devices 3 are disposed side by side in the left-right direction. Four window portions 123 provided in the second compartment front wall 12a are also disposed side by side in the left-right direction. Note that, as in this embodiment, it is preferable that the plurality of desalination devices 3 are disposed on the same side of the housing 1; however, in some cases, the plurality of desalination devices 3 may be disposed on different side surfaces of the housing 1.

[0084] In the second section 12, at least one of auxiliaries and piping related to the operation of the fuel cell module 2 is arranged between the salt removal filter 3a and the air intake section 9. As shown in FIG. 10 , in this embodiment, auxiliaries and piping 42 are arranged between the salt removal filter 3a and the air intake section 9. The auxiliaries arranged between the two 3a and 9 are a heat exchanger 10. More specifically, the auxiliaries arranged between the two 3a and 9 are a box-shaped first heat exchanger 101 and a second heat exchanger 102. In a preferred embodiment, the salt removal filter 3a and the heat exchanger 10 are arranged in a position where they overlap when the housing 1 is viewed from the front (when viewed from the front-to-rear direction).

[0085] By arranging the auxiliary equipment 10 and the piping 42 between the salt removal filter 3a and the air intake section 9, it is possible to prevent the air that has passed through the salt removal filter 3a from heading straight toward the air intake section 9. In this case, it is possible to prevent the air passage in the salt removal filter 3a from concentrating in one area, thereby preventing localized clogging of the salt removal filter 3a. Furthermore, by arranging the box-shaped heat exchanger 10 between the salt removal filter 3a and the air intake section 9, it is possible to enhance the effect of preventing the air that has passed through the salt removal filter 3a from heading straight toward the air intake section 9.

[0086] As shown in FIG. 10 , an electrical component 30 is disposed in the second compartment 12. The electrical component 30 is, for example, a relay. The electrical component 30 is disposed further rearward of the air intake section 9, which is disposed rearward of the salt removal device 3. The main stream of air flow in the second compartment 12 is the flow from the salt removal device 3 to the air intake section 9. In a configuration in which the electrical component 30 is disposed further rearward of the air intake section 9, the electrical component 30 is not included in the main stream of air flow. Therefore, even if the salt removal device 3 is unable to completely remove salt, the possibility of salt damage to the electrical component 30 can be reduced.

[0087] Even if the salt removal device 3 is unable to remove all the salt, the air intake section 9 includes a filter, so that air with a sufficiently reduced salt concentration is supplied to the fuel cell module 2.

[0088] FIG. 11 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of the right end side of the second compartment 12. In FIG. 11, a portion of the front wall 1a of the housing 1 has been removed for convenience, thereby exposing the right end of the second compartment 12. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, a distribution board 20 is disposed in the second compartment 12, offset to one side in the left-right direction relative to the salt removal devices 3 and the air intake units 9, when viewed from the front from the front wall 1a (first outer wall) of the housing 1. Specifically, the distribution board 20 is offset to the right relative to the salt removal devices 3 and the air intake units 9. More specifically, the distribution board 20 is offset to the right relative to the rightmost salt removal device 3 of the four salt removal devices 3 and the rightmost air intake units 9 of the four air intake units 9.

[0089] In this configuration, the switchboard 20 can be placed at a position away from the air flow from the desalination device 3 to the air intake 9. This reduces the possibility that the switchboard 20 will be damaged by the small amount of salt that was not completely removed by the desalination device 3.

[0090] [2-4.Other] As can be seen from the above, the housing 1 has a first outer wall (for a detailed example, the front wall 1a) on which the desalination device 3 is disposed, which is located upstream of the air intake section 9 in the air flow (see, for example, FIG. 1). The housing 1 also has a second outer wall (for a detailed example, the right wall 1d) on which an electric wire arrangement section 122 is provided in which electric wires are arranged. The electric wires that extend from the electric wire arrangement section 122 to the outside of the housing 1 are connected to an external control device or an external power-using component.

[0091] In the vicinity of the housing 1, although it depends on the installation location, the flow rate of air passing around the desalination device 3 is likely to be higher than the flow rate of air passing outside the vicinity of the desalination device 3. For this reason, salt damage is likely to progress more quickly around the desalination device 3 than outside the vicinity of the desalination device 3. In this embodiment, the electric wire placement section 122 is provided on an outer wall (right wall 1d) of the housing 1 that is different from the outer wall (front wall 1a) on which the desalination device 3 is provided. For this reason, the electric wire placement section 122 is located in a portion of the vicinity of the housing 1 where the air flow is low. As a result, the electric wires that are taken out from the electric wire placement section 122 to the outside of the housing 1 can be placed in a position with a relatively low salt concentration, reducing the possibility of the electric wires being damaged by salt.

[0092] In this embodiment, a connection part 6 is provided on the second outer wall (right wall 1d) of the casing 1, which connects the hydrogen flow passage 5 to an external hydrogen flow passage 200 arranged outside the casing 1. That is, in this embodiment, the external piping and external wiring connected to the fuel cell system 100 can be collected on one outer wall of the casing 1.

[0093] Specifically, on the second outer wall (right wall 1d) of the housing 1, the electric wire placement section 122 is located below the connection section 6. This allows the connection section 6 and the electric wire placement section 122 to be provided on walls that constitute different compartments. Specifically, the connection section 6 can be provided on the wall of the second outer wall that constitutes the first compartment 11, and the electric wire placement section 122 can be provided on the wall of the second outer wall that constitutes the second compartment 12. This allows the fuel cell system 100 to be formed with appropriate measures taken to prevent hydrogen leakage without making the structure complex.

[0094] In this embodiment, the first outer wall (front wall 1a) on which the salt removal device 3 is disposed has a detachable wall. Fig. 12 is a diagram showing a state in which a part of the detachable wall has been removed from the fuel cell system 100 shown in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 12, the detachable wall includes a first compartment detachable wall 110 and a second compartment detachable wall 120.

[0095] The second compartment detachable wall 120 is a wall that constitutes the second compartment 12. That is, the first outer wall (front wall 1a) is a wall that constitutes the second compartment 12 and is configured to include the detachable second compartment detachable wall 120. In the configuration of this embodiment in which the first outer wall is the front wall 1a, the second compartment detachable wall 120 may be the second compartment front wall 12a itself, or may be a part of the second compartment front wall 12a. In this embodiment, the second compartment detachable wall 120 is a part of the second compartment front wall 12a.

[0096] Specifically, the second compartment front wall 12a includes a plurality of second compartment detachable walls 120. More specifically, the second compartment front wall 12a includes four second compartment detachable walls 120. The plurality of second compartment detachable walls 120 are aligned in the left-right direction. In the example shown in FIG. 12 , the third second compartment detachable wall 120 from left to right is in a detached state. The second compartment detachable wall 120 is detachably attached to the housing 1 using, for example, screws, but may also be attached to the housing 1 by other detachable means.

[0097] In this embodiment, the salt removal device 3 is attached to the second compartment detachable wall 120. The second compartment detachable wall 120 is provided with a window 123 that allows air to be taken into the second compartment 12 through the salt removal filter 3a. Because the salt removal device 3 is attached to the second compartment detachable wall 120, the salt removal device 3 can be removed from the second compartment 12 by removing the second compartment detachable wall 120. In other words, maintenance of the salt removal device 3 can be facilitated.

[0098] The first compartment detachable wall 110 is a wall that constitutes the first compartment 11. That is, the first outer wall (front wall 1a) is a wall that constitutes the first compartment 11 and is configured to include the detachable first compartment detachable wall 110. In the configuration of this embodiment in which the first outer wall is the front wall 1a, the first compartment detachable wall 110 may be the first compartment front wall 11a itself, or may be a part of the first compartment front wall 11a. In this embodiment, the first compartment detachable wall 110 is a part of the first compartment front wall 11a.

[0099] Specifically, the first compartment front wall 11a includes a plurality of first compartment detachable walls 110. More specifically, the first compartment front wall 11a includes five first compartment detachable walls 110. The plurality of first compartment detachable walls 110 are aligned in the left-right direction. In the example shown in FIG. 12 , the third first compartment detachable wall 110 is detached from left to right. The first compartment detachable walls 110 are detachably attached to the housing 1 using, for example, screws, but may be attached to the housing 1 by other detachable means. Furthermore, when attached to the housing 1, the first compartment detachable walls 110 are sealed to prevent hydrogen gas from leaking from the first compartment 11.

[0100] The provision of the first compartment detachable wall 110 makes it possible to easily perform maintenance within the first compartment 11. Furthermore, because the first compartment detachable wall 110 is provided separately from the second compartment detachable wall 120, it is possible to inspect only the first compartment 11, separate from the second compartment 12. If it becomes necessary to inspect the first compartment 11 while the fuel cell system 100 is in operation, inspection can be performed by removing only the first compartment detachable wall 110, without removing the second compartment detachable wall 120. This makes it possible to prevent salty air from being supplied to the fuel cell module 2 from the air intake section 9.

[0101] <3. Fuel cell system installation area> Next, an installation section of a fuel cell system 100 having a housing 1 in which a fuel cell module 2 and a desalination device 3 are arranged will be described. Fig. 13 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a fuel cell system installation section 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 13, the fuel cell system installation section 400 has a floor surface 401 and a vertical wall 402.

[0102] The housing 1 is placed on the floor surface 401. More specifically, the floor surface 401 is horizontal. The housing 1 is placed in the fuel cell system installation section 400 with the bottom wall 1f facing the floor surface 401. The vertical wall 402 extends upward from the floor surface 401. In this embodiment, the floor surface 401 and the vertical wall 402 are perpendicular to each other.

[0103] The housing 1 has a first outer wall, a second outer wall, and a third outer wall. In this embodiment, the first outer wall is the front wall 1a on which the salt removal device 3 is disposed. The second outer wall is the right wall 1d on which an electric wire arrangement section 122 in which electric wires are disposed is provided. The third outer wall is the rear wall 1b opposite the front wall 1a, which is the first outer wall.

[0104] The rear wall 1b, which is the third outer wall, is disposed along the vertical wall 402. Specifically, the rear wall 1b is parallel to the vertical wall 402 and faces the vertical wall 402. The rear wall 1b is disposed close to the vertical wall 402. In addition, the right wall 1d, which is the second outer wall, is disposed in a direction perpendicular to the floor surface 401 and the vertical wall 402.

[0105] With this configuration, the wall (front wall 1a) on which the salt removal device 3 is disposed is located on the side of the housing 1 opposite to the side where the vertical wall 402 is located. This allows air to be appropriately supplied to the air intake section 9 without being obstructed by the wall. Furthermore, since the electric wire placement section 122 is located on a surface different from the surface on which the salt removal device 3 is disposed, the electric wires are less susceptible to salt damage.

[0106] The second outer wall on which the electric wire placement section 122 is provided may be the left wall 1c of the housing 1. In this case, external piping for supplying and exhausting hydrogen, external piping for exhausting air containing water produced by the fuel cell module 2, and external piping for supplying a coolant may also be configured to be arranged on the left wall 1c side. In this case, the positions of the valve device 53 and the switchboard 20 arranged inside the housing 1 may be changed from the right end to the left end, and the configuration of the piping and wiring inside the housing 1 may be changed accordingly.

[0107] 13, the left wall 1c of the housing 1 may be disposed close to another vertical wall 403 that extends upward from the floor surface 401 and forms a corner together with the vertical wall 402.

[0108] <4. Things to keep in mind> Various modifications can be made to the various technical features disclosed in this specification without departing from the spirit of the technical creation. Furthermore, multiple embodiments and modifications shown in this specification can be combined to the extent possible.

[0109] <5. Notes> An exemplary fuel cell system of the present invention may comprise a fuel cell module, an air intake section that takes in air into the fuel cell module, and a housing that houses the fuel cell module and the air intake section, and the housing may have a configuration (first configuration) having a first outer wall in which a salt removal device is placed upstream of the air intake section, and a second outer wall in which an electrical wire placement section is provided for placing electrical wires.

[0110] The fuel cell system of the first configuration may be configured (second configuration) to include a hydrogen flow passage disposed within the housing, and the second outer wall may be provided with a connection portion that connects the hydrogen flow passage to an external hydrogen flow passage disposed outside the housing.

[0111] The fuel cell system of the second configuration may be configured (third configuration) such that the electric wire placement portion is disposed below the connection portion on the second outer wall.

[0112] In the fuel cell system of the third configuration described above, the housing may be configured to include a first compartment in which the fuel cell module is arranged, and a second compartment adjacent to the first compartment in which the air intake section is arranged, and the connection section may be provided in the first compartment, and the electrical wire arrangement section may be provided in the second compartment (fourth configuration).

[0113] In a fuel cell system of any of the above first to fourth configurations, the housing may be configured to include a first compartment in which the fuel cell module is arranged and a second compartment adjacent to the first compartment in which the air intake section is arranged, the first outer wall may be configured to include a detachable second compartment detachable wall that is a wall that constitutes the second compartment, and the salt removal device may be configured to be arranged on the second compartment detachable wall (fifth configuration).

[0114] In the fuel cell system of the fifth configuration, the first outer wall may be configured (sixth configuration) to include a detachable first compartment detachable wall that constitutes the first compartment.

[0115] In the fuel cell system of the fifth or sixth configuration described above, electrical components may be arranged in the second compartment, and the electrical components may be arranged further rearward of the air intake section, which is arranged rearward of the salt removal device (seventh configuration).

[0116] In a fuel cell system of any of the above fifth to seventh configurations, the salt removal device may include a salt removal filter, and in the second compartment, at least one of auxiliary equipment and piping related to the operation of the fuel cell module may be arranged between the salt removal filter and the air intake section (eighth configuration).

[0117] In the fuel cell system of the eighth configuration, the auxiliary device may be a heat exchanger (ninth configuration).

[0118] In a fuel cell system of any of the above fifth to ninth configurations, the second compartment may be configured (tenth configuration) such that, when viewed from the front from the first outer wall side, a distribution board is arranged that is offset to one side in the left-right direction relative to the salt removal device and the air intake section.

[0119] The fuel cell system of any one of the first to tenth configurations may have a configuration (eleventh configuration) in which a plurality of the salt removal devices are arranged.

[0120] An exemplary fuel cell system installation compartment of the present invention is an installation compartment for a fuel cell system having a housing in which a fuel cell module and a salt removal device are arranged, and comprises a floor surface on which the housing is arranged and a vertical wall extending upward from the floor surface, and the housing has a first outer wall on which the salt removal device is arranged, a second outer wall on which an electrical wire arrangement section is provided in which electrical wires are arranged, and a third outer wall opposite the first outer wall, and the third outer wall is arranged along the vertical wall, and the second outer wall is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the floor surface and the vertical wall (12th configuration). [Explanation of symbols]

[0121] 1. Housing 1a...Front wall (first external wall) 1b...Rear wall (third external wall) 1d...Right wall (second external wall) 2. Fuel cell module 3. Desalination device 3a···Salt removal filter 5. Hydrogen flow path 6 Connection 9. Air intake section 10...heat exchanger 11 Section 1 11a...Front wall of 1st section 11b...1st section rear wall 11c: Left wall of the first section 11d: Right wall of the first section 11e···Top wall of first compartment 12. Section 2 12a...Front wall of 2nd section 12b...2nd section rear wall 12c... Left wall of the second section 12d: Right wall of the second compartment 12e Bottom wall of second compartment 13. Partition wall 20...Switchboard 30 Electrical parts 100...Fuel cell system 110 First compartment detachable part 120...Second compartment detachable part 122...Wire arrangement section 132 Seal structure 132A...Seal structure 200 External hydrogen flow passage 400 Fuel cell system installation area 401...Floor 402 Vertical wall

Claims

1. a fuel cell module; an air intake section that takes in air into the fuel cell module; a housing that houses the fuel cell module and the air intake section; Equipped with The housing includes: a first outer wall on which a desalination device is disposed upstream of the air intake section; a second outer wall provided with an electric wire placement section for placing electric wires; A fuel cell system comprising:

2. a hydrogen flow passage disposed within the housing; 2. The fuel cell system according to claim 1, wherein the second outer wall is provided with a connection portion that connects the hydrogen flow passage with an external hydrogen flow passage disposed outside the housing.

3. The fuel cell system according to claim 2 , wherein the electric wire placement portion is located below the connection portion on the second outer wall.

4. The housing includes: a first compartment in which the fuel cell module is disposed; a second compartment adjacent to the first compartment and in which the air intake section is disposed; The invention comprises: The connection portion is provided in the first section, The fuel cell system according to claim 3 , wherein the electric wire placement section is provided in the second compartment.

5. The housing includes: a first compartment in which the fuel cell module is disposed; a second compartment adjacent to the first compartment and in which the air intake section is disposed; The invention comprises: the first outer wall is a wall that constitutes the second compartment and is configured to include a detachable second compartment detachable wall, The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the desalination device is disposed in the removable wall of the second compartment.

6. 6. The fuel cell system according to claim 5, wherein the first outer wall is a wall that constitutes the first compartment and includes a detachable first compartment detachable wall.

7. Electrical components are arranged in the second compartment, 6. The fuel cell system according to claim 5, wherein the electrical system components are arranged further rearward of the air intake section which is arranged rearward of the salt removal device.

8. the desalination device includes a desalination filter; 6. The fuel cell system according to claim 5, wherein at least one of auxiliary machinery and piping related to the operation of the fuel cell module is arranged between the salt removal filter and the air intake section in the second section.

9. 9. The fuel cell system according to claim 8, wherein the auxiliary device is a heat exchanger.

10. 6. The fuel cell system of claim 5, wherein a distribution panel is disposed in the second compartment, offset to one side in the left-right direction relative to the salt removal device and the air intake section when viewed from the front from the first outer wall side.

11. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the desalination devices are provided.

12. An installation section of a fuel cell system having a housing in which a fuel cell module and a desalination device are arranged, a floor surface on which the housing is placed; a vertical wall extending upward from the floor surface; Equipped with The housing includes: a first outer wall on which the desalination device is disposed; a second outer wall provided with an electric wire placement portion in which an electric wire is placed; a third outer wall facing the first outer wall; and the third outer wall is disposed along the vertical wall; The fuel cell system installation section, wherein the second outer wall is disposed in an orientation perpendicular to the floor surface and the vertical wall.

Images