Fixed fuel cell system and power generation equipment

Abstract

A stationary fuel cell system according to the present invention is provided with: a plurality of power generation modules; the fuel cell stack includes an auxiliary machine structure including an auxiliary machine that exchanges gas with the fuel cell stack, a first fuel cell stack connected to one surface of the auxiliary machine structure in the vertical direction, and a second fuel cell stack connected to the other surface of the auxiliary machine structure in the vertical direction. And a piping module provided with an intake pipe through which air supplied to the power generation modules flows, an exhaust pipe through which gas discharged from the power generation modules flows, and a fuel piping through which fuel supplied to the power generation modules flows, in which the plurality of power generation modules are disposed so as to overlap in the vertical direction, and the piping module is disposed between two power generation modules that are disposed so as to overlap each other.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a stationary fuel cell system and a power generation device. Background Art

[0002] JP2018 - 41720A in Japan discloses a multi - stack fuel cell system (hereinafter also referred to as a multi - stack FC), which includes two fuel cell stack assemblies stacked in the vertical direction and a heat exchanger assembly disposed between them. In addition, a power generation device in which a plurality of multi - stack FCs are two - dimensionally arranged in the horizontal direction is disclosed in the above - mentioned document. In this power generation device, a part of the pipeline for exchanging fuel and air between the multi - stack FC and BOP (auxiliary equipment: Balance Of Plant) is installed and arranged on the side of each multi - stack FC.

[0003] In a structure in which multi - stack FCs are two - dimensionally arranged in the horizontal direction as in the power generation device disclosed in the above - mentioned document, there is a problem that the larger the number of multi - stack FCs used, the larger the installation area including the area for arranging the pipeline. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell system in which the area required for installing a fuel cell becomes smaller and a power generation device including the fuel cell system.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a stationary fuel cell system, comprising: a plurality of power generation modules, each of which includes an auxiliary machine structure body including an auxiliary machine for exchanging gas with a fuel cell stack, a first fuel cell stack connected to one side in the vertical direction of the auxiliary machine structure body, and a second fuel cell stack connected to the other side in the vertical direction of the auxiliary machine structure body; and a piping module, which includes an intake pipe for supplying air flow to the power generation module, an exhaust pipe for discharging gas from the power generation module, and a fuel pipe for supplying fuel flow to the power generation module. In this stationary fuel cell system, the plurality of power generation modules are stacked and arranged in the vertical direction, and a piping module is arranged between two power generation modules arranged in an overlapping manner.

[0006] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power generation device including the above - mentioned stationary fuel cell system. The plurality of stationary fuel cell systems of this power generation device are arranged in a direction orthogonal to the vertical direction, and include a power converter for centrally outputting the electric power generated by these plurality of stationary fuel cell systems. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic structure of a stationary fuel cell system.

[0008] Figure 2 is a front view of the stationary fuel cell system.

[0009] Figure 3 It is a rear view of a stationary fuel cell system.

[0010] Figure 4 It is a left side view of a stationary fuel cell system.

[0011] Figure 5 It is a view showing the fuel components of the stationary fuel cell system extracted.

[0012] Figure 6 It is a view of the state before assembly of a pair of crossbeams and a power generation module as observed from the rear side.

[0013] Figure 7 It is using Figure 1 The front view of the power generation equipment of the fuel cell system. Detailed implementation mode

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0015] Figure 1 It is a perspective view showing the schematic structure of a stationary fuel cell system (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a fuel cell system) 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 It is the front view of the fuel cell system 1. Figure 3 It is the rear view of the fuel cell system 1. Figure 4 It is the left side view of the fuel cell system 1. Figure 5 It is a view showing the fuel system components of the fuel cell system 1 extracted. In addition, in the present embodiment, the height direction of the fuel cell system 1 is set as the vertical direction, the flow path direction of the intake pipe 8 and the exhaust pipe 9 described later is set as the left - right direction, and the direction orthogonal to the vertical direction and the left - right direction is set as the front - rear direction. In addition, regarding the front - rear direction, the side where the connection of each pipe 13, 14 of the auxiliary machine structure 7 described later is provided is set as the front (front face). Regarding the left - right direction, it is based on the front view.

[0016] The fuel cell system 1 of the present embodiment is for stationary use. In addition, the fuel cell used in the fuel cell system 1 is a solid oxide type fuel cell.

[0017] The fuel cell system 1 includes: two power generation modules 2, one piping module 3, one power recovery module 4, and a housing 5 that supports them.

[0018] The power generation module 2 includes: an auxiliary machine structure 7, a first fuel cell stack 6A disposed on one surface in the vertical direction of the auxiliary machine structure 7, and a second fuel cell stack 6B disposed on the other surface. The fuel cell stack 6 has a structure in which a plurality of single cells are stacked in the vertical direction. The vertical dimension of the first fuel cell stack 6A is larger than the vertical dimension of the second fuel cell stack 6B. That is, the first fuel cell stack 6A has a larger number of stacked single cells than the second fuel cell stack 6B.

[0019] In addition, when it is not necessary to distinguish between the first fuel cell stack 6A and the second fuel cell stack 6B, it is referred to as the fuel cell stack 6. In addition, in the present embodiment, a structure in which the fuel cell stack 6 is disposed on both surfaces in the vertical direction of the auxiliary machine structure 7 has been described, but it may also be a structure in which the fuel cell stack 6 is disposed only on any one surface.

[0020] The auxiliary machine structure 7 is a box body including auxiliary machines (such as a heat exchanger, a burner, etc.) that exchange gas with the fuel cell stack 6.

[0021] In addition, the power generation module 2 further includes a fuel injection unit 24 that injects and supplies fuel to the fuel cell stack 6 of the power generation module 2. The fuel injection unit 24 of the present embodiment has two fuel injection valves, but the number of fuel injection valves is not limited thereto.

[0022] The piping module 3 includes: an intake pipe 8 through which air flows to supply the power generation module 2, an exhaust pipe 9 through which gas discharged from the power generation module 2 flows, a fuel pipe 11 through which fuel flows to supply the power generation module 2, and injection unit cooling water pipes 10 and 12 through which cooling water for cooling the fuel injection unit 24 flows. In addition, regarding the injection unit cooling water pipes 10 and 12, they may sometimes be simply referred to as "cooling water pipes 10 and 12" in the following description. In addition, the cooling water pipe 12 may sometimes be referred to as the inlet-side cooling water pipe 12, and the cooling water pipe 10 may be referred to as the outlet-side cooling water pipe 10.

[0023] The power recovery module 4 includes a power box 19 that houses devices and wiring for recovering the generated power of the power generation module 2 and transmitting it to a power converter 43 described later, and devices and wiring for introducing power required for driving auxiliary equipment and the like and controlling input / output signals from external devices.

[0024] The frame 5 is composed of a plurality of frame members, cross beams 20, and first and second brackets 21 and 22 arranged so as to surround two power generation modules 2 and one piping module 3.

[0025] Inside the frame 5, two power generation modules 2 are arranged overlapping in the vertical direction, and a piping module 3 is arranged between them. Hereinafter, when it is necessary to distinguish between the upper and lower power generation modules 2, the upper side is referred to as the upper-side power generation module 2A, and the lower side is referred to as the lower-side power generation module 2B.

[0026] By overlapping two power generation modules 2 in the vertical direction, compared with the structure in which two power generation modules 2 are arranged on the same plane (hereinafter also referred to as horizontal arrangement), the area required for setting the fuel cell system 1 can be reduced. Further, in the case of horizontal arrangement, piping such as the intake pipe 8 and the exhaust pipe 9 is arranged between adjacent power generation modules 2, and piping branched from there to each auxiliary machine structure 7 is provided. In contrast, in the fuel cell system 1 of the present embodiment, a piping module 3 is arranged between the power generation modules 2 overlapped in the vertical direction. Therefore, when viewed from above, the area dedicated to piping is smaller than that in the horizontal arrangement. That is, according to the fuel cell system 1 of the present embodiment, the area required for setting the fuel cell system 1 including a plurality of power generation modules 2 can be further reduced.

[0027] The housing 5 includes, for example: an upper portion surrounding the upper power generation module 2A, a lower portion surrounding the lower power generation module 2B, and an intermediate portion surrounding the piping module 3. The upper portion includes: at least 12 frame members assembled in a box shape so as to surround the upper power generation module 2A, a cross member 20 arranged so as to cross the left and right side surfaces divided by the frame members in the front-rear direction, and a first bracket 22 and a second bracket 21 arranged so as to cross the front and rear side surfaces (i.e., the front surface and the back surface) divided by the frame members in the left-right direction. The lower portion has the same structure as the upper portion. The intermediate portion has at least 4 frame members connecting the upper portion and the lower portion at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction.

[0028] In the upper power generation module 2A, the first fuel cell stack 6A is arranged on the upper side of the auxiliary machine structure 7, and the second fuel cell stack 6B is arranged on the lower side. Hereinafter, this state is also referred to as the upright state. On the other hand, the structure of the lower power generation module 2B is the same as that of the upper power generation module 2A, but the first fuel cell stack 6A is arranged on the lower side of the auxiliary machine structure 7, and the second fuel cell stack 6B is arranged on the upper side. That is, the upper power generation module 2A is in a state of being vertically inverted with the axis extending in the front-rear direction as the center. Hereinafter, this state is also referred to as the inverted state. In addition, the portion of the housing 5 surrounding the upper power generation module 2A and the portion of the housing 5 surrounding the lower power generation module 2B are also in a relationship of being vertically inverted with the same structure. In this way, by using two power generation modules 2 having the same structure with one in the upright state and the other in the inverted state, the cost can be reduced compared with the case of using a plurality of types of power generation modules 2. Further, by adopting the same structure in the upper and lower parts, for each pipe and each wiring between the piping module 3 and the power generation module 2, components of the same shape / size can also be used, thereby also reducing the cost.

[0029] In addition, the two power generation modules 2 are arranged at positions where the central axis Cm in the front-rear direction is offset toward the back side with respect to the central axis Cf in the front-rear direction of the housing 5 (see Figure 4 ). The power generation modules 2 are fixedly supported by a pair of cross beams 20 provided on the right and left side surfaces of the housing 5 and a first support 22 provided on the back surface of the housing 5. The cross beams 20 connect a pair of frame members extending in the vertical direction among the frame members forming the left and right side surfaces of the housing. The first support 22 connects a pair of frame members forming the back surface of the housing 5 to each other. In addition, a fixing method for fixing the power generation module 2 to the housing 5 will be described later.

[0030] Each pipe of the pipe module 3 is arranged such that the flow path faces the left and right direction of the housing 5. The intake pipe 8 and the exhaust pipe 9 are supported on the frame 5 via a bracket (not shown) or the like. In addition, the fuel pipe 11 and the cooling water pipes 10, 12 are supported by a bracket 25 provided on the housing 5.

[0031] Flange portions are provided at both ends in the left and right direction of the intake pipe 8 and the exhaust pipe 9. Moreover, as described later, when a plurality of fuel cell systems 1 are connected in the left and right direction, the flange portions are fastened by bolts or the like.

[0032] Rib processing (not shown) is performed on both ends of the fuel pipe 11 and the cooling water pipes 10, 12. When a plurality of fuel cell systems 1 are connected in the left and right direction, the fuel pipes 11 of adjacent fuel cell systems 1 and the cooling water pipes 10, 12 are connected to each other via a rubber pipe (not shown) or the like.

[0033] The intake pipe 8 and the power generation module 2 are connected via an intake branch pipe 13. More specifically, the intake branch pipe 13 branched from the intake pipe 8 is connected to the intake port 7A provided on the auxiliary machine structure 7.

[0034] The exhaust pipe 9 and the power generation module 2 are connected via an exhaust branch pipe 14. More specifically, the exhaust branch pipe 14 branched from the exhaust pipe 9 is connected to the exhaust port 7B provided on the auxiliary machine structure 7.

[0035] As described above, the upper power generation module 2A is in an upright state, the lower power generation module 2B is in an inverted state, and the pipe module 3 is arranged between the two power generation modules 2. Thus, both of the two power generation modules 2 arrange the second fuel cell stack 6B having a shorter vertical dimension than the first fuel cell stack 6A on the side closer to the pipe module 3. In other words, compared with the case where the upper power generation module 2A is in an inverted state and the lower power generation module 2B is in an upright state, the distance from the pipe module 3 to each auxiliary machine structure 7 becomes shorter.

[0036] In a top view, the intake port 7A and the exhaust port 7B are arranged on the front side of the auxiliary machine structure 7. In addition, as described above, the power generation module 2 is located at a position offset toward the back side with respect to the housing 5. Therefore, the distances between the intake port 7A and the exhaust port 7B and the housing 5 are ensured, creating a margin in the installation layout of the intake branch pipe 13 and the exhaust branch pipe 14.

[0037] In addition, assume that either the intake port 7A or the exhaust port 7B is arranged on the back side of the auxiliary machine structure 7 in a top view. Then, due to the presence of the pipes connected thereto, the amount of offset of the power generation module 2 toward the back side is restricted. As a result, ineffective spaces are generated on the front side and the back side. On the other hand, in the fuel cell system 1 of the present embodiment, since the intake port 7A and the exhaust port 7B are concentrated on the front side, the back surface of the power generation module 2 can be made closer to the back surface of the housing 5. That is, according to the present embodiment, the ineffective space ( Figure 4 IS) generated between the back surface of the housing 5 and the back surface of the power generation module 2 can be further reduced.

[0038] In addition, in the upper power generation module 2A, in a front view, the intake port 7A is arranged on the left side and the exhaust port 7B is arranged on the right side. On the other hand, in the lower power generation module 2B, in a front view, the intake port 7A is arranged on the right side and the exhaust port 7B is arranged on the left side. That is, in the upper power generation module 2A and the lower power generation module 2B, the arrangements of the intake port 7A and the exhaust port 7B are opposite. Thereby, the positions of the connection portion of the intake pipe 8 with the intake branch pipe 13 for the upper power generation module 2A and the connection portion with the intake branch pipe 13 for the lower power generation module 2B can be offset in the left-right direction. The intake branch pipe 13 has accessory devices such as a control valve, a stop valve, and an actuator for driving each valve body (not shown in the drawings). By offsetting the positions of the two connection portions in the left-right direction in this way, the positions of the accessory devices can be dispersed, creating a margin in the installation layout of the two intake branch pipes 13. In addition, if the two connection portions are located in close positions, problems such as difficulty for air to flow into any one of the intake branch pipes 13 may occur. However, as described above, by offsetting the positions of the two connection portions in the left-right direction, this problem can be solved. The same applies to the connection portions of the exhaust pipe 9 with the two exhaust branch pipes 14.

[0039] In addition, in the present embodiment, the power generation module 2 having the same structure is used in the upright state and the inverted state. Therefore, as described above, the arrangements of the intake port 7A and the exhaust port 7B are necessarily opposite. However, even in the case where two power generation modules 2 having different structures are used, in order to solve the above problems, the arrangements of the intake port 7A and the exhaust port 7B are made opposite in the upper power generation module 2A and the lower power generation module 2B.

[0040] However, when using the fuel cell system 1 in power generation equipment or the like, for example, it is necessary to perform maintenance / inspection operations such as confirming whether there is any leakage in each pipe, replacing consumables or defective components. In the fuel cell system 1 of the present embodiment, the power generation module 2 is offset and arranged on the back side with respect to the housing 5, and the intake ports 7A and the exhaust ports 7B of the upper and lower power generation modules 2 are all arranged on the front side. Therefore, auxiliary equipment such as a shut-off valve (not shown) included in the pipe module 3 can also be concentrated on the front side. Therefore, according to the fuel cell system 1 of the present embodiment, the movement amount of the operator during maintenance / inspection operations is reduced, and the improvement of operation efficiency can be achieved.

[0041] In addition, when performing maintenance / inspection operations, if the position of the operation target part is relatively low, the operator needs to bend down to enter, and sometimes even lie down. On the contrary, if the position of the operation target part is relatively high, the operator needs to stand on tiptoe or climb onto a platform. In either case, it will become a main cause of deteriorating workability. However, in the fuel cell system 1 of the present embodiment, the upper power generation module 2A is in an upright state, the lower power generation module 2B is in an inverted state, and the pipe module 3 is arranged between the two power generation modules 2. Thus, the positions of the auxiliary machine structures 7 of the upper and lower power generation modules 2 are close to the center in the vertical direction of the fuel cell system 1, so that the deterioration of workability can be suppressed.

[0042] Moreover, the inventors investigated and found that if the height from the installation surface of the operation target part is within the range of about 400 mm to 1500 mm, the deterioration of workability can be suppressed. Therefore, the sizes of the power generation module 2 and the housing 5 can be set arbitrarily, but from the above-mentioned viewpoint of workability, the sizes of the power generation module 2 and the housing 5 are set so that the heights of the upper and lower power generation modules 2 from the installation surfaces of the intake ports 7A and the exhaust ports 7B are within the range of 400 mm to 1500 mm.

[0043] The fuel injection unit 24 is fixedly supported by a second bracket 21 provided on the front surface of the housing 5. Fuel is supplied from the fuel pipe 11 via the fuel branch pipe 15 to the fuel injection unit 24, and is supplied from the fuel injection unit 24 to the power generation module 2 via the fuel supply pipe 26. In addition, the fuel injection unit 24 includes a cooling water passage 27 that surrounds the injection part of the fuel injection valve. The cooling water passage 27 and the inlet-side cooling water pipe 12 are connected by a first cooling water branch pipe 16, and the cooling water passage 27 and the outlet-side cooling water pipe 10 are connected by a second cooling water branch pipe 17. That is, cooling water is supplied from the inlet-side cooling water pipe 12 to the cooling water passage 27 via the first cooling water branch pipe 16, cools the fuel injection valve there, and flows into the outlet-side cooling water pipe 10 via the second cooling water branch pipe 17.

[0044] The power box 19 is disposed between the upper and lower power generation modules 2 on the back surface of the housing 5. The power generation module 2 and the power box 19 are electrically connected via the bus bar 18. The bus bar 18 is led out from the surface of the fuel cell stack 6 opposite to the surface in contact with the auxiliary machine structure 7, and is connected to the power box 19 through the wiring passage 23 provided along the frame member of the housing 5.

[0045] When the two power generation modules 2 are placed horizontally, the space for arranging the power box 19 needs to be separately arranged from the installation space of the power generation module 2. However, according to the structure of the present embodiment, this is not necessary. That is, the area required for installing the fuel cell system 1 can be reduced.

[0046] Next, refer to Figure 6 The installation method of installing the power generation module 2 into the housing 5 will be described.

[0047] Figure 6 FIG. is a view of the state before assembly of a pair of cross beams 20 and the power generation module 2 as viewed from the back side. In addition, at this stage, the first bracket 22 is not installed on the housing 5.

[0048] On the opposite surfaces of the pair of cross beams 20, there are provided guide grooves 33 having at least open ends at the back side ends. On the auxiliary machine structure 7 of the power generation module 2, there are provided a first sliding portion 31 and a second sliding portion 32 having a shape corresponding to the guide groove 33. In addition, in Figure 6 , it is configured that the sliding member 30 having the second sliding portion 32 is formed separately from the auxiliary machine structure 7 and is mounted on the auxiliary machine structure 7. However, the second sliding portion 32 may be integrally formed with the housing of the auxiliary machine structure 7.

[0049] Next, with the back surface of the housing 5 as the insertion surface, the power generation module 2 is moved along the guide groove 33 by the first sliding portion 31 and the second sliding portion 32 from this insertion surface, and thus the power generation module 2 is inserted into the inside of the housing 5. Then, after the insertion, the power generation module 2 and the frame 5 are rigidly connected by using the first bracket 22. Thus, the power generation module 2 is fixed to the housing 5. At this time, if the guide groove 33 is provided from one end to the other end of the cross beam 20, it is necessary to insert the power generation module 2 into the housing 5 while confirming the position of the power generation module 2 to position the power generation module 2. However, in the present embodiment, the position of the front side end of the guide groove 33 is made to coincide with the position of the first sliding portion 31 when the power generation module 2 is properly positioned. Thus, the positioning becomes easy. In addition, since the insertion surface is on the back side and the connection portions of the auxiliary machine structure 7 with the respective pipes are on the front side of the auxiliary machine structure 7, the power generation module 2 can be pulled out from the housing 5 as long as the connection with the respective pipes is released. That is, when replacing the power generation module 2 or the like, it is not necessary to remove the respective pipes from the housing 5.

[0050] In addition, after the power generation module 2 is fixed to the housing 5 as described above, in particular, the auxiliary structure 7 of the power generation module 2 also functions as a structural component connecting a pair of cross beams 20 provided on the left and right side surfaces of the housing 5. In the upper part of the housing 5, each of the left and right side surfaces is rigidly strengthened by a pair of cross beams 20, the front surface is rigidly strengthened by the second bracket 21, and the back surface is rigidly strengthened by the second bracket 21. However, the auxiliary machine structure 7 functions as a structural component crossing the left and right side surfaces, thereby improving the rigidity of the entire upper part. The same applies to the lower part. As a result, deformation and collapse caused by external forces such as earthquakes can be suppressed.

[0051] Next, Figure 7 a power generation device using the fuel cell system 1 will be described.

[0052] Figure 7 is a front view of a power generation device using the fuel cell system 1.

[0053] As shown in the figure, a plurality of fuel cell systems 1 are arranged adjacent to each other in the left-right direction, and the respective housings 5 are rigidly connected to each other by bolts or the like. Thus, the pair of rigidly connected frame members function as reinforcing members, and deformation of the housing 5 can be suppressed. In addition, the intake pipes 8, exhaust pipes 9, fuel pipes 11, and cooling water pipes 10 and 12 of each fuel cell system 1 are also connected. The intake pipes 8 of adjacent fuel cell systems 1 are connected directly or via a pipe serving as a joint. The same applies to the exhaust pipes 9. The fuel pipes 11 and the cooling water pipes 10 and 12 of adjacent fuel cell systems 1 are connected via a pipe (such as a rubber pipe or the like) serving as a joint. As a result, the connected linear intake pipes 8, exhaust pipes 9, fuel pipes 11, and cooling water pipes 10 and 12 are arranged between the rows of the upper power generation modules 2A and the rows of the lower power generation modules 2B. In addition, the wirings housed in the power boxes 19 of adjacent fuel cell systems 1 are electrically connected.

[0054] By making the intake pipes 8, exhaust pipes 9, fuel pipes 11, and cooling water pipes 10 and 12 connected as described above linear, pressure loss can be suppressed as compared with the case where a bent portion is formed. In addition, since these pipes can all be accessed from the front side, workability is excellent.

[0055] At one end in the left-right direction of a row in which a plurality of fuel cell systems 1 are connected (hereinafter, also referred to as a fuel cell row) (in Figure 7On the right end (the middle is the right end), a second housing 40 is connected. Fixedly supported on the second housing 40 are: an intake introduction pipe 41 with one end connected to the intake pipe 8, an exhaust discharge pipe 42 with one end connected to the exhaust pipe 9, a power converter 43, a fuel introduction pipe 45 with one end connected to the fuel pipe 11, a cooling water introduction pipe 44 with one end connected to the cooling water pipe 10, and a cooling water discharge pipe 46 with one end connected to the cooling water pipe 12. Hereinafter, the second housing 40, the intake introduction pipe 41, the exhaust discharge pipe 42, the power converter 43, the fuel introduction pipe 45, the cooling water introduction pipe 44, and the cooling water discharge pipe 46 are collectively referred to as the external connection module 47.

[0056] At the other end of the fuel cell array in the left - right direction, the openings of the intake pipe 8, the exhaust pipe 9, and the fuel pipe 11 are closed by a lid or a plug. In addition, the end of the cooling water pipe 10 is connected to the end of the cooling water pipe 12.

[0057] The other end of the intake introduction pipe 41 is connected to an intake device (not shown) such as a blower provided outside the fuel cell array. The other end of the exhaust discharge pipe 42 is open to the atmosphere. In addition, the other end of the exhaust discharge pipe 42 can also be connected to an exhaust treatment device (not shown) provided outside the fuel cell array.

[0058] The other end of the fuel introduction pipe 45 is connected to a fuel device (not shown) having a fuel tank, a pressure regulating valve, etc. The other ends of the cooling water introduction pipe 44 and the cooling water discharge pipe 46 are connected to a cooling device (not shown) having a cooling water tank, a circulation pump, a radiator, etc.

[0059] The power converter 43 is electrically connected to each power box 19 of the fuel cell array via power wiring. That is, the power generated by each power generation module 2 of the fuel cell array is output via one power converter 43. By integrating the power converter 43 in this way, the following effects can be obtained. First, compared with the structure in which the power converter 43 is arranged in each fuel cell system 1, the installation area of the power generation equipment can be reduced. In addition, in the case of providing a cooling mechanism for the power converter 43, since the object to be cooled is one place, the structure of the cooling mechanism becomes simple, and cost can be reduced. In addition, in the case of connecting more fuel cell systems 1, it is also possible to Figure 7 On the right side of the external connection module 47, a fuel cell array is formed in the same manner as on the left side. In this case, the intake introduction pipe 41, the exhaust discharge pipe 42, the fuel introduction pipe 45, the cooling water introduction pipe 44, and the cooling water discharge pipe 46 are respectively branched and also connected to the fuel cell array connected on the right side. The power wiring is the same, and the fuel cell array on the right side is also electrically connected to the power converter 43.

[0060] Next, the effects obtained by the above - mentioned fuel cell system 1 and the power generation equipment using the fuel cell system 1 will be described.

[0061] The fuel cell system 1 of the present embodiment includes: a plurality (two in the present embodiment) of power generation modules 2, each of which includes an auxiliary machine structure 7 including an auxiliary machine that exchanges gas with the fuel cell stack 6, a first fuel cell stack 6A connected to one side in the vertical direction of the auxiliary machine structure 7, and a second fuel cell stack 6B connected to the other side in the vertical direction of the auxiliary machine structure 7; a piping module 3, which includes an intake pipe 8 through which air for the power generation module 2 flows, an exhaust pipe 9 through which gas discharged from the power generation module 2 flows, a fuel pipe 11 through which fuel for the power generation module 2 flows, and injection unit cooling water pipes 10 and 12 through which cooling water for cooling the fuel injection unit flows. Moreover, the plurality of power generation modules 2 are arranged to overlap in the vertical direction, and the piping module 3 is arranged between the two power generation modules 2 arranged to overlap.

[0062] Accordingly, compared with the case where the plurality of power generation modules 2 are placed horizontally, the area required for setting the fuel cell system 1 can be reduced. Further, in the case of horizontal placement, piping such as the intake pipe 8 and the exhaust pipe 9 is arranged between adjacent power generation modules 2, and piping branched from there to each auxiliary machine structure 7 is provided. In contrast, in the present embodiment, since the piping module 3 is arranged between the power generation modules 2 arranged to overlap in the vertical direction, the area dedicated to the piping is smaller when viewed from above compared with horizontal placement. That is, according to the present embodiment, the area required for setting the fuel cell system 1 including the plurality of power generation modules 2 can be further reduced, so that the output density of the fuel cell system 1 can be increased and the power generation efficiency can be improved.

[0063] The fuel cell system 1 of the present embodiment further includes: a housing 5 that houses the power generation module 2 and the piping module 3, an intake branch pipe 13 that connects the intake pipe 8 and the auxiliary machine structure 7, an exhaust branch pipe 14 that connects the auxiliary machine structure 7 and the exhaust pipe 9, and a fuel branch pipe 15 that connects the fuel pipe 11 and the auxiliary machine structure 7 via a fuel injection unit 24. Moreover, the intake branch pipe 13, the exhaust branch pipe 14, and the fuel branch pipe 15 are all connected to the front side of the auxiliary machine structure 7 in a plan view, and all the power generation modules 2 are housed in the housing 5 in a state where the central axis Cm in the front-rear direction of the first fuel cell stack 6A and the second fuel cell stack 6B is offset from the central axis Cf in the front-rear direction of the housing 5. Thus, the distances between the intake port 7A and the exhaust port 7B and the housing 5 are ensured, and a margin is created in the installation layout of the intake branch pipe 13 and the exhaust branch pipe 14.

[0064] The fuel cell system 1 of the present embodiment further includes: an intake branch pipe 13 connecting the intake pipe 8 and the auxiliary machine structure 7, an exhaust branch pipe 14 connecting the auxiliary machine structure 7 and the exhaust pipe 9, and a fuel branch pipe 15 connecting the fuel pipe 11 and the auxiliary machine structure 7 via the fuel injection unit 24. Moreover, the intake branch pipe 13, the exhaust branch pipe 14, and the fuel branch pipe 15 are all connected to the front side of the auxiliary machine structure 7 in a plan view, and the intake, exhaust, and fuel inlets and outlets of the auxiliary machine structure 7 are arranged in the left-right direction in a plan view. In the power generation module 2A located above the piping module 3 and the power generation module 2B located below the piping module 3, the arrangements of the intake, exhaust, and fuel inlets and outlets of the auxiliary machine structure 7 are opposite. Thereby, the positions of the auxiliary devices of the intake branch pipe 13 can be dispersed, and a margin can be created in the installation layout of the intake branch pipe 13. In addition, if the two connection parts are located in close positions, problems such as air being difficult to flow into any one of the intake branch pipes 13 may occur. However, as described above, by offsetting the positions of the two connection parts in the left-right direction, this problem can be solved. The same applies to the connection parts of the exhaust pipe 9 and the two exhaust branch pipes 14.

[0065] In the fuel cell system 1 of the present embodiment, the power generation module 2A located above the piping module 3 and the power generation module 2B located below the piping module 3 have the same structure, and the power generation module 2A located above the piping module 3 is housed in the housing 5 in an upright state, and the power generation module 2A located below the piping module 3 is housed in the housing 5 in an inverted state. Thereby, compared with the case of using multiple types of power generation modules 2, the cost can be reduced.

[0066] The fuel cell system 1 of the present embodiment further includes a power box 19 that recovers the power generated by the power generation module 2, and the power box 19 is arranged together with the piping module 3 between the two power generation modules 2 arranged in an overlapping manner. Thereby, the area required for setting up the fuel cell system 1 can be reduced.

[0067] In the power generation equipment of the present embodiment including the above fuel cell system 1, a plurality of fuel cell systems 1 are arranged in a direction orthogonal to the up-down direction, and a power converter 43 that collectively outputs the power generated by these plurality of fuel cell systems 1 is provided. Thereby, compared with the case of providing a power converter 43 in each fuel cell system 1, the area required for setting up the power generation equipment can be reduced.

[0068] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the above embodiments only represent a part of the application examples of the present invention, and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention to the specific structures of the above embodiments.

Claims

1. A stationary fuel cell system comprising: A plurality of power generation modules, each of which comprises: an auxiliary machine structure including an auxiliary machine for exchanging gas with a fuel cell stack, a first fuel cell stack connected to one side of the auxiliary machine structure in the vertical direction, and a second fuel cell stack connected to the other side of the auxiliary machine structure in the vertical direction; A piping module includes: an air intake pipe for supplying air to the power generation module, an exhaust pipe for the flow of gas exhausted from the power generation module, and a fuel piping for supplying fuel to the power generation module, wherein: A plurality of the power generation modules are arranged overlappingly in the vertical direction. The piping module is arranged between the two power generation modules that are arranged in an overlapping manner.

2. The stationary fuel cell system according to claim 1, wherein: Also available: A frame body, which accommodates the power generation module and the piping module; An air intake branch pipe connecting the air intake pipe and the auxiliary machine structure; an exhaust branch pipe connecting the auxiliary machine structure and the exhaust pipe; a fuel branch pipe connecting the fuel pipe and the auxiliary machine structure via a fuel injection unit, The intake branch pipe, the exhaust branch pipe, and the fuel branch pipe are all connected to the front side of the auxiliary machine structure in a plan view. All of the power generation modules are housed in the frame in a state where the central axes of the first fuel cell stack and the second fuel cell stack in the front-rear direction are offset from the central axis of the frame in the front-rear direction.

3. The stationary fuel cell system according to claim 1, wherein: Also available: A frame body, which accommodates the power generation module and the piping module; An air intake branch pipe connecting the air intake pipe and the auxiliary machine structure; an exhaust branch pipe connecting the auxiliary machine structure and the exhaust pipe; a fuel branch pipe connecting the fuel pipe and the auxiliary machine structure via a fuel injection unit, The intake branch pipe, the exhaust branch pipe, and the fuel branch pipe are all connected to the front side of the auxiliary machine structure in a plan view. The intake, exhaust and fuel inlets and outlets of the auxiliary machine structure are arranged in the left-right direction when viewed from the front. In the power generation module located above the piping module and the power generation module located below the piping module, the inlets and outlets for air intake, exhaust, and fuel of the auxiliary machine structure are arranged in opposite directions.

4. The stationary fuel cell system according to claim 3, wherein: The power generation module located above the piping module and the power generation module located below the piping module have the same structure. The power generation module located above the piping module is housed in the frame in an upright state, and the power generation module located below the piping module is housed in an inverted state.

5. The stationary fuel cell system according to claim 1, wherein: Also available: a power box for recovering the power generated by the power generation module, The power box is arranged together with the piping module between two of the power generation modules that are arranged in an overlapping manner.

6. A power generation device comprising the stationary fuel cell system according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of stationary fuel cell systems are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction. A power converter is provided for collectively outputting the power generated by the plurality of stationary fuel cell systems.

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