Hybrid electric vehicle

Abstract

The present invention provides a hybrid electric vehicle in which generation of undesirable odor in a cabin is suppressed. A hybrid electric vehicle is provided with: an engine and a motor as driving power sources; a battery pack that accommodates sulfide all-solid-state battery cells and supplies power to the motor; the interior of the battery pack is communicated with an exhaust passage of the engine through the first passage; a second passage that communicates the inside of the battery pack with the outside air; a first opening and closing mechanism and a second opening and closing mechanism that open and close the first passage and the second passage, respectively; and a control device that opens the first passage and the second passage by means of the first opening / closing mechanism and the second opening / closing mechanism so as to discharge the hydrogen sulfide gas in the battery pack to the exhaust passage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to hybrid electric vehicles. Background Art

[0002] There is a battery pack that houses a sulfide all-solid-state battery cell (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-014295).

[0003] Such a battery pack is considered to be adopted in a hybrid electric vehicle. For example, when hydrogen sulfide gas generated in a sulfide all-solid battery cell leaks from the battery pack, the hydrogen sulfide gas may flow in the vehicle cabin and cause odor. Summary of the invention

[0004] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a hybrid electric vehicle in which generation of odor in a vehicle cabin is suppressed.

[0005] The hybrid electric vehicle of the present disclosure comprises:

[0006] Engines and motors as driving power sources;

[0007] A battery pack, the battery pack accommodating a sulfide all-solid battery cell and supplying power to the motor;

[0008] a first passage connecting the battery pack with an exhaust passage of the engine;

[0009] a second passage, the second passage connecting the inside of the battery pack with external air;

[0010] a first opening and closing mechanism and a second opening and closing mechanism, the first opening and closing mechanism and the second opening and closing mechanism respectively open and close the first passage and the second passage; and

[0011] A control device that uses the first opening and closing mechanism and the second opening and closing mechanism to open the first passage and the second passage so that the hydrogen sulfide gas in the battery pack is discharged to the exhaust passage.

[0012] Alternatively, an exhaust gas purification catalyst may be provided in the exhaust passage.

[0013] The first passage communicates with a position of the exhaust passage downstream of the exhaust purification catalyst.

[0014] The control device comprises:

[0015] an acquisition unit that acquires an ammonia concentration of the exhaust gas after passing through the exhaust purification catalyst; and

[0016] A control unit, wherein the control unit uses the first opening and closing mechanism and the second opening and closing mechanism to close the first passage and the second passage when the ammonia concentration is less than a threshold value capable of neutralizing hydrogen sulfide gas, and uses the first opening and closing mechanism and the second opening and closing mechanism to open the first passage and the second passage when the ammonia concentration is greater than the threshold value.

[0017] Alternatively, a ventilation fan may be provided, the ventilation fan introducing air from the second passage into the battery pack to promote the discharge of gas in the battery pack into the first passage.

[0018] The control unit stops the air supply fan when the ammonia concentration is lower than the threshold value, and drives the air supply fan when the ammonia concentration is equal to or higher than the threshold value.

[0019] A hybrid electric vehicle in which generation of odor in a vehicle cabin is suppressed can be provided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts, and in which:

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a hybrid electric vehicle.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the engine and battery pack.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the hydrogen sulfide gas emission control. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Schematic structure of a hybrid electric vehicle

[0025] Figure 1 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a hybrid electric vehicle 1. In the hybrid electric vehicle 1, a clutch 30, a motor 40, and a transmission 50 are sequentially provided on a power transmission path from an engine 10 to a drive wheel 70. The engine 10 and the motor 40 are mounted as a driving source for the hybrid electric vehicle 1. The engine 10 is, for example, a gasoline engine, but may also be a diesel engine. The transmission 50 is connected to the left and right drive wheels 70 via a differential gear 60. The transmission 50 includes a torque converter and an automatic transmission.

[0026] The clutch 30 is provided between the engine 10 and the motor 40 on the power transmission path. The clutch 30 receives the supply of hydraulic pressure from the release state and becomes the engaged state, connecting the power transmission between the engine 10 and the motor 40. The clutch 30 becomes the release state according to the stop of the supply of hydraulic pressure, and cuts off the power transmission between the engine 10 and the motor 40.

[0027] The motor 40 is connected to the battery pack 90 via the PCU 80. The motor 40 functions as a driving power source of the hybrid electric vehicle 1 based on power supplied from the battery pack 90. ​​Furthermore, the motor 40 also functions as a generator that charges the battery pack 90 based on power transmitted from the engine 10 and the drive wheels 70.

[0028] The PCU 80 is controlled by the ECU 100 described later. In the case of a power running operation in which the motor 40 outputs torque, the PCU 80 converts the DC voltage of the battery pack 90 into an AC voltage and adjusts the power supplied to the motor 40. In the case of a regenerative operation in which the motor 40 generates electricity, the PCU 80 converts the AC voltage from the motor 40 into a DC voltage and adjusts the regenerative power supplied to the battery pack 90.

[0029] The hybrid electric vehicle 1 is provided with an ECU (Electronic Controller) 100 as a control device of the vehicle. The ECU 100 is an electronic control unit having a calculation processing circuit for performing various calculation processes related to the driving control of the vehicle and a memory storing programs and data for control. The ECU 100 is an example of a control device of the hybrid electric vehicle 1, and functionally realizes an acquisition unit and a control unit described in detail later.

[0030] The ECU 100 drives the hybrid electric vehicle in either the motor driving mode or the hybrid driving mode. In the motor driving mode, the ECU 100 stops the engine 10 and releases the clutch 30, and drives the vehicle using the power of the motor 40. In the hybrid driving mode, the clutch 30 is engaged, and the vehicle drives the vehicle using at least the power of the engine 10. In addition, in the hybrid driving mode, the output of the motor 40 can assist the driving of the engine 10.

[0031] Schematic structure of the engine

[0032] Figure 2It is a schematic structural diagram of the engine 10 and the battery pack 90. ​​The engine 10 has an engine body 11, an intake passage 20 and an exhaust passage 24. The engine body 11 is a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders. An in-cylinder injection valve 12 and a spark plug 14 are provided in the engine body 11. The in-cylinder injection valve 12 directly injects fuel into the combustion chamber of the engine 10. In addition, a port injection valve may be provided instead of the in-cylinder injection valve 12 or in addition to the in-cylinder injection valve. The spark plug 14 ignites the mixture of fuel and air. A throttle valve 22 is provided in the intake passage 20. The throttle valve 22 is driven by, for example, an actuator not shown in the figure, to adjust the amount of intake air.

[0033] An exhaust purification catalyst 26 is provided in the exhaust passage 24. The exhaust purification catalyst 26 purifies harmful components in the exhaust gas when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the exhaust purification catalyst 26 is in a narrow range near the stoichiometric ratio. An ammonia concentration sensor 28 is provided on the downstream side of the exhaust purification catalyst 26. Exhaust gas containing HC, CO and water flows into the exhaust purification catalyst 26. Hydrogen is generated in the exhaust purification catalyst 26 by catalytic action. Here, when NOx contained in the exhaust gas reacts with hydrogen, ammonia is generated. As a result, the ammonia concentration in the exhaust gas after passing through the exhaust purification catalyst 26 may become high.

[0034] The battery pack 90 includes a unit stack 91 and a shell 92. The unit stack 91 is accommodated in the shell 92. The unit stack 91 is stacked with a plurality of sulfide all-solid battery cells. The shell 92 is in the shape of a shell. The inside of the shell 92 is connected to the exhaust passage 24 at a position downstream of the exhaust purification catalyst 26 through a first passage 101. A first valve 102 is provided in the first passage 101. The first valve 102 is an example of a first opening and closing mechanism. A second passage 103 connected to the outside air is connected to the shell 92. A second valve 104 is provided in the second passage 103. The second valve 104 is an example of a second opening and closing mechanism. In addition, a blower fan 105 is provided near the second passage 103. The blower fan 105 can blow air toward the second passage 103. The first valve 102, the second valve 104 and the blower fan 105 are controlled by the ECU 100.

[0035] The ECU 100 normally closes the first valve 102 and the second valve 104 and stops the air supply fan 105, and opens the first valve 102 and the second valve 104 and drives the air supply fan 105 when a predetermined condition is satisfied. Thus, the hydrogen sulfide gas generated from the unit stack 91 is discharged from the housing 92 to the exhaust passage 24. In this way, the flow of the hydrogen sulfide gas into the vehicle compartment is suppressed. In addition, the hydrogen sulfide gas is suppressed from being retained in the housing 92 for a long time. Therefore, the failure of the electronic components in the housing 92 and the corrosion of the metal components caused by the hydrogen sulfide gas are also suppressed.

[0036] Furthermore, if the second valve 104 is closed when the first valve 102 is opened, the negative pressure in the housing 92 is also negative due to the negative pressure in the exhaust passage 24. This may affect the unit stack 91. Therefore, by opening the second valve 104 when the first valve 102 is opened, it is possible to suppress the negative pressure in the housing 92.

[0037] Hydrogen sulfide gas emission control

[0038] Figure 3 1 is a flowchart illustrating the control of hydrogen sulfide gas discharge. ECU 100 obtains the ammonia concentration of the exhaust gas through the ammonia concentration sensor 28 (S1). In addition, the ammonia concentration is not limited to being obtained based on the sensor, and can also be calculated by an arithmetic formula. For example, the ammonia concentration can be calculated based on the cylinder temperature and the air-fuel ratio, or based on the temperature of the exhaust purification catalyst 26. S1 is an example of the processing performed by the acquisition unit.

[0039] Next, the ECU 100 determines whether the ammonia concentration is equal to or higher than a threshold value ( S2 ). The threshold value is set to an ammonia concentration that can neutralize hydrogen sulfide gas. If “No” in S2 , the ECU 100 closes the first valve 102 and the second valve 104 and stops the blower fan 105 ( S3 ).

[0040] When the answer in S2 is "Yes", the ECU 100 opens the first valve 102 and the second valve 104 and drives the air supply fan 105 (S4). As a result, the air is introduced into the housing 92 via the second passage 103 by the air supply fan 105. The hydrogen sulfide gas in the housing 92 is discharged to the exhaust passage 24 downstream of the exhaust purification catalyst 26 via the first passage 101. S4 is an example of the processing executed by the control unit.

[0041] Ammonia in the exhaust gas after passing through the exhaust purification catalyst 26 and the hydrogen sulfide gas exhausted from the casing 92 undergo a neutralization reaction as described below to generate ammonium sulfide.

[0042] 2NH 3 +H 2 S→(NH 4 ) 2 S

[0043] This can suppress the hydrogen sulfide gas from being directly discharged into the outside air.

[0044] In the above embodiment, the first valve 102 is provided in the first passage 101, but the first valve 102 is not limited to being provided in the first passage 101. For example, the first valve 102 may be provided in the housing 92 to open and close the connection portion between the housing 92 and the first passage 101. Similarly, the second valve 104 may be provided in the housing 92 to open and close the connection portion between the second passage 103 and the second valve 104. In addition, a gate mechanism may be provided instead of the first valve 102 and the second valve 104. The air supply fan 105 is arranged outside the housing 92, but may also be provided in the first passage 101, in the first valve 102, or in the housing 92.

[0045] In the above embodiment, as an example of a hybrid electric vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle having an engine 10 and a motor 40 as a driving power source is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, a hybrid electric vehicle having an engine, a first motor, and a second motor as a driving power source and further having a planetary gear mechanism including a sun gear connected to the first motor, a ring gear connected to the drive wheel and the second motor, and a gear carrier connected to the engine may also be used.

[0046] As mentioned above, although the embodiment of the present invention is described in detail, the present invention is not limited to this specific embodiment, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims.

Claims

1. A hybrid electric vehicle, wherein: The hybrid electric vehicle comprises: Engines and motors as driving power sources; A battery pack, the battery pack accommodating a sulfide all-solid battery cell and supplying power to the motor; a first passage connecting the battery pack with an exhaust passage of the engine; a second passage, the second passage connecting the inside of the battery pack with external air; a first opening and closing mechanism and a second opening and closing mechanism, wherein the first opening and closing mechanism and the second opening and closing mechanism respectively open and close the first passage and the second passage; as well as A control device that uses the first opening and closing mechanism and the second opening and closing mechanism to open the first passage and the second passage so that the hydrogen sulfide gas in the battery pack is discharged to the exhaust passage.

2. The hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: An exhaust gas purification catalyst is provided in the exhaust passage. The first passage communicates with a position of the exhaust passage downstream of the exhaust purification catalyst. The control device comprises: an acquisition unit that acquires an ammonia concentration of the exhaust gas after passing through the exhaust purification catalyst; and A control unit, wherein the control unit uses the first opening and closing mechanism and the second opening and closing mechanism to close the first passage and the second passage when the ammonia concentration is less than a threshold value capable of neutralizing hydrogen sulfide gas, and uses the first opening and closing mechanism and the second opening and closing mechanism to open the first passage and the second passage when the ammonia concentration is greater than the threshold value.

3. The hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 2, wherein: The hybrid electric vehicle includes an air supply fan that introduces air from the second passage into the battery pack to promote discharge of gas in the battery pack into the first passage. The control unit stops the air supply fan when the ammonia concentration is lower than the threshold value, and drives the air supply fan when the ammonia concentration is equal to or higher than the threshold value.

Images