Fuel cell vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a fuel cell vehicle (1) with an electric drive unit, a number of hydrogen tanks (2) and a traction battery (3) for storing electrical energy. According to the invention, the traction battery (3) is arranged in the direction of a transverse axis (y) of the vehicle between at least two hydrogen tanks (2) and side walls (2.1) of the hydrogen tanks (2) are arranged parallel to a housing (3.1) of the traction battery (3) in the direction of a longitudinal axis (x) of the vehicle, at least in collision-relevant areas.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a fuel cell vehicle with an electric drive unit, a number of hydrogen tanks and a traction battery for storing electrical energy.

[0002] DE 10 2008 047 705 A1 discloses a passenger car with a motor vehicle body having a front section arranged at the front of a passenger compartment and a rear section arranged at the rear of the passenger compartment. The front section and the rear section are connected to a passenger compartment section surrounding the passenger compartment via a respective elastic coupling. Respective wheels are individually suspended from the front section and the rear section, respectively. Furthermore, a passenger car is disclosed with an operating unit and a seat, which are arranged within the passenger compartment of the passenger car and whose mutual distance and position are adjustable. The operating unit is designed to adjust the distance and position relative to the assigned seat.

[0003] DE 10 2010 024 318 A1 describes a modular battery housing and a battery housing holder with an associated charging / control and management module. The modular design and insertion of the batteries / accumulators / capacitors is based on a predefined grid and on flexible adaptation with the aid of, or manipulation of, for example, holders / partitions, adapters / clamps, and other mechanical and electrical devices, so that batteries / accumulators / capacitors of the same or different sizes and designs can be mechanically and electrically fixed and removed.

[0004] Furthermore, WO 2022 / 023443 A2 discloses a motor vehicle with a modular design. The motor vehicle comprises three structural modules, wherein two adjacent structural modules of the motor vehicle are detachably connected to one another in both the longitudinal and transverse directions of the vehicle. Furthermore, a motor vehicle is known which discloses three structural modules, wherein a rear axle module comprises a first drive, and wherein a front axle module comprises an asynchronous motor operatively connected to a third wheel of the motor vehicle. Furthermore, a motor vehicle with three structural modules is disclosed, wherein one of the structural modules has a first tunnel in which an energy storage device, a fuel tank, or a pressure accumulator is accommodated.Reinforcing means are arranged within a longitudinal member component or a cross member component of the respective structural module in order to increase the rigidity of the respective structural module in sections or regions. Furthermore, a method and a device for assembling the motor vehicle, a rear module, a front module, a passenger module, and an extension module are disclosed.

[0005] The invention is based on the object of providing a novel fuel cell vehicle.

[0006] The object is achieved according to the invention by a fuel cell vehicle which has the features specified in claim 1.

[0007] A fuel cell vehicle comprises an electric drive unit, a number of hydrogen tanks, and a traction battery for storing electrical energy. According to the invention, - the traction battery is arranged in the direction of a vehicle transverse axis between at least two hydrogen tanks and - side walls of the hydrogen tanks are arranged parallel to a housing of the traction battery in the direction of a vehicle's longitudinal axis, at least in collision-relevant areas.

[0008] The side walls of the hydrogen tanks can be arranged parallel to the housing of the traction battery in the direction of a vehicle's longitudinal axis, at least in crash-relevant areas.

[0009] Such an arrangement of the traction battery can reduce the weight of the vehicle, as the traction battery is located between the hydrogen tanks and is thus at least laterally protected, so that the traction battery housing needs to be less rigid. The longitudinal side walls of the traction battery housing are lighter, and the thickness of the longitudinal side walls can be reduced, thus providing more space for the traction battery, vehicle structures, and / or hydrogen tanks. In particular, structural components of the hydrogen tanks and the traction battery housing are combined.

[0010] In the event of a collision involving a fuel cell vehicle, the load on the traction battery is comparatively low due to the fact that it is located between at least two hydrogen tanks, as the load acts primarily on the hydrogen tanks. This means that collision energy acts on the hydrogen tanks and is either completely absorbed by them, preventing intrusion forces from acting on the traction battery, or the collision energy is partially absorbed by the hydrogen tanks, necessitating a deformation-tolerant battery concept.

[0011] In the event of a collision, the hydrogen tanks can be checked for damage and replaced if necessary without great effort, for example by means of a pressure test, compared to the traction battery.

[0012] Collision requirements for the traction battery can be reduced so that the housing of the traction battery can be formed, for example, using sustainable materials that have lower stability.

[0013] It is also possible to use innovative cooling concepts for both the traction battery and the hydrogen tanks.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the traction battery and the hydrogen tanks can be arranged offset from one another in a vehicle longitudinal direction. According to one embodiment, the traction battery can be arranged and configured with respect to the hydrogen tanks such that, when viewed from above in a vehicle longitudinal direction, for example in a direction of travel of the vehicle and / or opposite a direction of travel of the vehicle, it protrudes beyond the ends of the hydrogen tanks. According to one embodiment, the traction battery can be arranged and configured with respect to the hydrogen tanks such that, when viewed from above in a direction of travel of the vehicle and / or opposite a direction of travel of the vehicle, it does not protrude beyond the ends of the hydrogen tanks. According to one embodiment, the vehicle has a plurality of hydrogen tanks, for example two, three, four, or five, on each side of the traction battery.

[0015] Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing.

[0016] The following shows: Fig. 1 schematically shows a fuel cell vehicle.

[0017] The figure shows, by way of example and in a highly simplified manner, a fuel cell vehicle 1 with several hydrogen tanks 2 and a traction battery 3, which are usually arranged in the area of ​​a vehicle floor of the fuel cell vehicle 1.

[0018] It is generally known that a fuel cell vehicle 1 comprises several hydrogen tanks 2 and a traction battery 3, wherein the hydrogen tanks 2 are designed as containers with side walls 2.1. The traction battery 3 has a box-shaped housing 3.1.

[0019] Typically, both the hydrogen tanks 2, in particular their side walls 2.1, and the traction battery 3, in particular its housing 3.1, meet requirements regarding structure and potential collisions. In a fuel cell vehicle 1, the hydrogen tanks 2 and the traction battery 3 are arranged in a composite structure.

[0020] According to Fig. 1, the traction battery 3 is arranged between two hydrogen tanks 2, wherein the number of hydrogen tanks 2 can vary. For example, the traction battery 3 can also be arranged between one, three or more hydrogen tanks 2. In particular, the traction battery 3 is arranged in the direction of a vehicle transverse axis y between two hydrogen tanks 2, so that a longitudinal axis of the hydrogen tanks 2 and the traction battery 3 is arranged parallel to the vehicle longitudinal axis x. Individual cells 3.2 are arranged in the housing 3.1 of the traction battery 3, which according to the embodiment in Fig. 1 are designed as round cells, with their longitudinal axes running parallel to the vehicle's vertical axis z. Alternatively, the individual cells 3.2 can also have other shapes, for example, a cuboid shape.

[0021] The hydrogen tanks 2 have dimensions such that the side walls 2.1 of the hydrogen tanks 2 are longer than the housing 3.1 of the traction battery 3, so that the hydrogen tanks 2 partially project beyond the traction battery 3 in the direction of the vehicle's longitudinal axis x.

[0022] Depending on the collision relevance of the arrangement of the traction battery 3 and the hydrogen tanks 2, the dimensions of the traction battery 3, in particular of the housing 3.1, can also be selected such that the housing 3.1 projects beyond the hydrogen tanks 2 on one side or both sides in the direction of the vehicle's longitudinal axis x. The traction battery 3 can therefore be arranged offset from the hydrogen tanks 2.

[0023] If the traction battery 3 is arranged between the hydrogen tanks 2 without any structural changes to the housing 3.1, the requirements with regard to structure and collisions are exceeded and a vehicle weight is comparatively high due to the corresponding design of the hydrogen tanks 2 and the traction battery 3.

[0024] Due to such an arrangement of the traction battery 3, it is possible to make the housing 3.1 less stable, so that the weight of the housing 3.1 and thus the weight of the fuel cell vehicle 1 can be reduced. Due to the reduced stability, the housing walls of the housing 3.1 can be made thinner, so that more installation space is available for the traction battery 3, vehicle structures, or hydrogen tanks 2.

[0025] The traction battery 3 is arranged between two hydrogen tanks 2 in a sandwich arrangement, so that the traction battery 3 is relatively protected in the event of a collision of the fuel cell vehicle 1, since collision energy is essentially absorbed by the hydrogen tanks 2. The hydrogen tanks 2 largely homogenize the force applied to the traction battery 3.

[0026] With such an arrangement of the hydrogen tanks 2 and the traction battery 3, it is possible to manufacture the housing 3.1 of the traction battery 3, for example, from sustainable materials and to apply innovative cooling concepts, at least for the traction battery 3. Furthermore, the housing 3.1 of the traction battery 3 can be designed to be deformation-tolerant. List of reference symbols 1 fuel cell vehicle 2 hydrogen tanks 2.1 Side wall 3 Traction battery 3.1 Housing 3.2 Single cell x Vehicle longitudinal axis y vehicle transverse axis z Vehicle vertical axis QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2008 047 705 A1

[0002] DE 10 2010 024 318 A1

[0003] WO 2022 / 023443 A2

[0004]

Claims

[1] Fuel cell vehicle (1) with an electric drive unit, a number of hydrogen tanks (2) and a traction battery (3) for storing electrical energy, characterized by , that - the traction battery (3) is arranged in the direction of a vehicle transverse axis (y) between at least two hydrogen tanks (2) and - side walls (2.1) of the hydrogen tanks (2) are arranged parallel to a housing (3.1) of the traction battery (3) in the direction of a vehicle longitudinal axis (x), at least in collision-relevant areas.

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