Mobile high-pressure hydrogen supply facility

Abstract

To provide a high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply facility capable of supplying hydrogen to a hydrogen drone at an arbitrary place by conveying a hydrogen filling device.SOLUTION: The high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply equipment 1 of the present invention comprises a vehicle body 10 and a hydrogen charging device 30 installed in the vehicle body 10, wherein the hydrogen charging device 30 is used for the fuel tanks T of the hydrogen drones D, and the hydrogen charging device 30 can compress the hydrogen in the hydrogen cylinder 29 into a 4MPa and charge the compressed hydrogen into the fuel tanks T.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply facility, and in particular to a high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply facility that can transport a hydrogen filling device and supply hydrogen to a hydrogen drone at any location. [Background technology]

[0002] A drone is a type of small unmanned aerial vehicle, also known as a drone or UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle). In recent years, the ban on drones flying beyond visual line of sight (Level 4) in populated areas has been lifted, and it is expected that drones will be used for spraying pesticides, searching for missing persons, transporting supplies in the event of a disaster, etc. However, since conventional battery drones have a flight time of around 30 to 50 minutes, which is not very practical, the use of hydrogen fuel cell drones (hereinafter referred to as "hydrogen drones" in this invention), which are capable of long-distance flight using hydrogen gas (hereinafter referred to simply as "hydrogen" in this invention), is seen as promising. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-118315 [Non-patent literature]

[0004] [Non-Patent Document 1] "2018 New Energy Safety Regulation Enhancement Project (Survey on the Consideration of Creating Standards for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Drones, etc.)" Mizuho Information & Research Institute, March 2019 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] There are only about 160 hydrogen gas stations nationwide that can fill the fuel tanks of hydrogen drones, mainly in the four major metropolitan areas. This makes it difficult to secure hydrogen in non-urban areas where there is high demand for hydrogen drones for agricultural purposes, etc., and this has hindered the widespread use of hydrogen drones. In addition, the filling pressure of industrial hydrogen gas is generally 19.6 MPa, but in order to fly for long periods at this filling pressure, the fuel tank must be made larger, which could result in a shorter flight time or a decrease in transport capacity due to the increased weight of the fuel tank.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a high-pressure hydrogen transport supply facility that solves the above-mentioned problems of the prior art. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply equipment of the present invention comprises a vehicle body, a loading platform mounted on the vehicle body, and a hydrogen filling device installed in the loading platform, wherein the hydrogen filling device is for the fuel tank of a hydrogen drone, and the filling pressure by the hydrogen filling device is 29.4 MPa.

[0008] In the high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply facility of the present invention, the loading platform may be provided with an explosion-proof chamber, and the hydrogen filling device may be installed in the explosion-proof chamber.

[0009] The high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply facility of the present invention has a loading platform that comprises an evacuation area closest to the driver's cab of the vehicle body, a work area farthest from the driver's cab, and an explosion-proof area located between the evacuation area and the work area, and an explosion-proof room may be installed in the explosion-proof area.

[0010] In the high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply facility of the present invention, at least one of the side walls of the loading platform may be an expansion deck that can be expanded horizontally downward.

[0011] In the high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply facility of the present invention, at least one of the side walls of the loading platform may be an expandable roof that can be expanded upward.

[0012] The high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply facility of the present invention may have a vehicle rack installed in the work area that can carry a hydrogen drone.

[0013] The high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply facility of the present invention may be provided with an air conditioning unit in the work area.

[0014] The high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply equipment of the present invention comprises a vehicle body and a hydrogen filling device installed within the vehicle body, the hydrogen filling device being for the fuel tank of a hydrogen drone, and the filling pressure by the hydrogen filling device being 29.4 MPa or more.

[0015] The high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply facility of the present invention may be configured such that the hydrogen filling device comprises a portable compressor and an air hose connected to the compressor, and the compressor can be driven via the air hose at a location 6 m or more away from the vehicle body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] The high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply system of the present invention can transport and move the hydrogen filling device to any location, making it possible to fill hydrogen into the fuel tanks of hydrogen drones even in rural areas where hydrogen gas stations are not yet in place. This makes it possible to effectively use hydrogen drones in rural areas where their use has previously been difficult. In addition, hydrogen can be filled at high pressure of 29.4 MPa, compared to the typical hydrogen filling pressure of 19.6 MPa, which means that the flight time of hydrogen drones can be approximately doubled without compromising transport capacity due to the larger fuel tank. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] Diagram of high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply equipment [Figure 2] Hydrogen drone illustration [Figure 3] Body diagram [Figure 4] Explanation of the loading platform [Figure 5] Explosion-proof room diagram [Figure 6]Explanatory diagram of Example 2 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Hereinafter, the high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply facility of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. [Example]

[0019] <1> High-pressure hydrogen mobile supply equipment (Figure 1) The high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply facility 1 is a vehicle for supplying fuel (hydrogen) to the hydrogen drone D. The high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply facility 1 comprises at least a vehicle body 10, a loading platform 20 mounted on the vehicle body 10, and a hydrogen filling device 30 installed in the loading platform 20. In this example, the facility further comprises a vehicle rack 40, a power generation device 50, and an air conditioning device 60 installed in the loading platform 20. The filling pressure of the hydrogen filling device 30 includes 29.4 MPa. One feature of the high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply facility 1 of the present invention is that the vehicle body 10 is capable of being moved while carrying a hydrogen filling device 30 for the fuel tank T of the hydrogen drone D. In this example, a van-type truck having a loading platform 20 configured with a wing body is used as the high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply facility 1.

[0020] <1.1> Hydrogen drone (Figure 2) The Hydrogen Drone D is a drone that flies using a hydrogen fuel cell. The hydrogen drone D comprises a drone body D1 consisting of an airframe, a fuel cell stack, a motor, a propeller, a flight computer, etc., and a fuel tank T mounted on the drone body D1, and flies using hydrogen filled in the fuel tank T as fuel. The configuration of the hydrogen drone D itself is publicly known, so it will not be described in detail here.

[0021] <2> Body section (Figure 3) The vehicle body 10 is a drive unit on which the loading platform 20 is mounted. The vehicle body 10 comprises a cab 11, a base 12, and a plurality of drive means 13. In detail, the chassis is towed behind the cab 11, which is equipped with a driver's seat, as the base 12, and the cab 11 and base 12 are provided with drive means 13 consisting of an engine and wheels. The structure of the body 10 itself is well known as a van-type truck body, and will not be described in detail here.

[0022] <3> Cargo area (Figure 4) The loading platform 20 is a box-like body having a working space inside. In this example, the loading platform section 20 has a wing body structure consisting of a loading platform deck 21 that forms the floor and front wall, a pair of deployable decks 22 that form the lower part of the side walls, and a pair of deployable roofs 23 that form the upper part of the side walls and the ceiling, and is equipped with an explosion-proof chamber 24 installed on the loading platform deck 21 and a rear door 25 installed at the rear of the loading platform deck 21. The rear door 25 can be deployed outward on both sides around an axis in the height direction of the loading platform 20. A power gate (not shown) is provided on the outside of the rear door 25.

[0023] <3.1> Classification of the loading platform (Fig. 5) The loading platform 20 can be divided into multiple areas. In this example, the loading platform 20 is made up of three sections: an evacuation area A1, an explosion-proof area A2, and a work area A3. For security reasons, the evacuation area A1 is a section secured between the explosion-proof room 24 and the driver's cab 11. The evacuation area A1 is located closest to the driver's cab 11 of the car body 10, i.e., at the front end of the loading platform 20. The explosion-proof area A2 is a section in which an explosion-proof room 24 is installed. The explosion-proof area A2 is located between the evacuation area A1 and the work area A3, that is, in the middle of the loading platform section 20. The work area A3 is an area where the attachment and detachment of the fuel tank T and maintenance work on the hydrogen drone D are performed. The work area A3 is located furthest from the driver's cab 11 of the vehicle body 10, i.e., at the rearmost part of the loading platform 20. In this example, the explosion-proof room 24 is installed in the explosion-proof area A2 in the center of the loading platform 20, thereby ensuring safety for the driver's cab 11 and the facilities around the high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply equipment 1.

[0024] <3.2> Deployment Deck The deployable deck 22 is a deployable deck that also serves as a side wall of the loading platform 20. The deployment deck 22 has a structure that can be deployed horizontally outward around an axis extending in the front-to-rear direction of the loading platform 20. When the high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply facility 1 is traveling, the deployment deck 22 is folded up to form the lower part of the side wall of the loading platform 20, and when the facility is stopped to attach or detach the fuel tank T or to perform maintenance work on the hydrogen drone D, the deployment deck 22 can be deployed and used as a work floor, thereby improving workability.

[0025] <3.3> Deployable roof The deployable roof 23 is a deployable roof that serves as both the ceiling and the side wall of the loading platform 20. The deployable roof 23 has a structure that can be deployed outward and upward around an axis that is the fore-and-aft direction of the cargo bed 20. In detail, each deployable roof 23 is made up of a wing side panel having a generally L-shaped cross section, for example, made up of a ceiling portion and upper side walls. When the high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply facility 1 is traveling, the deployable roof 23 is folded up to form the upper part of the side wall of the loading platform 20 and part of the ceiling, and when the facility is stopped to attach or detach the fuel tank T or to perform maintenance work on the hydrogen drone D, the deployable roof 23 is deployed to open up the top of the deployable deck 22, improving workability and ensuring ventilation to prevent hydrogen from accumulating on the ceiling.

[0026] <3.4> Explosion-proof room (Fig. 5) The explosion-proof chamber 24 is a space where hydrogen is filled into the fuel tank of the hydrogen drone D. The explosion-proof room 24 is constructed by partitioning the interior of the loading platform 20 with an explosion-proof wall 24a to define an enclosed space therein, and by attaching an explosion-proof door 24b to a part of the explosion-proof wall 24a. At least a hydrogen filling device 30 and a hydrogen cylinder are installed in the explosion-proof chamber 24. In this example, a fire detector (not shown) and a gas detector (not shown) are also installed.

[0027] <4> Hydrogen filling equipment The hydrogen filling device 30 is a device that fills the fuel tank T with hydrogen. The hydrogen filling device 30 is composed of a combination of, for example, a compressor, a cooling device, a pressure accumulator, an air hose, a filling port, and the like. The hydrogen filling device 30 is connected to a hydrogen cylinder, adjusts the pressure of the high-pressure hydrogen in the hydrogen cylinder, and fills the hydrogen into the fuel tank T through the filling port while preventing liquefaction using a compressor. The configuration of the hydrogen filling device 30 itself is known, so it will not be described in detail here. The filling pressure of the hydrogen filling device 30 is 29.4 MPa. This means that the flight time of the hydrogen drone D can be extended by approximately twice the conventional pressure (typically 19.6 MPa) without increasing the size of the fuel tank T.

[0028] <5> Aircraft rack The aircraft rack 40 is a rack on which the hydrogen drone D is mounted. The machine rack 40 is installed within the work area A3 of the loading platform 20. In this example, a mobile multi-stage slide rack is used as the machine rack 40. In detail, for example, a pull-out multi-stage rack is provided on the top of a steel stand with casters attached to the bottom. This allows hydrogen drones D, which have a flat exterior and occupy a large horizontal space, to be stacked vertically and stored in a relatively small space. Also, by using casters to move the aircraft rack 40 to an empty space on the loading deck 21 depending on the work process, such as maintenance, the limited space in the work area A3 can be used effectively, improving work efficiency.

[0029] <6> power generation equipment The power generation device 50 is a device that supplies electric power to the hydrogen filling device 30 and the air conditioning device 60 . The power generation device 50 is installed in the evacuation area A1 of the loading platform 20. In this example, a two-pole generator with a voltage of 200 / 220V is used as the power generating device 50. However, the power generating device 50 is not limited to this, and any generator of an appropriate standard suitable for the purpose can be used.

[0030] <7> air conditioner The air conditioning device 60 is a device that adjusts the temperature inside the loading platform 20 . The air conditioner 60 is installed on the wall surface of the work area A3 of the loading platform 20. The air conditioner 60 can maintain the temperature in the work area A3 at an appropriate level in summer and winter, making the work environment more comfortable and improving work efficiency. [Example]

[0031] [Light truck example] In the first embodiment, the high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply facility 1 was a van-type truck equipped with a loading platform 20, but in this example, the high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply facility 1 is configured as a light truck (FIG. 6). The high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply facility 1 comprises at least a vehicle body 10 and a hydrogen filling device 30 installed within the vehicle body 10. In detail, the vehicle body 10 comprises a driver's seat 14 at the front and a rear space 15 located behind the driver's seat 14, and the hydrogen filling device 30 is disposed within the rear space 15. In this example, the filling pressure of the hydrogen filling device 30 is 49.5 MPa. However, the filling pressure is not limited to this, and may be at least 29.4 MPa or higher. When filling the fuel tank T with hydrogen, the rear door or back door at the rear is opened and the filling is carried out in the rear space 15. However, in this example, which does not have an explosion-proof chamber 24, the High-Pressure Gas Safety Act requires that the compressor and other devices in the hydrogen filling device 30 be separated by at least 6 m during filling. Therefore, the compressor is made portable so that it can be transported by a multi-crane, and the compressor and other devices are connected by an air hose with a total length of at least 6 m, so that the compressor can be operated at a position at least 6 m away from the vehicle body 10. In this example, the entire vehicle can be made smaller, making it easier to travel in urban areas and on narrow mountain roads. [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 1. High-pressure hydrogen mobile supply equipment 10 Body 11 Driver's cab 12 Foundation 13 Driving means 14 Driver's seat 15 Rear space 20 Cargo area 21 Cargo deck 22 Deployment Deck 23 Deployable Roof 24 Explosion-proof room 24a Explosion-proof wall 24b Explosion-proof door 25 Rear Door 30 Hydrogen filling equipment 40 Aircraft Rack 50 Power Generation Equipment 60 Air conditioner A1 Evacuation Area A2 Explosion-proof area A3 Work Area D Hydrogen drone D1 drone body T Fuel Tank

Claims

1. The vehicle body and a hydrogen filling device installed in the vehicle body, The hydrogen filling device is for a fuel tank of a hydrogen drone, The hydrogen filling device is characterized in that it is capable of compressing hydrogen in a hydrogen cylinder to 29.4 MPa and filling it into a fuel tank. High-pressure hydrogen mobile supply equipment.

2. the hydrogen filling device comprises a portable compressor and an air hose connected to the compressor; The compressor is configured to be operable via the air hose at a position 6 m or more away from the vehicle body. The high-pressure hydrogen mobile supply facility according to claim 1.

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