Desulfurization unit

Abstract

To provide a desulfurization device that can obtain a desulfurization effect regardless of the installation position. [Solution] The desulfurizer 8 has a cylindrical casing 41, a partition member 42, a shaft member 43, and a seal member 44 housed in the casing 41, and a lid member 45 that closes the axial end of the casing 41. The desulfurizer 8 also has a large amount of granular desulfurizing agent (not shown) sealed inside the casing 41. Each of the desulfurizing agent has, for example, a cylindrical shape (pellet-like). The desulfurizer 8 is mounted laterally on the vehicle 1 so that the axis of the casing 41 along the longitudinal direction is horizontal to the vehicle 1 and aligned along the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle 1.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a desulfurization device. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a desulfurization device that removes sulfur components from a fuel gas supplied to a fuel cell.

[0003] This desulfurization device includes a cylindrical body extending in the vertical direction, the lower end of which is provided with a supply port through which fuel gas is supplied, and the upper end of which is provided with a discharge port through which fuel gas is discharged.

[0004] The filling chamber formed inside the cylindrical body is filled with a desulfurizing agent, and is connected to a supply port on the upstream side and a discharge port on the downstream side.

[0005] In such a desulfurization device, the volume of the desulfurization agent filled therein may decrease due to vibrations at the installation site, deterioration of the desulfurization agent, and the like. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-67535 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, if the desulfurization device of Patent Document 1 is extended horizontally rather than vertically, the volume of the filled desulfurization agent will decrease and a space without desulfurization agent will be formed above the filling chamber, which may result in insufficient desulfurization of the fuel gas flowing through this space without desulfurization agent.

[0008] That is, in a desulfurization device filled with a desulfurization agent, there is room for further improvement so that the desulfurization effect can be continuously obtained regardless of the installation position. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The desulfurization device of the present invention comprises a cylindrical casing, a partition member housed in the casing and continuing spirally along the longitudinal direction of the casing, a cover member that closes the axial end of the casing, and a desulfurization agent sealed inside the casing, and is mounted sideways so that the axis of the casing along the longitudinal direction is horizontal to the vehicle, and the partition member and the inner surface of the casing form a sealed gas flow path within the casing that continues spirally along the axial direction of the casing and through which fuel gas flows. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] In the desulfurization device of the present invention, the gas flow path inside the casing is formed in a spiral shape, so even if the volume of the filled desulfurization agent decreases, the gas flow path inside the casing located on the lower side remains filled with the desulfurization agent, thereby ensuring desulfurization of the fuel gas. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory diagram schematically illustrating an outline of a fuel tank system of a vehicle to which a desulfurizer according to the present invention is applied; [Figure 2] 1A to 1C are explanatory views schematically showing the general configuration and assembly process of a desulfurizer in a first embodiment, in which (a) to (c) are exploded perspective views of the desulfurizer, and (d) is an overall perspective view of the desulfurizer. [Figure 3] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a desulfurizer supported by a bracket. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a desulfurizer according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a desulfurizer according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0013] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram that schematically illustrates an outline of a fuel tank system 2 of a vehicle 1 that is equipped with a desulfurizer 8 as a desulfurization device according to the present invention.

[0014] The fuel tank system 2 supplies fuel to a fuel cell 3 mounted on a vehicle 1, and includes a plurality of cylindrical fuel tanks 4, a plurality of main stop valves 5 individually connected to each fuel tank 4, a fuel supply pipe 6 connected to the fuel tanks 4 via the main stop valves 5, a pressure reducing valve 7 that reduces the pressure of the fuel supplied to the fuel cell 3, a desulfurizer 8 that removes sulfur components from the fuel (fuel gas) that has been pressure reduced by the pressure reducing valve 7, and a subframe 9 for the fuel tanks 4 that surrounds the plurality of fuel tanks 4.

[0015] The fuel cell 3 uses the supplied fuel to generate electric power that is supplied to a drive motor and the like that drives the vehicle 1. The electric power generated by the fuel cell 3 is charged into a battery 11 via a voltage conversion device 10.

[0016] The vehicle 1 uses the electric power generated by the battery 11 or the fuel cell 3 to drive a traction motor (not shown), which drives the drive wheels of the vehicle 1 (for example, the left and right front wheels 12 in FIG. 1).

[0017] The fuel tank 4 is filled with high-pressure fuel gas, such as natural gas, as the fuel to be supplied to the fuel cell 3.

[0018] The fuel tank 4 is arranged so that one of its axial ends, to which the main stop valve 5 is connected, is located rearward in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The other end of the fuel tank 4 is located forward in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The fuel tank 4 is arranged so that its central axis is aligned with the vehicle longitudinal direction. One end and the other end of the fuel tank 4 are supported or fixed to, for example, a subframe 9 via brackets (not shown).

[0019] The plurality of fuel tanks 4 include, for example, two tanks: a first high-pressure fuel tank 4a located at approximately the center of the vehicle 1 in the width direction, and a second high-pressure fuel tank 4b adjacent to the first fuel tank 4a.

[0020] The first fuel tank 4a is connected in series to the second fuel tank 4b via a fuel supply pipe 6. The first fuel tank 4a is located downstream of the second fuel tank 4b in the direction of fuel flow toward the fuel cell 3. Fuel is filled into the fuel tank 4 through a fill port 13 provided on the side (left side) of the vehicle 1 and via the first fuel supply pipe 6a.

[0021] The main stop valve 5 has the function of opening and closing the fuel tank 4, and enables filling of fuel into the fuel tank 4 and supply (discharge) fuel from the fuel tank 4 to the fuel cell 3. The main stop valve 5 also has a first connection port 25 and a second connection port 26 to which a fuel supply pipe 6 can be connected.

[0022] The first and second connection ports 25, 26 are so-called joint attachment portions, and pipes are attached using threaded joints. The first connection port 25 is located, for example, 180 degrees opposite the second connection port 26 with respect to the central axis of the main stop valve 5 that is aligned along the axial direction of the fuel tank 4. The main stop valve 5 has a communication passage (not shown) therein that connects the first connection port 25 and the second connection port 26.

[0023] The main stop valves 5 include a first main stop valve 5a attached to the first fuel tank 4a and a second main stop valve 5b attached to the second fuel tank 4b.

[0024] The fuel supply pipe 6 allows fuel to pass through it, and includes a first fuel supply pipe 6a connecting the filling port 13 and the second main stop valve 5b, a second fuel supply pipe 6b connecting the second main stop valve 5b and the first main stop valve 5a, a third fuel supply pipe 6c connecting the first main stop valve 5a and the pressure reducing valve 7, a fourth fuel supply pipe 6d connecting the pressure reducing valve 7 and the desulfurizer 8, and a fifth fuel supply pipe 6e connecting the desulfurizer 8 and the fuel cell 3. The fuel supply pipe 6 is a fuel supply path that supplies fuel to the fuel cell 3.

[0025] The pressure reducing valve 7 reduces (adjusts) the pressure of the fuel from the fuel tank 4 to a predetermined pressure and supplies it to the downstream side (fuel cell side), and is located downstream of the fuel tank 4 and upstream of the desulfurizer 8 in the fuel flow direction toward the fuel cell 3.

[0026] The desulfurizer 8 is disposed adjacent to the first fuel tank 4a on the opposite side of the second fuel tank 4b across the first fuel tank 4a. The desulfurizer 8 is located downstream of the pressure reducing valve 7 and upstream of the fuel cell 3 in the fuel flow direction toward the fuel cell 3.

[0027] The subframe 9 is disposed at the center in the vehicle width direction between the pair of side frames 14a, 14b, and is one of the components of the body frame of the vehicle 1.

[0028] The subframe 9 has a plurality of longitudinal members 31 that extend in an elongated manner along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, a plurality of widthwise members 32 that extend in an elongated manner along the vehicle width direction, and a plurality of vertical members (not shown) that extend in an elongated manner along the vehicle up-down direction. By connecting the plurality of longitudinal members 31, the plurality of widthwise members 32, and the plurality of vertical members to one another, the subframe 9 has an overall shape of a rectangular box without a lid that surrounds the periphery of the first and second fuel tanks 4a, 4b, the pressure reducing valve 7, and the desulfurizer 8.

[0029] The desulfurizer 8 of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Figures 2 to 4. Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the general configuration and assembly process of the desulfurizer 8, in which (a) to (c) are exploded perspective views of the desulfurizer 8, and (d) is an overall perspective view of the desulfurizer 8. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the desulfurizer 8, both ends of which are supported by brackets 56 and 57 (described later). Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the desulfurizer 8.

[0030] 2, the desulfurizer 8 has a cylindrical casing 41, a partition member 42, a shaft member 43, and a seal member 44 housed in the casing 41, and a cover member 45 that closes the axial end of the casing 41. The desulfurizer 8 also has a large amount of granular desulfurizing agent (not shown) sealed (filled) inside the casing 41 for removing sulfur components from the fuel gas. Each of the desulfurizing agent has a cylindrical shape (pellet shape), for example.

[0031] The casing 41 is made of, for example, a metal material. The desulfurizer 8 is mounted laterally on the vehicle 1 so that the axis of the casing 41 along the longitudinal direction is horizontal to the vehicle 1 and along the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle 1.

[0032] The partition member 42 is made of, for example, a metal material and is a long member with a rectangular cross section that continues in a spiral shape along the longitudinal direction of the casing 41. In other words, the partition member 42 is a flat plate member with a rectangular cross section that continues in a spiral shape as a whole along the longitudinal direction of the casing 41. The inner circumferential side of the partition member 42, which is the center side of the spiral, is joined by welding or the like to the outer circumferential surface of the shaft member 43, and the outer circumferential side is in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the casing 41 via the seal member 44.

[0033] Here, the partition member 42 may be joined by, for example, brazing at its inner periphery, which is the center side of the spiral, to the outer periphery of the shaft member 43. Alternatively, the partition member 42 may be formed integrally with the shaft member 43 by, for example, casting.

[0034] The desulfurizer 8 may be configured such that the seal member 44 is omitted and the outer circumferential side of the spiral partition member 42 is joined to the inner circumferential surface of the casing 41 by, for example, brazing.

[0035] The shaft member 43 is a columnar member made of, for example, a metal material, and is arranged concentrically with the casing 41. In this embodiment, the shaft member 43 is formed in a solid cylindrical shape. A communication passage 47 is formed at each end of the shaft member 43. The communication passage 47 is an L-shaped through hole as a whole, with one end opening at the end face of the shaft member 43 and the other end opening at the outer circumferential surface of the shaft member 43.

[0036] The seal member 44 is made of an elastic material such as rubber that can sufficiently suppress the permeation of the fuel gas used, and is cylindrical and press-fitted into the inner periphery of the casing 41. That is, the outer diameter of the seal member 44 is formed to be larger than the inner diameter of the casing 41. The inner diameter of the seal member 44 is also formed to be smaller than the outer diameter of the spiral of the partition member 42. The seal member 44 is disposed between the inner periphery of the casing 41 and the outer periphery of the spiral of the partition member 42.

[0037] The cover member 45 is a flat, stepped, cylindrical member made of, for example, a metal material, and has an insertion hole 48 formed through the center of the cylinder, into which the shaft member 43 is inserted. In other words, the cover member 45 has a shape like two disks of different diameters stacked concentrically, and has a central stepped portion 49 that protrudes outward and is thicker, and has the insertion hole 48 formed through it. The insertion hole 48 is formed concentrically with the cover member 45.

[0038] Here, the end of the shaft member 43 is inserted into the insertion hole 48 of the lid member 45, and a sealing material (not shown) is provided to prevent fuel gas from leaking between the insertion hole 48 and the shaft member 43. That is, an inlet or outlet for fuel gas is provided in the center of the lid member 45. In the desulfurizer 8 of the first embodiment, an inlet portion for introducing fuel gas is formed in the center of one side lid member 45a that closes one end of the casing 41, and an outlet portion for discharging fuel gas is formed in the center of the other side lid member 45b that closes the other end of the casing 41. In the first embodiment, the one side lid member 45a has the same shape as the other side lid member 45b.

[0039] The cover member 45 is attached to the casing 41 so that the stepped portion 49 faces outward. The cover member 45 is detachably attached to the casing 41 by an attachment member (not shown) such as a screw.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 2( a), the desulfurizer 8 is formed by attaching a partition member 42 to a shaft member 43 to form an integrated (unitized) first unit 51. Next, as shown in FIG. 2( b), the desulfurizer 8 is formed by press-fitting the first unit 51 into a seal member 44 to form an integrated (unitized) second unit 52. Then, as shown in FIG. 2( c), the desulfurizer 8 is formed by press-fitting the second unit 52 into the casing 41 to form an integrated (unitized) third unit 53. Finally, as shown in FIG. 2( d), assembly of the desulfurizer 8 is completed by attaching cover members 45 to both end portions of the third unit 53. The desulfurizing agent is filled into an intra-casing gas flow path 60 (described below) in the third unit 53, for example, immediately before attaching the cover members 45 to the third unit 53.

[0041] 3, the desulfurizer 8 has one side (one end) of the casing 41 supported by a one-end bracket 56, and the other side (the other end) of the casing 41 supported by an other-end bracket 57. More specifically, the one-end bracket 56 supports, for example, the one-side cover member 45a. The other-end bracket 57 supports, for example, the other-side cover member 45b.

[0042] The one end bracket 56 and the other end bracket 57 are fixed to a vehicle body frame such as the subframe 9, for example.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 3, the one end bracket 56 and the other end bracket 57 are formed with a hole 58 that supports the stepped portion 49 of the cover member 45, and a slit 59 that is continuous with the hole 58.

[0044] The one-end bracket 56 and the other-end bracket 57 are capable of rotatably supporting the stepped portion 49 of the cover member 45, for example, in a hole portion 58, and by narrowing the slit portion 59 with a bolt (not shown) or the like to reduce the diameter of the hole portion 58, the stepped portion 49 of the cover member 45 can be supported and fixed.

[0045] In other words, the one end bracket 56 and the other end bracket 57 can support the desulfurizer 8 (casing 41) in a rotatable state around the axis of the desulfurizer 8 unless the diameter of the hole 58 is reduced.

[0046] The one-end bracket 56 and the other-end bracket 57 may be formed with only the hole 58 that rotatably supports, for example, the stepped portion 49 of the cover member 45. In this case, for example, a gear train (not shown) and a motor (not shown) that rotate the desulfurizer 8 about its axis may be connected to the desulfurizer 8, and the desulfurizer 8 may be rotated or fixed so as not to rotate by the gear train and motor as needed.

[0047] 4, in the desulfurizer 8 of the first embodiment described above, the fuel gas flows along the spiral partition member 42 of the casing 41, so that the fuel gas flows while swirling as indicated by the arrow in the spiral in-casing gas flow passage 60 formed in the casing 41. That is, the desulfurizer 8 is formed with the sealed in-casing gas flow passage 60 through which the fuel gas flows.

[0048] The casing internal gas flow path 60 is formed by the partition member 42, the inner peripheral surface of the casing 41, and the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member 43 so as to be continuous in a spiral shape along the axial direction of the casing 41. More specifically, the casing internal gas flow path 60 is formed by the partition member 42, the seal member 44 in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the casing 41, and the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member 43.

[0049] The desulfurizer 8 introduces fuel gas through a one-end side communication passage 47a formed at one end of the shaft member 43, and releases the desulfurized fuel gas toward the fuel cell 3 from an other-end side communication passage 47b formed at the other end of the shaft member 43.

[0050] When the volume of the desulfurizing agent decreases due to vibration or deterioration in the gas flow passage 60 inside the casing, the desulfurizing agent moves downward inside the gas flow passage 60 inside the casing due to its own weight.

[0051] Therefore, in the desulfurizer 8, when the volume of the desulfurizing agent filled in the casing 41 decreases, a space (void) where the desulfurizing agent does not exist is generated in the gas flow path 60 inside the casing above the shaft member 43, and expands downward as the volume of the desulfurizing agent decreases.

[0052] Therefore, if the desulfurizer 8 is filled with the desulfurizing agent so that the entire gas flow path 60 inside the casing is filled with the desulfurizing agent, and the volume of the filled desulfurizing agent does not decrease by 50% or more, no space (void) where the desulfurizing agent does not exist will be created in the gas flow path 60 inside the casing located below the shaft member 43.

[0053] In other words, since the desulfurizer 8 has the gas flow path 60 in the casing formed in a spiral shape around the shaft member 43, even when the desulfurizer 8 is mounted (placed) sideways on the vehicle 1, there is essentially no space (void) in the gas flow path 60 in the casing below the shaft member 43 where the desulfurizing agent is not present.

[0054] In other words, since the desulfurizer 8 has the gas flow path 60 inside the casing formed in a spiral shape, even if the volume of the desulfurizing agent filled in the casing 41 decreases, the inside of the gas flow path 60 inside the casing located on the lower side can be kept filled with the desulfurizing agent.

[0055] As a result, even if the desulfurizer 8 is disposed sideways so that the axis along the longitudinal direction of the casing 41 is horizontal to the vehicle 1, it is possible to continuously and reliably perform desulfurization of the fuel gas.

[0056] Furthermore, the desulfurizer 8 can suppress uneven distribution of the enclosed desulfurizing agent within the casing 41 by using the spiral partition member 42. Therefore, the desulfurizer 8 can prevent an increase in pressure drop due to unintended uneven distribution of the desulfurizing agent within the casing 41. Furthermore, since the desulfurizer 8 can prevent uneven distribution of the desulfurizing agent within the casing 41, it can suppress the desulfurizing agent from being broken down into fine particles due to vibration.

[0057] When desulfurizing agents with different functions (for example, one with fast adsorption but short lifespan and one with slow adsorption but long lifespan) are sequentially enclosed along the fuel gas flow direction, the desulfurizer 8 can prevent mixing of these desulfurizing agents with different functions. Therefore, the desulfurizer 8 can prevent deterioration of desulfurization performance and shortening of lifespan.

[0058] Because the fuel gas flows inside the desulfurizer 8 along the spiral partition member 42, the flow path length of the gas flow path 60 in the casing can be made longer than the length along the axial direction of the cylindrical casing 41. That is, the length of the desulfurizer 8 along the axial direction of the casing 41 can be shortened, which can suppress an increase in pressure loss and improve the mountability of the desulfurizer 8 on the vehicle 1.

[0059] Furthermore, the desulfurizer 8 can be easily replenished with desulfurizing agent by removing the cover member 45.

[0060] Since the fuel gas inlet and outlet of the desulfurizer 8 are set in the center of the cover member 45, it can be mounted on the vehicle 1 without having to indicate the upside-down direction of the one side cover member 45a and the other side cover member 45b, making it easy to install it on the vehicle 1.

[0061] The desulfurizer 8 can be attached to the casing 41 without having to worry about the up-down orientation of the lid member 45, which makes assembly (manufacturing) easier and reduces overall manufacturing costs.

[0062] In the desulfurizer 8, the one-side lid member 45a and the other-side lid member 45b are made of the same component, which allows for cost reduction through component sharing.

[0063] The desulfurizer 8 can be used as a kind of piping, since the fuel gas enters from one side (one end) in the longitudinal direction and exits from the other side (the other end) in the longitudinal direction.

[0064] The desulfurizer 8 can move the enclosed desulfurizing agent to one side (one end side) or the other side (the other end side) of the casing 41 by rotating the casing 41 around the axis. This allows the desulfurizer 8 to make the fuel gas flow for a certain distance within the gas flow path 60 in the casing filled with the desulfurizing agent, and since the desulfurization performance is maintained, the frequency of replacement can be reduced.

[0065] In the desulfurizer 8, the seal member 44 can ensure airtightness between the partition member 42 and the inner circumferential surface of the casing 41.

[0066] The desulfurizer 8 can be disassembled, so that materials other than the desulfurizing agent can be reused.

[0067] Another embodiment of the present invention will be described below, in which the same components as those in the above-described embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and redundant description will be omitted.

[0068] A desulfurizer 71 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 5. The desulfurizer 71 according to the second embodiment has substantially the same configuration as the desulfurizer 8 according to the first embodiment described above, but is configured such that fuel gas introduced from one side (one end side) of the casing 41 is similarly discharged from one side (one end side) of the casing 41.

[0069] That is, in the desulfurizer 71 of the second embodiment, one end side of the shaft member 43 is connected to the fourth fuel supply pipe 6d and the fifth fuel supply pipe 6e via a rotary joint 72, the shaft member 43 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and no insertion hole is formed through the other side cover member 45b.

[0070] In the desulfurizer 71 of the second embodiment, the shaft member 43 is formed in a stepped cylindrical shape with one end having a larger diameter, and fuel gas can be introduced and discharged from the one end of the shaft member 43.

[0071] The shaft member 43 in the desulfurizer 71 of the second embodiment has a large diameter portion 73 as one end, a small diameter portion 74 as the other end which is smaller in diameter than the large diameter portion 73, a central passage 75 as a first passage which penetrates the large diameter portion 73 and the small diameter portion 74, and a discharge passage 76 as a second passage formed so as to be positioned on the outer periphery of the central passage 75 in the large diameter portion 73.

[0072] The large diameter portion 73 is a portion connected to the rotary joint 72, and is located on one end side and passes through the one-side cover member 45a.

[0073] The small diameter portion 74 is a portion that is housed inside the casing 41, and is located on the other end side so as to abut against the center of the other-side cover member 45b. The small diameter portion 74 is a portion to which the partition member 42 is attached.

[0074] The central passage 75 is a linear through-hole that passes through the shaft member 43 over the entire length along the axial direction, and is formed to pass through the large diameter portion 73 and the small diameter portion 74.

[0075] The central passage 75 has a central passage inlet 75 a at one end thereof that opens into the large diameter portion 73 of the shaft member 43 , and a central passage outlet 75 b at the other end thereof that opens into the small diameter portion 74 of the shaft member 43 .

[0076] The central passage 75 introduces fuel gas from a central passage inlet 75a located on one end side of the shaft member 43 and discharges the fuel gas from a central passage outlet 75b located on the other end side of the shaft member 43 to the gas flow path 60 inside the casing.

[0077] The discharge passage 76 has one end, a discharge passage inlet 76a, which opens onto the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member 43 on the large diameter portion 73 side, i.e., the outer peripheral surface of one end side of the small diameter portion 74, and the other end, a discharge passage outlet 76b, which opens onto the tip side of the large diameter portion 73 of the shaft member 43.

[0078] The discharge passage 76 introduces fuel gas from the gas flow path 60 inside the casing through a discharge passage inlet 76a located on the other end side of the shaft member 43, and releases the fuel gas from a discharge passage outlet 76b located on one end side of the shaft member 43.

[0079] The rotary joint 72 has a primary passage 77 connected to the central passage 75 and a secondary passage 78 connected to the discharge passage 76. The rotary joint 72 has the secondary passage 78 formed on the outer periphery of the primary passage 77.

[0080] The primary passage 77 has one end on the upstream side in the flow direction of the fuel gas connected to the fourth fuel supply pipe 6d, and the other end on the downstream side in the flow direction of the fuel gas connected to the central passage 75.

[0081] The secondary passage 78 has one end on the upstream side in the flow direction of the fuel gas connected to the discharge passage 76, and the other end on the downstream side in the flow direction of the fuel gas connected to the fifth fuel supply pipe 6e.

[0082] In the desulfurizer 71 of the second embodiment, the fuel gas flows through the central passage 75 of the shaft member 43 from one end to the other end, then flows into the gas flow passage 60 inside the casing, flows through the gas flow passage 60 inside the casing from the other end to the one end, and is discharged from one end of the small diameter portion 74 through the discharge passage 76. That is, in the desulfurizer 71 of the second embodiment, the fuel gas flows in a U-turn inside the casing 41.

[0083] The desulfurizer 71 of the second embodiment can achieve substantially the same effects as the desulfurizer 8 of the first embodiment described above.

[0084] Furthermore, the desulfurizer 71 of the second embodiment can concentrate the inlet and outlet of the fuel gas in one direction, which allows for effective use of dead space and improves the degree of freedom in layout when installing the desulfurizer.

[0085] While specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention.

[0086] For example, the desulfurizers 8, 71 may be mounted upright on the vehicle 1 so that the axis along the longitudinal direction of the casing 41 is aligned with the vertical direction of the vehicle 1, rather than being oriented sideways relative to the vehicle 1. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 1...Vehicle 2...Fuel tank system 8…Desulfurizer 41...Casing 42...Partition member 43...Shaft member 44...Sealing member 45...Cover member 45a...One side cover member 45b...other side cover member 47...Connecting passage 47a... One end connecting passage 47b...Connecting passage at the other end 48...Insertion hole 49...Stepped section

Claims

1. A desulfurization device that is mounted on a vehicle and removes sulfur components from fuel gas supplied to a fuel cell, A cylindrical casing; a partition member that is housed in the casing and extends spirally along the longitudinal direction of the casing; a cover member that closes an axial end of the casing; a desulfurization agent sealed inside the casing, The casing is mounted laterally so that an axis along the longitudinal direction of the casing is horizontal to the vehicle, A desulfurization device characterized in that the partition member and the inner surface of the casing form a sealed gas flow path within the casing that continues spirally along the axial direction of the casing and through which fuel gas flows.

2. 2. The desulfurization device according to claim 1, wherein an inlet and outlet for fuel gas are set at the center of the cover member.

3. the lid members include a first lid member that closes one end of the casing and a second lid member that closes the other end of the casing, an inlet portion for introducing fuel gas is formed at the center of the one side cover member; 2. The desulfurization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an outlet portion for discharging fuel gas is formed in the center of the other side cover member.

4. a cylindrical shaft member that is arranged concentrically with the casing, has the partition member attached to its outer periphery, and has a first passage and a second passage formed therein through which the fuel gas flows, the lid member includes a first lid member that closes one end of the casing and a second lid member that closes the other end of the casing, One end of the shaft member passes through the center of the one-side cover member, and the other end of the shaft member abuts against the center of the other-side cover member, The first passage is a through hole that passes through the shaft member along the axial direction, and one end thereof opens to one end of the shaft member and the other end thereof opens to the other end of the shaft member, the first passage introduces fuel gas from one end and discharges the fuel gas from the other end into the gas flow path within the casing; the second passage is formed on the outer circumferential side of the first passage at one end of the shaft member, one end of which opens on the outer circumferential surface of the one end side of the shaft member, and the other end of which opens on the tip side of the one end side of the shaft member, 3. The desulfurization device according to claim 2, wherein the second passage introduces the fuel gas in the gas flow passage in the casing from one end and discharges the fuel gas from the other end.

5. The desulfurization device according to claim 1, characterized in that the casing is supported in a rotatable state around its own axis by a one-end bracket that supports one end of the casing and an other-end bracket that supports the other end of the casing.

6. 2. The desulfurization device according to claim 1, further comprising a cylindrical seal member made of an elastic material, disposed between the inner peripheral surface of the casing and the partition member, and press-fitted into the casing.

Images