fuel cell ship

Abstract

By reducing the number of hazardous areas where electrical equipment cannot be placed, the flexibility in placing electrical equipment is increased. [Solution] A fuel cell ship is equipped with a fuel cell that generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction of fuel, and supplies power from the fuel cell to the ship's equipment. The fuel cell ship is equipped with a fuel tank for storing fuel. A fuel filling port for filling the fuel tank is provided on the outer wall of the cabin.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fuel cell ship.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a fuel cell ship has been proposed in which fuel gas (for example, hydrogen gas) is supplied from a fuel tank to a fuel cell, and a propulsion device is driven by the electric power generated by the fuel cell (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a fuel cell ship, for example, around a fuel gas filling port, that is, around a portion through which flammable fuel gas passes, it may be required not to arrange electrical equipment (for example, a ventilation fan). This is because the arranged electrical equipment may become an ignition source for the fuel gas. Hereinafter, the portion through which the above-described fuel gas passes is also referred to as a dangerous part, and a place where electrical equipment cannot be arranged around the dangerous part is also referred to as a dangerous place. In a fuel cell ship, if dangerous parts are scattered and the dangerous places spread thereby, the area where electrical equipment can be arranged becomes narrow. As a result, the degree of freedom in arranging electrical equipment decreases.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a fuel cell ship capable of narrowing a dangerous place where electrical equipment cannot be arranged and increasing the degree of freedom in arranging electrical equipment.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A fuel cell ship according to one aspect of the present invention is a fuel cell ship that is equipped with a fuel cell that generates electricity by an electrochemical reaction of fuel, and supplies power from the fuel cell to onboard equipment, and is equipped with a fuel tank for storing the fuel, and a fuel filling port for filling the fuel tank is provided on the outer wall of the cabin. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The above configuration allows for reducing the number of hazardous areas where electrical equipment cannot be placed, thereby increasing the flexibility in placing electrical equipment. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a rear perspective view showing the exterior of a fuel cell ship according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is an explanatory diagram showing the general configuration of the fuel cell ship described above. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the internal structure of the fuel cell ship described above. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view showing an enlarged view of section A in Figure 1. [Figure 5] The section A in Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the fuel gas filling port cover and the inert gas filling port cover without illustration. [Figure 6] This flowchart shows the processing flow based on the detection of fuel gas within the duct section of the fuel cell ship described above. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this specification, directions are defined as follows. First, the direction from the stern to the bow of the fuel cell vessel is defined as "forward," and the direction from the bow to the stern is defined as "rear." The lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is defined as the left-right direction. In this case, when the fuel cell vessel is moving forward, the left side as seen from the perspective of the operator is defined as "left," and the right side is defined as "right." Furthermore, the upstream side in the direction of gravity perpendicular to the longitudinal and left-right directions is defined as "up," and the downstream side is defined as "down."

[0010] [1. Outline of the fuel cell ship's configuration] First, the fuel cell vessel SH according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a rear perspective view showing the exterior of the fuel cell vessel SH. Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the schematic configuration of the fuel cell vessel SH. The fuel cell vessel SH comprises a hull 1 and a cabin 2. The cabin 2 is located on the hull 1.

[0011] The fuel cell ship SH further comprises a fuel cell system 3, a fuel gas storage unit 4, a battery system 5, a propulsion system 6, a plurality of peripheral devices 11, and a control device 12. In Figure 2, control signals or high-voltage power supply lines are shown as solid lines, and control signals or low-voltage power supply lines are shown as dashed lines.

[0012] The fuel cell system 3 functions as the main power source. The fuel cell system 3 generates electricity (specifically DC electricity) by consuming fuel gas. Fuel gas is an example of a fuel, such as a combustible gas. Typically, the fuel gas is hydrogen gas. The fuel cell system 3 supplies the generated electricity to the propulsion system 6 and peripheral equipment 11. The fuel cell system 3 can also supply power to the battery system 5 to charge it.

[0013] The fuel gas storage unit 4 stores the fuel gas to be supplied to the fuel cell system 3. The fuel gas is supplied from the fuel gas storage unit 4 to the fuel cell system 3 via the fuel gas supply piping 32 (see Figure 3), which will be described later.

[0014] The battery system 5 has a battery. The battery is, for example, a lithium secondary battery, but may also be a nickel-cadmium battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery, etc. The battery system 5 functions as an auxiliary power source that supplies stored power (specifically DC power) to the propulsion device 6 and peripheral equipment 11. In this way, the battery system 5 functions as an auxiliary power source, which can compensate for any shortage of power supplied from the fuel cell system 3 to the propulsion device 6, etc. The battery system 5 may also supply power to the control device 12.

[0015] The propulsion device 6 is driven by the electric power supplied from a fuel cell 31 (see FIG. 3) of the fuel cell system 3 described later, and generates a propulsion force on the hull 1. That is, the fuel cell ship SH includes a propulsion device 6 that generates a propulsion force on the hull 1 by the electric power supplied from the fuel cell 31.

[0016] Note that the propulsion device 6 may be driven only by the electric power supplied from the storage battery of the storage battery system 5, or may be driven by the electric power supplied from both the fuel cell 31 and the storage battery. That is, the propulsion device 6 may be driven by the electric power supplied from at least one of the fuel cell and the storage battery to generate a propulsion force on the hull 1.

[0017] The propulsion device 6 includes a power conversion device 6a, a propulsion motor 6b, and a propeller 6c. The power conversion device 6a converts the electric power supplied from the fuel cell system 3 into electric power corresponding to the specifications of the propulsion motor 6b. For example, the power conversion device 6a converts DC power into AC power. In this case, the power conversion device 6a has, for example, an inverter. The propulsion motor 6b is driven by the electric power (for example, AC power) supplied from the power conversion device 6a. When the propulsion motor 6b is driven, the rotational force of the propulsion motor 6b is transmitted to the propeller 6c. As a result, the propeller 6c rotates and a propulsion force is generated on the hull 1. Note that a configuration having a marine gear between the propulsion motor 6b and the propeller 6c may also be used.

[0018] The peripheral devices 11 include, for example, a compressor, a solenoid valve, a pump, and the like. The peripheral devices 11 also include electric devices such as lighting devices and air conditioning devices, but the types of the peripheral devices 11 are not particularly limited.

[0019] The control device 12 controls the fuel cell system 3, the fuel gas storage section 4, the battery system 5, the propulsion device 6, and a plurality of peripheral devices 11. The control device 12 is constituted by, for example, one or two or more computers. The computer may be, for example, a PLC (Programable Logic Controller), but may also be an ECU (Electronic Control Unit). Power is supplied to the control device 12 from a battery (for example, a lead battery) not shown, or from the battery of the battery system 5.

[0020] The control device 12 has a control section 12a and a storage section 12b. The control section 12a includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The storage section 12b includes a storage device and stores data and computer programs. Specifically, the storage section 12b includes a main storage device such as a semiconductor memory, and an auxiliary storage device such as a semiconductor memory, a solid state drive, and / or a hard disk drive. The storage section 12b may include a removable medium. The storage section 12b corresponds to an example of a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.

[0021] By executing the computer program stored in the storage device of the storage section 12b, the processor of the control section 12a controls the fuel cell system 3, the fuel gas storage section 4, the battery system 5, the propulsion device 6, and a plurality of peripheral devices 11.

[0022] [2. Regarding the internal structure of the fuel cell ship] Next, referring to FIG. 3, the internal structure of the fuel cell ship SH will be described. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the internal structure of the fuel cell ship SH. In FIG. 3, the flow of air is indicated by a dashed arrow. In FIG. 3, with the right side of the drawing being the bow side and the left side of the drawing being the stern side, each member is illustrated, but the position of each member is not limited to the position shown in FIG. 3 as long as the connection relationship of each member is maintained.

[0023] The fuel cell vessel SH comprises an engine room 13 and a fuel room 14. The engine room 13 and fuel room 14 are located below the deck 1a of the hull 1. The engine room 13 is located forward relative to the fuel room 14. Below the deck 1a, bulkheads W1, W2, and W3 are located in order from the bow to the stern. The engine room 13 is separated from other spaces by bulkheads W1 and W2. The fuel room 14 is separated from other spaces by bulkheads W2 and W3. Bulkheads W1 to W3 are made of, for example, fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP), but may also be made of steel plates.

[0024] (2-1. Configuration of the fuel cell system) The fuel cell system 3 of the fuel cell ship SH is located in the engine room 13. The fuel cell system 3 comprises a fuel cell 31, a fuel gas supply pipe 32, and a fuel cell side shut-off valve 33. The fuel cell side shut-off valve 33 is an example of peripheral equipment 11 (see Figure 2).

[0025] The fuel cell 31 generates electricity (specifically DC electricity) through an electrochemical reaction between a fuel gas, which is an example of a fuel, and an oxidizer gas. Typically, the oxidizer gas is air, and the oxidizer is oxygen. In other words, the fuel cell ship SH is equipped with a fuel cell 31 that generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction of fuel.

[0026] The fuel cell 31 is a fuel cell stack composed of multiple stacked cells. For example, each cell of the fuel cell 31 has a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, and a pair of separators. The anode electrode and the cathode electrode are separated by the solid polymer electrolyte membrane. The anode electrode is the negative electrode (fuel electrode). The anode electrode includes an anode catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer. The cathode electrode is the positive electrode (air electrode). The cathode electrode includes a cathode catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer. The anode electrode, the solid polymer electrolyte membrane, and the cathode electrode constitute a membrane electrode assembly (MEA). The pair of separators sandwich the membrane electrode assembly. Each separator has multiple grooves. Each groove in one separator forms a flow path for the fuel gas. Each groove in the other separator forms a flow path for the oxidizer gas.

[0027] In the above configuration of the fuel cell 31, at the anode, hydrogen contained in the fuel gas is decomposed into hydrogen ions and electrons by a catalyst. The hydrogen ions permeate through the solid polymer electrolyte membrane and move to the cathode. Meanwhile, the electrons move to the cathode through the external circuit. This generates an electric current (electricity is produced). At the cathode, oxygen contained in the oxidizer gas combines with the electrons that have flowed through the external circuit and the hydrogen ions that have passed through the solid polymer electrolyte membrane to produce water. The produced water is discharged overboard through the discharge pipe 31a.

[0028] The fuel cell 31 supplies the generated electricity to the propulsion system 6 and peripheral equipment 11 shown in Figure 2. Alternatively, the fuel cell 31 may indirectly supply the generated electricity to the propulsion system 6 and peripheral equipment 11 via a circuit such as a DC / DC converter.

[0029] The fuel gas supply pipe 32 is a fuel supply pipe for supplying fuel (e.g., fuel gas) stored in the fuel tank 41 of the fuel gas storage unit 4 (described later) to the anode of the fuel cell 31. In other words, the fuel cell ship SH is equipped with a fuel gas supply pipe 32 that supplies fuel from the fuel tank 41, which stores fuel, to the fuel cell 31.

[0030] The fuel cell side shut-off valve 33 is an example of a shut-off valve SV that opens or closes the flow path of the fuel gas supply pipe 32. The opening and closing of the fuel cell side shut-off valve 33 is controlled by the control unit 12a (see Figure 2). Specifically, the fuel cell side shut-off valve 33 switches between supplying and stopping the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31 based on the control of the control unit 12a. In the fuel cell compartment 30 described later, only one fuel cell side shut-off valve 33 is provided in the fuel gas supply pipe 32, but two or more may be provided.

[0031] The fuel cell ship SH is further equipped with a fuel cell compartment 30. The fuel cell compartment 30 is a housing for a fuel cell 31. The fuel cell compartment 30 is located in the engine room 13.

[0032] The fuel cell compartment 30 has a hollow shape. For example, the fuel cell compartment 30 has a hollow, substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. In this case, the outer walls constituting the fuel cell compartment 30 include, for example, a top wall 30a, a bottom wall 30b, a front wall (not shown), a rear wall (not shown), a side wall 30c, and a side wall 30d. However, the top, bottom, front, rear, and sides of the fuel cell compartment 30 can be arbitrarily determined. Furthermore, the shape of the fuel cell compartment 30 is not particularly limited as long as it has space to accommodate the fuel cell 31. The fuel cell compartment 30 can also be considered as a container, chamber, or box that houses the fuel cell 31. The material of the outer walls of the fuel cell compartment 30 is, for example, FRP, but it may also be sheet metal.

[0033] A battery compartment air inlet 30e is provided as an opening in the side wall 30d of the fuel cell compartment 30. The battery compartment air inlet 30e is connected to a battery compartment air supply pipe 35, which will be described later. The battery compartment air inlet 30e may also be provided on an outer wall other than the side wall 30d of the fuel cell compartment 30.

[0034] On the other hand, a battery compartment exhaust port 30f is provided as an opening in the side wall 30c of the fuel cell compartment 30. The battery compartment exhaust port 30f communicates with the duct compartment 90, which will be described later. Note that the battery compartment exhaust port 30f may also be provided in an outer wall other than the side wall 30c of the fuel cell compartment 30.

[0035] The fuel cell compartment 30 has a sealed space inside, except for the battery compartment air intake port 30e and the battery compartment exhaust port 30f.

[0036] The fuel cell compartment 30 houses a portion of the aforementioned fuel gas supply piping 32 and a fuel cell side shut-off valve 33. Furthermore, the fuel cell compartment 30 also houses a battery compartment internal gas detector 34a and a battery compartment internal fire detector 34b.

[0037] The internal battery compartment gas detector 34a is a fuel gas detector located inside the fuel cell compartment 30. For example, if the fuel gas is hydrogen gas, the internal battery compartment gas detector 34a consists of a hydrogen gas detection sensor.

[0038] The internal battery compartment gas detector 34a is positioned on the inner surface of the top wall 30a located above the fuel cell compartment 30. Hydrogen gas, used as fuel gas, is lighter than air and rises. Therefore, by positioning the internal battery compartment gas detector 34a on the top wall 30a of the fuel cell compartment 30, even if fuel gas leaks within the fuel cell compartment 30, the leaked fuel gas can be reliably detected by the internal battery compartment gas detector 34a. The installation position of the internal battery compartment gas detector 34a may also be configured to be located at the downstream end of the flow path through which the fuel gas flows when fuel gas leaks within the fuel cell compartment 30.

[0039] When the internal battery compartment gas detector 34a detects fuel gas in the fuel cell compartment 30, the detection signal is sent from the internal battery compartment gas detector 34a to the control unit 12a. As a result, the control unit 12a can stop the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31 by controlling the fuel cell side shut-off valve 33 provided in the fuel gas supply pipe 32.

[0040] The internal battery compartment fire detector 34b is a fire detector located inside the fuel cell compartment 30. The internal battery compartment fire detector 34b includes, for example, one or more sensors from among a smoke sensor for detecting smoke, a heat sensor for detecting heat, and a flame sensor for detecting flames. The internal battery compartment fire detector 34b may consist of a thermocouple type fire detector.

[0041] The internal battery compartment fire detector 34b is located on the inner surface of the top wall 30a, which is situated above the fuel cell compartment 30. If a fire occurs inside the fuel cell compartment 30, the internal battery compartment fire detector 34b will detect the fire and output a detection signal to the control unit 12a indicating that a fire has occurred. In this case, the control unit 12a can control the fuel cell side shut-off valve 33 to stop the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31. This minimizes the risk of explosion due to ignition of the fuel gas in the fuel cell compartment 30.

[0042] A battery compartment air supply pipe 35 is connected to the fuel cell compartment 30. The battery compartment air supply pipe 35 extends from the battery compartment air supply port 30e of the fuel cell compartment 30 to the deck 1a and is exposed from the upper surface of the deck 1a.

[0043] A battery compartment air supply device 36 and a battery compartment external gas detector 37 are located at the deck 1a side end of the battery compartment air supply pipe 35. The battery compartment air supply device 36 and the battery compartment external gas detector 37 are located on the upper part of deck 1a.

[0044] The battery compartment air supply device 36 is composed of, for example, an inexpensive non-explosion-proof air supply fan, but may also be composed of an explosion-proof air supply fan. The battery compartment air supply device 36 is driven by the control unit 12a. The battery compartment air supply device 36 may be equipped with one or more filters (not shown). These filters remove, for example, dust or sea salt particles.

[0045] The battery compartment air supply device 36 supplies outside air to the fuel cell compartment 30 through the battery compartment air supply pipe 35 and the battery compartment air supply port 30e. The air inside the fuel cell compartment 30 is discharged to the duct compartment 90 through the battery compartment exhaust port 30f. This ventilates the inside of the fuel cell compartment 30. As a result, the accumulation of combustible gases (e.g., fuel gas leaked from the fuel cell 31) within the fuel cell compartment 30 can be suppressed.

[0046] The external battery compartment gas detector 37 detects flammable gases (such as hydrogen gas floating around the hull 1) flowing into the fuel cell compartment 30 from the outside. The external battery compartment gas detector 37 is a flammable gas sensor, such as a hydrogen gas sensor. The external battery compartment gas detector 37 is positioned on the opposite side of the battery compartment air supply pipe 35 from the battery compartment air supply device 36, that is, upstream of the airflow from the outside to the inside of the fuel cell compartment 30. The external battery compartment gas detector 37 may also be composed of a gas sensor that detects flammable gases other than hydrogen gas. Flammable gases other than hydrogen gas include, for example, methane, ethane, propane, and carbon monoxide.

[0047] The external gas detector 37 for the battery compartment outputs a detection signal to the control unit 12a, for example, indicating the concentration of combustible gas. Based on this detection signal, the control unit 12a can determine whether or not the concentration of combustible gas is above a standard value. If the concentration is above a standard value, the control unit 12a can stop the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31 by closing the fuel cell side shut-off valve 33. The standard value can be determined based on experiments and / or experience.

[0048] The fuel cell ship SH further comprises a cooling medium tank 38 and cooling medium piping 39. The cooling medium tank 38 stores a cooling medium for cooling the fuel cell 31. The cooling medium is, for example, an antifreeze with low electrical conductivity. The antifreeze is, for example, a liquid obtained by mixing pure water and ethylene glycol in a predetermined ratio. The cooling medium tank 38 is sealed, but its top may be open.

[0049] The cooling medium piping 39 is for circulating the cooling medium between the fuel cell 31 and a heat exchanger (not shown). A circulation pump (not shown) is also provided in the middle of the cooling medium piping 39. By driving the circulation pump and supplying the cooling medium from the heat exchanger to the fuel cell 31 via the cooling medium piping 39, the fuel cell 31 is cooled. The cooling medium used to cool the fuel cell 31 is also supplied to the cooling medium tank 38 via the cooling medium piping 39, where volume changes due to temperature changes in the cooling medium are absorbed and the liquid volume of the cooling medium is monitored.

[0050] A cooling tank internal gas detector 38a is provided at the top of the cooling medium tank 38. The cooling tank internal gas detector 38a is a fuel gas detector that detects fuel gas present in the cooling medium tank 38. The fuel gas present in the cooling medium tank 38 may be, for example, fuel gas that has leaked from the fuel cell 31 and entered the cooling medium tank 38 via the cooling medium piping 39. The detection result of the fuel gas by the cooling tank internal gas detector 38a (for example, information on the concentration of the fuel gas) is sent to the control unit 12a. Based on the detection result of the cooling tank internal gas detector 38a, the control unit 12a can determine whether or not there is a fuel gas leak in the fuel cell 31, and if there is a leak, it can perform control to stop power generation in the fuel cell 31, for example.

[0051] (2-2. Configuration of the fuel gas storage section) The fuel gas storage section 4 of the fuel cell ship SH includes a fuel tank 41, a gas filling pipe 42, and a tank-side shut-off valve 43. The tank-side shut-off valve 43 is an example of peripheral equipment 11.

[0052] The fuel tank 41 contains fuel (e.g., fuel gas) to be supplied to the fuel cell 31. In Figure 3, for convenience, only one fuel tank 41 is shown, but the number of fuel tanks 41 is not particularly limited and there may be multiple tanks.

[0053] The gas filling pipe 42 is a pipe (fuel filling pipe) for supplying fuel (e.g., fuel gas) to the fuel tank 41 or for filling it with inert gas. One end of the gas filling pipe 42 is connected to the fuel tank 41. The other end of the gas filling pipe 42 branches into two, which are connected to a fuel gas filling port 82 and an inert gas filling port 84, respectively. The fuel gas filling port 82 and the inert gas filling port 84 are located in the duct section 90 (particularly the upper duct section 80), which will be described later.

[0054] The inert gas mentioned above is, for example, nitrogen gas. For instance, when performing maintenance such as inspection or repair of a fuel cell ship SH in a dry dock, if fuel gas remains in the fuel tank 41, there is a risk of explosion if the fuel gas ignites for any reason. Therefore, during maintenance of the fuel cell ship SH, the fuel tank 41 is filled with an inert gas to remove the fuel gas from the fuel tank 41. This avoids the risk of explosion mentioned above.

[0055] In the aforementioned fuel gas supply piping 32, the end opposite to the fuel cell 31 is connected to the fuel tank 41 via a main valve 41a. In other words, the fuel tank 41 and the fuel cell 31 are connected via the fuel gas supply piping 32. The opening and closing of the main valve 41a of the fuel tank 41 is controlled by the control unit 12a.

[0056] The tank-side shut-off valve 43 is an example of a shut-off valve SV that opens or closes the flow path of the fuel gas supply pipe 32. The opening and closing of the tank-side shut-off valve 43 is controlled by the control unit 12a. Specifically, the tank-side shut-off valve 43 switches between supplying and stopping the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31 based on the control of the control unit 12a. There is only one tank-side shut-off valve 43 in the fuel gas supply pipe 32 within the tank compartment 40, which will be described later, but there may be two or more.

[0057] The fuel cell vessel SH is further equipped with a tank compartment 40. The tank compartment 40 is a housing that contains the fuel tank 41. The tank compartment 40 is located in the fuel room 14.

[0058] The tank compartment 40 has a hollow shape. For example, the tank compartment 40 has a hollow, substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. In this case, the outer walls constituting the tank compartment 40 include, for example, a top wall 40a, a bottom wall 40b, a front wall (not shown), a rear wall (not shown), a side wall 40c, and a side wall 40d. However, the top, bottom, front, rear, and sides of the tank compartment 40 can be arbitrarily determined. Furthermore, the shape of the tank compartment 40 is not particularly limited as long as it has space to accommodate at least one fuel tank 41. The tank compartment 40 can also be considered as a container, chamber, or box that accommodates the fuel tank 41. The material of the outer walls of the tank compartment 40 is, for example, FRP, but it may also be sheet metal.

[0059] A tank compartment air inlet 40e is provided in the side wall 40c of the tank compartment 40. The tank compartment air inlet 40e is connected to a tank compartment air supply pipe 45, which will be described later. The tank compartment air inlet 40e may also be provided in an outer wall other than the side wall 40c of the tank compartment 40.

[0060] On the other hand, a tank compartment exhaust port 40f is provided as an opening in the top wall 40a of the tank compartment 40. The tank compartment exhaust port 40f is in communication with a vent pipe 10. The vent pipe 10 is a pipe for guiding the air inside the tank compartment 40 to the outside of the ship. Note that the tank compartment exhaust port 40f may also be provided on an outer wall other than the top wall 40a of the tank compartment 40.

[0061] The tank compartment 40 has a sealed space inside, except for the tank compartment air inlet 40e and the tank compartment exhaust port 40f.

[0062] As shown in Figure 1, the vent pipes 10 described above are located towards the stern of the hull 1, rather than towards the center in the longitudinal direction, and there are two of them, one on each side. The reason there are two vent pipes 10 is that the fuel cell ship SH of this embodiment has two fuel cell compartments 30 and tank compartments 40, and two duct compartments 90, which will be described later, on each side. That is, the vent pipe 10 located on the left side of the hull 1 corresponds to the fuel cell compartment 30, tank compartment 40, and duct compartment 90 located on the left side of the hull 1. Similarly, the vent pipe 10 located on the right side of the hull 1 corresponds to the fuel cell compartment 30, tank compartment 40, and duct compartment 90 located on the right side of the hull 1.

[0063] The tank compartment 40 houses a portion of the aforementioned fuel gas supply piping 32 and a tank-side shut-off valve 43. Furthermore, the tank compartment 40 also houses an internal tank gas detector 44a and an internal tank fire detector 44b.

[0064] The tank compartment internal gas detector 44a is a fuel gas detector located inside the tank compartment 40. For example, if the fuel gas is hydrogen gas, the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a consists of a hydrogen gas detection sensor.

[0065] The tank compartment internal gas detector 44a is located on the top wall 40a of the tank compartment 40, either near the tank compartment exhaust port 40f or inside the tank compartment exhaust port 40f. If fuel gas leaks from the fuel tank 41 within the tank compartment 40, the leaked fuel gas will pass through the tank compartment exhaust port 40f towards the vent pipe 10. In other words, the tank compartment exhaust port 40f is located at the downstream end of the flow path through which the fuel gas flows when it leaks within the tank compartment 40. Therefore, by positioning the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a near the tank compartment exhaust port 40f or inside the tank compartment exhaust port 40f, the leaked fuel gas can be reliably detected by the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a, which is located at the downstream end of the flow path, regardless of where the fuel gas leaks within the tank compartment 40.

[0066] When the internal tank gas detector 44a detects fuel gas in the tank compartment 40, the detection signal is sent from the internal tank gas detector 44a to the control unit 12a. This allows the control unit 12a to control the tank-side shut-off valve 43 located in the fuel gas supply piping 32, thereby stopping the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31. Details of the control of the opening and closing of the tank-side shut-off valve 43 will be described later.

[0067] The tank compartment internal fire detector 44b is a fire detector located inside the tank compartment 40. The tank compartment internal fire detector 44b includes, for example, one or more sensors from among a smoke sensor for detecting smoke, a heat sensor for detecting heat, and a flame sensor for detecting flames. The tank compartment internal fire detector 44b may consist of a thermocouple type fire detector.

[0068] The internal tank compartment fire detector 44b is located on the inner surface of the top wall 40a, which is situated above the tank compartment 40. If a fire occurs inside the tank compartment 40, the internal tank compartment fire detector 44b will detect the fire and output a detection signal to the control unit 12a indicating that a fire has occurred. In this case, the control unit 12a can control the tank-side shut-off valve 43 to stop the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31. This minimizes the risk of explosion due to ignition of the fuel gas in the tank compartment 40.

[0069] A tank compartment air supply pipe 45 is connected to the tank compartment 40. The tank compartment air supply pipe 45 extends from the tank compartment air intake port 40e of the tank compartment 40 to the deck 1a and is exposed from the upper surface of the deck 1a.

[0070] A tank compartment air supply device 46 and a tank compartment external gas detector 47 are located at the deck 1a side end of the tank compartment air supply pipe 45. The tank compartment air supply device 46 and the tank compartment external gas detector 47 are located on the upper part of deck 1a.

[0071] The tank compartment air supply device 46 is composed of, for example, an inexpensive non-explosion-proof air supply fan, but may also be composed of an explosion-proof air supply fan. The tank compartment air supply device 46 is driven by the control unit 12a. The tank compartment air supply device 46 may be equipped with one or more filters (not shown). These filters remove, for example, dust or sea salt particles.

[0072] The tank compartment air supply device 46 supplies outside air to the tank compartment 40 through the tank compartment air supply pipe 45 and the tank compartment air supply port 40e. The air inside the tank compartment 40 is discharged to the vent pipe 10 through the tank compartment exhaust port 40f. This ventilates the inside of the tank compartment 40. As a result, even if fuel gas leaks from the fuel tank 41 inside the tank compartment 40, the accumulation of that fuel gas can be suppressed.

[0073] The external tank compartment gas detector 47 detects flammable gases (such as hydrogen gas floating around the hull 1) flowing into the tank compartment 40 from the outside. The external tank compartment gas detector 47 is a flammable gas sensor, such as a hydrogen gas sensor. The external tank compartment gas detector 47 is positioned on the opposite side of the tank compartment air supply pipe 45 from the tank compartment air supply device 46, that is, upstream of the airflow from the outside to the inside of the tank compartment 40. The external tank compartment gas detector 47 may also be composed of a gas sensor that detects flammable gases other than hydrogen gas.

[0074] The external gas detector 47 in the tank compartment outputs a detection signal to the control unit 12a, for example, indicating the concentration of combustible gas. Based on this detection signal, the control unit 12a can determine whether or not the concentration of combustible gas is above a standard value. If the concentration is above a standard value, the control unit 12a can close the tank-side shut-off valve 43 and stop the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31. The standard value can be determined based on experiments and / or experience.

[0075] (2-3. Regarding duct compartments) The fuel cell vessel SH further comprises a lower duct compartment 70 and an upper duct compartment 80. Here, the lower duct compartment 70 and the upper duct compartment 80 are collectively referred to as the duct compartment 90. The duct compartment 90 is a housing for various types of piping. For example, the duct compartment 90 houses a portion of the fuel gas supply piping 32. The interior of the lower duct compartment 70 and the interior of the upper duct compartment 80 are connected via a duct communication section 91. The details of the lower duct compartment 70 and the upper duct compartment 80 will be described below.

[0076] 《2-3-1. Lower Duct Compartment》 The lower duct compartment 70 is located below deck 1a. Specifically, the lower duct compartment 70 is located in the engine room 13. Within the engine room 13, the lower duct compartment 70 is located aft of the fuel cell compartment 30. In other words, the lower duct compartment 70 is located below deck 1a, between the fuel cell compartment 30 and the tank compartment 40. The lower duct compartment 70 houses a portion of the fuel gas supply piping 32 and a portion of the gas filling piping 42.

[0077] Here, "part of the fuel gas supply piping 32" contained in the lower duct compartment 70 refers to the portion of the fuel gas supply piping 32 located between the fuel cell compartment 30 and the tank compartment 40. Also, "part of the gas filling piping 42" contained in the lower duct compartment 70 refers to the portion of the gas filling piping 42 located between the tank compartment 40 and the upper duct compartment 80.

[0078] The material of the lower duct compartment 70 is, for example, FRP, but it may also be sheet metal. The lower duct compartment 70 has a hollow shape. For example, the lower duct compartment 70 has a hollow, substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. In this case, the outer walls constituting the lower duct compartment 70 include, for example, a top wall 70a, a bottom wall 70b, a front wall (not shown), a rear wall (not shown), side walls 70c and 70d. However, the top, bottom, front, rear and side surfaces of the lower duct compartment 70 can be arbitrarily determined. Furthermore, the shape of the lower duct compartment 70 is not particularly limited as long as it has space to accommodate a part of the fuel gas supply piping 32, etc. The lower duct compartment 70 can also be considered as a container, chamber, or box that accommodates a part of the fuel gas supply piping 32, etc.

[0079] An air inlet 70e for the lower duct compartment is provided in the side wall 70d of the lower duct compartment 70. The air inlet 70e for the lower duct compartment is connected to the air supply pipe 74 for the lower duct compartment, which will be described later. The air inlet 70e for the lower duct compartment may also be provided in an outer wall other than the side wall 70d of the lower duct compartment 70.

[0080] On the other hand, a lower duct compartment communication opening 70f is provided in the top wall 70a of the lower duct compartment 70. The lower duct compartment communication opening 70f communicates with the duct communication section 91 described above. Note that the lower duct compartment communication opening 70f may also be provided in an outer wall other than the top wall 70a of the lower duct compartment 70.

[0081] Furthermore, a battery compartment communication port 70g is provided in the side wall 70d of the lower duct compartment 70. The battery compartment communication port 70g is connected to the battery compartment exhaust port 30f of the fuel cell compartment 30, as described above, via a connecting pipe 92. As a result, the air inside the fuel cell compartment 30 flows into the lower duct compartment 70 via the battery compartment exhaust port 30f, the connecting pipe 92, and the battery compartment communication port 70g. Note that the battery compartment communication port 70g may also be provided in an outer wall other than the side wall 70d of the lower duct compartment 70.

[0082] The connecting pipe 92 is composed of a double pipe, for example, an inner pipe and an outer pipe. The inner pipe is composed of, for example, a fuel gas supply pipe 32. The outer pipe is located radially outside the inner pipe. The gas inside the fuel cell compartment 30 passes from the battery compartment exhaust port 30f, through the space between the inner and outer pipes of the connecting pipe 92, and towards the battery compartment connecting port 70g of the lower duct compartment 70.

[0083] The lower duct compartment 70 has a sealed space inside, except for the lower duct compartment air supply port 70e, the lower duct compartment communication port 70f, and the battery compartment communication port 70g.

[0084] The lower duct compartment 70 houses a portion of the fuel gas discharge piping 71. The fuel gas discharge piping 71 is a fuel discharge piping that branches off from the fuel gas supply piping 32 located within the lower duct compartment 70. For example, the fuel gas discharge piping 71 branches off from the fuel gas supply piping 32 between two shut-off valves SV.

[0085] More specifically, the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 is installed branching off from the fuel gas supply pipe 32 between the tank-side shut-off valve 43 in the tank compartment 40 and the fuel cell-side shut-off valve 33 in the fuel cell compartment 30. The fuel gas discharge pipe 71 extends from inside the lower duct compartment 70 through the lower duct compartment communication port 70f and the duct communication section 91 into the upper duct compartment 80, and further communicates with the inside of the vent pipe 10. Therefore, the "part of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71" contained in the lower duct compartment 70 refers to the portion of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 located between the branching point with the fuel gas supply pipe 32 and the upper duct compartment 80.

[0086] The lower duct compartment 70 further houses the discharge valve 72. The discharge valve 72 is an on-off valve installed in the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 that opens or closes the flow path of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71. The discharge valve 72 is an example of peripheral equipment 11. The opening and closing of the discharge valve 72 is controlled by the control unit 11. The discharge valve 72 may also be installed in the upper duct compartment 80.

[0087] The lower duct compartment 70 further houses the lower duct compartment internal gas detector 73. The lower duct compartment internal gas detector 73 is a fuel gas detector located inside the lower duct compartment 70. For example, if the fuel gas is hydrogen gas, the lower duct compartment internal gas detector 73 consists of a hydrogen gas detection sensor.

[0088] The lower duct compartment internal gas detector 73 is positioned on the ceiling wall 70a located above the lower duct compartment 70, either near the lower duct compartment communication port 70f or inside the lower duct compartment communication port 70f. If fuel gas leaks from the fuel gas supply pipe 32 within the lower duct compartment 70, the leaked fuel gas will travel through the lower duct compartment communication port 70f towards the upper duct compartment 80. In other words, the lower duct compartment communication port 70f is located at the downstream end of the flow path through which the fuel gas flows when it leaks within the lower duct compartment 70. Therefore, by positioning the lower duct compartment internal gas detector 73 near the lower duct compartment communication port 70f or inside the lower duct compartment communication port 70f, the leaked fuel gas can be reliably detected by the lower duct compartment internal gas detector 73, which is located at the downstream end of the flow path, regardless of where the fuel gas leaks within the lower duct compartment 70.

[0089] When the lower duct compartment internal gas detector 73 detects fuel gas in the lower duct 70, the detection signal is sent from the lower duct compartment internal gas detector 73 to the control unit 12a. Based on this detection signal, the control unit 12a can perform the control described later to stop the power generation of the fuel cell 31.

[0090] Furthermore, the lower duct compartment 70 may also house a fire detector for detecting a fire inside the lower duct compartment 70.

[0091] A lower duct compartment air supply pipe 74 is connected to the lower duct compartment 70. The lower duct compartment air supply pipe 74 extends from the lower duct compartment air inlet 70e of the lower duct compartment 70 to the deck 1a and is exposed from the upper surface of the deck 1a.

[0092] At the deck 1a-side end of the lower duct compartment air supply pipe 74, a lower duct compartment air supply device 75 and a lower duct compartment external gas detector 76 are positioned. The lower duct compartment air supply device 75 and the lower duct compartment external gas detector 76 are located on the upper part of deck 1a.

[0093] The lower duct compartment air supply device 75 is composed of, for example, an inexpensive non-explosion-proof air supply fan, but may also be composed of an explosion-proof air supply fan. The lower duct compartment air supply device 75 is driven by the control unit 12a. The lower duct compartment air supply device 75 may be equipped with one or more filters (not shown). These filters remove, for example, dust or sea salt particles.

[0094] The lower duct compartment air supply device 75 supplies outside air to the lower duct compartment 70 (duct compartment 90) through the lower duct compartment air supply pipe 74 and the lower duct compartment air supply port 70e. The air inside the lower duct compartment 70 is discharged to the upper duct compartment 80 through the lower duct compartment communication port 70f. This ventilates the inside of the lower duct compartment 70. As a result, even if fuel gas leaks from the fuel gas supply pipe 32 inside the lower duct compartment 70, the accumulation of that fuel gas can be suppressed.

[0095] The lower duct compartment external gas detector 76 detects flammable gases (such as hydrogen gas floating around the hull 1) flowing into the duct compartment 90 from the outside. The lower duct compartment external gas detector 76 is a flammable gas sensor, such as a hydrogen gas sensor. The lower duct compartment external gas detector 76 is positioned on the opposite side of the lower duct compartment air supply pipe 74 from the lower duct compartment air supply device 75, that is, on the upstream side of the airflow from the outside to the inside of the duct compartment 90. The lower duct compartment external gas detector 76 may also be composed of a gas sensor that detects flammable gases other than hydrogen gas.

[0096] The lower duct compartment external gas detector 76 outputs a detection signal to the control unit 12a, for example, indicating the concentration of combustible gas. Based on this detection signal, the control unit 12a can determine whether the concentration of combustible gas is above a standard value. If the concentration is above a standard value, the control unit 12a can control the shut-off valve SV to stop the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31. The standard value can be determined based on experiments and / or experience.

[0097] 《2-3-2. Upper Duct Compartment》 The upper duct compartment 80 is located above deck 1a. Specifically, the upper duct compartment 80 is located on deck 1a, spanning from the lower duct compartment 70 to the tank compartment 40. The upper duct compartment 80 houses a portion of the fuel gas discharge piping 71 and a portion of the gas filling piping 42.

[0098] Here, "part of the fuel gas discharge piping 71" contained in the upper duct compartment 80 refers to the portion of the fuel gas discharge piping 71 that exits the lower duct compartment 70 and extends toward the vent pipe 10. Also, "part of the gas filling piping 42" contained in the upper duct compartment 80 refers to the portion of the gas filling piping 42 that exits the lower duct compartment 70 and extends toward the fuel gas filling port 82, which will be described later.

[0099] The material of the upper duct compartment 80 is, for example, FRP, but it may also be sheet metal. The upper duct compartment 80 has a hollow shape. For example, the upper duct compartment 80 has a hollow, substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. In this case, the outer walls constituting the upper duct compartment 80 include, for example, a top wall 80a, a bottom wall 80b, a front wall (not shown), a rear wall (not shown), side walls 80c and 80d. However, the top, bottom, front, rear and side surfaces of the upper duct compartment 80 can be arbitrarily determined. Furthermore, the shape of the upper duct compartment 80 is not particularly limited as long as it has space to accommodate a part of the fuel gas exhaust piping 71, etc. The upper duct compartment 80 can also be considered as a container, chamber, or box that accommodates a part of the fuel gas exhaust piping 71, etc.

[0100] As described above, the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 is connected to the inside of the vent pipe 10. When the discharge valve 72 is opened, the gas (e.g., fuel gas) inside the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 flows from the end 71a of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 into the inside of the vent pipe 10 and is discharged overboard from the vent pipe 10. Here, it is desirable that the end 71a of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 is positioned upward inside the vent pipe 10, that is, facing the opening side of the vent pipe 10. In this case, the discharge direction of the gas released from the end 71a of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 is upward.

[0101] For example, if fuel gas is discharged sideways from the end 71a of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71, the discharged fuel gas will hit the inner wall of the vent pipe 10 and flow downward, which may cause the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a in the tank compartment 40 to malfunction. By positioning the end 71a of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 upward inside the vent pipe 10 as described above, the risk of the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a malfunctioning due to fuel gas discharged from the end 71a can be reduced.

[0102] An upper duct compartment air inlet 80e is provided in the bottom wall 80b of the upper duct compartment 80. The upper duct compartment air inlet 80e communicates with the duct communication section 91. Therefore, the upper duct compartment 80 communicates with the lower duct compartment 70 via the upper duct compartment air inlet 80e, the duct communication section 91, and the lower duct communication opening 70f. Note that the upper duct compartment air inlet 80e may also be provided in an outer wall other than the bottom wall 80b of the upper duct compartment 80.

[0103] The upper duct section 80 has a vent pipe connection section 81. The vent pipe connection section 81 is a pipe that connects the inside of the upper duct section 80 to the vent pipe 10. In Figure 3, the vent pipe connection section 81 is shown as being bent upward from the horizontal direction, but the shape of the vent pipe connection section 81 is not limited to the shape in Figure 3. The reason why the vent pipe connection section 81 is bent upward is the same as the reason why the end 71a of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 is bent upward, and is to reduce the risk of the tank section internal gas detector 44a malfunctioning due to the fuel gas discharged from the vent pipe connection section 81, which will be described later.

[0104] The vent pipe 10 extends upward from the tank compartment 40 and is located inside the upper duct compartment 80. More specifically, the vent pipe 10 penetrates the bottom wall 80b of the upper duct compartment 80, enters the interior of the vent pipe 10, and penetrates the top wall 80a. Note that the top wall 80a is actually inclined as shown in Figure 1, but for convenience, it is shown as a horizontal plane in Figure 3. The vent pipe connecting section 81 is provided inside the upper duct compartment 80, penetrating the side wall of the vent pipe 10. As a result, the upper duct compartment 80 communicates with the vent pipe 10 via the vent pipe connecting section 81.

[0105] Therefore, the air inside the upper duct compartment 80 is discharged overboard via the vent pipe connection 81 and the vent pipe 10. This allows for ventilation inside the upper duct compartment 80. Furthermore, even if fuel gas leaks from the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 within the upper duct compartment 80, the leaked fuel gas is discharged overboard via the vent pipe connection 81 and the vent pipe 10. This prevents the leaked fuel gas from accumulating within the upper duct compartment 80.

[0106] Furthermore, the upper duct compartment 80 and the lower duct compartment 70 are connected via a duct connecting section 91. This allows (1) air taken into the lower duct compartment 70 via the lower duct compartment air supply pipe 74, (2) fuel gas leaking from the fuel gas supply pipe 32 in the lower duct compartment 70 for any reason, and (3) air or fuel gas discharged from the fuel cell compartment 30 to the lower duct compartment 70 via the connecting pipe 92 to be discharged overboard via the upper duct compartment 80 and the vent pipe 10. This suppresses the accumulation of fuel gas inside the lower duct compartment 70 and the fuel cell compartment 30.

[0107] The upper duct section 80 is provided with a fuel gas filling port 82 and a fuel gas check valve 83. The fuel gas filling port 82 is a fuel filling port that serves as the inlet when filling the fuel tank 41 with fuel (for example, fuel gas), and is connected to the gas filling pipe 42.

[0108] The fuel gas check valve 83 is installed in the gas filling pipe 42. More specifically, the fuel gas check valve 83 is located between the branching point of the gas filling pipe 42 and the inert gas pipe 87 (described later) and the fuel gas filling port 82.

[0109] When fuel gas is supplied from the fuel gas filling port 82, the fuel gas is supplied to the fuel tank 41 in the tank compartment 40 via the fuel gas check valve 83 and the gas filling pipe 42. As a result, the fuel tank 41 is filled with fuel gas and stored. The fuel gas check valve 83 is provided to prevent backflow of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel gas filling port 82.

[0110] The upper duct section 80 is further provided with an inert gas filling port 84, an on-off valve 85, an inert gas check valve 86, and an inert gas pipe 87. The inert gas filling port 84 is the inlet for filling the fuel tank 41 with inert gas and is connected to the inert gas pipe 87. The inert gas pipe 87 is provided within the upper duct section 80, branching off from the gas filling pipe 42. The on-off valve 85 and the inert gas check valve 86 are provided in the inert gas pipe 87. In the inert gas pipe 87, the on-off valve 85 is located between the inert gas filling port 84 and the inert gas check valve 86.

[0111] The on-off valve 85 opens or closes the flow path of the inert gas piping 87. In configurations where an inert gas check valve 86 is provided in the inert gas piping 87, the installation of the on-off valve 85 may be omitted.

[0112] When fuel gas is not supplied to the fuel gas filling port 82, inert gas is supplied to the inert gas filling port 84, and the shut-off valve 85 opens the flow path of the inert gas piping 87. The inert gas then passes through the inert gas check valve 86 and is supplied to the fuel tank 41 in the tank compartment 40 via the inert gas piping 87 and the gas filling piping 42. Furthermore, the tank-side shut-off valve 43 opens the flow path of the fuel gas supply piping 32, the fuel cell-side shut-off valve 33 closes the flow path of the fuel gas supply piping 32, and the discharge valve 72 opens the flow path of the fuel gas discharge piping 71. As a result, the fuel gas remaining in the fuel tank 41 is discharged to the vent pipe 10 via the fuel gas supply piping 32 and the fuel gas discharge piping 71. This removes the fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 (purging process). During this process, the main valve 41 is opened and closed as needed.

[0113] In addition, there may be a pipe that connects directly from the gas filling pipe 42 to the fuel gas supply pipe 32 between the fuel tank 41 and the tank-side shut-off valve 43 (tank system). In this configuration, when purging the fuel tank 41 with inert gas, the tank-side shut-off valve 43 is closed while the fuel tank 41 is filled with inert gas, and then the tank-side shut-off valve 43 is opened to facilitate the release of the inert gas from the fuel tank 41.

[0114] As mentioned above, the fuel gas filling port 82 and the inert gas filling port 84 are provided in the upper duct section 80. If we consider the fuel gas filling port 82 and the inert gas filling port 84 as integral parts with the fuel gas filling port cover 82a and the inert gas filling port cover 84a, respectively, then it can be said that the fuel gas filling port 82 and the inert gas filling port 84 are located at the interface between the inside and outside of the upper duct section 80. Therefore, "the fuel gas filling port 82 and the inert gas filling port 84 are provided in the upper duct section 80" includes the case where the fuel gas filling port 82 and the inert gas filling port 84 are provided at the above interface of the upper duct section 80.

[0115] Furthermore, an internal gas detector 88 is housed within the upper duct compartment 80. The internal gas detector 88 is a fuel gas detector located inside the upper duct compartment 80. For example, if the fuel gas is hydrogen gas, the internal gas detector 88 consists of a hydrogen gas detection sensor.

[0116] The upper duct compartment internal gas detector 88 is located on the top wall 80a above the upper duct compartment 80. Hydrogen gas, used as fuel gas, is lighter than air and rises. Therefore, even if fuel gas leaks within the upper duct compartment 80, the leaked fuel gas can be reliably detected by the upper duct compartment internal gas detector 88. To more reliably detect leaked fuel gas within the upper duct compartment 80, the upper duct compartment internal gas detector 88 may be positioned closer to the vent pipe connection 81.

[0117] When the upper duct compartment internal gas detector 88 detects fuel gas in the upper duct compartment 80, the detection signal is sent from the upper duct compartment internal gas detector 88 to the control unit 12a. Based on this detection signal, the control unit 12a can perform the control described later to stop the power generation of the fuel cell 31.

[0118] The upper duct compartment 80 may further house a fire detector for detecting a fire inside the upper duct compartment 80.

[0119] (2-4. Supplementary information on bent pipes) Inside the vent pipe 10, a vent pipe internal gas detector 10a is provided downstream of the outlet 81a of the vent pipe communication section 81. The downstream side refers to the downstream side in the direction of airflow when the air inside the tank compartment 40 flows through the vent pipe 10 and is discharged overboard. For example, if the fuel gas is hydrogen gas, the vent pipe internal gas detector 10a is composed of a diffusion type or suction type hydrogen gas detection sensor. The detection signal from the vent pipe internal gas detector 10a is sent to the control unit 12a.

[0120] For example, if the control unit 12a is outputting a signal to close the discharge valve 72 (a closing signal), and the internal gas detector 44a in the tank compartment and the internal gas detector 88 in the upper duct compartment are not detecting fuel gas, but the internal gas detector 10a in the vent pipe is detecting fuel gas, then it can be determined that the discharge valve 72 is not completely blocking the flow path of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71, in other words, that the discharge valve 72 is malfunctioning. In this case, the control unit 12a can prompt maintenance personnel to inspect, repair, or replace the discharge valve 72 by, for example, notifying an external party. External notification may include monitor display, output of an alarm sound, or transmission of information to an external terminal.

[0121] [3. Consolidation of hazardous areas into duct compartments] Next, regarding the fuel cell ship SH described above, the point that the hazardous areas through which the fuel gas passes are concentrated in the duct section 90 will be explained with reference to Figures 1 to 3, as well as Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 is a perspective view showing an enlarged view of section A in Figure 1. Figure 5 is a perspective view showing section A in Figure 1, with the fuel gas filling port cover 82a and the inert gas filling port cover 84a omitted from the illustration.

[0122] The fuel gas filling port cover 82a is rotatably mounted relative to the upper window 82b shown in Figure 5. Inside the upper window 82b is the fuel gas filling port 82 located in the upper duct compartment 80. By rotating the fuel gas filling port cover 82a to open the upper window 82b, the fuel gas filling port 82 is exposed to the outside. This makes it possible to fill the fuel tank 41 with fuel gas through the fuel gas filling port 82. On the other hand, by rotating the fuel gas filling port cover 82a to close the upper window 82b, the fuel gas filling port 82 is hidden. The fuel cell ship SH sails with the fuel gas filling port 82 hidden by the fuel gas filling port cover 82a in this manner.

[0123] The inert gas filling port cover 84a is rotatably mounted relative to the lower window 84b shown in Figure 5. Inside the lower window 82b are the inert gas filling port 84 and the on-off valve 85 provided in the upper duct compartment 80. By rotating the inert gas filling port cover 84a to open the lower window 84b, the inert gas filling port 84 and the on-off valve 85 are exposed to the outside. This makes it possible to open the on-off valve 85 and fill the fuel tank 41 with inert gas through the inert gas filling port 84. On the other hand, by rotating the fuel gas filling port cover 84a to close the lower window 84b, the inert gas filling port 84 and the on-off valve 85 are hidden. The fuel cell ship SH sails with the inert gas filling port 84 and the on-off valve 85 hidden by the inert gas filling port cover 84a in this manner.

[0124] As described above, the fuel cell ship SH is equipped with a duct section 90 that houses a portion of the fuel gas supply piping 32 (fuel supply piping), a vent pipe 10 that communicates with the duct section 90 (particularly the upper duct section 80) (via a vent pipe connecting section 81), and a fuel gas filling port 82 (fuel filling port) that serves as the inlet when filling the fuel tank 41 with fuel. As shown in Figures 1, 3, and 5, the fuel gas filling port 82 is provided in the duct section 90 (particularly the upper duct section 80).

[0125] If fuel gas leaks from the fuel gas supply pipe 32 within the duct compartment 90, the leaked fuel gas will travel towards the vent pipe 10 (via the vent pipe connection 81) and be discharged outside the duct compartment 90 (for example, overboard) through the vent pipe 10. Also, when filling the fuel tank 41 with fuel gas, the fuel gas is supplied to the fuel tank 41 through the fuel gas filling port 82. Therefore, the vent pipe 10 and the fuel gas filling port 82 are hazardous areas through which fuel gas passes. In order to ensure safety, it may be required that various electrical equipment (for example, the lower duct compartment air supply device 75, which is a non-explosion-proof air supply fan) not be placed around these hazardous areas (for example, within a radius of 1.5m). For this reason, if the vent pipe 10 and the fuel gas filling port 82 are located far apart, the hazardous area where various electrical equipment cannot be placed will expand.

[0126] By providing the fuel gas filling port 82 in the duct section 90 that communicates with the vent pipe 10, the hazardous areas through which the fuel gas passes (fuel gas filling port 82 and vent pipe 10) are concentrated in the duct section 90. This reduces the area of ​​hazardous locations where various electrical equipment cannot be placed (making the area of ​​hazardous locations more compact) compared to a configuration where the fuel gas filling port 82 and vent pipe 10 are located separately (for example, in different sections). As a result, the degree of freedom in placing various electrical equipment can be increased.

[0127] Furthermore, the fuel cell vessel SH is equipped with a fuel gas discharge pipe 71 (fuel discharge pipe) that branches off from the fuel gas supply pipe 32 (fuel supply pipe), and a gas filling pipe 42 (fuel filling pipe) that connects the fuel gas filling port 82 (fuel filling port) to the fuel tank 41. The duct compartment 90 houses the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 and the gas filling pipe 42 (see Figure 3).

[0128] The fuel gas discharge pipe 71 and the gas filling pipe 42 (similar to the fuel gas filling port 82 and the vent pipe 10) are also hazardous areas through which fuel gas passes. By housing the hazardous areas, the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 and the gas filling pipe 42, together in the duct compartment 90, the hazardous area is reduced compared to a configuration where these pipes are located in separate places. Therefore, as described above, the degree of freedom in the placement of various electrical equipment can be increased.

[0129] Furthermore, the fuel cell ship SH is equipped with an inert gas filling port 84, which serves as the inlet for filling the fuel tank 41 with inert gas, and an inert gas pipe 87 connected to the inert gas filling port 84 and the gas filling pipe 42. The duct compartment 90 further accommodates the inert gas pipe 87 (see Figure 3).

[0130] In this configuration, the piping that supplies gas to the fuel tank 41 can be grouped together within the duct section 90 to achieve a compact layout. In other words, the gas filling piping 42 that supplies fuel gas to the fuel tank 41 and the inert gas piping 87 that supplies inert gas to the fuel tank 41 can be grouped together within the duct section 90 to achieve a compact layout.

[0131] Furthermore, the fuel cell ship SH is equipped with a fuel cell compartment 30 in which a fuel cell 31 is installed, and a connecting pipe 92 that connects the fuel cell compartment 30 to a duct compartment 90 (for example, a lower duct compartment 70) (see Figure 3).

[0132] In this configuration, exhaust from the fuel cell compartment 30 can be discharged to the duct compartment 90 via the connecting pipe 92, and then discharged to the outside (e.g., outside the ship) via the vent pipe 10 from the duct compartment 90. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the fuel cell compartment 30 has a separate dedicated vent pipe (independent from other compartments), the total number of vent pipes can be reduced, simplifying the configuration. Furthermore, even if fuel gas leaks within the fuel cell compartment 30, the leaked fuel gas is guided to the duct compartment 90 via the connecting pipe 92. In other words, the area through which the leaked fuel gas passes is concentrated in the duct compartment 90. As a result, the hazardous area is reduced compared to a configuration in which, for example, the fuel cell compartment 30 has a dedicated vent pipe, and in this respect as well, the flexibility of the placement of various electrical equipment can be increased.

[0133] Furthermore, the fuel cell vessel SH is equipped with a tank compartment 40 in which the fuel tank 41 is installed. The vent pipe 10 communicates with both the duct compartment 90 (particularly the upper duct compartment 80) and the tank compartment 40 (see Figure 3).

[0134] In this configuration, exhaust from the tank compartment 40 can be discharged to the outside (e.g., overboard) via the vent pipe 10. Furthermore, since the vent pipe 10 for exhaust is shared by the tank compartment 40 and the duct compartment 90, the total number of vent pipes can be reduced and the configuration simplified compared to a configuration in which separate vent pipes are provided for the tank compartment 40 and the duct compartment 90. In addition, even if fuel gas leaks from at least one of the tank compartment 40 and the duct compartment 90, the leaked fuel gas is collected in a single vent pipe 10 and discharged to the outside. As a result, the hazardous area is reduced compared to a configuration in which separate vent pipes are provided for the tank compartment 40 and the duct compartment 90 and fuel gas is discharged from separate vent pipes, and in this respect as well, the degree of freedom in the placement of various electrical equipment is increased.

[0135] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a lower duct compartment air supply device 75 is arranged around the duct compartment 90. The lower duct compartment air supply device 75 is an example of electrical equipment EM (see Figure 3) arranged around the duct compartment 90. In other words, the fuel cell ship SH of this embodiment is equipped with electrical equipment EM arranged around the duct compartment 90. In this case, the degree of freedom in the arrangement of electrical equipment EM around the duct compartment 90 can be increased.

[0136] In particular, the electrical equipment EM includes a duct compartment air supply device (lower duct compartment air supply device 75) that supplies air into the duct compartment 90 (lower duct compartment 70). In this case, the degree of freedom in the placement of the lower duct compartment air supply device 75 around the duct compartment 90 can be increased.

[0137] [4. Measures to take in the event of a fuel gas leak in the duct area] As described above, the duct compartment 90 is where all hazardous areas through which fuel gas passes are concentrated. Therefore, in order to appropriately deal with fuel gas leaks in the duct compartment 90, fuel gas detectors (upper duct compartment internal gas detector 88, lower duct compartment internal gas detector 73) are installed inside the duct compartment 90 to detect fuel gas, which is the gaseous state of the fuel. The control unit 12a then controls the power generation of the fuel cell 31 based on the detection signals output from the fuel gas detectors. Note that only the upper duct compartment internal gas detector 88 may be installed in the duct compartment 90. In other words, the installation of the lower duct compartment internal gas detector 73 may be omitted. This is because hydrogen leaked in the lower duct compartment 70 will eventually flow into the upper duct compartment 80 and be detected by the upper duct compartment internal gas detector 88.

[0138] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the processing flow based on the detection of fuel gas within the duct compartment 90. When the lower duct compartment internal gas detector 73 or the upper duct compartment internal gas detector 88 detects that the fuel gas concentration in the lower duct compartment 70 or upper duct compartment 80 is above the standard value, and this detection signal is sent to the control unit 12a (S1), the control unit 12a stops the operation of the fuel cell 31 and stops the power generation of the fuel cell 31 (S2). The standard value can be, for example, 40% LEL, but it may be determined appropriately based on experiments or experience.

[0139] Next, the control unit 12a closes the main valve 41a of the fuel tank 41 (S3). This stops the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31. In addition to closing the main valve 41a, the control unit 12a may also control the shut-off valves SV (tank-side shut-off valve 43, fuel cell-side shut-off valve 33) provided in the fuel gas supply piping 32 to close.

[0140] Thus, the fuel cell ship SH is equipped with a control unit 12a that controls the power generation of the fuel cell 31. The control unit 12a stops the power generation of the fuel cell 31 when the fuel gas detectors (upper duct compartment internal gas detector 88, lower duct compartment internal gas detector 73) detect that the fuel gas concentration is above a predetermined standard value (S1, S2).

[0141] When a fuel gas leak exceeding the standard value is detected within the duct compartment 90, the power generation of the fuel cell 31 can be safely stopped.

[0142] In particular, when the fuel gas detector detects that the fuel gas concentration is above a predetermined standard value, the control unit 12a closes the main valve 41a of the fuel tank 41 (S3). Closing the main valve 41a stops the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31, thus ensuring that the power generation of the fuel cell 31 is reliably stopped.

[0143] In this embodiment, a gaseous fuel gas is used as the fuel supplied from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31, but the fuel is not limited to a gas and may be a liquid. If a liquid fuel is used, and the liquid fuel leaks from the piping, the leaked liquid fuel will vaporize and become a gas (fuel gas).

[0144] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and it can be expanded or modified without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0145] This invention can be used, for example, in fuel cell ships. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0146] 1. Hull 6 Propulsion device 10 Bent pipes 12a Control Unit 30 Fuel Cell Compartments 31 Fuel Cell 32 Fuel gas supply piping (fuel supply piping) 40 Tank Compartments 41 Fuel tank 41a Original valve 42. Gas filling piping (fuel filling piping) 70 Lower duct compartment (duct compartment) 71 Fuel gas exhaust piping 73. Lower duct compartment internal gas detector (fuel gas detector) 75. Lower duct compartment air supply device (duct compartment air supply device) 80 Upper duct compartment (duct compartment) 82 Fuel gas filling port (fuel filling port) 84 Inert gas filling port 87 Inert gas piping 88. Gas detector inside the upper duct compartment (fuel gas detector) 90 Duct Compartments 92 Communication pipe EM Electrical Equipment SH fuel cell ship

Claims

1. Equipped with a fuel cell that generates electricity through the electrochemical reaction of fuel, A fuel cell ship that supplies power to onboard equipment from the aforementioned fuel cell, It is equipped with a fuel tank for storing the aforementioned fuel, A fuel cell ship, wherein a fuel filling port for filling the fuel tank is provided on the outer wall of the cabin.

2. The fuel cell ship according to claim 1, wherein the fuel filling port is provided on the starboard side of the cabin.

3. The fuel cell ship according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fuel filling port is provided on the rear side of the cabin.

4. The fuel cell ship according to claim 1, wherein an inert gas filling port is provided in the outer wall of the cabin.

5. The fuel cell vessel according to claim 4, wherein the fuel filling port and the inert gas filling port are provided on the starboard side of the cabin.

6. The fuel cell ship according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the fuel filling port is located at a higher position than the inert gas filling port.

7. The fuel cell vessel according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the outer wall portion of the cabin includes the outer wall portion of an upper duct compartment located above the deck.

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