Fuel cell vehicles

Abstract

To suppress or avoid damage to the air compressor located in the front compartment of a fuel cell vehicle during a side collision or similar event. [Solution] In a fuel cell vehicle, oxygen-containing gas is supplied from an air compressor to a fuel cell housed in the vehicle's front compartment via a gas supply pipe. A protector is fastened to the air compressor, and the end of the protector in the vehicle width direction is positioned opposite a side frame located further outward from the air compressor in the vehicle width direction. A portion of the gas supply pipe is positioned between this side frame and the end of the protector to absorb impacts that occur during collisions, etc.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a fuel cell vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] In a fuel cell vehicle, in addition to a fuel cell stack, an air compressor for supplying air as an oxygen-containing gas to the fuel cell is disposed in the front room. When the vehicle collides, an impact is applied to the devices in the front room. For this reason, an arrangement for enhancing the impact resistance of the air compressor has been conventionally demanded. For example, in Patent Document 1, auxiliary machines such as a refrigerant supply pump are disposed in front of the air compressor in the traveling direction to mitigate the impact applied to the air compressor at the time of vehicle collision by the refrigerant supply pump.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Patent Document 1 is excellent in that it attempts to mitigate the impact applied to the air compressor by the arrangement of the auxiliary machine and the air compressor. However, even when there is not enough space to arrange an auxiliary machine such as a refrigerant supply pump between the air compressor and the vehicle frame, for example, a structure for mitigating the impact at the time of collision applied to the air compressor is demanded to increase the degree of freedom in arranging the air compressor and the auxiliary machine.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] This disclosure can be realized in the following forms or application examples.

[0006] (1) One embodiment of the present disclosure is a fuel cell vehicle. This fuel cell vehicle comprises a fuel cell housed in the front room of the vehicle, an air compressor that supplies oxygen-containing gas to the fuel cell via a gas supply pipe, a side frame provided on the outside of the vehicle width direction relative to the air compressor, and a protector fastened to the air compressor, the protector having its end in the vehicle width direction positioned opposite the side frame. Here, a portion of the gas supply pipe is positioned between the side frame and the end of the protector. In this way, even if the vehicle is hit by an impact such as a side collision and the air compressor in the front room moves towards the side frame, the end of the protector will crush the gas supply pipe and collide with the side frame, thereby suppressing damage to the air compressor. (2) In the configuration of (1) above, the protector may be provided with a mounting plate at its end that is larger in the direction of thickness than the thickness of the protector. In this way, the mounting plate provided at the end of the protector will be in sure contact with the gas supply pipe, so that shock absorption by the gas supply pipe can be reliably achieved. (3) In the configuration of (1) or (2) above, an inverter that supplies power to the air compressor may be further provided, and at least a part of the inverter case housing the inverter may be located on the side frame side of the air compressor and inside the mounting plate. In this way, even if an impact such as a side collision occurs, the impact on the inverter case housing the inverter can be reduced, and damage to the inverter case and, consequently, the inverter components inside can be suppressed. (4) In each of the above configurations, the fastening between the protector and the air compressor may be done by multiple bosses. This reduces the impact on multiple bosses, thereby suppressing or avoiding boss fractures. (5) In the configurations described in (1) to (4) above, the portion of the gas supply piping located between the side frame and the end of the protector may be made of resin. This allows the strength of the gas supply piping to be lower than that of the side frame and the protector mounting plate, so that if the air compressor moves towards the side frame due to an impact such as a side collision, the gas supply piping will collapse, thus reliably mitigating the impact. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] An explanatory diagram showing the schematic configuration of the fuel cell vehicle of the embodiment in a cross-sectional view. [Figure 2] A block diagram showing the schematic configuration of the fuel cell system of the embodiment. [Figure 3] A plan view illustrating the positional relationship between the side frame and the air compressor in a fuel cell vehicle according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] View from arrow IV-IV in Figure 3. [Figure 5] A schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the side frame, protector, and air compressor as viewed from the X direction. [Figure 6] An explanatory diagram illustrating how the side frame deforms when subjected to impact. [Figure 7] An explanatory diagram illustrating the effect on the boss when the side frame is subjected to impact. [Figure 8] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of deformation of various parts during a collision. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] A. Embodiments: (A1) Overall structure: Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a fuel cell vehicle 500 as one embodiment of the present disclosure in a cross-sectional view. The fuel cell vehicle 500 is equipped with a fuel cell 101 as a power source and drives the rear wheels RW by driving a motor M, which is a power source. Figure 1 shows a cross-section of the fuel cell vehicle 500 at a predetermined position in the vehicle width direction LH, along the X direction toward the front FD and the -X direction toward the rear RD of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the directions along the X direction and the -X direction may be called the "front-rear direction FRD". In Figure 1, the Y direction, which is the vehicle width direction of the fuel cell vehicle 500, is called the vehicle width direction LH, and among the Z direction which is perpendicular to the X and Y directions, the direction of gravity, i.e., vertically downward, may be called the gravity direction G. The symbols and arrows indicating the X, Y, and Z directions shown in Figure 1 are shown similarly in other figures.

[0009] The fuel cell vehicle 500 comprises a front room 510, a tank storage compartment 520, and a passenger compartment 530. The front room 510, the tank storage compartment 520, and the passenger compartment 530 are separated by a dashboard DB. The tank storage compartment 520 and the passenger compartment 530 are separated by a floor panel FP. The passenger compartment 530 is the passenger compartment and has multiple seats, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 1. The passenger compartment 530 is located approximately in the area between the pair of front wheels FW and the pair of rear wheels RW. The front room 510 is located forward FD of the passenger compartment 530. The tank storage compartment 520 is located rearward RD of the front room 510 and below the passenger compartment 530.

[0010] The front room 510 contains a suspension member 550 and at least some components of the fuel cell system 200, including the fuel cell 101. The suspension member 550 is a columnar member with its longitudinal direction in the front-rear direction (FRD) and is positioned below the fuel cell 101. Although not shown in the illustration, several suspension members 550 of nearly identical shape are positioned at a predetermined distance apart in the vehicle width direction (LH). In other words, a pair of suspension members 550, positioned at a predetermined distance in the vehicle width direction (LH), are located within the front room 510. The rear end of the suspension member 550 is fixed to a side member (not shown). The side member is a columnar member with its longitudinal direction in the front-rear direction (FRD) and is part of the vehicle frame, i.e., the vehicle's skeleton. On the other hand, the front end of the suspension member 550 is open.

[0011] The fuel cell 101 and support frame 150 are located in the front room 510. The fuel cell 101 is a laminate containing multiple stacked single cells. In this embodiment, the fuel cell 101 is a polymer electrolyte fuel cell. The support frame 150 is a plate-shaped member that supports the fuel cell 101 from below. The fuel cell 101 is positioned at an inclination so that it is located downwards in the front-rear direction FRD, towards the tank 20 (rear RD side). Because the fuel cell 101 is positioned at an inclination in this way, water inside the fuel cell 101 is collected towards the rear RD side using gravity and easily discharged from the fuel cell 101.

[0012] The rear portion of the support frame 150 is attached to the suspension member 550 by a rear mounting portion 401. The front portion of the support frame 150 is attached to the suspension member 550 by a front mounting portion 402.

[0013] The fuel cell system 200 further includes an auxiliary unit 210 that operates when the fuel cell 101 is generating power. The auxiliary unit 210 is located in the front room 510 below the fuel cell 101 and the support frame 150. The auxiliary unit 210 comprises an anode off-gas circulation pump 27, an air compressor 30, a refrigerant supply pump 40, and an intercooler 35. The anode off-gas circulation pump 27, the air compressor 30, and the refrigerant supply pump 40 are each individually fixed. The anode off-gas circulation pump 27 circulates anode off-gas in the fuel cell vehicle 500. Anode off-gas is unreacted anode gas discharged from the fuel cell 101. The air compressor 30 supplies air to the fuel cell 101 as cathode gas. The refrigerant supply pump 40 supplies cooling water to the fuel cell 101 as refrigerant. The intercooler 35 cools the heated cathode gas sent from the air compressor 30 to the fuel cell 101.

[0014] The fuel cell vehicle 500 is equipped with an air conditioning air compressor 50 as an auxiliary unit of the fuel cell vehicle 500. The air conditioning air compressor 50 supplies refrigerant used in the air conditioning system mounted on the fuel cell vehicle 500 to a heat exchanger (not shown). The air conditioning air compressor 50 is located in the front room 510, below the fuel cell 101 and the support frame 150.

[0015] Various components of the fuel cell vehicle 500 are located in front of the auxiliary equipment 210 and the air conditioning compressor 50 on the FD side. These components include part of the bonnet 540, the radiator 43, and parts 551 that form the front of the fuel cell vehicle 500 (for example, the front grille).

[0016] The tank storage chamber 520 houses the tank 20. The tank 20 is filled with hydrogen gas as anode gas. The tank storage chamber 520 is located behind the front room 510 (RD) under the floor of the fuel cell vehicle 500. Also, the tank storage chamber 520 is formed along the front-rear direction FRD at substantially the center in the vehicle width direction LH. The ceiling portion of the tank storage chamber 520 is formed by the floor panel FP of the passenger compartment 530. The portion of the floor of the passenger compartment 530 corresponding to the tank storage chamber 520 protrudes vertically upward compared to other portions of such floor. Thus, the tank storage chamber 520 has a shape similar to the center tunnel in which the drive shaft is arranged in a vehicle equipped with an engine.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the fuel cell system 200. For convenience of explanation, FIG. 2 also shows components (for example, the air conditioner compressor 50 for air conditioning) that do not constitute the fuel cell system 200. The fuel cell system 200 includes, in addition to the fuel cell 101 described above, an anode gas supply / discharge system 20A, a cathode gas supply / discharge system 30A, and a refrigerant circulation system 40A.

[0018] The fuel cell 101 includes a plurality of single cells 11 stacked thereon, and also includes a pair of end plates 110 and 120 at both ends in the stacking direction SD thereof. The end plate 110 is also referred to as the first end plate 110, and the end plate 120 is also referred to as the second end plate 120. Each single cell 11 generates electric power by an electrochemical reaction between the anode gas supplied to the anode side catalyst electrode layer provided with a solid polymer electrolyte membrane interposed therebetween and the cathode gas supplied to the cathode side catalyst electrode layer. In the present embodiment, the anode gas is hydrogen gas, and the cathode gas is an oxygen-containing gas, here air. The fuel cell 101 is installed such that the second end plate 120 is located behind (RD in FIG. 1) the first end plate 110. Inside the fuel cell 101, a manifold (not shown) for flowing the anode gas, the cathode gas, and the refrigerant is formed along the stacking direction SD of the single cells 又はsingle cells 11.

[0019] It should be noted that there is an unclear expression in the original text "又はsingle cells 11" in the translation of item , which may need to be further confirmed according to the actual situation.A pair of end plates 110 and 120 sandwich a laminate containing multiple single cells 11. Of the pair of end plates 110 and 120, the second end plate 120 has the function of supplying anode gas, cathode gas, and cooling medium to a manifold formed in the fuel cell 101, and providing a flow path for discharging these mediums. In contrast, the first end plate 110 does not have such a function. Both the first end plate 110 and the second end plate 120 have a substantially plate-like external shape in which the thickness direction coincides with the lamination direction SD.

[0020] A pair of current collector plates 103F and 103R in the fuel cell 101 are electrically connected to the DC-DC converter 290. An insulating plate 102F is placed between current collector plate 103F and the first end plate 110. Similarly, an insulating plate 102R is placed between current collector plate 103R and the second end plate 120. The DC-DC converter 290 is electrically connected to the motor M and boosts the output voltage of the fuel cell 101 to supply power to the motor M. The power supplied to the motor M is controlled by the control unit 100.

[0021] The anode gas supply and discharge system 20A includes the tank 20 described above, an anode gas supply passage 21 as piping, a main shut-off valve 24, a pressure regulating valve 25, an anode gas circulation passage 22 as piping, a gas-liquid separator 281, the anode off-gas circulation pump 27 described above, an on-off valve 26, and a discharge passage 23 as piping. The anode gas supply passage 21 is connected to the tank 20 and the fuel cell 101. The anode gas supply passage 21 is a passage that circulates hydrogen gas from the tank 20 to the fuel cell 101. The main shut-off valve 24 is provided in the anode gas supply passage 21 and switches the supply of hydrogen gas from the tank 20 on and off according to instructions from the control unit 100. The pressure regulating valve 25 is provided downstream of the main shut-off valve 24 in the anode gas supply passage 21. The pressure regulating valve 25 adjusts the pressure of the anode gas supplied to the fuel cell 101 according to instructions from the control unit 100.

[0022] The anode gas circulation path 22 is a flow path that circulates the anode off gas (also called "anode exhaust gas") discharged from the fuel cell 101 back to the anode gas supply path 21. The gas-liquid separator 281 separates liquid water from the anode off gas mixed with liquid water. Impurity gases contained in the anode off gas, such as nitrogen gas, are also separated along with the liquid water. The anode off gas circulation pump 27 is located downstream of the gas-liquid separator 281 in the anode gas circulation path 22. The anode off gas circulation pump 27 supplies the anode off gas discharged from the fuel cell 101 back to the anode gas supply path 21 in response to instructions from the control unit 100. In other words, the anode off gas circulation pump 27 circulates the anode off gas back to the fuel cell 101. The on-off valve 26 is provided in the discharge path 23. The discharge path 23 is connected to the cathode gas discharge path 32. The on-off valve 26 opens at a predetermined timing in response to instructions from the control unit 100. As a result, the liquid water and nitrogen gas separated by the gas-liquid separator 281 are discharged outside the system through the discharge passage 23 and the cathode gas discharge passage 32.

[0023] The cathode gas supply and discharge system 30A includes the air compressor 30 described above, the intercooler 35 described above, a cathode gas supply passage 31 as piping, a cathode gas discharge passage 32 as piping, and a pressure regulating valve 34. The cathode gas supply passage 31 is connected to the fuel cell 101. The cathode gas supply passage 31 is a passage for circulating outside air to the fuel cell 101. The air compressor 30 is installed in the cathode gas supply passage 31. The intercooler 35 is installed downstream of the air compressor 30 in the cathode gas supply passage 31. The cathode gas discharge passage 32 is a passage for discharging cathode gas from the fuel cell 101 to the outside. The pressure regulating valve 34 is installed in the cathode gas discharge passage 32, and its opening is adjusted according to a command from the control unit 100. This adjusts the back pressure on the cathode side of the fuel cell 101.

[0024] The refrigerant circulation system 40A includes a refrigerant circulation path 41 as piping, the aforementioned refrigerant supply pump 40, and a radiator 43. The refrigerant circulation path 41 is a flow path for circulating refrigerant (e.g., water) to cool the fuel cell 101. The refrigerant supply pump 40 circulates the refrigerant in the refrigerant circulation path 41 to the refrigerant circulation path 41 and the fuel cell 101 in response to instructions from the control unit 100. In other words, the refrigerant supply pump 40 supplies refrigerant to the fuel cell 101. The radiator 43 has a fan that takes in outside air and cools the refrigerant by exchanging heat between the refrigerant in the refrigerant circulation path 41 and the outside air.

[0025] The fuel cell system 200 further includes a battery 80. The battery 80 is rechargeable by the output power from the fuel cell 101. The battery 80 is a secondary battery and can be composed of, for example, a rechargeable and dischargeable lithium-ion battery or a nickel-metal hydride battery. The battery 80 is electrically connected to, for example, the air compressor 30, the refrigerant supply pump 40, the anode-off gas circulation pump 27, and the air conditioning air compressor 50 by cables 38, 42, 28, and 52, supplying power to each of the components 30, 40, 27, and 50. Each cable 38, 42, 28, and 52 is connected to a terminal (not shown) on the air compressor 30, the refrigerant supply pump 40, the anode-off gas circulation pump 27, and the air conditioning air compressor 50, respectively. The air compressor 30 is provided with an inverter 81 for adjusting the amount of power used for driving, and power from the battery 80 is output to the air compressor 30 via the inverter 81. As will be described later, the inverter 81 is housed in an inverter case 82 (see Figure 4) which is coupled with the air compressor 30.

[0026] The output voltage of the battery 80 is boosted by DC-DC converters (not shown) provided according to each of the parts 30, 40, 27, and 50 to an operating voltage corresponding to the power required by each of the parts 30, 40, 27, and 50. As a result, power corresponding to the operating voltage of each of the parts 30, 40, 27, and 50 is supplied from the battery 80. The output power of the battery 80 is converted to three-phase AC power by an inverter (not shown), similar to the air compressor 30, before being supplied to the refrigerant supply pump 40, the anode-off gas circulation pump 27, and the air conditioning air compressor 50. This drives the air compressor 30, the refrigerant supply pump 40, the anode-off gas circulation pump 27, and the air conditioning air compressor 50.

[0027] In this embodiment, among the air compressor 30, refrigerant supply pump 40, anode-off gas circulation pump 27, and air conditioning air compressor 50, the element that receives the highest maximum voltage applied at the request of the fuel cell vehicle 500 is the air compressor 30. In other words, the air compressor 30 may be subjected to a higher voltage than the refrigerant supply pump 40, anode-off gas circulation pump 27, and air conditioning air compressor 50. For example, the maximum voltage applied to the air compressor 30 is 200V or higher. In the above description, the air compressor 30, refrigerant supply pump 40, anode-off gas circulation pump 27, and air conditioning air compressor 50 have been described as being driven by power from the battery 80, but each of these parts 30, 40, 27, 50, etc. may be configured to be powered by other power sources.

[0028] (A2) Arrangement of the air compressor and side frame: Next, the positional relationship between the air compressor 30 and the side frame 15 in the fuel cell vehicle 500 of the embodiment will be described. Figure 3 is a plan view illustrating the positional relationship between the air compressor 30 and the side frame 15, and Figure 4 is a view taken along the line IV-IV in Figure 3. As shown in these figures, the side frame 15 is a vehicle structure provided on both sides of the front room 510 in the vehicle width direction LH, along the longitudinal direction FRD, that is, the X direction shown in the figure. The air compressor 30 is provided near the side frame 15, slightly separated in the Y direction.

[0029] A cathode gas supply passage 31 is located in the gap formed by separating the air compressor 30 from the side frame 15. In this embodiment, the cathode gas supply passage 31 is made of synthetic resin. Preferably, at least in the region where the side frame 15 and the air compressor 30 face each other, the cathode gas supply passage 31 is made of a material softer than the air compressor 30, such as synthetic resin. In addition to synthetic resin, elastomers such as rubber can be used as such materials. Even if the material is metal, thin-walled aluminum, tin, or alloys thereof that are softer than the air compressor 30 can be used.

[0030] As shown in the figure, a protector 300 is fixed to the air compressor 30 above it using a boss BS. A mounting plate 331 is provided at the Y-direction end of the protector 300, that is, on the side frame 15 side. The dimension of the mounting plate 331 along the thickness direction of the protector 300 is greater than the thickness of the protector 300. An inverter case 82 housing an inverter 81 is fixed to the air compressor 30. As shown in Figure 4, the inverter case 82 is located below the protector 300, and its end is located inside the mounting plate 331, which is provided at the end of the protector 300 so as to protrude downward from the protector 300. As shown in the figure, a cathode gas supply passage 31 is located between the mounting plate 331 and the side frame 15, and a small gap is secured between the mounting plate 331 and the cathode gas supply passage 31. The relationship between the side frame 15, cathode gas supply passage 31, mounting plate 331, protector 300, air compressor 30, and inverter case 82 is schematically shown in Figure 5.

[0031] (A3) Behavior during a side impact: The behavior of the air compressor 30 and other components of the fuel cell vehicle 500 equipped with the above structure during a side collision will be explained using Figures 5 and 6. In Figure 6, the upper section (A) shows the positional relationship between the side frame 15, the cathode gas supply passage 31, and the air compressor 30 equipped with the protector 300 before the side collision. The middle section (B) shows the state in which the air compressor 30 is pressed against the side frame 15 due to the side collision. The lower section (C) shows the case in which the cathode gas supply passage 31 is not located between the side frame 15 and the protector 300 attached to the air compressor 30, and the mounting plate 331 of the protector 300 is in direct contact with the side frame 15.

[0032] In this embodiment of the fuel cell vehicle 500, as shown in the upper part of the figure (A), the cathode gas supply passage 31 is positioned between the side frame 15 and the mounting plate 331 of the protector 300. Therefore, when a strong force in the Y direction acts on the air compressor 30 to which the protector 300 is fastened due to a side collision, the mounting plate 331 collides with the cathode gas supply passage 31 and deforms it (see middle part (B)). Thus, at least a portion of the impact from the side collision is absorbed by the deformation of the cathode gas supply passage 31. After the cathode gas supply passage 31 is deformed, the mounting plate 331 of the protector 300 applies force to the side frame 15, but a considerable portion of the impact from the side collision is used to deform the cathode gas supply passage 31, and the remaining force causes deformation of the side frame 15 and the protector 300. As a result, damage to the air compressor 30 is sufficiently suppressed.

[0033] Moreover, any impact caused by the air compressor 30 moving towards the side frame 15 due to a side collision or the like is absorbed by the protector 300 via deformation of the cathode gas supply passage 31, making the air compressor 30 itself less susceptible to impact. Similarly, the inverter case 82 located near the air compressor 30 is also less susceptible to impact, and damage such as crushing can be sufficiently suppressed. The inverter 81, which handles high voltage, is housed inside the inverter case 82, and by protecting the inverter case 82, the integrity of each component constituting the high-voltage circuit and the circuit configuration itself can be fully ensured.

[0034] The mitigation of the impact input to the air compressor 30 and inverter case 82 during side collisions can be confirmed by measuring the shear stress of the boss BS connecting the air compressor 30 and the protector 300. Figure 7 is a plan view showing an enlarged view of the area centered on the air compressor 30 in Figure 3. Using this figure, the effect on the boss BS when an impact is applied to the side frame 15 will be explained. As shown in the figure, in this embodiment, the protector 300 is fastened to the air compressor 30 by five boss BS. As illustrated in the lower section (C) of Figure 5, in a structure where the side frame 15 and the protector 300 are in direct contact, an impact due to a side collision is applied to the protector 300, and as an example, the strength of such an impact was approximately 33 kN. This force was distributed to the five boss BS, and when the shear stress applied to each boss BS was measured, a shear stress F of slightly more than 6 kN was applied to each boss BS. The shear stress resistance (rated) of each boss BS used in the embodiment was approximately 3.8 kN. As a result, some of the boss BS showed signs of fracture. In contrast, as illustrated in the upper part (A) of Figure 5, when a cathode gas supply passage 31 is placed between the side frame 15 and the protector 300, the force input to the protector 300 for a similar impact is reduced to approximately 18 kN, and the shear stress F input to each boss BS remains at approximately 3.6 kN. This is below the fracture stress resistance of each boss BS, which is 3.8 kN.

[0035] Therefore, problems such as the air compressor 30 or inverter case 82 detaching from the protector 300 and undergoing significant deformation due to a side impact were prevented or suppressed. In addition, coupled with the fact that the inverter case 82 is positioned inward from the mounting plate 331, even when a side impact test was performed, as shown in Figure 8, the inverter case 82 was not damaged and the inverter 81 remained protected. Therefore, even when the inverter case 82 must be installed near the side frame 15, the inverter case 82, and consequently the high-voltage components such as the inverter 81 housed inside, can be protected. Thus, the degree of freedom in the placement of the air compressor 30 and inverter case 82 within the front room 510 can be increased.

[0036] Moreover, the cathode gas supply passage 31, which is sandwiched between the side frame 15 and the mounting plate 331 of the protector 300, is a pipe that supplies air as an oxygen-containing gas. Therefore, even if it is crushed due to absorbing the impact of a collision, the gas in the pipe will not burn, and its maintainability is sufficiently maintained. In addition, since the cathode gas supply passage 31 is for supplying air from the air compressor 30 to the fuel cell 101, it is a component that already exists near the air compressor 30. For this reason, it is unlikely that any unnecessary extension of the piping will occur to absorb the impact.

[0037] B. Other aspects: (1) In the above embodiment, the protector 300 was fastened above the air compressor 30, but the fastening position between the two may be other than the top of the air compressor 30, for example, on the side or bottom. The protector 300 does not have to be a separate component from the air compressor 30, but may be formed as a pair with the frame of the air compressor 30 itself. Furthermore, the fastening between the two is not limited to bosses BS, but may also be fastened with bolts and nuts, or by welding, etc. Alternatively, they may be fastened with adhesive or by press-fitting. The number of bosses, bolts and nuts, etc. is also arbitrary as long as sufficient fastening force is obtained.

[0038] (2) In the above embodiment, the cathode gas supply passage 31, which is a gas supply pipe positioned between the side frame 15 and the protector 300, is made of synthetic resin, but it may be made of other materials such as rubber, aluminum, or a soft alloy, as long as it is a material that can be deformed in the event of a collision. In addition, the gas supply pipe may have a structure in which cushioning material or the like is placed on its outer circumference.

[0039] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various configurations without departing from its spirit. For example, the technical features of the embodiments corresponding to the technical features in each form described in the summary of the invention can be replaced or combined as appropriate in order to solve some or all of the above-described problems, or to achieve some or all of the above-described effects. Furthermore, if a technical feature is not described as essential in this specification, it can be deleted as appropriate. For example, some of the configurations implemented by hardware in the above embodiments can be implemented by software. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 11…Single cell, 15…Side frame, 20…Tank, 20A…Anode gas supply and exhaust system, 21…Anode gas supply path, 22…Anode gas circulation path, 23…Discharge path, 24…Main shut-off valve, 25…Pressure regulating valve, 26…On / off valve, 27…Anode off gas circulation pump, 30…Air compressor, 30A…Cathode gas supply and exhaust system, 31…Cathode gas supply path, 32…Cathode gas discharge path, 34…Pressure regulating valve, 35…Intercooler, 38…Cable, 40…Refrigerant supply pump, 40A…Refrigerant circulation system, 41…Refrigerant circulation path, 43…Radiator, 50…Air conditioning air compressor, 80…Battery, 81…Inverter, 8 2…Inverter case, 100…Control unit, 101…Fuel cell, 102F,102R…Insulating plate, 103F,103R…Current collector plate, 110,120…End plate, 110…First end plate, 120…Second end plate, 150…Support frame, 200…Fuel cell system, 210…Auxiliary equipment, 281…Gas-liquid separator, 290…DC-DC converter, 300…Protector, 331…Mounting plate, 401…Rear mounting section, 402…Front mounting section, 500…Fuel cell vehicle, 510…Front room, 520…Tank storage room, 530…Vehicle compartment, 540…Bonnet, 550…Suspension member

Claims

1. The fuel cell housed in the vehicle's front compartment, An air compressor that supplies oxygen-containing gas to the fuel cell via a gas supply pipe, A side frame located on the outer side in the vehicle width direction relative to the air compressor, A protector fastened to the air compressor, wherein the end in the vehicle width direction is positioned opposite the side frame, Equipped with, A fuel cell vehicle in which a portion of the gas supply piping is positioned between the side frame and the end of the protector.

2. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the protector is provided with a mounting plate at its end having dimensions larger in the thickness direction than the thickness of the protector.

3. A fuel cell vehicle according to claim 2, further, The system includes an inverter that supplies power to the aforementioned air compressor, At least a portion of the inverter case housing the inverter is located on the side frame side of the air compressor and positioned inside the mounting plate, Fuel cell vehicle.

4. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the protector and the air compressor are fastened together by a plurality of bosses.

5. The fuel cell vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the portion of the gas supply piping located between the side frame and the end of the protector is made of resin.

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