fuel cell ship

Abstract

This provides a cooling system for fuel cell vessels that eliminates the need for seawater piping and pumps. [Solution] A fuel cell ship comprising an electric motor that serves as a power source for generating propulsion force on the hull, a fuel cell module for generating electricity to be supplied to the electric motor, and a cooling system for cooling the fuel cell module, wherein the cooling system includes a water pipe extending upward from the intake or outlet of a livewell having an intake and outlet penetrating the bottom of the hull, a heat exchanger disposed inside the water pipe, and a circulation line and pump for circulating a cooling liquid between the heat exchanger and the fuel cell module.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] A fuel cell is a power generation device that generates electricity through the oxidation-reduction reaction of fuel hydrogen and oxygen in the air, and heat and water are generated during power generation. In a solid polymer fuel cell (PEFC) that uses a solid polymer membrane as an electrolyte, the operating temperature needs to be maintained below 80 degrees, and a cooling system is required for temperature control.

[0003] As a cooling system for ships, there is a system that uses seawater as cooling water. For example, the cooling system of an internal combustion engine ship disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a cooling water line (fresh water line) separate from the seawater line and is an indirect cooling system equipped with a heat exchanger between the seawater line and the fresh water line.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Disclosure of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the case of a fuel cell ship, since introducing seawater directly into the cooling line causes problems such as short circuits, an indirect cooling method is basically used. However, in the conventional indirect cooling method, piping and pumps are required for each of the seawater line and the cooling water line (fresh water line), and there is a problem of high cost for a relatively small fuel cell module.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above points of the prior art, and its object is to provide a cooling system for a fuel cell ship that does not require seawater piping or a seawater pump.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides The electric motor serves as the power source that generates thrust for the hull, A fuel cell module for generating electricity to be supplied to the aforementioned electric motor, A cooling system for cooling the fuel cell module, A fuel cell ship equipped with, The cooling system is, A water passage pipe extending upward from the intake or outlet of a livewell having an intake and outlet that penetrate the bottom of the hull, A heat exchanger is placed inside the water passage tube, The fuel cell vessel includes a circulation line and a pump for circulating a coolant between the heat exchanger and the fuel cell module. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The fuel cell ship according to the present invention, by being equipped with the above-described cooling system, cools the fuel cell module by the cooling liquid in the circulation line, which is cooled by heat exchange by a heat exchanger in a water pipe extending from a water intake or discharge port below the water draft to the upper part of the inside of the livewell. Therefore, although it is an indirect cooling method in which external water, such as seawater, does not circulate in the circulation line, seawater piping and seawater pumps are unnecessary, and the cooling system can be constructed simply and at low cost.

[0009] Moreover, the heat exchanger is located inside the water passage, and as the fuel cell ship is propelled, the water in the livewell is replaced with outside water through the intake and discharge ports, maintaining the water temperature inside the livewell at or near the outside water temperature, making it possible to use it as a livewell as well. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a side cross-sectional view showing a fuel cell ship according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a side cross-sectional view of the main part showing the installation status of the heat exchanger according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a side cross-sectional view of the main part showing the installation status of the heat exchanger according to the second embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view of the main part showing the installation status of the heat exchanger according to the third embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In Figure 1, the fuel cell ship 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention has an electric outboard motor 2, equipped with a propeller and electric motor for generating thrust, mounted steerably at the rear 12 of the hull, and is equipped with a fuel cell module 3 and its cooling system 4 for generating electricity to supply power to the electric outboard motor 2. The propulsion system may be other than an outboard motor, such as a water jet.

[0012] The fuel cell module 3 is positioned on the ship's deck and includes a fuel cell stack, hydrogen-related equipment such as a hydrogen circulation pump, and oxygen-related equipment such as an air filter and blower. Together with electrical equipment such as batteries and power converters (not shown), a hydrogen fuel tank, and a control unit, it constitutes a fuel cell system. The fuel cell stack is constructed by stacking numerous unit cells, each consisting of a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) with a hydrogen-side separator and an air-side separator stacked on each side via a gas diffusion layer. Coolant flow paths are provided between each unit cell.

[0013] The cooling system 4 includes a circulation line 42 and a circulation pump 41 for circulating coolant between the fuel cell module 3 and the heat exchanger 43. The circulation line 42 is equipped with a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the coolant. The heat exchanger 43 is located inside the coolant tank 13, which constitutes the cooling tank.

[0014] As shown in Fig. 2, the Ikess 13 has a water intake 31 and a drain 32 that penetrate the bottom 11 of the hull. Water pipes 33 and 34 that extend upward are connected to the water intake 31 and the drain 32, respectively. For example, they are connected by screwing the threaded parts provided around the lower ends of the water pipes 33 and 34 to the threaded parts provided at the water intake 31 and the drain 32, and they can be detached by rotating the water pipes 33 and 34.

[0015] At the upper parts of the water pipes 33 and 34, water inlets 35 and 36 that penetrate the side wall at the draft level of the hull are provided. The water inlets 35 and 36 are opened in a net shape or in a slit shape that extends vertically so that the water 30 inside the Ikess 13 is not stirred by the water flowing in and out of the Ikess 13 through them.

[0016] With the above configuration, external water, for example, seawater, is taken into the Ikess 13 through the water intake 31 and the water pipe 33, and is discharged to the outside through the water pipe 34 and the drain 32. The water level inside the Ikess 13 coincides with the waterline.

[0017] The heat exchanger 43 is composed of a coil pipe arranged to circulate along the inner peripheral wall of the water pipe 34, and is piped to the circulation pump 41 and the fuel cell module 3 so as to form a part of the circulation line 42.

[0018] In the first embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the heat exchanger 43 is arranged at the lowermost part inside the water pipe 34 on the drain 32 side so as to be sufficiently immersed in the water while ensuring the circulation of the water 30 taken into the Ikess 13.

[0019] Note that the water intake 31 and the water discharge port 32 of the IKES 13 preferably have an inclination such that the water intake and discharge are promoted by the propulsion of the hull, that is, the water intake port 31 has an inclination toward the front in the traveling direction, and the water discharge port 32 has an inclination toward the rear in the traveling direction. In the illustrated example, a perforated plate (mesh structure) for preventing the intrusion of foreign matter is provided inclined at the water intake port 31 and the water discharge port 32. In addition to such an inclination, or instead of the inclination, a protruding edge may be provided at the rear edge of the water intake port 31 in the traveling direction, and a protruding edge may be provided at the front edge of the water discharge port in the traveling direction.

[0020] The inclinations and protruding edges of the water intake port 31 and the water discharge port 32 as described above are preferably formed symmetrically in the longitudinal direction of the hull so that the amount of water intake and the amount of water discharge accompanying the propulsion of the hull become equal. Further, in addition to the propulsion of the hull, it is preferably arranged offset not only in the longitudinal direction but also in the width direction of the hull so that the water intake and discharge are promoted by the rolling of the hull during propulsion or during docking.

[0021] The fuel cell ship 1 configured as described above starts the fuel cell module 3 using the power of an auxiliary battery (not shown), and the power generated by the fuel cell module 3 is stored in the main battery and the auxiliary battery, and the electric outboard motor 2 is supplied with power from the main battery or the fuel cell module 3 to generate propulsion force.

[0022] As the temperature of the coolant in the circulation line 42 rises due to the power generation by the fuel cell module 3 and the temperature sensor detects this, the circulation pump 41 operates, and the coolant in the circulation line 42 is cooled by heat exchange with the water 30 in the IKES 13 by the heat exchanger 43, and the temperature of the fuel cell module 3 is maintained within the target temperature.

[0023] In addition to the fact that the amount of water in the livewell 13 is sufficiently large compared to the amount of coolant in the circulation line 42, as the fuel cell ship 1 moves, water from the outside is taken into the livewell 13 through the intake port 31 and the water pipe 33, and drained to the outside through the water pipe 34 and the drain port 32. This promotes water intake / drainage (water exchange) into the livewell 13 in parallel with the generation of electricity (heat generation) necessary for the operation of the fuel cell ship 1, and maintains the water temperature in the livewell 13 at a temperature close to the outside water temperature.

[0024] Therefore, although it is an indirect cooling system in which external water, such as seawater, does not circulate in the circulation line, seawater piping and seawater pumps are unnecessary, and the cooling system can be configured with only a small circulation line 42 between the fuel cell module 3 and the heat exchanger 43 in the livewell 13 and a single circulation pump 41. Furthermore, since the existing livewell 13 on the hull is used as a cooling tank, it can be introduced into an existing hull at low cost. In addition, since the cooling system is completed by the heat exchanger 43 near the fuel cell module 3, the fuel cell system, including the cooling system, can be removed and stored when the fuel cell ship 1 is not in use.

[0025] Furthermore, in the first embodiment shown in Figure 2, the heat exchanger 43 is located inside the water passage pipe 34 on the drain port 32 side and is cooled by heat exchange with the water discharged from the fish tank 13. Therefore, the impact on the water temperature inside the fish tank 13 is minimized, and there is no impact on the use of the fish tank 13.

[0026] On the other hand, as shown in the second embodiment of the cooling system 4' in Figure 3, the first heat exchanger 43 is located in the water passage 34 on the water intake 31 side, and the second heat exchanger 44 is located in the water passage 34 on the drain outlet 32 ​​side, and these first and second heat exchangers 43 and 44 can be configured to be piped in parallel to the circulation line 42. Alternatively, the first heat exchanger 43 and the second heat exchanger 44 can be piped in series to the circulation line 42.

[0027] When piping in series, for example, the high-temperature side of the circulation line 42 leaving the fuel cell module 3 can be connected to the second heat exchanger 44 on the drain port 32 side, so that the coolant cooled in the second heat exchanger 44 is circulated back to the fuel cell module 3 via the first heat exchanger 43 on the intake port 31 side.

[0028] In either case, the diameter of the water passage pipes 33 and 34 is sufficiently large for water intake / drainage (water exchange) into the fish tank 13, so there is no effect on the water temperature in the fish tank 13 due to the reduction in the effective cross-sectional area inside the water passage pipes 33 and 34 caused by placing the heat exchangers 43 and 44 inside the water passage pipes 33 and 34.

[0029] On the other hand, as shown in the third embodiment in Figure 4, by arranging the heat exchanger 144 in the enlarged diameter section 135 formed in a part of the water passage pipe 134, it is also possible to use a heat exchanger 144 that is larger than the diameter of the drain port 32.

[0030] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be noted that the present invention is not limited thereto, and various further modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the present invention based on the technical idea of ​​the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0031] 1 Fuel cell ship 2 electric outboard motor 3. Fuel cell module 4. Cooling System 13 Fish tanks 31 Water intake 32 Drain port 33, 34, 134 Water bottle 35, 36, 136 Water inlet 41 pumps 42 Circulation Line 43,44,144 Heat exchanger

Claims

1. The electric motor serves as the power source that generates thrust for the hull, A fuel cell module for generating electricity to be supplied to the aforementioned electric motor, A cooling system for cooling the fuel cell module, A fuel cell ship equipped with, The cooling system is, A water passage pipe extending upward from the intake or outlet of a livewell having an intake and outlet that penetrate the bottom of the hull, A heat exchanger is placed inside the water passage tube, A fuel cell vessel comprising a circulation line and a pump for circulating a coolant between the heat exchanger and the fuel cell module.

2. The fuel cell ship according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is located inside the water pipe extending from the drain outlet to the upper interior of the livewell.

3. The fuel cell ship according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is located inside the respective water pipes extending from the water intake and the drain outlet to the upper interior of the livewell, and is connected in series to the circulation line.

4. The fuel cell ship according to claim 1, wherein a water inlet is opened in the side wall of the water passage pipe at the draft level of the hull, and the heat exchanger is positioned below the water inlet.

5. The fuel cell ship according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the heat exchanger is composed of coiled tubes arranged to circumferentially along the inner circumferential wall of the water passage pipe.

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