vehicle

Abstract

To provide a vehicle which enables improvement of thermal management in two different cooling circuits while reducing costs.SOLUTION: A vehicle according to one embodiment of the disclosure includes: a first radiator provided at a first cooling system; a second radiator which is provided at a second cooling system different from the first cooling system and may be disposed at a position adjacent to the first radiator; and a space adjustment mechanism which moves at least one of the first radiator and the second radiator to adjust a space between the first radiator and the second radiator.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle. Specifically, the present disclosure relates to a vehicle equipped with a plurality of different cooling circuits, for example, to a cooling technology for a vehicle equipped with an FC cooling circuit for cooling a fuel cell and an EV cooling circuit for cooling EV equipment. [Background technology]

[0002] Fuel cell vehicles are generally equipped with EV system equipment such as a motor driven by power from the fuel cell and an inverter that electrically controls the motor. Because the fuel cell and the above-mentioned EV system equipment each generate heat when they are operated, the vehicle is equipped with two cooling circuits: an FC cooling system that cools the fuel cell, and an EV cooling system that cools the EV system devices.

[0003] Vehicles other than fuel cell vehicles are also known that are equipped with multiple cooling circuits. For example, hybrid vehicles are also provided with two cooling circuits: a cooling circuit for cooling the engine (engine cooling circuit) and a cooling circuit for the HV system (HV cooling circuit).

[0004] Patent document 1 proposes that by connecting two cooling circuits installed in a vehicle and using the same refrigerant in both cooling circuits, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the temperature of the fuel cell's cooling water and a decrease in the internal temperature of the fuel cell, thereby preventing a decrease in output due to a decrease in the internal temperature of the fuel cell. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2000-315513 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Current technologies, including those in the above-mentioned patent documents, do not adequately meet market needs, and the following problems exist: In other words, in the conventional technologies including the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, the cooling efficiency in the two cooling circuits is increased by simply connecting two different cooling circuits via a connecting flow path.

[0007] However, for example, in a fuel cell vehicle equipped with two cooling circuits, an FC cooling system and an EV cooling system, it is expected that additional equipment will be required to ensure insulation resistance if the refrigerant water from the EV cooling system gets mixed into the FC cooling system.In a vehicle with two different cooling circuits like this, it cannot be said that simply connecting these two paths to each other using a bypass path is sufficient, and it has not yet been possible to reduce costs while improving cooling performance. The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems as an example, and aims to provide a vehicle that can achieve improved thermal management in two different cooling circuits while suppressing costs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, a vehicle in one embodiment of the present disclosure has a first radiator provided in a first cooling system, a second radiator provided in a second cooling system different from the first cooling system and capable of being positioned adjacent to the first radiator, and a spacing adjustment mechanism that moves at least one of the first radiator and the second radiator to adjust the spacing between the first radiator and the second radiator. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present disclosure, a vehicle can be provided that can achieve efficient heat management in two different cooling circuits while suppressing increases in costs. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic overview of a cooling system in a fuel cell vehicle according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control system in the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a control operation of the cooling system in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic state of the cooling system in a second interval adjustment mode. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a schematic overview of a cooling system in a fuel cell vehicle according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a schematic overview of a cooling system in a fuel cell vehicle according to a third embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a schematic overview of a cooling system in a fuel cell vehicle according to a first modified example. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a schematic overview of a cooling system in a fuel cell vehicle according to a second modification. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a schematic overview of a cooling system in a fuel cell vehicle according to a third modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Next, a preferred embodiment for carrying out the present disclosure will be described. Note that the structure and various equipment of the fuel cell vehicle other than those described in detail below may be appropriately supplemented with known equipment, drive mechanisms, and control systems including those in the above-mentioned patent documents. In addition, the following description will be given using a fuel cell vehicle as an example of a vehicle, but the vehicle to which the present disclosure is applicable is not limited to a fuel cell vehicle. For example, the vehicle to which the present disclosure is applicable can be applied to various known vehicles equipped with two different cooling systems, such as the above-mentioned hybrid vehicle.

[0012] First Embodiment [Fuel cell vehicle cooling system 100] First, the configuration of a cooling system 100 mounted on a fuel cell vehicle according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0013] 1, the cooling system 100 for a fuel cell vehicle in this embodiment is configured to include a first cooling circuit 10, a second cooling circuit 20, a distance adjustment mechanism 30A, a distance measurement sensor 40, and a control device 50. There are no particular limitations on the vehicle type of such a fuel cell vehicle, and any known fuel cell vehicle equipped with a known fuel cell and electric motor as described above can be used.

[0014] The first cooling circuit 10 has a function of cooling the fuel cell FC mounted on the fuel cell vehicle. As shown in Fig. 1, the first cooling circuit 10 of this embodiment is configured to include a known FC system radiator 11 that cools the fuel cell FC via a refrigerant, a first flow path C1 through which the refrigerant that has exchanged heat with the atmosphere (air) in the FC system radiator 11 flows to the fuel cell FC, a second flow path C2 through which the refrigerant that has exchanged heat in the fuel cell FC flows to the FC system radiator 11, and a known FC system pump 12 that is disposed in the second flow path C2 and pumps the above-mentioned refrigerant through the flow path. Note that various refrigerants used in vehicles can be used as the above-mentioned refrigerant, but as an example, a known long-life coolant (hereinafter also simply referred to as cooling water) may be used.

[0015] As described below, because the FC radiator 11 moves horizontally due to the gap adjustment mechanism 30A, the first flow path C1 in this embodiment is composed of a pipe C1a and a known flexible pipe C1b, such as a bellows tube that is flexible and stretchable, separated by a known connection joint Cp. By connecting this flexible pipe C1b to the FC radiator, the flexible pipe C1b also follows the movement of the FC radiator 11, suppressing leakage of coolant from the pipe due to this movement.

[0016] Similarly, the second flow path C2 of this embodiment is composed of a pipe C2a and a known flexible pipe C2b, such as a bellows tube that is flexible and stretchable, separated by a known connection joint Cp. By connecting this flexible pipe C2b to the FC radiator, the flexible pipe C2b also follows the movement of the FC radiator 11, suppressing leakage of coolant from the pipe due to this movement.

[0017] The first cooling circuit 10 may further include a known FC system temperature sensor 13 that is disposed in the second flow path C2 and is capable of detecting the temperature of the refrigerant. This makes it possible to detect the temperature of the refrigerant flowing from the FC system radiator 11 in the cooling system 100 of this embodiment. Note that, although the FC system temperature sensor 13 is disposed in the second flow path C2 in this embodiment, this is not limiting and the sensor may also be disposed in the first flow path C1, or may even be disposed downstream of the FC system pump 12.

[0018] The second cooling circuit 20 has a function of cooling the electric component EVC that generates heat due to the above-mentioned driving. Note that the electric component EVC in this embodiment refers to known EV equipment related to driving and controlling a drive motor mounted on a fuel cell vehicle, for example, and examples of such equipment include an electric motor, an inverter, a DCDC converter, and a battery. Note that in this embodiment, the electric component EVC may include known auxiliary equipment such as an auxiliary battery that drives and controls auxiliary equipment in addition to the above-mentioned drive motor.

[0019] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 1, the second cooling circuit 20 of this embodiment includes a known EV system radiator 21 that cools the electric component EVC via the refrigerant, a first flow path D1 through which the refrigerant (coolant) that has exchanged heat with the atmosphere (air) in the EV system radiator 21 flows to the electric component EVC, a second flow path D2 through which the refrigerant that has exchanged heat in the electric component EVC flows to the EV system radiator 21, and a known EV system pump 22 that is disposed in the first flow path D1 and pumps the refrigerant within the flow path. Also, as shown in Fig. 1, the EV system radiator 21 can be disposed, for example, in a position adjacent to the FC system radiator 11 described above in the interior of the vehicle (details will be described later).

[0020] The first flow path D1 in the second cooling circuit 20 is composed of a pipe D1a and a known flexible pipe D1b, such as a bellows tube that is flexible and stretchable, separated by a known connection joint Cp. The flexible pipe D1b is connected to the EV radiator 21, so that the flexible pipe D1b follows the movement of the EV radiator 21, and leakage of cooling water from the pipe due to this movement is suppressed.

[0021] Similarly, the second flow path D2 of this embodiment is also composed of a pipe D2a and a known flexible pipe D2b such as a bellows tube that is flexible and stretchable, with a known connection joint Cp as the boundary between them. The flexible pipe D2b is connected to the EV radiator 21, so that the flexible pipe D2b follows the movement of the EV radiator 21, and leakage of cooling water from the pipe due to this movement is suppressed.

[0022] The second cooling circuit 20 may further include a known EV system temperature sensor 23 that is disposed in the first flow path D1 and is capable of detecting the temperature of the refrigerant. This makes it possible to detect the temperature of the refrigerant flowing from the EV system radiator 21 in the cooling system 100 of this embodiment. Note that, although the EV system temperature sensor 23 is disposed in the first flow path D1 in this embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this configuration and may be further disposed in the second flow path D2, or may be disposed downstream of the EV system pump 22.

[0023] As a non-limiting example, the refrigerant in the fuel cell vehicle of this embodiment can be in the state shown in the following Table 1 in each flow path when the fuel cell FC or the electric component EVC is driven and generates heat. As can be seen from Table 1, the operating temperature of a typical fuel cell is higher than that of the electric component EVC, so the FC radiator 11 needs to have a radiator with a relatively large heat dissipation capacity and shape compared to the EV radiator 21.

[0024] [Table 1]

[0025] The gap adjustment mechanism 30 has a function of adjusting the gap between the first radiator as the above-mentioned FC system radiator 11 and the second radiator as the above-mentioned EV system radiator 21 by moving at least one of the first radiator and the second radiator. In particular, the gap adjustment mechanism 30A of this embodiment adjusts the gap between the first radiator and the second radiator by moving both the above-mentioned first radiator and the second radiator. In this manner, in this embodiment, rather than improving the efficiency of heat conduction by connecting two different cooling systems, the efficiency of heat management is improved by performing heat exchange by placing the radiators adjacent to or in contact with each other when necessary.

[0026] More specifically, the gap adjustment mechanism 30A of this embodiment includes a known movement mechanism that moves at least one of the first radiator (FC system radiator 11) and the second radiator (EV system radiator 21) relatively away from or closer to the other. An example of such a movement mechanism is a known ball screw mechanism including a drive motor 31 fixed to a second radiator (EV system radiator 21) described later, a ball screw 32 connected to the drive motor 31, a support post 33 supporting an end of the ball screw 32, and a connection piece 34 connected to the first radiator (FC system radiator 11) so as to be movable in the axial direction of the ball screw 32 by the drive of the drive motor 31, as shown in FIG.

[0027] Furthermore, the gap adjustment mechanism 30A of this embodiment preferably includes a drive wheel 36 provided on the bottom surface of the first radiator (FC system radiator 11) and a movement rail 35 that guides the movement of the drive wheel 36. This enables the first radiator (FC system radiator 11) to move in the horizontal direction by the action of the gap adjustment mechanism 30A. Although the gap adjustment mechanism 30A in this embodiment is realized by a known ball screw mechanism, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment. That is, as the gap adjustment mechanism 30A, for example, a servo-controllable air cylinder mechanism, a rack and pinion gear mechanism, or other known linear movement mechanisms may be applied.

[0028] Furthermore, the first radiator (FC radiator 11) and the second radiator (EV radiator 21) may be in a form in which they are enclosed by brackets 14 and 24 made of a known material (such as metal) with high thermal conductivity, as described below with reference to Fig. 8. In this case, for example, the first radiator (FC radiator 11) may be connected to a connecting piece 34 via the bracket 14, and the second radiator (EV radiator 21) may be connected to the drive motor 31 via the bracket 24.

[0029] The distance measurement sensor 40 has a function of measuring the distance L between the first radiator (FC radiator 11) and the second radiator (EV radiator 21). Specific examples of such distance measurement sensor 40 include various known distance measurement devices, such as a known laser distance meter using laser light and a known ultrasonic distance meter using ultrasonic waves. In this embodiment, the distance measurement sensor 40 is provided on the first radiator (FC radiator 11), but the present invention is not limited to this form and may be provided on the second radiator (EV radiator 21) side, or, for example, the distance measurement sensor 40 may have a light emitting element and a light receiving element and be installed on both of them.

[0030] The control device 50 is a computer (on-board ECU (Electronic Control Unit)) that electronically controls various on-board electronic devices, such as those for controlling on-board safety equipment, air conditioning, and a fuel cell, and can be a known computer. As shown in FIG. 2, the control device 50 of this embodiment is electrically connected to, for example, the FC system pump 12 and the EV system pump 22, and is capable of adjusting the output of the FC system pump 12 and the EV system pump 22. The control device 50 of this embodiment is also electrically connected to the FC system temperature sensor 13 and the EV system temperature sensor 23, and is capable of acquiring information on the refrigerant temperature in each flow path from these temperature sensors.

[0031] [Cooling method using cooling system 100] Next, a cooling method for a fuel cell vehicle (fuel cell FC and electric component EVC) using the cooling system 100 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3 as well. In the cooling method described in detail below, the first radiator and the second radiator are brought into contact with each other by the control device 50 in the following cases, for example.

[0032] (Case Example 1) When the temperature of the coolant flowing through the first cooling circuit 10 for cooling the fuel cell FC is higher than the temperature of the coolant flowing through the second cooling circuit 20 for cooling the electric component EVC, and when it is possible to lower the temperature of the coolant flowing through the first cooling circuit 10 (Case Example 2) When the temperature of the cooling water flowing through the first cooling circuit 10 is lower than the temperature of the cooling water flowing through the second cooling circuit 20, and it is possible to increase the temperature of the cooling water flowing through the first cooling circuit 10

[0033] The cooling method described in detail below is executed by the control device 50 described above. 3, first, in step 1, it is determined whether the fuel cell FC is in a power generating state. If it is determined in step 1 that the fuel cell FC is in a power generating state (Yes), it is assumed that the temperature of the fuel cell FC is rising due to the power generation, and therefore, in the following step 2, it is determined what state the temperature of the coolant flowing in the first cooling circuit 10 is. More specifically, in step 2, the control device 50 determines whether the temperature of the coolant flowing in the first cooling circuit 10 is within a normal range, is equal to or lower than a predetermined lower threshold value α1, or is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper threshold value α2.

[0034] Here, "the temperature of the cooling water flowing through the first cooling circuit 10 is within a normal range" refers to an operating temperature suitable for operation of the fuel cell FC, and various ranges are set according to the type of fuel cell FC. For example, if the fuel cell FC is a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC), the normal range is set to, for example, 75°C to 90°C. Note that in this embodiment, a PEFC is used as the fuel cell FC, but when using other types of fuel cells, such as a phosphoric acid type, the respective optimal operating temperature ranges can be set.

[0035] Furthermore, the "predetermined lower threshold α1" refers to a boundary value that results in a low temperature state that is unsuitable for the fuel cell FC, and in this embodiment, for example, a value that is the boundary with the normal range (74°C, etc.) can be applied. Furthermore, the "predetermined upper threshold α2" refers to a boundary value that results in a high temperature state that is unsuitable for the fuel cell FC, and in this embodiment, for example, a value that is the boundary with the normal range (91°C, etc.) can be applied.

[0036] If the temperature of the cooling water in the first cooling circuit 10 is within the normal range in step 2, the process proceeds to step 3a. In step 3a, since the temperature of the cooling water in the first cooling circuit 10 is normal, the distance adjustment mechanism 30A adjusts the distance between the first radiator and the second radiator under the control of the control device 50 so that the first radiator and the second radiator are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined gap (distance L1) to form a first distance as shown in FIG. 1 (first distance adjustment mode).

[0037] In this embodiment, the "distance L1" refers to the distance at which the first radiator and the second radiator are thermally separated (i.e., there is almost no heat transfer from one to the other). At this time, it is preferable that the control device 50 controls the gap adjustment mechanism 30A based on the distance measurement information from the distance measurement sensor 40 so that the gap between the first radiator and the second radiator becomes the first gap.

[0038] If the temperature of the coolant in the first cooling circuit 10 is equal to or lower than the lower limit threshold value α1 in step 2, the process proceeds to step 3b. In step 3b, the control device 50 determines via the EV system temperature sensor 23 whether the temperature of the coolant flowing through the second cooling circuit 20 is equal to or higher than the threshold value β1.

[0039] Note that the "threshold value β1" in this embodiment refers to a temperature value that is higher than the temperature of the coolant flowing through the first cooling circuit 10 at the time of the determination in step 3b, for example. This makes it possible to transfer heat from the EV system radiator 21 to the FC system radiator 11 through a second interval adjustment mode, which will be described later.

[0040] If the temperature of the cooling water flowing through the second cooling circuit 20 is not equal to or higher than the threshold value β1 in step 3b, it is determined that the heat transfer described above cannot be performed, and the process proceeds to step 3a. On the other hand, if the temperature of the cooling water flowing through the second cooling circuit 20 is equal to or higher than the threshold value β1 in step 3b, the process proceeds to step 3d.

[0041] In this step 3d, since the temperature of the cooling water in the first cooling circuit 10 is low (corresponding to the above-mentioned case example 2), the gap adjustment mechanism 30A, under the control of the control device 50, adjusts the distance between the first radiator and the second radiator so that the first radiator and the second radiator have a second gap (distance L2) between them as shown in FIG. 4 (second gap adjustment mode).

[0042] In this embodiment, "distance L2" is a distance that is smaller than the above-mentioned distance L1 and refers to a distance at which the first radiator and the second radiator are thermally connected (i.e., a state in which heat can be transferred from one to the other).

[0043] If the temperature of the coolant in the first cooling circuit 10 is equal to or lower than the upper limit threshold value α2 in step 2, the process proceeds to step 3c. In step 3c, the control device 50 determines via the EV system temperature sensor 23 whether the temperature of the coolant flowing through the second cooling circuit 20 is equal to or lower than the threshold value β2.

[0044] Note that "threshold value β2" in this embodiment refers to a temperature value that is lower than the water temperature of the coolant flowing through the first cooling circuit 10 at the time of the determination in step 3c. This makes it possible to transfer heat from the FC system radiator 11 to the EV system radiator 21 through a second interval adjustment mode, which will be described later.

[0045] If the temperature of the cooling water flowing through the second cooling circuit 20 is not equal to or lower than the threshold value β2 in step 3c, it is determined that the heat transfer described above cannot be performed, and the process proceeds to step 3a. On the other hand, if the temperature of the cooling water flowing through the second cooling circuit 20 is equal to or lower than the threshold value β2 in step 3c, the process proceeds to step 3d described above.

[0046] In step 3d, as described above, the gap adjustment mechanism 30A adjusts the distance between the first radiator and the second radiator under the control of the control device 50 so that the first radiator and the second radiator are spaced from each other at a second gap having a predetermined gap (distance L2) (second gap adjustment mode). At this time, it is preferable that the control device 50 controls the gap adjustment mechanism 30A based on distance measurement information from the distance measurement sensor 40 so that the gap between the first radiator and the second radiator is the second gap.

[0047] After step 3a (second interval adjustment mode) or step 3d (second interval adjustment mode), the process proceeds to step 4. In step 4, the control device 50 determines whether the temperature of the coolant in the first cooling circuit (cooling circuit for the FC system) is within a normal range. If the temperature of the coolant in the first cooling circuit is within the normal range in step 4, the control device 50 determines whether the system power supply including the drive motor mounted on the vehicle is turned off (step 5).

[0048] If the system power supply is turned off in step 5, the control device 50 completes the control, whereas if the system power supply is not turned off, the control device 50 returns to step 1 to continue the above-mentioned processing. On the other hand, if the temperature of the cooling water in the first cooling circuit is not within the normal range in step 4, the control device 50 returns to step 2 to continue the above-mentioned processing.

[0049] According to the fuel cell vehicle of the present embodiment described above, by bringing the first radiator and the second radiator relatively close to or farther apart, it is possible to cool the fuel cell FC and the electric component EVC while balancing the cooling capacity by controlling the heat transfer between the first cooling circuit 10 and the second cooling circuit 20. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to make maximum use of the two different cooling circuits while improving the overall cooling efficiency.

[0050] <Second embodiment> Next, a cooling system 110 for a fuel cell vehicle in a second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. In each embodiment and modified example described below, the same reference numbers are used for configurations with the same functions as those in the first embodiment, and descriptions thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0051] The gap adjustment mechanism 30A in the first embodiment described above adjusts the relative distance between the first radiator (FC system radiator 11) and the second radiator (EV system radiator 21) by moving both the first radiator (FC system radiator 11) and the second radiator (EV system radiator 21) in the horizontal direction. In contrast, the gap adjustment mechanism 30B in this embodiment adjusts the relative distance between the first radiator and the second radiator by moving either the first radiator (FC system radiator 11) or the second radiator (EV system radiator 21) in the horizontal direction.

[0052] As described above, in the present disclosure, it is not essential that the gap adjustment mechanism 30 moves both the first radiator and the second radiator described above, and the gap adjustment mechanism 30 may move at least one of the first radiator and the second radiator. That is, the gap adjustment mechanism 30B in this embodiment is composed of a drive motor 31 and a support post 33 which are fixedly arranged, a ball screw 32 provided between the drive motor 31 and the support post 33, and a connecting piece 34 which is connected to the first radiator and can move axially on the ball screw 32.

[0053] As a result, the gap adjustment mechanism 30B can move the first radiator closer to or farther away from the second radiator by moving the first radiator along the axial direction of the ball screw 32 under the control of the control device 50. Therefore, in this embodiment as well, the control device 50 can execute the processes of both the first gap adjustment mode and the second gap adjustment mode by controlling the gap adjustment mechanism 30B of this embodiment.

[0054] 5, since the second radiator in this embodiment does not move horizontally, the first flow path D1 and the second flow path D2 connected to the second radiator may be made of non-flexible piping only, which further reduces the risk of leakage of the cooling water caused by using flexible piping. Further, the gap adjustment mechanism 30B in this embodiment is configured to move the first radiator described above, but is not limited to this, and may be configured to move the second radiator relative to the first radiator.

[0055] <Third embodiment> Next, a cooling system 120 for a fuel cell vehicle in a second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 6. In the gap adjustment mechanism 30A in the first embodiment and the gap adjustment mechanism 30B in the second embodiment described above, a known screw mechanism is used to adjust the gap between the first radiator and the second radiator. In contrast, the gap adjustment mechanism 30C in this embodiment has a function of adjusting the relative distance between the first radiator and the second radiator by interposing a gas (such as compressed air) between the first radiator and the second radiator and expanding or contracting it.

[0056] That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the gap adjustment mechanism 30C in this embodiment includes a flexible balloon 39a and a known air pump 39b capable of feeding gas (compressed air) into and out of the flexible balloon 39a. Among these, the flexible balloon 39a may be, for example, a known soft bag-like member made of reinforced rubber and capable of expanding or contracting. As can be seen from the figure, the flexible balloon 39a is connected to both the first radiator and the second radiator, and is disposed between the first radiator and the second radiator and connected to the air pump 39b.

[0057] As a result, the gap adjustment mechanism 30C can move the first radiator and the second radiator relatively closer to or farther apart by expanding or contracting between the first radiator and the second radiator using the air pump 39b under the control of the control device 50. Therefore, in this embodiment as well, the control device 50 can execute the processing of either the first gap adjustment mode or the second gap adjustment mode described above by controlling the gap adjustment mechanism 30C of this embodiment.

[0058] Although the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. As an example, the present disclosure may apply the following modified examples to each of the above-described embodiments.

[0059] <Variation 1> For example, in the first and second embodiments described above, the gap adjustment mechanism 30 positions each radiator in two positions: a first gap adjustment mode (the distance between the first radiator and the second radiator is L1) and a second gap adjustment mode (the distance between the first radiator and the second radiator is L2). However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described modes, and for example, as shown in FIG. 7, the gap adjustment mechanism 30 may relatively move the first radiator and the second radiator to a position where the first radiator and the second radiator are spaced apart from each other even further than the distance between the first radiator and the second radiator in the first gap adjustment mode (the distance between the first radiator and the second radiator is L3). In other words, the gap adjustment mechanism 30 in the present disclosure may adjust the distance setting between the first radiator and the second radiator to three or more stages.

[0060] <Variation 2> Also, for example, in each of the above-mentioned embodiments, at least one of the first radiator and the second radiator is moved to bring them close to each other so that heat transfer occurs, but this is not limited to the above. That is, as shown in FIG. 8, brackets 14 and 24 made of a material with good thermal conductivity may be installed on both the first radiator and the second radiator, and the distance adjustment mechanism 30D may bring at least one of these brackets close to or away from the other to realize the above-mentioned heat transfer. In other words, the distance adjustment mechanism 30 of the present disclosure does not necessarily need to move the radiator, and may realize the above-mentioned heat transfer between the first radiator and the second radiator by moving a heat conductive member (at least one of the brackets 14 and 24) that is connected to the radiator and can move in the horizontal direction.

[0061] <Variation 3> For example, in each of the above-described embodiments, the first radiator and the second radiator are moved linearly relative to each other to bring them close to each other so that heat transfer occurs, but this is not limited to the above. That is, as shown in Fig. 9, the first radiator or the second radiator may be brought close to each other by rotating it around an axis using a hinge H or the like. In this case, it is preferable to make the hinge H used for the rotation axis from a material with low thermal conductivity, since this can suppress heat transfer through the hinge when the hinge is separated from the first radiator or the second radiator.

[0062] In the above embodiment and modified examples, the first cooling system is a coolant system for cooling a fuel cell, and the second cooling system is a coolant system for electric components in a vehicle including an electric motor, but this is not limited to the above. For example, the first cooling system may be a coolant system for cooling an engine, and the second cooling system may be a coolant system for electric components. The first cooling system may be a coolant system for cooling an engine, and the second cooling system may be a coolant system for an HV system.

[0063] In other words, it is clear that a person with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains would attempt further modifications to these embodiments and variations within the scope of the technical ideas described in the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 10 1st cooling circuit 20 Second cooling circuit 30 Spacing adjustment mechanism 40 Distance sensor 50 Control device 100, 110, 120 Cooling System

Claims

1. a first radiator provided in the first cooling system; a second radiator provided in a second cooling system different from the first cooling system and capable of being disposed at a position adjacent to the first radiator; a gap adjustment mechanism that adjusts a gap between the first radiator and the second radiator by moving at least one of the first radiator and the second radiator, The gap adjustment mechanism includes: A vehicle in which the first radiator and the second radiator are brought into contact with each other when the temperature of the cooling water flowing through the first radiator is higher than the temperature of the cooling water flowing through the second radiator and when the cooling water in the first cooling system exceeds a predetermined upper limit value.

2. A first radiator provided in a first cooling system; a second radiator provided in a second cooling system different from the first cooling system and capable of being disposed at a position adjacent to the first radiator; a gap adjustment mechanism that adjusts a gap between the first radiator and the second radiator by moving at least one of the first radiator and the second radiator, The gap adjustment mechanism includes: A vehicle in which the first radiator and the second radiator are brought into contact with each other when the temperature of the cooling water flowing through the first radiator is lower than the temperature of the cooling water flowing through the second radiator and when the cooling water in the first cooling system falls below a predetermined lower limit value.

3. the first cooling system is a cooling water system for cooling a fuel cell, and the second cooling system is a cooling water system for an electric component in a vehicle including an electric motor; 3. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 or 2.

4. the gap adjustment mechanism includes a moving mechanism that moves at least one of the first radiator and the second radiator relatively away from or closer to the other of the first radiator and the second radiator. A vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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