Fuel cell ship

Abstract

To stop power generation of a fuel cell in a case of an occurrence of fuel gas leak in at least one compartment of either a tank compartment or a fuel cell compartment.SOLUTION: A fuel cell vessel includes: a fuel cell compartment where a fuel cell is installed; a tank compartment where a fuel tank is installed; fuel supply piping for supplying fuel from the fuel tank to the fuel cell; and a controller. The fuel supply piping includes at least two shutoff valves. Fuel gas detectors for detecting fuel gas which is fuel in a gas state are respectively installed in each compartment. The controller closes the shutoff valve in a compartment installed with the fuel gas detector which has detected the concentration of a standard value or more in the tank compartment and the fuel cell compartment when at least either one of the fuel gas detectors detects that the concentration of the fuel gas is the standard value or more.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

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] Fuel gas is a combustible gas. Therefore, in a fuel cell ship, it may be required to install a fuel tank for storing fuel gas and a fuel cell to which fuel gas is supplied in independent compartments. In addition, the compartment in which the fuel tank is installed is hereinafter also referred to as the "tank compartment". Further, the compartment in which the fuel cell is installed is hereinafter also referred to as the "fuel cell compartment". If fuel gas leakage occurs in at least one of the tank compartment and the fuel cell compartment, a dangerous state will occur. Therefore, it is necessary to take some measures.

[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 stopping the power generation of the fuel cell when fuel gas leakage occurs in at least one of the tank compartment and the fuel cell compartment.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A fuel cell ship according to one aspect of the present invention is a fuel cell ship including a fuel cell that generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction of fuel, and a propulsion device that generates a propulsion force for the hull using the power supplied from the fuel cell, wherein the fuel cell ship includes a fuel cell compartment where the fuel cell is installed, a tank compartment where a fuel tank for storing the fuel is installed, and a fuel supply pipe for supplying the fuel from the fuel tank to the fuel cell, the fuel supply pipe has at least two shut-off valves, the shut-off valves are installed at least one by one in each of the tank compartment and the fuel cell compartment, the fuel cell ship further includes a control unit that controls opening and closing of the shut-off valves, a fuel gas detector for detecting fuel gas in a gaseous state of the fuel is installed in each of the compartments, and when at least any one of the fuel gas detectors detects that the concentration of the fuel gas is equal to or higher than a predetermined standard value, the control unit closes the shut-off valve in the compartment where the fuel gas detector that has detected the concentration equal to or higher than the standard value is installed, among the tank compartment and the fuel cell compartment.

Advantages of the Invention

[0007] According to the above configuration, in the event of a fuel gas leak occurring in at least one of the tank compartment and the fuel cell compartment, the power generation of the fuel cell can be stopped.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Regarding the embodiments of the present invention, if explained based on the drawings, it is as follows. In this specification, the directions are defined as follows. First, the direction from the stern to the bow of the fuel cell ship is defined as "front", and the direction from the bow to the stern is defined as "rear". And the lateral direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction is defined as the left-right direction. At this time, when the fuel cell ship is moving forward, the left side as seen by the operator is defined as "left", and the right side is defined as "right". Further, the upstream side in the direction of gravity perpendicular to the front-rear direction and the left-right direction is defined as "up", and the downstream side is defined as "down".

[0010] 〔1. Schematic Configuration of Fuel Cell Ship〕 First, with reference to FIG. 1, the fuel cell ship SH according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the schematic configuration of the fuel cell ship SH. The fuel cell ship SH includes a hull 1 and a cabin 2. The cabin 2 is disposed on the upper surface of the hull 1.

[0011] The fuel cell ship SH further includes a fuel cell system 3, a fuel gas storage unit 4, a storage battery system 5, a propulsion device 6, a plurality of peripheral devices 11, and a control device 12. In FIG. 1, a control signal or a power supply line at a high voltage is indicated by a solid line, and a control signal or a power supply line at a low voltage is indicated by a one-dot chain line.

[0012] The fuel cell system 3 functions as the main power source. The fuel cell system 3 consumes fuel gas to generate electric power (specifically, direct current power). The fuel gas is an example of fuel and is, for example, a combustible gas. Typically, the fuel gas is hydrogen gas. The fuel cell system 3 supplies the generated electric power to the propulsion device 6 and the peripheral equipment 11. Also, the fuel cell system 3 can supply electric power to the battery system 5 to charge the battery system 5.

[0013] The fuel gas storage unit 4 stores the fuel gas to be supplied to the fuel cell system 3. The supply of the fuel gas from the fuel gas storage unit 4 to the fuel cell system 3 is performed via a fuel gas supply pipe 32 (see FIG. 2) 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 the stored electric power (specifically, direct current power) to the propulsion device 6 and the peripheral equipment 11. In this way, by the battery system 5 functioning as an auxiliary power source, it is possible to compensate for a shortage in the supply of electric power from the fuel cell system 3 to the propulsion device 6 or the like. Note that the battery system 5 may supply electric 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. 2) of the fuel cell system 3 described later, and generates a propulsion force for the hull 1. That is, the fuel cell ship SH includes a propulsion device 6 that generates a propulsion force for 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 battery of the battery system 5, or may be driven by the electric power supplied from both the fuel cell 31 and the 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 battery to generate a propulsion force for 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 power supplied from the fuel cell system 3 into power according 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 power (e.g., 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 adopted.

[0018] The peripheral devices 11 include, for example, a compressor, a solenoid valve, a pump, etc. The peripheral devices 11 also include electrical 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 unit 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 is, 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 (e.g., a lead battery) not shown or from the battery of the battery system 5.

[0020] The control device 12 includes a control unit 12a and a storage unit 12b. The control unit 12a includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The storage unit 12b includes a storage device and stores data and computer programs. Specifically, the storage unit 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 unit 12b may include a removable medium. The storage unit 12b corresponds to an example of a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.

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

[0022] Next, with reference to FIG. 2, the internal structure of the fuel cell ship SH will be described. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the internal structure of the fuel cell ship SH. In FIG. 2, the flow of air is indicated by a dashed arrow. In FIG. 2, 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. 2 as long as the connection relationship of each member is maintained.

[0023] The fuel cell ship SH includes an engine room 13 and a fuel room 14. The engine room 13 and the fuel room 14 are arranged below the deck 1a of the hull 1. The engine room 13 is located on the bow side with respect to the fuel room 14. Below the deck 1a, partition walls W1, W2, and W3 are located in order from the bow side to the stern side. The engine room 13 is partitioned from other spaces by the partition walls W1 and W2. The fuel room 14 is partitioned from other spaces by the partition walls W2 and W3. The partition walls W1 to W3 are made of, for example, fiber reinforced plastics (FRP: Fiber Reinforced Plastics), but may be steel plates.

[0024] ​(2-1. Configuration of 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 includes 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 the peripheral equipment 11 (see FIG. 1).

[0025] The fuel cell 31 generates electric power (specifically, direct current power) through the electrochemical reaction between a fuel gas, which is an example of fuel, and an oxidant gas. Typically, the oxidant gas is air and the oxidant is oxygen. That is, the fuel cell ship SH is equipped with a fuel cell 31 that generates electricity through the electrochemical reaction of fuel.

[0026] The fuel cell 31 is a fuel cell stack composed of a plurality of 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 sandwich 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: Membrane Electrode Assembly). The pair of separators sandwich the membrane-electrode assembly. Each separator has a plurality of grooves. Each groove of one separator forms a flow path for the fuel gas. Each groove of the other separator forms a flow path for the oxidant gas.

[0027] In the above configuration of the fuel cell 31, on the anode electrode side, hydrogen contained in the fuel gas is decomposed by the catalyst into hydrogen ions and electrons. The hydrogen ions permeate through the solid polymer electrolyte membrane and move to the cathode electrode side. On the other hand, the electrons move to the cathode electrode side through the external circuit. Thereby, an electric current is generated (electricity is generated). On the cathode electrode side, oxygen contained in the oxidant gas combines with the electrons flowing through the external circuit and the hydrogen ions that have passed through the solid polymer electrolyte membrane to generate water. The generated water is discharged outside the ship through the discharge pipe 31a.

[0028] The fuel cell 31 supplies the generated electric power to the propulsion device 6 and the peripheral devices 11 shown in FIG. 1. Note that the fuel cell 31 may supply the generated electric power to the propulsion device 6 and the peripheral devices 11 indirectly via a circuit such as a DC / DC converter.

[0029] The fuel gas supply pipe 32 is a fuel supply pipe for supplying fuel (for example, fuel gas) stored in a fuel tank 41 (to be described later) of the fuel gas storage unit 4 to the anode electrode of the fuel cell 31. That is, the fuel cell ship SH includes a fuel gas supply pipe 32 that supplies fuel from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31.

[0030] The fuel cell side shutoff valve 33 is an example of a shutoff 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 shutoff valve 33 is controlled by a control unit 12a (see FIG. 1). Specifically, based on the control of the control unit 12a, the fuel cell side shutoff valve 33 switches between the supply and the stop of the fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31. Although only one fuel cell side shutoff valve 33 is provided in the fuel gas supply pipe 32 within the fuel cell compartment 30 (to be described later), two or more such valves may be provided.

[0031] The fuel cell ship SH further includes a fuel cell compartment 30. The fuel cell compartment 30 is a container that houses the fuel cell 31 and is disposed in the engine room 13. That is, the fuel cell ship SH includes a fuel cell compartment 30 in which the fuel cell 31 is installed.

[0032] The fuel cell compartment 30 has a hollow shape. For example, the fuel cell compartment 30 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape with a hollow interior. 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), side walls 30c, and side walls 30d. However, the top surface, bottom surface, front surface, rear surface, and side surfaces of the fuel cell compartment 30 can be arbitrarily defined. Also, the shape of the fuel cell compartment 30 is not particularly limited as long as it has a space capable of accommodating the fuel cell 31. The fuel cell compartment 30 can also be regarded as a container, chamber, or box that houses the fuel cell 31. The material of the outer wall of the fuel cell compartment 30 is, for example, FRP, but it can also be an iron plate.

[0033] An air supply port 30e for the cell compartment is provided by opening on the side wall 30d of the fuel cell compartment 30. The air supply port 30e for the cell compartment is connected to an air supply pipe 35 for the cell compartment, which will be described later. Note that the air supply port 30e for the cell compartment may be provided on an outer wall other than the side wall 30d in the fuel cell compartment 30.

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

[0035] The fuel cell compartment 30 has an internally sealed space except for the air supply port 30e for the cell compartment and the exhaust port 30f for the cell compartment.

[0036] A part of the fuel gas supply pipe 32 described above and a shut-off valve 33 on the fuel cell side are housed in the fuel cell compartment 30. Further, a gas detector 34a inside the cell compartment and a fire detector 34b inside the cell compartment are also housed in the fuel cell compartment 30.

[0037] The gas detector 34a inside the cell compartment is a fuel gas detector disposed inside the fuel cell compartment 30. For example, when the fuel gas is hydrogen gas, the gas detector 34a inside the cell compartment is composed of a hydrogen gas detection sensor.

[0038] The internal gas detector 34a for the battery compartment is disposed on the inner surface of the ceiling wall 30a located at the upper part of the fuel cell compartment 30. Hydrogen gas as the fuel gas is lighter than air and rises. For this reason, by disposing the internal gas detector 34a for the battery compartment on the ceiling wall 30a of the fuel cell compartment 30, even if the fuel gas leaks in the fuel cell compartment 30, the leaked fuel gas can be surely detected by the internal gas detector 34a for the battery compartment. Note that the installation position of the internal gas detector 34a for the battery compartment may be configured to be located on the most downstream side of the flow path through which the fuel gas flows when the fuel gas leaks in the fuel cell compartment 30.

[0039] When the internal gas detector 34a for the battery compartment detects the fuel gas in the fuel cell compartment 30, the detection signal is sent from the internal gas detector 34a for the battery compartment to the control unit 12a. Thereby, the control unit 12a can control the fuel cell side shut-off valve 33 provided in the fuel gas supply pipe 32 to stop the supply of the fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31. Details of the opening / closing control of the fuel cell side shut-off valve 33 will be described later.

[0040] The internal fire detector 34b for the battery compartment is a fire detector disposed inside the fuel cell compartment 30. The internal fire detector 34b for the battery compartment includes, for example, one or more sensors among a smoke sensor that detects smoke, a heat sensor that detects heat, and a flame sensor that detects a flame. The internal fire detector 34b for the battery compartment may be configured by a thermocouple type fire detector.

[0041] The internal fire detector 34b for the battery compartment is disposed on the inner surface of the ceiling wall 30a located at the upper part of the fuel cell compartment 30. When a fire accidentally occurs inside the fuel cell compartment 30, the internal fire detector 34b for the battery compartment detects the fire and outputs a detection signal indicating that the fire has occurred to the control unit 12a. In this case, the control unit 12a can control the fuel cell side shut-off valve 33 to stop the supply of the fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31. Thereby, in the fuel cell compartment 30, the risk of explosion due to ignition of the fuel gas can be reduced as much as possible.

[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 a 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] At the end of the battery compartment air supply pipe 35 on the deck 1a side, a battery compartment air supply device 36 and a battery compartment external gas detector 37 are arranged. The battery compartment air supply device 36 and the battery compartment external gas detector 37 are located above the deck 1a.

[0044] The battery compartment air supply device 36 is composed of, for example, an inexpensive non-explosion-proof air supply fan, but it may also be composed of an explosion-proof air supply fan. The drive of the battery compartment air supply device 36 is controlled by the control unit 12a. One or more filters (not shown) may be arranged in the battery compartment air supply device 36. The above filters remove, for example, dust or sea salt particles.

[0045] The battery compartment air supply device 36 supplies the air outside the fuel cell compartment 30 to the inside of 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 into the duct compartment 90 through the battery compartment exhaust port 30f. Thereby, the inside of the fuel cell compartment 30 is ventilated. As a result, it is possible to suppress the accumulation of combustible gas (for example, fuel gas leaked from the fuel cell 31) in the fuel cell compartment 30.

[0046] The battery compartment external gas detector 37 detects combustible gas (for example, hydrogen gas floating around the hull 1, etc.) flowing from the outside to the inside of the fuel cell compartment 30. The battery compartment external gas detector 37 is, for example, a combustible gas sensor such as a hydrogen gas sensor. The battery compartment external gas detector 37 is arranged on the side opposite to the battery compartment air supply pipe 35 with respect to the battery compartment air supply device 36, that is, on the upstream side of the air flow from the outside to the inside of the fuel cell compartment 30. Note that the battery compartment external gas detector 37 may be composed of a gas sensor that detects combustible gas other than hydrogen gas. Combustible gas other than hydrogen gas includes, for example, methane, ethane, propane, carbon monoxide, etc.

[0047] The external gas detector 37 for the battery section outputs a detection signal indicating the concentration of, for example, a combustible gas to the control unit 12a. Thereby, the control unit 12a can determine whether or not the concentration of the combustible gas is equal to or higher than the standard value based on the detection signal. Then, when the above concentration is equal to or higher than the standard value, 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. The above standard value may be determined based on experiments and / or experience.

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

[0049] The cooling medium pipe 39 is a pipe 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 pipe 39. By driving the circulation pump to supply the cooling medium from the heat exchanger to the fuel cell 31 through the cooling medium pipe 39, the fuel cell 31 is cooled. The cooling medium used for cooling the fuel cell 31 is also supplied to the cooling medium tank 38 through the cooling medium pipe 39, where the volume change accompanying the temperature change of the cooling medium is absorbed and the liquid volume of the cooling medium is monitored.

[0050] At the upper part inside the cooling medium tank 38, a cooling tank internal gas detector 38a is provided. The cooling tank internal gas detector 38a is a fuel gas detector that detects fuel gas present inside the cooling medium tank 38. As the fuel gas present inside the cooling medium tank 38, for example, fuel gas that leaks from the fuel cell 31 and enters the cooling medium tank 38 through the cooling medium pipe 39 can be considered. 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. Thereby, based on the detection result by the cooling tank internal gas detector 38a, the control unit 12a can determine the presence or absence of fuel gas leakage in the fuel cell 31, and in the case of leakage, for example, perform control to stop power generation in the fuel cell 31.

[0051] (2-2. Structure 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 shutoff valve 43. The tank-side shutoff valve 43 is an example of the peripheral device 11.

[0052] The fuel tank 41 stores the fuel gas to be supplied to the fuel cell 31. In FIG. 2, for the sake of convenience, only one fuel tank 41 is shown, but the number of fuel tanks 41 is not particularly limited and may be a plurality.

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

[0054] The above-mentioned inert gas is, for example, nitrogen gas. For example, when performing maintenance such as inspection or repair of the fuel cell ship SH in a dock, if fuel gas remains in the fuel tank 41, there is a risk of explosion when the fuel gas is ignited for some reason. Therefore, when performing maintenance on the fuel cell ship SH, the fuel tank 41 is filled with an inert gas and the fuel gas is removed from the fuel tank 41. Thereby, the risk of the above explosion can be avoided.

[0055] In the above-described fuel gas supply pipe 32, the side opposite to the connection side with the fuel cell 31 is connected to the fuel tank 41. That is, the fuel tank 41 and the fuel cell 31 are connected via the fuel gas supply pipe 32.

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

[0057] That is, it can be said that the fuel gas supply pipe 32 connecting the fuel tank 41 and the fuel cell 31 has at least two shutoff valves SV. The at least two shutoff valves SV include the fuel cell side shutoff valve 33 and the tank side shutoff valve 43.

[0058] The fuel cell ship SH further includes a tank compartment 40. The tank compartment 40 is a container that houses the fuel tank 41. That is, the fuel cell ship SH includes a tank compartment 40 in which the fuel tank 41 for storing fuel gas is installed. The tank compartment 40 is arranged in the fuel chamber 14.

[0059] 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 wall constituting the tank compartment 40 has, for example, a top wall 40a, a bottom wall 40b, a front wall (not shown), a rear wall (not shown), side walls 40c, and side walls 40d. However, the top surface, bottom surface, front surface, rear surface, and side surfaces of the tank compartment 40 can be arbitrarily determined. Also, the shape of the tank compartment 40 is not particularly limited as long as it has a space capable of accommodating at least one fuel tank 41. The tank compartment 40 can also be regarded as a container, chamber, or box that houses the fuel tank 41. The material of the outer wall of the tank compartment 40 is, for example, FRP, but it may also be a steel plate.

[0060] A tank compartment air inlet 40e is provided by opening on 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 described later. Note that the tank compartment air inlet 40e may be provided on an outer wall other than the side wall 40c in the tank compartment 40.

[0061] On the other hand, a tank compartment exhaust port 40f is provided by opening on the top wall 40a of the tank compartment 40. The tank compartment exhaust port 40f communicates with the 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 be provided on an outer wall other than the top wall 40a in the tank compartment 40.

[0062] The tank compartment 40 has a sealed space inside, excluding the tank compartment air inlet 40e and the tank compartment exhaust port 40f.

[0063] Inside the tank compartment 40, a part of the aforementioned fuel gas supply pipe 32 and the tank side shut-off valve 43 are accommodated. Further, inside the tank compartment 40, a tank compartment internal gas detector 44a and a tank compartment internal fire detector 44b are also accommodated.

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

[0065] The tank compartment internal gas detector 44a is disposed at a position close to or inside the tank compartment exhaust port 40f on the top wall 40a located at the upper part of the tank compartment 40. In the tank compartment 40, if fuel gas accidentally leaks from the fuel tank 41, the leaked fuel gas will flow through the tank compartment exhaust port 40f towards the vent pipe 10. That is, the tank compartment exhaust port 40f is located at the most downstream side of the flow path through which the fuel gas flows when the fuel gas leaks in the tank compartment 40. Therefore, by disposing the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a at a position close to or inside the tank compartment exhaust port 40f, no matter where the fuel gas leaks in the tank compartment 40, the leaked fuel gas can be surely detected by the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a located at the most downstream side of the flow path.

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

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

[0068] The tank compartment internal fire detector 44b is disposed on the inner surface of the ceiling wall 40a located at the upper part of the tank compartment 40. When a fire accidentally occurs inside the tank compartment 40, the tank compartment internal fire detector 44b detects the fire and outputs a detection signal indicating the occurrence of the fire to the control unit 12a. 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. Thereby, in the tank compartment 40, the risk of explosion due to ignition of the fuel gas can be reduced as much as possible.

[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 supply port 40e of the tank compartment 40 to the deck 1a and is exposed from the upper surface of the deck 1a.

[0070] At the end of the tank compartment air supply pipe 45 on the deck 1a side, a tank compartment air supply device 46 and a tank compartment external gas detector 47 are arranged. The tank compartment air supply device 46 and the tank compartment external gas detector 47 are located above the 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 drive of the tank compartment air supply device 46 is controlled by the control unit 12a. One or more filters (not shown) may be arranged in the tank compartment air supply device 46. The filter removes, for example, dust or sea salt particles.

[0072] The tank compartment air supply device 46 supplies the outside air of the tank compartment 40 into 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. Thereby, the inside of the tank compartment 40 is ventilated. As a result, even when fuel gas leaks from the fuel tank 41 in the tank compartment 40, the retention of the fuel gas can be suppressed.

[0073] The external gas detector 47 for the tank compartment detects combustible gas flowing from the outside to the inside of the tank compartment 40 (for example, hydrogen gas floating around the hull 1, etc.). The external gas detector 47 for the tank compartment is a combustible gas sensor such as a hydrogen gas sensor, for example. The external gas detector 47 for the tank compartment is arranged on the side opposite to the tank compartment air supply pipe 45 with respect to the tank compartment air supply device 46, that is, on the upstream side of the air flow from the outside to the inside of the tank compartment 40. Note that the external gas detector 47 for the tank compartment may be composed of a gas sensor that detects combustible gas other than hydrogen gas.

[0074] The external gas detector 47 for the tank compartment outputs a detection signal indicating the concentration of combustible gas to the control unit 12a, for example. Thereby, the control unit 12a can determine whether the concentration of combustible gas is equal to or higher than the standard value based on the above detection signal. And when the above concentration is equal to or higher than the standard value, 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. Note that the above standard value may be determined based on experiments and / or experience.

[0075] (2-3. Regarding the duct compartment) The fuel cell ship SH further includes 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 container that houses various pipes. For example, the duct compartment 90 houses a part of the fuel gas supply pipe 32. That is, the fuel cell ship SH further includes a duct compartment 90 that houses a part of the fuel gas supply pipe 32. The inside of the lower duct compartment 70 and the inside of the upper duct compartment 80 communicate with each other via a duct communication part 91. Hereinafter, the details of the lower duct compartment 70 and the upper duct compartment 80 will be described.

[0076] 《2-3-1. Lower duct compartment》 The lower duct section 70 is disposed below the deck 1a. Specifically, the lower duct section 70 is disposed in the engine room 13. In the engine room 13, the lower duct section 70 is located on the stern side of the fuel cell section 30. That is, the lower duct section 70 is located between the fuel cell section 30 and the tank section 40 below the deck 1a. The lower duct section 70 houses a part of the fuel gas supply pipe 32 and a part of the gas filling pipe 42.

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

[0078] The material of the lower duct section 70 is, for example, FRP, but it may also be an iron plate. The lower duct section 70 has a hollow shape. For example, the lower duct section 70 has a hollow substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. In this case, the outer walls constituting the lower duct section 70 have, 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 surface, bottom surface, front surface, rear surface, and side surfaces of the lower duct section 70 can be arbitrarily determined. Also, the shape of the lower duct section 70 is not particularly limited as long as it has a space capable of housing a part of the fuel gas supply pipe 32 or the like. The lower duct section 70 can also be regarded as a container, chamber, or box that houses a part of the fuel gas supply pipe 32 or the like.

[0079] A lower duct section air inlet 70e is provided to open in the side wall 70d of the lower duct section 70. The lower duct section air inlet 70e is connected to a lower duct section air supply pipe 74 described later. Note that the lower duct section air inlet 70e may be provided on an outer wall other than the side wall 70d in the lower duct section 70.

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

[0081] Also, a side wall 70d of the lower duct section 70 is provided with an opening of a battery section communication port 70g. The battery section communication port 70g is connected to the battery section exhaust port 30f of the fuel cell section 30 described above via a communication pipe 92. Thereby, the air inside the fuel cell section 30 flows into the lower duct section 70 via the battery section exhaust port 30f, the communication pipe 92, and the battery section communication port 70g. Note that the battery section communication port 70g may be provided on an outer wall other than the side wall 70d in the lower duct section 70.

[0082] Note that the communication pipe 92 is composed of, for example, a double pipe of 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 on the outer side in the radial direction of the inner pipe. The gas inside the fuel cell section 30 passes between the inner pipe and the outer pipe of the communication pipe 92 from the battery section exhaust port 30f and heads for the battery section communication port 70g of the lower duct section 70.

[0083] The lower duct section 70 has a sealed space inside, excluding a lower duct section air supply port 70e, a lower duct section communication port 70f, and a battery section communication port 70g.

[0084] The lower duct section 70 houses a part of a fuel gas discharge pipe 71. The fuel gas discharge pipe 71 is a fuel discharge pipe branched from a fuel gas supply pipe 32 located inside the lower duct section 70. For example, the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 is branched from the fuel gas supply pipe 32 between two shut-off valves SV.

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

[0086] The lower duct compartment 70 further accommodates a discharge valve 72. The discharge valve 72 is installed in the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 and is an on-off valve that opens or closes the flow path of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71. The discharge valve 72 is an example of the peripheral device 11. The opening and closing of the discharge valve 72 are controlled by the control unit 11.

[0087] Thus, when the shutoff valve SV installed in the tank compartment 40 is the tank-side shutoff valve 43 and the shutoff valve SV installed in the fuel cell compartment 30 is the fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33, the fuel cell ship SH further includes a fuel gas discharge pipe 71 branched off from the fuel gas supply pipe 32 between the tank-side shutoff valve 43 and the fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33, and a discharge valve 72 installed in the fuel gas discharge pipe 71. Note that the discharge valve 72 may be installed in the upper duct compartment 80.

[0088] The lower duct compartment 70 further accommodates an internal gas detector 73 for the lower duct compartment. The internal gas detector 73 for the lower duct compartment is a fuel gas detector disposed inside the lower duct compartment 70. For example, when the fuel gas is hydrogen gas, the internal gas detector 73 for the lower duct compartment is composed of a hydrogen gas detection sensor.

[0089] The lower duct section internal gas detector 73 is disposed at a position close to the lower duct section communication port 70f or inside the lower duct section communication port 70f on the top wall 70a located at the upper part of the lower duct section 70. In the lower duct section 70, if the fuel gas accidentally leaks from the fuel gas supply pipe 32, the leaked fuel gas will flow through the lower duct section communication port 70f toward the upper duct section 80. That is, the lower duct section communication port 70f is located at the most downstream side of the flow path through which the fuel gas flows when the fuel gas leaks in the lower duct section 70. Therefore, by disposing the lower duct section internal gas detector 73 at a position close to the lower duct section communication port 70f or inside the lower duct section communication port 70f, no matter where the fuel gas leaks in the lower duct section 70, the leaked fuel gas can be surely detected by the lower duct section internal gas detector 73 located at the most downstream side of the flow path.

[0090] When the lower duct section internal gas detector 73 detects the fuel gas in the lower duct 70, the detection signal is sent from the lower duct section internal gas detector 73 to the control unit 12a. Thereby, the control unit 12a can control the shut-off valve SV provided in the fuel gas supply pipe 32 to stop the supply of the fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31.

[0091] Note that the lower duct section 70 may further accommodate a fire detector for detecting a fire inside the lower duct section 70.

[0092] A lower duct section air supply pipe 74 is connected to the lower duct section 70. The lower duct section air supply pipe 74 extends from the lower duct section air supply port 70e of the lower duct section 70 to the deck 1a and is exposed from the upper surface of the deck 1a.

[0093] At the end of the lower duct section air supply pipe 74 on the deck 1a side, a lower duct section air supply device 75 and a lower duct section external gas detector 76 are disposed. The lower duct section air supply device 75 and the lower duct section external gas detector 76 are located above the deck 1a.

[0094] The lower duct section air supply device 75 is composed of, for example, an inexpensive non-explosion-proof air supply fan, but it may also be composed of an explosion-proof air supply fan. The drive of the lower duct section air supply device 75 is controlled by the control unit 12a. One or more filters (not shown) may be arranged in the lower duct section air supply device 75. The filter removes, for example, dust or sea salt particles.

[0095] The lower duct section air supply device 75 supplies the air outside the lower duct section 70 (duct section 90) to the inside of the lower duct section 70 through the lower duct section air supply pipe 74 and the lower duct section air supply port 70e. The air inside the lower duct section 70 is discharged to the upper duct section 80 through the lower duct section communication port 70f. Thereby, the inside of the lower duct section 70 is ventilated. As a result, even when fuel gas leaks from the fuel gas supply pipe 32 in the lower duct section 70, the retention of the fuel gas can be suppressed.

[0096] The lower duct section external gas detector 76 detects combustible gas (such as hydrogen gas floating around the hull 1) flowing from the outside to the inside of the duct section 90. The lower duct section external gas detector 76 is, for example, a combustible gas sensor such as a hydrogen gas sensor. The lower duct section external gas detector 76 is arranged on the side opposite to the lower duct section air supply pipe 74 with respect to the lower duct section air supply device 75, that is, on the upstream side of the air flow from the outside to the inside of the duct section 90. Note that the lower duct section external gas detector 76 may be composed of a gas sensor that detects combustible gas other than hydrogen gas.

[0097] The lower duct section external gas detector 76 outputs, for example, a detection signal indicating the concentration of combustible gas to the control unit 12a. Thereby, the control unit 12a can determine whether the concentration of combustible gas is equal to or higher than the standard value based on the detection signal. Then, when the concentration is equal to or higher than the 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 may be determined based on experiments and / or experience.

[0098] 《2-3-2. Upper Duct Section》 The upper duct section 80 is arranged above the deck 1a. Specifically, the upper duct section 80 is arranged on the deck 1a, spanning from the lower duct section 70 to the tank section 40. The upper duct section 80 houses a part of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 and also houses a part of the gas filling pipe 42.

[0099] Here, the "part of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71" housed in the upper duct section 80 refers to the part of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 that extends from the lower duct section 70 towards the vent pipe 10. Also, the "part of the gas filling pipe 42" housed in the upper duct section 80 refers to the part of the gas filling pipe 42 that extends from the lower duct section 70 to the fuel gas filling port 82 described later.

[0100] The material of the upper duct section 80 is, for example, FRP, but it may also be an iron plate. The upper duct section 80 has a hollow shape. For example, the upper duct section 80 has a hollow substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. In this case, the outer walls constituting the upper duct section 80 have, for example, a top wall 80a, a bottom wall 80b, a front wall (not shown), a rear wall (not shown), side walls 80c, and side walls 80d. However, the top surface, bottom surface, front surface, rear surface, and side surfaces of the upper duct section 80 can be arbitrarily determined. Also, the shape of the upper duct section 80 is not particularly limited as long as it has a space capable of housing a part of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71, etc. The upper duct section 80 can also be regarded as a container, chamber, or box that houses a part of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71, etc.

[0101] Incidentally, as described above, the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 communicates with the inside of the vent pipe 10. Thereby, 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 outside the ship 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 open end side of the vent pipe 10. In this case, the discharge direction of the gas discharged from the end 71a of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 is upward.

[0102] For example, if the fuel gas is discharged laterally from the end 71a of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71, the discharged fuel gas hits the inner wall surface of the vent pipe 10 and flows downward. As a result, the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a in the tank compartment 40 may malfunction. By positioning the end 71a of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 upward inside the vent pipe 10 as described above, the possibility of malfunction of the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a due to the fuel gas discharged from the end 71a can be reduced.

[0103] An upper duct compartment air supply port 80e is provided open in the bottom wall 80b of the upper duct compartment 80. The upper duct compartment air supply port 80e communicates with the duct communication portion 91. Therefore, the upper duct compartment 80 communicates with the lower duct compartment 70 via the upper duct compartment air supply port 80e, the duct communication portion 91, and the lower duct communication port 70f. Incidentally, the upper duct compartment air supply port 80e may be provided on an outer wall other than the bottom wall 80b in the upper duct compartment 80.

[0104] The upper duct section 80 has a vent pipe communication portion 81. The vent pipe communication portion 81 is a pipe that communicates the inside of the upper duct section 80 with the vent pipe 10. In FIG. 2, the vent pipe communication portion 81 is illustrated in a shape bent upward from the horizontal direction, but the shape of the vent pipe communication portion 81 is not limited to the shape in FIG. 2. The reason why the vent pipe communication portion 81 is bent upward is the same as the reason why the end portion 71a of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 is bent upward, and it is to reduce the risk of malfunction of the internal gas detector 44a in the tank section due to the fuel gas to be described later discharged from the vent pipe communication portion 81.

[0105] The vent pipe 10 extends upward from the tank section 40 and is located through the inside of the upper duct section 80. More specifically, the vent pipe 10 penetrates the bottom wall 80b of the upper duct section 80 and enters the inside of the vent pipe 10, and penetrates the top wall 80a and is located. The above-mentioned vent pipe communication portion 81 is provided in the upper duct section 80 so as to penetrate the side wall of the vent pipe 10. Thereby, the upper duct section 80 communicates with the vent pipe 10 via the vent pipe communication portion 81.

[0106] Therefore, the air inside the upper duct section 80 is discharged to the outside of the ship via the vent pipe communication portion 81 and the vent pipe 10. Thereby, ventilation inside the upper duct section 80 can be performed. Also, even if fuel gas leaks from the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 in the upper duct section 80, the leaked fuel gas is discharged to the outside of the ship via the vent pipe communication portion 81 and the vent pipe 10. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the leaked fuel gas from staying in the upper duct section 80.

[0107] Furthermore, the upper duct section 80 and the lower duct section 70 communicate with each other via a duct communication section 91. As a result, (1) the air taken into the interior of the lower duct section 70 through the lower duct section air supply pipe 74, (2) the fuel gas leaked from the fuel gas supply pipe 32 in the lower duct 70 for some reason, and (3) the air or fuel gas discharged from the fuel cell section 30 to the lower duct section 70 through the communication pipe 92 can be discharged to the outside of the ship through the upper duct section 80 and the vent pipe 10. Thereby, the retention of fuel gas inside the lower duct section 70 and inside the fuel cell section 30 can be suppressed.

[0108] 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 connected to a gas filling pipe 42. The fuel gas check valve 83 is provided in the gas filling pipe 42. More specifically, the fuel gas check valve 83 is located between the branch portion of the gas filling pipe 42 and the later-described inert gas pipe 87 and the fuel gas filling port 82.

[0109] When fuel gas is supplied from the fuel gas filling port 82, the fuel gas passes through the gas filling pipe 42 via the fuel gas check valve 83 and is supplied to the fuel tank 41 in the tank section 40. Thereby, the fuel tank 41 is filled with and stores fuel gas. The fuel gas check valve 83 is provided to prevent the backflow of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 side 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 connected to the inert gas pipe 87. The inert gas pipe 87 is provided by branching from the gas filling pipe 42 within the upper duct section 80. 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 pipe 87. In the configuration where an inert gas check valve 86 is provided in the inert gas pipe 87, the installation of the on-off valve 85 may be omitted.

[0112] When no fuel gas is supplied to the fuel gas filling port 82 and inert gas is supplied to the inert gas filling port 84, and the on-off valve 85 opens the flow path of the inert gas pipe 87, the inert gas 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 pipe 87 and the gas filling pipe 42. Further, when the tank-side shut-off valve 43 opens the flow path of the fuel gas supply pipe 32, the fuel cell-side shut-off valve 33 closes the flow path of the fuel gas supply pipe 32, and the discharge valve 72 opens the flow path of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71, the fuel gas remaining in the fuel tank 41 is discharged to the vent pipe 10 via the fuel gas supply pipe 32 and the fuel gas discharge pipe 71. Thereby, the fuel gas can be removed from the fuel tank 41 (purge process).

[0113] Note that there may be a pipe directly connecting 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 method). In this configuration, when purging the inert gas in the fuel tank 41, it is necessary to fill the fuel tank 41 with inert gas with the tank-side shut-off valve 43 closed, and then open the tank-side shut-off valve 43 for the purpose of facilitating the discharge of the inert gas from the fuel tank 41.

[0114] As described above, the fuel gas filling port 82 and the inert gas filling port 84 are provided in the upper duct compartment 80. Specifically, 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 compartment 80. That is, "the fuel gas filling port 82 and the inert gas filling port 84 are provided in the upper duct compartment 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 compartment 80.

[0115] In addition, an upper duct section internal gas detector 88 is housed in the upper duct section 80. The upper duct section internal gas detector 88 is a fuel gas detector disposed inside the upper duct section 80. For example, when the fuel gas is hydrogen gas, the upper duct section internal gas detector 88 is composed of a hydrogen gas detection sensor.

[0116] The upper duct section internal gas detector 88 is disposed on the ceiling wall 80a located at the upper part of the upper duct section 80. Hydrogen gas as a fuel gas is lighter than air and rises. Therefore, even if the fuel gas leaks in the upper duct section 80, the leaked fuel gas can be surely detected by the upper duct section internal gas detector 88. In addition, in order to more surely detect the fuel gas leaked in the upper duct section 80, the upper duct section internal gas detector 88 may be disposed at a position close to the vent pipe communication portion 81.

[0117] When the upper duct section internal gas detector 88 detects the fuel gas in the upper duct section 80, the detection signal is sent from the upper duct section internal gas detector 88 to the control unit 12a. Thereby, the control unit 12a can control the shut-off valve SV provided in the fuel gas supply pipe 32 to stop the supply of the fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31.

[0118] In addition, the upper duct section 80 may further house a fire detector that detects a fire inside the upper duct section 80.

[0119] (Supplement regarding the vent pipe) Inside the vent pipe 10, a vent pipe internal gas detector 10a is provided on the downstream side of the discharge port 81a of the vent pipe communication part 81. Here, the downstream side refers to the downstream side in the air flow direction when the air inside the tank section 40 flows through the inside of the vent pipe 10 and is discharged outside the ship. For example, when 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 of the vent pipe internal gas detector 10a is sent to the control unit 12a. The control of the control unit 12a based on the detection result of the vent pipe internal gas detector 10a will be described later.

[0120] [3. Regarding the opening and closing control of the shut-off valve] As described above, in the fuel gas supply pipe 32, at least one tank-side shut-off valve 43 is provided in the tank section 40, and at least one fuel cell-side shut-off valve 33 is provided in the fuel cell section 30. That is, the shut-off valves SV (tank-side shut-off valve 43, fuel cell-side shut-off valve 33) are installed at least one by one in each of the tank section 40 and the fuel cell section 30.

[0121] Also, a tank section internal gas detector 44a is installed in the tank section 40, and a battery section internal gas detector 34a is installed in the fuel cell section 30. That is, in each of the tank section 40 and the fuel cell section 30, fuel gas detectors (tank section internal gas detector 44a, battery section internal gas detector 34a) for detecting the fuel gas in the gaseous state of the fuel are installed respectively.

[0122] In such a configuration, the control unit 12a controls the opening and closing of the shut-off valve SV as follows based on the detection signal (detection result) output from the above fuel gas detector. Hereinafter, a specific example of the opening and closing control of the shut-off valve SV will be described based on the flowcharts after FIG. 3 with appropriate reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. Here, unless otherwise specified, it is assumed that a closing command (control signal for closing) is issued from the control unit 12a to the discharge valve 72, and thereby the discharge valve 72 is closed.

[0123] (3-1. Specific Example 1 of the Opening / Closing Control of the Shutoff Valve) FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing flow according to an example of the opening / closing control of the shutoff valve SV in the present embodiment. When the internal gas detector 44a of the tank compartment detects that the concentration of the fuel gas in the tank compartment 40 is equal to or higher than the standard value (Yes in S1), the control unit 12a outputs a closing signal to both the tank-side shutoff valve 43 and the fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33, and closes both the tank-side shutoff valve 43 and the fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33 (S2). As a result, the supply of the fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31 through the fuel gas supply pipe 32 is stopped.

[0124] As the above-mentioned standard value, for example, 40% LEL can be considered, but it may be appropriately determined based on experiments or experience as described above (the same applies to the standard values appearing below).

[0125] Even when the internal gas detector 44a of the tank compartment detects that the concentration of the fuel gas in the tank compartment 40 is less than the standard value in S1 (No in S1), if the internal gas detector 34a of the battery compartment detects that the concentration of the fuel gas in the fuel cell compartment 30 is equal to or higher than the standard value (Yes in S3), the control unit 12a outputs a closing signal to both the tank-side shutoff valve 43 and the fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33, and closes both the tank-side shutoff valve 43 and the fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33 (S2). Therefore, also in this case, the supply of the fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31 through the fuel gas supply pipe 32 is stopped.

[0126] On the other hand, when the internal gas detector 34a of the battery compartment detects that the concentration of the fuel gas in the fuel cell compartment 30 is less than the standard value in S3 (No in S13), the control unit 12a outputs an opening signal to both the tank-side shutoff valve 43 and the fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33, and opens both the tank-side shutoff valve 43 and the fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33 (S4). In this case, the fuel gas is supplied from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31 through the fuel gas supply pipe 32. Note that the order of S1 and S3 may be interchanged.

[0127] (3-2. Specific Example 2 of Opening / Closing Control of Shutoff Valve) FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing according to another example of the opening / closing control of the shutoff valve SV. The control unit 12a may control the opening / closing of the shutoff valve SV as follows. That is, when the internal gas detector 44a of the tank compartment detects that the concentration of the fuel gas in the tank compartment 40 is equal to or higher than the standard value (Yes in S11), the control unit 12a outputs a closing signal to the tank-side shutoff valve 43 to close the tank-side shutoff valve 43 (S12). Due to the closing of the tank-side shutoff valve 43, the supply of the fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31 is stopped.

[0128] When the internal gas detector 44a of the tank compartment detects that the concentration of the fuel gas in the tank compartment 40 is less than the standard value in S11 (No in S11), the control unit 12a outputs an opening signal to the tank-side shutoff valve 43 to open the tank-side shutoff valve 43 (S13).

[0129] Also, when the internal gas detector 34a of the battery compartment detects that the concentration of the fuel gas in the fuel cell compartment 30 is equal to or higher than the standard value (Yes in S14), the control unit 12a outputs a closing signal to the fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33 to close the fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33 (S15). Thereby, even if the tank-side shutoff valve 43 is in an open state, due to the closing of the fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33, the supply of the fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31 is stopped.

[0130] When the internal gas detector 34a of the battery compartment detects that the concentration of the fuel gas in the fuel cell compartment 30 is less than the standard value in S14 (No in S14), the control unit 12a outputs an opening signal to the fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33 to open the fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33 (S16). Therefore, when the tank-side shutoff valve 43 is opened in S13, due to the opening of the fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33 in S16, the fuel gas is supplied from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31.

[0131] As described above, in Specific Examples 1 and 2, when the concentration of the fuel gas is less than the standard value in both the tank compartment 40 and the fuel cell compartment 30, the fuel gas is supplied from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31 through the fuel gas supply pipe 32. Also, when the concentration of the fuel gas is equal to or greater than the standard value in at least one of the tank compartment 40 and the fuel cell compartment 30, the supply of the fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31 through the fuel gas supply pipe 32 is stopped.

[0132] Also, from Specific Examples 1 and 2, the following can be said. That is, when the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a detects that the concentration of the fuel gas is equal to or greater than the standard value, the control unit 12a closes the shut-off valve SV (tank side shut-off valve 43) in the compartment (tank compartment 40) where the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a is installed. Also, when the fuel cell compartment internal gas detector 34a detects that the concentration of the fuel gas is equal to or greater than the standard value, the control unit 12a closes the shut-off valve SV (fuel cell side shut-off valve 33) in the compartment (fuel cell compartment 30) where the fuel cell compartment internal gas detector 34a is installed (see S2, S12, S15).

[0133] As described above, the fuel cell ship SH of the present embodiment includes a control unit 12a that controls the opening and closing of the shut-off valve SV. When at least one of the fuel gas detectors (at least one of the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a and the fuel cell compartment internal gas detector 34a) installed in the (tank compartment 40 and the fuel cell compartment 30) detects that the concentration of the fuel gas is equal to or greater than a predetermined standard value, the control unit 12a closes the shut-off valve SV in the compartment where the fuel gas detector that detected the concentration equal to or greater than the standard value is installed, among the tank compartment 40 and the fuel cell compartment 30.

[0134] When a fuel gas detector (tank compartment internal gas detector 44a or battery compartment internal gas detector 34a) that has detected that the concentration of the fuel gas is equal to or higher than the standard value has its shut-off valve SV in the compartment where it is installed closed and the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31 is stopped, the fuel cell 31 can no longer generate electricity through an electrochemical reaction with the fuel gas. That is, if by any chance a leakage of fuel gas occurs in the above-mentioned compartment such that the concentration becomes equal to or higher than the standard value, the power generation of the fuel cell 31 can be stopped. Even when the power generation of the fuel cell 31 stops, it is possible to continue the propulsion of the fuel cell ship SH by the propulsion device 6 through the power supply from the storage battery of the storage battery system 5.

[0135] In particular, when at least one of the fuel gas detectors (at least one of the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a and the battery compartment internal gas detector 34a) detects that the concentration of the fuel gas is equal to or higher than the standard value, the control unit 12a closes all the shut-off valves SV (tank side shut-off valve 43, fuel cell side shut-off valve 33) in all compartments (S2).

[0136] When the concentration of the fuel gas becomes equal to or higher than the standard value, the shut-off valves SV in all compartments of the tank compartment 40 and the fuel cell compartment 30 are closed. As a result, the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31 is surely stopped, and the power generation of the fuel cell 31 can be surely stopped.

[0137] [4. Combined Opening and Closing Control of the Discharge Valve] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing when the opening and closing control of the discharge valve 72 is also performed in the opening and closing control of the shut-off valve SV in the above-described specific example 1. The flowchart of FIG. 5 is the same as FIG. 3 except that the step of S2-1 is added. When at least one of the fuel gas detectors (at least one of the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a and the battery compartment internal gas detector 34a) detects that the concentration of the fuel gas is equal to or higher than the standard value (Yes in S1 or Yes in S3), while closing the tank side shut-off valve 43 and the fuel cell side shut-off valve 33 (S2), it is desirable to open the discharge valve 72 (S2-1).

[0138] At S2, when the tank-side shut-off valve 43 and the fuel cell-side shut-off valve 33 are closed, fuel gas remains in the fuel gas supply pipe 32 between the tank-side shut-off valve 43 and the fuel cell-side shut-off valve 33. If the fuel gas supply pipe 32 is left with high-pressure fuel gas remaining, there is a risk of explosion by ignition when the above fuel gas leaks for some reason.

[0139] At S2-1, by the control unit 12a opening the discharge valve 72, the fuel gas remaining between the tank-side shut-off valve 43 and the fuel cell-side shut-off valve 33 in the fuel gas supply pipe 32 can be discharged to the outside (for example, outside the ship) via the discharge valve 72. Thereby, a situation where the fuel gas supply pipe 32 is left with high-pressure fuel gas remaining can be avoided.

[0140] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing according to another example of the opening / closing control of the discharge valve 72. The flowchart of FIG. 6 is the same as that of FIG. 5 except that the steps of S2-2 and S2-3 are added. The control unit 12a desirably closes the discharge valve 72 when the pressure in the fuel gas supply pipe 32 reaches a predetermined pressure after opening the discharge valve 72 at S2-1 (S2-2, S2-3).

[0141] The above-mentioned predetermined pressure refers to, for example, atmospheric pressure. Also, the control unit 12a may determine whether or not the pressure in the fuel gas supply pipe 32 has reached the predetermined pressure by determining whether or not a predetermined time (for example, 1 second) has elapsed since the discharge valve 72 was opened. Alternatively, the control unit 12a may measure the pressure in the fuel gas supply pipe 32 with a pressure gauge and determine whether or not the pressure in the fuel gas supply pipe 32 has reached the predetermined pressure based on the measurement result.

[0142] If the discharge valve 72 is opened to bring it to atmospheric pressure and left in that state for a long time, air will enter the fuel gas supply pipe 32 from the outside (for example, via the vent pipe 10). In this case, when the fuel cell ship SH is to be restarted and the discharge valve 72 is closed and the shut-off valve SV is opened to supply fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31, the air present in the fuel gas supply pipe 32 will also be supplied to the fuel cell 31. The above air may cause problems such as oxidizing and corroding the electrodes of the fuel cell 31.

[0143] After the discharge valve 72 is opened and the pressure in the fuel gas supply pipe 32 reaches a predetermined pressure, by closing the discharge valve 72, it is possible to prevent air from entering the fuel gas supply pipe 32 from the outside (via the vent pipe 10) through the discharge valve 72 thereafter. Thereby, it is possible to reduce the risk of problems such as corrosion of the electrodes of the fuel cell 31 due to the above air.

[0144] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing according to still another example of the opening / closing control of the discharge valve 72. The flowchart of FIG. 7 is the same as that of FIG. 6 except that the step of S2-2 is replaced with S2-2'. The control unit 12a may close the discharge valve 72 after a predetermined time has elapsed after opening the discharge valve 72 in S2-1 (S2-2', S2-3). Note that the predetermined time is preferably set to be shorter than the time it takes for the pressure in the fuel gas supply pipe 32 to reach atmospheric pressure after the discharge valve 72 is opened. From such a viewpoint, the predetermined time may be set to several seconds (for example, 1 second).

[0145] As described above, when air (including oxygen) exists in the fuel gas supply pipe 32 and then, when the fuel cell ship SH is to be restarted, the discharge valve 72 is closed and the shut-off valve SV is opened to supply fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31, the above air will also be supplied to the fuel cell 31, and there is a risk of problems such as corrosion of the electrodes of the fuel cell 31.

[0146] After opening the discharge valve 72, after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, by closing the discharge valve, the amount of air that enters the fuel gas supply pipe 32 from the outside through the discharge valve 72 can be reduced as much as possible. Thereby, the possibility of causing inconveniences such as corrosion of the electrodes of the fuel cell 31 described above can be reduced as much as possible.

[0147] 〔5. Regarding the opening and closing control of the shut-off valve and the discharge valve considering the duct section〕 FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing according to an example of the opening and closing control of the shut-off valve SV and the discharge valve 72 considering the detection of fuel gas in the duct section. The flowchart of FIG. 8 is the same as FIG. 5 except that a step S3-1 is added between S3 and S4. In FIG. 8, the steps of closing the discharge valve 72 after opening the discharge valve 72 (S2-2, S2-2’, S2-3) as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 are not shown, but it goes without saying that these steps may be performed.

[0148] In the present embodiment, as described above, in addition to the tank section 40 and the fuel cell section 30, a fuel gas detector is also installed in the duct section 90. For example, an upper duct section internal gas detector 88 is installed in the upper duct section 80. In this configuration, when the fuel gas detector (for example, the upper duct section internal gas detector 88) in the duct section 90 detects that the concentration of the fuel gas is equal to or higher than the standard value, the control unit 12a may close the tank side shut-off valve 43 and the fuel cell side shut-off valve 33 (S3-1, S2). In addition, when the fuel gas detector (lower duct section internal gas detector 73) in the lower duct section 70 detects that the concentration of the fuel gas is equal to or higher than the standard value, the control unit 12a may close the tank side shut-off valve 43 and the fuel cell side shut-off valve 33.

[0149] Even if a fuel gas leak occurs within the duct section 90 such that the concentration of the fuel gas becomes equal to or higher than the standard value, the tank-side shutoff valve 43 and the fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33 are closed. As a result, the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31 is stopped. Therefore, even if a fuel gas leak occurs within the duct section 90, the power generation of the fuel cell 31 can be stopped.

[0150] In the present embodiment, as described above, the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 branched from the fuel gas supply pipe 32 extends from the inside of the lower duct section 70 to the inside of the upper duct section 80 and further communicates with the inside of the vent pipe 10. In this configuration, the fuel gas discharged from the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 via the discharge valve 72 can be guided to the vent pipe 10 and discharged to the outside via the vent pipe 10. Further, a vent pipe internal gas detector 10a is provided inside the vent pipe 10.

[0151] In this way, in the configuration in which the fuel cell ship SH includes the vent pipe 10 that guides the fuel gas discharged from the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 to the outside via the discharge valve 72 and the vent pipe internal gas detector 10a that detects the fuel gas inside the vent pipe 10, the control unit 12a can determine the presence or absence of a failure of the discharge valve 72 using the detection result of the vent pipe internal gas detector 10a. This will be described in detail below.

[0152] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing according to an example of the opening / closing control of the shutoff valve SV and the discharge valve 72 in consideration of the detection of fuel gas by the vent pipe internal gas detector 10a. The flowchart of FIG. 9 is the same as that of FIG. 8 except that the steps of S3-2, S5, and S6 are added. Note that the control unit 12a is in a state of issuing a closing command to the discharge valve 72.

[0153] ​At S1, the internal gas detector 44a of the tank compartment detects that the concentration of the fuel gas in the tank compartment 40 is less than the standard value (No at S1). At S3, the internal gas detector 34a of the battery compartment detects that the concentration of the fuel gas in the fuel cell compartment 30 is less than the standard value (No at S3). At S3-1, when the internal gas detector 88 of the upper duct compartment detects that the concentration of the fuel gas in the duct compartment 90 is less than the standard value (No at S3-1), and when the internal gas detector 10a of the vent pipe detects that the fuel gas inside the vent pipe 10 is equal to or higher than the standard value (No at S3-2), the control unit 12a determines that the discharge valve 72 is malfunctioning (S5). The reason for the control unit 12a to make such a determination is as follows.

[0154] The fuel gas detected by the internal gas detector 10a of the vent pipe is one of the following: (A) the fuel gas that leaked in the tank compartment 40 and flowed into the vent pipe 10; (B) the fuel gas that leaked in the duct compartment 90 and flowed into the vent pipe 10 through the vent pipe connection part 81; (C) the fuel gas that leaked in the fuel cell compartment 30 and then flowed into the vent pipe 10 through the duct compartment 90 and the vent pipe connection part 81; (D) the fuel gas that flowed into the vent pipe 10 through the fuel gas discharge pipe 71. Among these, the fuel gas of (A) will surely be detected by the internal gas detector 44a of the tank compartment. Also, the fuel gas of (B) and (C) will surely be detected by the internal gas detector 88 of the upper duct compartment. Therefore, although the internal gas detectors 44a of the tank compartment and 88 of the upper duct compartment have not detected the fuel gas, the fact that the internal gas detector 10a of the vent pipe has detected the fuel gas means that the fuel gas is not the fuel gas of (A) to (C), and inevitably it is the fuel gas of (D).

[0155] Here, for example, when the control unit 12a issues an open command to the discharge valve 72 and the discharge valve 72 is in an open state, in the fuel gas discharge pipe 71, the fuel gas flows through the discharge valve 72 into the vent pipe 10. Therefore, it is natural for the vent pipe internal gas detector 10a to detect the fuel gas. However, when the vent pipe internal gas detector 10a detects the fuel gas while the control unit 12a has issued a close command to the discharge valve 72, it means that the discharge valve 72 does not completely block the flow path of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71. Therefore, when the answer is No in S3-2, the control unit 12a can determine that the discharge valve 72 is malfunctioning (S5).

[0156] In S5, when the control unit 12a determines that the discharge valve 72 is malfunctioning, the control unit 12a notifies the outside (S6). Note that the above notification includes monitor display, output of an alarm sound, information transmission to an external terminal (for example, sending an email), etc.

[0157] As described above, based on the detection results of the fuel gas detectors (for example, the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a, the upper duct compartment internal gas detector 88) and the vent pipe internal gas detector 10a, the control unit 12a determines the presence or absence of a malfunction of the discharge valve 72 (S1, S3-1, S3-2), and when a malfunction is detected, it notifies the outside (S5, S6).

[0158] When the discharge valve 72 is malfunctioning, by notifying the outside, it is possible to quickly prompt the maintenance personnel to inspect, repair, replace, etc. the discharge valve 72.

[0159] In particular, when each fuel gas detector (for example, the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a, the upper duct compartment internal gas detector 88) does not detect fuel gas with a concentration equal to or higher than the standard value in the tank compartment 40 and the duct compartment 90, and the vent pipe internal gas detector 10a detects fuel gas with a concentration equal to or higher than the standard value while the control unit 12a has issued a close command to the discharge valve 72, the control unit 12a determines that the discharge valve 72 is malfunctioning (S5).

[0160] When no fuel gas leakage has been detected inside the tank compartment 40 and inside the duct compartment 90, and a command to close the discharge valve 72 has been issued, but the internal gas detector 10a of the vent pipe detects fuel gas with a concentration equal to or higher than the standard value, there is a high possibility that fuel gas is leaking from the discharge valve 72 and flowing into the vent pipe 10. Therefore, the presence or absence of a failure of the discharge valve 72 can be reliably determined by the above-described determination method.

[0161] 〔7. Others〕 In the present embodiment, gaseous fuel gas is used as the fuel supplied from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31. However, the above fuel is not limited to gas and may be liquid. When liquid fuel is used, if the liquid fuel leaks from the pipe, the leaked liquid fuel vaporizes and becomes gas (fuel gas).

[0162] In the present embodiment, the configuration in which the fuel cell ship SH has the duct compartment 90 has been described. However, the duct compartment 90 may not be installed. For example, if a vent pipe is provided corresponding to each of the tank compartment 40 and the fuel cell compartment 30, the installation of the duct compartment 90 can be omitted (because there is no need to secure a flow path from the fuel cell compartment 30 to the vent pipe 10). In this case, for example, the opening / closing control of the shut-off valve SV and the discharge valve 72 shown in FIGS. 3 to 7 becomes effective.

[0163] However, in the configuration in which the fuel cell ship SH has the duct compartment 90 as in the present embodiment, the air inside each compartment (tank compartment 40, fuel cell compartment 30, duct compartment 90) of the fuel cell ship SH or the fuel gas at the time of leakage can be aggregated in the vent pipe 10 communicating with the tank compartment 40 and the duct compartment 90 and discharged to the outside of the ship. As a result, compared with a configuration in which a vent pipe is separately provided in the fuel cell compartment 30, for example, the fuel cell ship SH can be configured more compactly because the number of components is reduced and the number of dangerous locations specified by the ship safety regulations is reduced.

[0164] As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and it can be implemented by expanding or changing without departing from the gist of the invention.

Industrial Applicability

[0165] The present invention can be used, for example, in a fuel cell ship.

Explanation of Signs

[0166] 1 Hull 6 Propulsion device 10 Vent pipe 10a Gas detector inside the vent pipe 12a Control unit 30 Fuel cell compartment 31 Fuel cell 32 Fuel gas supply pipe (fuel supply pipe) 33 Shut-off valve on the fuel cell side 34a Gas detector inside the battery compartment (fuel gas detector) 40 Tank compartment 41 Fuel tank 43 Shut-off valve on the tank side 44a Gas detector inside the tank compartment (fuel gas detector) 70 Lower duct compartment (duct compartment) 71 Fuel gas discharge pipe (fuel discharge pipe) 72 Release valve 73 Gas detector inside the lower duct compartment (fuel gas detector) 80 Upper duct compartment (duct compartment) 88 Gas detector inside the upper duct compartment (fuel gas detector) 90 Duct compartment SH Fuel cell ship SV Shut-off valve

Claims

1. A fuel cell ship comprising a fuel cell that generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction of fuel, and a propulsion device that generates a propulsion force for the hull using the power supplied from the fuel cell, wherein the fuel cell ship includes a fuel cell compartment where the fuel cell is installed, a tank compartment where a fuel tank for storing the fuel is installed, and a fuel supply pipe for supplying the fuel from the fuel tank to the fuel cell, wherein the fuel supply pipe has at least two shut-off valves, wherein at least one shut-off valve is installed in each of the tank compartment and the fuel cell compartment, wherein the fuel cell ship further includes a control unit that controls the opening and closing of the shut-off valves, wherein when a fuel gas detector installed in the tank compartment or the fuel cell compartment and detecting the fuel gas in a gaseous state of the fuel detects that the concentration of the fuel gas is equal to or higher than a predetermined standard value, the control unit closes the shut-off valves in all compartments, wherein when the shut-off valve installed in the tank compartment is defined as a tank-side shut-off valve and the shut-off valve installed in the fuel cell compartment is defined as a fuel cell-side shut-off valve, the fuel cell ship further includes a fuel discharge pipe branched from the fuel supply pipe between the tank-side shut-off valve and the fuel cell-side shut-off valve, and a discharge valve installed in the fuel discharge pipe, wherein when the fuel gas detector detects that the concentration of the fuel gas is equal to or higher than the standard value, the control unit closes the tank-side shut-off valve and the fuel cell-side shut-off valve while opening the discharge valve.

2. The fuel cell ship according to claim 1, wherein the fuel gas detectors are installed in each of the compartments.

3. The fuel cell ship according to claim 2, wherein when at least one of the fuel gas detectors detects that the concentration of the fuel gas is equal to or higher than a predetermined standard value, the control unit closes the shut-off valves in all compartments.

4. The fuel cell ship according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein after opening the discharge valve, when the pressure in the fuel supply pipe reaches a predetermined pressure, the control unit closes the discharge valve.

5. The fuel cell ship according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein after opening the discharge valve, after a lapse of a predetermined time, the control unit closes the discharge valve.

6. The fuel cell ship further includes a duct compartment for accommodating a part of the fuel supply pipe. ​ ​ In addition to the tank section and the fuel cell section, a fuel gas detector is further installed in the duct section. The fuel cell ship according to claim 3, wherein when the fuel gas detector in the duct section detects that the concentration of the fuel gas is equal to or higher than the standard value, the control unit closes the tank-side shut-off valve and the fuel cell-side shut-off valve.

7. A vent pipe that guides the fuel gas discharged from the fuel discharge pipe to the outside through the discharge valve, and a vent pipe internal gas detector that detects the fuel gas inside the vent pipe. The fuel cell ship according to claim 6, wherein the control unit determines the presence or absence of a failure of the discharge valve based on the detection results of the fuel gas detector and the vent pipe internal gas detector, and notifies the outside when a failure is detected.

8. The fuel cell ship according to claim 7, wherein when the fuel gas detectors in the tank section and the duct section do not detect the fuel gas having a concentration equal to or higher than the standard value, and the discharge valve is in a state where a closing command has been issued, and the vent pipe internal gas detector detects the fuel gas having a concentration equal to or higher than the standard value, the control unit determines that the discharge valve has failed.

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