Cooling structure for a vehicle power generating unit

Abstract

To improve cooling performance of a vehicle power generation unit in a compact layout.SOLUTION: In a cooling structure of a vehicle power generation unit, a radiator 37, an inverter 35, and a power generator 30 are connected through cooling hoses 38a to 38d. A pump 39 is provided at the cooling hoses 38b, 38c arranged between the radiator 37 and the power generator 30 in a coolant circulation direction. The pump 39 causes a coolant to circulate through the radiator 37, the inverter 35, and the power generator 30 in a written order, and the radiator 37 is provided with an outflow port 37f for the radiator. The power generator 30 is provided with an outflow port 30f for the power generator. The outflow port 30f for the power generator is provided at a position lower than the outflow port 37f for the radiator in a vertical direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling structure for a vehicle power generating unit. [Background technology]

[0002] As a small-sized power generation unit having a power generation engine, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a power generation unit that houses the power generation engine, a generator, an inverter, and a radiator within the unit is known. Such a power generation unit has a heat source device inside, so it is necessary to ensure cooling efficiency within the unit. For example, the power generation engine becomes hotter than other unit components, so it needs to be cooled efficiently. On the other hand, electrical components such as the inverter generate less heat than the power generation engine, but have lower heat resistance than the power generation engine, so they require a certain amount of cooling.

[0003] In the power generation unit in the above example, the generator and inverter are located upstream of the generator engine in the direction of cooling air flow, and the radiator is located downstream of the generator engine. After cooling the radiator, the air is exhausted to the outside of the unit. A cooling air inlet is formed in the side wall of the unit's housing to allow outside air to enter the unit. Furthermore, the inverter is located near the cooling air inlet in the side wall to ensure a predetermined cooling efficiency. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-106697 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Furthermore, such small power generating units are known to be mounted on vehicles, such as electric vehicles having a battery for driving an electric motor, and by mounting the power generating unit and supplying power to the battery or the electric motor, it is possible to extend the cruising distance.

[0006] When the power generating unit described above is mounted on a vehicle, it must be removably mounted in a predetermined position on the vehicle, for example, in an installation space provided below the rear of the vehicle. By configuring the power generating unit to be removable from the vehicle body in this way, the maintainability of the power generating unit is improved, and further, the power generating unit can be used independently in a location away from the vehicle.

[0007] However, because the installation space for such a power generation unit is limited, the components surrounding the generator engine and the generator are required to have a more compact structure, and they are also required to have a predetermined cooling performance while maintaining a compact structure, and they are also required to be easy to maintain. Therefore, it may be difficult to install the inverter in a location that is easily exposed to the outside air, i.e., a location that is easy to air-cool, as in the above example, due to layout considerations. Therefore, with the structure of the above example, there is room for improvement in terms of efficiently cooling electrical components such as the inverter.

[0008] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a cooling structure for a vehicle power generation unit that can improve the cooling performance of the power generation unit while ensuring freedom in the layout of the components that make up the power generation unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a cooling structure for a vehicle generator unit, which includes a generator engine, a generator connected to the generator engine, an inverter electrically connected to the generator, and a unit case that houses the generator engine, the generator, and the inverter and is detachably attached to a vehicle. ,La The radiator, the inverter, and the generator are connected via a cooling hose through which a coolant flows, and a pump for circulating the coolant is connected to the cooling hose, and the pump is provided on the cooling hose that is arranged between the radiator and the generator in the flow direction of the coolant, and the pump circulates the coolant through the radiator, the inverter, and the generator in this order, and the radiator is provided with a first circulation port through which the coolant flows out, and the generator is provided with a second circulation port through which the coolant flows out, and No. The second circulation port is provided at a lower position than the first circulation port. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the cooling performance of the power generation unit while ensuring the degree of freedom in the layout of the components that make up the power generation unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a vehicle power generating unit according to the present invention; [Figure 2] 2 is a plan view schematically showing a generator, a radiator, cooling hoses, etc., arranged in the unit case of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a side view showing a schematic diagram of the annular cooling piping inside the generator of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 3 is a schematic rear view of the radiator, inverter, generator, etc. of FIG. 2 as viewed from the rear side of the vehicle. [Figure 5] 5 is a schematic side view of the inverter, generator, etc. in FIG. 4 as viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction. [Figure 6] 3 is a schematic side view of the radiator, inverter, and pump of FIG. 2 as viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the radiator in FIG. 6 as seen from below the vehicle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the cooling structure for a vehicle power generating unit 1 according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings (FIGS. 1 to 7). In the drawings, the direction of the arrow Fr indicates the front in the vehicle longitudinal direction (unit longitudinal direction). In the description of the embodiment, the "front (front end) and rear (rear end)" correspond to the front and rear in the vehicle longitudinal direction (unit longitudinal direction). Furthermore, the arrows R and L indicate the right and left sides when an occupant looks forward of the vehicle (when looking forward in the unit longitudinal direction).

[0013] The power generation unit 1 of this embodiment is detachably mounted, for example, under the floor of a luggage space or the like provided at the rear of the vehicle. Although not shown in the drawings, the power generation unit 1 is inserted into the vehicle through an opening provided at the rear of the vehicle and fixed to the rear of the vehicle. In this case, the power generation unit 1 is disposed, for example, between the left and right rear wheels in the vehicle width direction, and is mounted to highly rigid rear side members and rear cross members that constitute the body frame.

[0014] As shown in Fig. 2, the power generation unit 1 of this embodiment has a generator engine 20, a generator 30, and an inverter 35. The power generation unit 1 of this embodiment also has a first electric fan 31, a second electric fan 32, a radiator 37, cooling hoses 38a to 38d, an oil cooler 50, oil piping 52, and an exhaust pipe 53. These are housed inside a substantially rectangular parallelepiped unit case 10 shown in Fig. 1.

[0015] The power generation unit 1 also has, as other components, a fuel tank (not shown) filled with fuel for driving the power generation engine 20, and a muffler (not shown) through which exhaust gas emitted from the power generation engine 20 flows and which exhausts the exhaust gas to the outside of the power generation unit 1, and these are arranged in close proximity within the unit case 10.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1 , the unit case 10 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape overall, and mounting portions 17 for mounting to a vehicle are provided on the outside of the unit case 10. The power generation unit 1 is mounted, for example, to the rear of the vehicle so that the longitudinal direction of the unit case 10 is aligned with the vehicle width direction. In the following description, the longitudinal direction of the power generation unit 1 corresponds to the vehicle width direction and left-right direction, and the short side direction of the power generation unit 1 corresponds to the vehicle front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the front and rear of the power generation unit 1 correspond to the front and rear of the short side direction (unit front-rear direction) of the power generation unit 1, and the left-right direction of the power generation unit 1 (unit width direction) corresponds to the left and right when the power generation unit 1 is facing forward.

[0017] 1, the unit case 10 of this embodiment has a tray 11 and a lid 15. The tray 11 has a rectangular bottom surface portion (not shown) 12 on which the power-generating engine 20, the generator 30, etc. are installed, and side walls 13 that protrude upward from each end of the bottom surface portion 12 and extend along the end portions. In the following description, the longitudinal direction (long side direction) of the bottom surface portion 12 corresponds to the unit width direction of the power generating unit 1, and the lateral direction (short side direction) corresponds to the unit front-to-rear direction of the power generating unit 1.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 1, the side walls 13 protrude upward from the left and right ends of the unit case 10 and extend along the front-to-rear direction of the unit. In this example, as shown in Fig. 1, the mounting portions 14 are provided on the side walls 13. The mounting portions 14 have rollers or the like for running on rails provided on the vehicle body.

[0019] The lid 15 is box-shaped and covers the tray 11 from above, and is fixed to the side wall 13 of the tray 11. A substantially rectangular air intake hole 16 is provided on the left side of the rear surface of the lid 15. The air intake hole 16 is a hole that allows air outside the unit to be drawn into the inside of the unit. A first electric fan 31 and a second electric fan 32 are arranged inside the lid 15 so as to face the air intake hole 16. A handle 18 is provided on the right side of the air intake hole 16, in the center of the rear surface in the left-right direction. The power generation unit 1 can be removed from the vehicle body by pulling the handle 18.

[0020] First, we will explain the generator engine 20, one of the components that make up the power generation unit 1. The generator engine 20 is fixed to the bottom surface 12 of the unit case 10 via a bracket (not shown) and a mount (not shown). In this example, the generator engine 20 is located at the front of the bottom surface 12, approximately in the center in the left-right direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the generator engine 20 of this embodiment has a cylinder block (not shown) in which a piston (not shown) is disposed, a cylinder head (not shown), a cylinder head cover 23, and a crankcase 26 that houses the crankshaft.

[0021] The cylinder block extends perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the crankcase 26. The cylinder block has an outer shape that is roughly a rectangular parallelepiped extending along the front-to-rear direction of the unit. A cylinder liner (not shown) is provided inside the cylinder block. The cylinder liner is cylindrical and extends along the front-to-rear direction of the unit, and the piston is configured to move back and forth inside the cylinder liner. In addition, a plurality of heat dissipation fins (not shown) are provided on the outer surface of the cylinder block.

[0022] The cylinder case 25 covers the cylinder block including the heat dissipation fins. As shown in Fig. 5, the cylinder case 25 extends in the front-to-rear direction of the unit, and the front part of the cylinder case 25 is connected to the rear surface of the crankcase 26. Cooling air also flows into the cylinder case 25 via an inlet pipe 40, which will be described later.

[0023] 2, the crankcase 26 is disposed in front of the cylinder case 25 in the front-rear direction of the unit, at approximately the center in the width direction of the unit at the rear of the bottom surface portion 12 of the tray 11. The crankcase 26 also extends in the width direction of the unit, and a crankshaft extending in the width direction of the unit is disposed inside the crankcase 26. The crankshaft is connected to the piston by a connecting rod (not shown).

[0024] An oil cooler 50 is connected to the generator engine 20 via an oil pipe. The oil cooler 50 is disposed at the rear of the unit case 10, and is disposed opposite a first electric fan 31, which will be described later.

[0025] Next, the cooling systems will be described. The power generation unit 1 of this embodiment has multiple cooling systems. In this example, there are a water-cooled cooling system (first cooling system) that cools the inverter 35 and the like, an air-cooled cylinder cooling system (second cooling system) that cools the power generation engine 20, particularly the cylinder block (not shown), and the like, and an air-cooled oil cooling system that cools the oil cooler 50.

[0026] In the water-cooled cooling system of the power generation unit 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, the radiator 37, the inverter 35, and the generator 30 are connected via cooling hoses 38a to 38d through which cooling water (coolant) flows. An electric pump 39 for circulating the cooling water is connected to the cooling hoses 38a to 38d. The pump 39 is provided on cooling hoses 38b and 38c that are routed between the radiator 37 and the generator 30 in the direction of flow of the cooling water in the water-cooled cooling system. The pump 39 circulates the cooling water circulating in the water-cooled cooling system through the radiator 37, the inverter 35, and the generator 30 in this order, as shown in Fig. 4. The radiator 37 is provided with a radiator outlet (first circulation port) 37f through which the cooling water flows, and the generator 30 is provided with a generator outlet (first circulation port) 30f through which the cooling water flows. In the vertical direction of the unit, the generator outlet 30f is provided at a lower position than the radiator outlet 37f.

[0027] Setting the height of the outlets 30f, 37f in this way facilitates the flow of cooling water, thereby maintaining cooling performance and improving maintainability. Here, the pump 39 only needs to be located upstream of the generator 30 in the direction of cooling water flow. Because the generator 30 receives power from the generator engine 20, a water-cooled cooling system requires a loop, making the routing of cooling hoses complex. Even in this case, by locating the pump 39 upstream of the generator 30, the pump 39 can deliver cooling water directly to the generator 30, facilitating cooling water circulation. This arrangement facilitates maintenance when refilling the cooling water. As a result, the above configuration improves the cooling performance of the power generation unit 1 while ensuring flexibility in the layout of the components that make up the power generation unit 1.

[0028] The structure of the generator 30 and the inverter 35 cooled by a water-cooled cooling system will be described below, followed by a description of the configuration and operation of the water-cooled cooling system.

[0029] 2, the water-cooled cooling system includes a radiator 37, a first cooling hose 38a, a second cooling hose 38b, a third cooling hose 38c, a fourth cooling hose 38d, and a pump 39. The first cooling hose 38a connects the radiator 37 and the cooling water tank 36 of the inverter 35. The second cooling hose 38b connects the cooling water tank 36 of the inverter 35 and the pump 39. The third cooling hose 38c connects the cooling water circulation pump 39 and the generator 30. The fourth cooling hose 38d connects the generator 30 and the radiator 37.

[0030] Next, the generator 30 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the generator 30 is a device extending in the unit width direction, and is fixed via a bracket and a mount to the bottom surface portion 12 located on the left side of the crankcase 26 in the unit width direction. The generator 30 is also located on the left side of the crankcase 26 in the unit width direction, with the front end of the generator 30 located near the front end of the bottom surface portion 12 and near the front wall of the lid 15. A rotating shaft 30b extending in the unit width direction is located inside the generator 30, and the left side of the crankshaft is connected to the rotating shaft 30b. The generator 30 generates electricity when the rotating shaft 30b is rotated by driving the generator engine 20. The rotating shaft 30b is shown schematically in FIG. 3.

[0031] 2 and 3, the generator 30 is a component disposed in a water-cooled cooling system and is cooled by cooling water flowing through the system. The generator 30 is provided with a generator inlet 30e and a generator outlet 30f. The generator inlet 30e and the generator outlet 30f are provided on the rear surface of the generator 30 and are arranged side by side in the vertical direction of the unit. In this example, the generator inlet 30e is arranged above the generator outlet 30f with a gap therebetween. A third cooling hose 38c is connected to the generator inlet 30e, and a fourth cooling hose 38d is connected to the generator outlet 30f.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 3, the generator 30 of this embodiment is configured so that cooling water flows inside. In this example, an annular cooling pipe 30a is provided that is configured in an annular shape to surround the rotating shaft 30b. The annular cooling pipe 30a is partially annular and disposed so as to surround the rotating shaft 30b from the radially outer side. The annular cooling pipe 30a is connected to a generator inlet 30e and a generator outlet 30f so that the cooling water communicates with them. The cooling water that flows in from the generator inlet 30e flows into the annular cooling pipe 30a, flows upward along the shape of the annular cooling pipe 30a in the clockwise direction in FIG. 3, makes one circuit around the rotating shaft 30b, and then flows out from the generator outlet 30f.

[0033] Next, the inverter 35 will be described. The inverter 35 is one of the electrical components that rectifies the power generated by the generator 30, converts it into AC power of a predetermined frequency, and outputs it. The inverter 35 is disposed above the crankcase 26 and in front of the cylinder case 25 in the front-to-rear direction of the unit via a bracket such as a base (not shown). The inverter 35 is provided with a cooling water tank 36. In FIG. 2, the approximate position of the cooling tank 36 is indicated by a phantom line. The cooling water tank 36 is disposed below the main body of the inverter 35.

[0034] 4 and 5, the inverter 35 is a component disposed in a water-cooled cooling system, similar to the generator 30, and is cooled by the cooling water flowing through the system. The inverter 35 is provided with an inverter inlet 36e and an inverter outlet (third circulation port) 36f. The inverter inlet 36e and the inverter outlet 36f are provided on the rear surface of the cooling water tank 36 and are arranged side by side in the unit width direction. In this example, the inverter inlet 36e is arranged outside (on the right side of) the inverter outlet 36f in the unit width direction. A first cooling hose 38a is connected to the inverter inlet 36e, and a second cooling hose 38b is connected to the inverter outlet 36f. The cooling water that flows into the cooling water tank 36 from the inverter inlet 36e cools the main body of the inverter 35 and then flows out from the inverter outlet 36f.

[0035] Next, the radiator 37 will be described. As described above, the radiator 37 is connected to the generator 30 and the inverter 35 via the cooling hoses 38a to 38d through which the cooling water flows. The radiator 37 of this embodiment is disposed in the rear portion of the unit case 10, as shown in Fig. 2. Moreover, as shown in Fig. 4, the radiator 37 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in the vertical direction, and is disposed so as to face the front-rear direction of the unit. Furthermore, a water supply port 37a through which the cooling water can be supplied is provided at the top of the radiator 37.

[0036] The radiator 37 is also provided with a radiator inlet 37e and a radiator outlet 37f. The radiator inlet 37e is provided at the bottom of the front surface of the main body of the radiator 37, and the radiator outlet 37f is provided at the top of the right wall of the main body of the radiator 37. A fourth cooling hose 38d is connected to the radiator inlet 37e, and a first cooling hose 38a is connected to the radiator outlet 37f.

[0037] 2, 5, and 6, as described above, the pump 39 is disposed upstream of the generator 30 in the direction of flow of the cooling water. In this example, the pump 39 is disposed between the generator 30 and the cooling water tank 36 of the inverter 35. The pump 39 is a generally cylindrical device as a whole, and is provided with a pump inlet 39e and a pump outlet 39f. The pump inlet 39e is provided at an end of the cylindrical shape, and the pump outlet 39f is provided at a side of the cylindrical shape. The second cooling hose 38b is connected to the pump inlet 39e, and the third cooling hose 38c is connected to the pump outlet 39f.

[0038] In this embodiment, as described above, the generator outlet 30f is provided at a lower position than the radiator outlet 37f in the vertical direction of the unit, as shown in Fig. 4. By setting the height of the outlet, the coolant can be easily introduced, which makes it possible to maintain cooling performance and improve maintainability.

[0039] In addition, in this embodiment, the electric machine outlet 30f is located lower than the inverter outlet 36f in the vertical direction of the unit. That is, in this embodiment, the coolant is configured to flow through the radiator 37, the inverter 35, and the generator 30 in that order, and the radiator outlet 37f, the inverter outlet 36f, and the generator outlet 30f are arranged so that their positions decrease in this order. This makes it easier to replenish the coolant even when the pump 39 is not being driven to forcibly circulate the coolant, thereby improving the maintenance of cooling performance and ease of maintenance even in a small unit with limited volume.

[0040] Furthermore, when the radiator 37 is refilled with coolant during maintenance, the coolant inside the radiator 37 is sent from the radiator outlet 37f through the first cooling hose 38a to the coolant tank 36 of the inverter 35. At this time, since the inverter outlet is positioned lower than the radiator outlet 37f, the coolant is guided by gravity and can reach the generator 30. Furthermore, since the pump 39 is positioned upstream of the generator 30, the coolant is more likely to flow downstream. As a result, it becomes easier to discharge air from within the cooling system. As a result, the coolant can circulate stably within the cooling system, improving cooling performance and maintainability.

[0041] Here, the flow of coolant in the water-cooled cooling system will be described. In this embodiment, the coolant cooled by the radiator 37 flows from the radiator outlet 37f into the first cooling hose 38a and then into the coolant tank 36 via the inverter inlet 36e. Here, the coolant exchanges heat with the inverter 35 to cool it. The coolant then flows from the inverter outlet 36f into the second cooling hose 38b and then into the third cooling hose 38c via the pump 39. The coolant flowing through the third cooling hose 38c flows into the annular cooling pipe 30a inside the generator 30 via the generator inlet 30e and cools the generator 30. The coolant then flows from the generator outlet 30f into the fourth cooling hose 38d and is returned to the radiator 37.

[0042] Furthermore, in this embodiment, in addition to the water-cooled cooling system described above, an air-cooled cooling system is provided for cooling the generator engine 20. In this embodiment, a cylinder cooling system is provided for cooling the cylinder block. This cylinder cooling system is an air-cooled cooling system that is independent of the water-cooled cooling system. In other words, the generator engine 20 is not located within the water-cooled cooling system that cools the radiator, etc. In this way, in the water-cooled cooling system, the cooling hoses 38a to 38d are connected only to the electrical components (electronic devices), which makes it possible to reduce the degree of temperature rise of the coolant and makes it easier to maintain the cooling performance for the electronic devices.

[0043] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 6, the upper end of the first cooling hose 38a is disposed higher on the vehicle than the upper end of the second cooling hose 38b. In this example, as shown in Figs. 4 to 6, most of the first cooling hose 38a is disposed higher on the vehicle than the second cooling hose 38b. Specifically, the first cooling hose 38a is routed to connect the radiator outlet 37f and the inverter inlet 36e. The second cooling hose 38b is routed to connect the inverter outlet 36f and the pump inlet 39e, passing below the first cooling hose 38a. The first cooling hose 38a, which is located upstream of the intersection of the first cooling hose 38a and the second cooling hose 38b, is routed higher than the second cooling hose 38b.

[0044] With this routing, when refilling the cooling water, the cooling hoses 38a, 38b can be filled with cooling water following gravity, improving ease of maintenance and maintaining cooling performance. In a layout that prioritizes compactness, it becomes difficult to perform circulation work such as tilting the cooling hoses 38a, 38b during maintenance, but by routing the cooling hoses in advance as described above, the work of refilling the cooling water can be easily performed.

[0045] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 5, the third cooling hose 38c is routed lower than the second cooling hose 38b. The fourth cooling hose 38d is routed lower than the third cooling hose 38c. In this manner, the first cooling hose 38a, the second cooling hose 38b, the third cooling hose 38c, and the fourth cooling hose 38d are routed in successively lower positions. The coolant flows upward within the radiator 37.

[0046] As described above, the pump 39 in this embodiment is provided on the cooling hoses 38b, 38c arranged between the radiator 37 and the generator 30 in the direction of coolant flow. The coolant circulation path inside the generator 30 has a complex shape. In this example, as described above, the annular cooling piping 30a arranged inside the generator 30 has a circular ring shape. Furthermore, the third cooling hose 38c located immediately after the pump 39 has reduced flow resistance compared to a portion of the third cooling hose 38c located farther from the pump 39 than the third cooling hose 38c, thereby maintaining the pumping power of the pump 39 to the coolant. By connecting the third cooling hose 38c to the generator 30 at this position, the coolant can be easily circulated even through piping with a complex shape inside the generator 30. Furthermore, this arrangement improves the flexibility of the layout.

[0047] In this embodiment, electric fans 31, 32 capable of supplying cooling air into the unit are provided on the rear surface (side wall) of the unit case 10, and the electric fans 31, 32 are configured to supply outside air to the radiator 37. In this example, two electric fans (a first electric fan 31 and a second electric fan 32) are arranged side by side in the width direction of the unit. The second electric fan 32 is arranged to the right of the first electric fan 31. The first electric fan 31 and the second electric fan 32 are also arranged adjacent to the radiator 37 and the oil cooler 50. In this example, the second electric fan 32 is arranged adjacent to and rear of the radiator 37 in the front-to-rear direction of the unit. As described above, the first electric fan 31 and the second electric fan 32 are arranged opposite the air guide holes 16 on the rear surface of the cover 15 of the unit case 10. By providing the electric fans 31, 32 in this way, it becomes easier to take in outside air into the unit case 10, and it becomes possible to set appropriate airflow volumes individually for the radiator 37 and the oil cooler 50. Furthermore, since the electric fans 31, 32 are located at the end of the unit, repairs are easy in the event of a malfunction, and maintenance is improved. Furthermore, since the electric fans 31, 32 can be driven by an independent power source, they can be driven independently of the generator engine 20.

[0048] By providing the first and second electric fans 31, 32 so as to face the air guide hole 16 on the rear surface of the cover 15, it is not necessary to consider having other unit components take in air from outside the unit, and the degree of freedom in layout of the unit components can be maintained. Furthermore, the electric fans 31, 32 facilitate cooling of the radiator 37 and oil cooler 50, improving the cooling performance of the power generation unit 1. Furthermore, because the power generation unit 1 is mounted at the rear of the vehicle, the air guide hole 16 is located at the rear end of the vehicle, making it possible to suppress factors that obstruct air guide.

[0049] 6 and 7, in this embodiment, the bottom surface 12 of the unit case is provided with an outlet 12a through which the coolant (coolant) that has flowed through the radiator 37 can be discharged. A guide portion 12b that guides the coolant and is disposed so as to surround the outlet 12a is provided between the outlet 12a and the radiator 37. An inclined surface 12c is formed on the bottom surface 12 on which the guide portion 12b is provided. The inclined surface 12c is inclined upward toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0050] The power generation unit 1 of this embodiment has an overall box-like shape, and components are compactly mounted inside the unit case 10. Therefore, it may be difficult for a worker to reach inside the unit during maintenance. In this embodiment, by providing the outlet 12a on the inclined surface 12c, it is possible to replace the coolant (coolant) without removing the radiator 37 from the unit case 10. In addition, the provision of the guide portion 12b makes it easier to guide the coolant, preventing it from leaking to unintended locations, and improving maintainability. Furthermore, the provision of the inclined surface 12c improves workability from the rear side of the vehicle. For example, opening and closing the plug 37g of the outlet can be easily performed.

[0051] Here, the cylinder cooling system, which is one of the air-cooled cooling systems, will be described. The cylinder cooling system has a first electric fan 31, a second electric fan 32, and an inlet pipe 40. In this example, the cylinder cooling system draws air from outside the power generation unit 1 into the unit using the first electric fan 31 and the second electric fan 32, and the air flows into the cylinder case 25 via the inlet pipe 40 to cool the cylinder block.

[0052] Next, the oil cooling system will be described. The oil cooling system is made up of an oil cooler 50, an exhaust pipe 53, and a first electric fan 31. The exhaust pipe 53 is located in front of the oil cooler 50 in the longitudinal direction of the unit. Air outside the unit drawn in by the first electric fan 31 is blown onto the oil cooler 50, thereby cooling the oil cooler 50. At this time, the air that has passed through the oil cooler 50 exchanges heat with the oil cooler 50, causing the temperature of the air to rise. The air that has passed through the oil cooler 50 is exhausted to the outside of the unit via the exhaust pipe 53.

[0053] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the cylinder cooling system and the oil cooling system are provided as two mutually independent air cooling systems, and the air that flows in through the air guide holes 16 by the electric fans 31 and 32 to cool the radiator 37 and the oil cooler 50 flows through each air cooling system and is exhausted to the outside of the unit. This prevents the air that has cooled the radiator 37 and the oil cooler 50 and has increased in temperature from remaining inside the unit case 10. As a result, the cooling performance of the power generation unit 1 can be further improved.

[0054] The description of the present embodiment is merely an example for explaining the present invention, and does not limit the invention described in the claims. Furthermore, the configuration of each part of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the technical scope described in the claims.

[0055] In this embodiment, the pump 39 is disposed immediately before the generator 30, but this is not limiting. The pump 39 may also be provided in the first cooling hose 38a routed immediately before the inverter 35. Also, in this embodiment, an example is described in which the power generation unit 1 is attached to the rear of the vehicle, but this is not limiting. For example, the power generation unit 1 may be detachably attached to the side of the vehicle. In this case, the fore-and-aft direction of the unit corresponds to the vehicle width direction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 1 power generating unit 10 unit case 11 Tray 12 Bottom part (bottom part) 12a Outlet 12b Guide part 12c slope 13 Side wall 15 Lid 16 Air guide hole 17 Mounting part 18 Handle 20. Generator engine 23 Cylinder head cover 25 Cylinder case 26 Crankcase 30 Generator 30a Circular cooling piping 30b Rotation axis 30e Generator inlet 30f Generator outlet (second circulation port) 31 First electric fan 32 No. 2 electric fan 35 inverter 36 Cooling water tank 36e Inverter inlet 36f Inverter outlet (third circulation outlet) 37 Radiator 37a Water inlet 37e Radiator inlet 37f Radiator outlet (first circulation port) 38a First cooling hose 38b Second cooling hose 38c 3rd cooling hose 38d 4th cooling hose 39 Pump 39e Pump inlet 39f Pump outlet 40 Inlet piping 50 Oil cooler 52 Oil piping 53 Exhaust pipe

Claims

1. A cooling structure for a vehicle generator unit, comprising: a generator engine; a generator connected to the generator engine; an inverter electrically connected to the generator; and a unit case that houses the generator engine, the generator, and the inverter and is detachably attached to a vehicle, the radiator, the inverter, and the generator are connected via a cooling hose through which a coolant flows; A pump for circulating the cooling liquid is connected to the cooling hose, the pump is provided in the cooling hose that is routed between the radiator and the generator in a flow direction of the cooling liquid, the pump circulates the coolant through the radiator, the inverter, and the generator in this order; A cooling structure for a vehicle generator unit, characterized in that the radiator is provided with a first circulation port through which the coolant flows out, the generator is provided with a second circulation port through which the coolant flows out, and the second circulation port is provided at a lower position than the first circulation port in the vertical direction of the unit.

2. 2. The cooling structure for a vehicle generator unit as described in claim 1, characterized in that the inverter is provided with a third circulation port through which the coolant flows out, and the second circulation port is provided at a lower position than the third circulation port.

3. a first cooling system that cools the inverter and the generator, 3. The cooling structure for a vehicle generator unit according to claim 1, wherein the cooling system is an independent cooling system from the second cooling system that cools the generator engine.

4. The cooling hose includes a first cooling hose arranged to connect the radiator and the inverter, and a second cooling hose arranged to connect the inverter and the pump, Including, 4. The cooling structure for a vehicle power generating unit according to claim 2, wherein an upper end of the first cooling hose is disposed higher on the vehicle than an upper end of the second cooling hose.

5. 5. The cooling structure for a vehicle generator unit according to claim 1, wherein the pump is provided in the cooling hose connecting the inverter and the generator.

6. 6. A cooling structure for a vehicle power generating unit as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that an electric fan capable of supplying cooling air into the unit is provided on a side wall portion of the unit case, and the electric fan is configured to supply outside air to the radiator.

7. a discharge port through which the coolant that has flowed through the radiator can be discharged is provided on the bottom surface of the unit case; a guide portion is provided between the outlet and the radiator to guide the coolant and to surround the outlet, 7. A cooling structure for a vehicle power generating unit as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the lower surface portion on which the guide portion is provided has an inclined surface that slopes upward toward the rear of the vehicle.

Images