fuel cell ship

Abstract

To improve a degree of freedom in installment of electrical equipment by narrowing down danger spots incapable of having the electrical equipment installed.SOLUTION: A fuel cell vessel is provided with a fuel cell carrying out power generation by electrochemical reaction of fuel to provide electrical power to inboard equipment from the fuel cell. The fuel cell vessel includes a fuel cell zone and a tank zone. A fuel filling opening is provided closer to the tank zone side than the fuel cell zone as well as being closer to the fuel cell zone side than the tank zone.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] BACKGROUND ART 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 electricity generated by the fuel cell (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-92815 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a fuel cell ship, for example, it may be required that electrical equipment (e.g., ventilation fans) not be placed around the fuel gas fill port, i.e., around the area through which flammable fuel gas passes. This is because there is a possibility that the placed electrical equipment could become an ignition source for the fuel gas. Hereinafter, the area through which the fuel gas passes will also be referred to as a dangerous area, and the area around the dangerous area where electrical equipment cannot be placed will also be referred to as a dangerous location. In a fuel cell ship, if dangerous locations are scattered and the dangerous location expands, the area in which electrical equipment can be placed will become smaller. As a result, the degree of freedom in placing electrical equipment will be reduced.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a fuel cell ship that can reduce dangerous areas where electrical equipment cannot be placed and increase the freedom of electrical equipment placement. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A fuel cell ship according to one aspect of the present invention is a fuel cell ship equipped with a fuel cell that generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction of fuel and supplies power from the fuel cell to onboard equipment, and is equipped with a fuel cell compartment and a tank compartment arranged side by side, and a fuel fill port is provided on the tank compartment side of the fuel cell compartment and on the fuel cell compartment side of the tank compartment. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the above configuration, the dangerous area where electrical equipment cannot be installed can be narrowed, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in installing electrical equipment. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a fuel cell ship according to an embodiment of the present invention, seen from the rear. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of the fuel cell ship. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram schematically illustrating the internal structure of the fuel cell ship. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of part A in FIG. [Figure 5] 2 is a perspective view showing part A in FIG. 1, with the fuel gas filler palate and the inert gas filler palate not shown. FIG. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing a processing flow based on detection of fuel gas in a duct compartment of the fuel cell ship. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this specification, directions are defined as follows: First, the direction from the stern of a fuel cell ship toward the bow is defined as "forward," and the direction from the bow toward the stern is defined as "rearward." The lateral direction perpendicular to the fore-aft direction is defined as the left-right direction. In this case, when the fuel cell ship is moving forward, the left side as seen from the operator is defined as "left," and the right side is defined as "right." Furthermore, the upstream side of the direction of gravity perpendicular to the fore-aft and left-right directions is defined as "up," and the downstream side is defined as "down."

[0010] [1. Overview of fuel cell ship configuration] First, a fuel cell ship SH according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a perspective view from the rear showing the exterior of the fuel cell ship SH. Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the general configuration of the fuel cell ship SH. The fuel cell ship SH comprises a hull 1 and a cabin 2. The cabin 2 is arranged on the hull 1.

[0011] The fuel cell ship SH further includes a fuel cell system 3, a fuel gas storage unit 4, a battery system 5, a propulsion device 6, a plurality of peripheral devices 11, and a control device 12. In Fig. 2, control signal or high-voltage power supply lines are indicated by solid lines, and control signal or low-voltage power supply lines are indicated by dashed lines.

[0012] The fuel cell system 3 functions as a main power source. The fuel cell system 3 consumes fuel gas to generate electric power (specifically, DC power). The fuel gas is an example of a fuel, such as 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 peripheral devices 11. The fuel cell system 3 can also supply electric power to the storage battery system 5 to charge the storage battery system 5.

[0013] The fuel gas storage unit 4 stores the fuel gas to be supplied to the fuel cell system 3. The fuel gas is supplied from the fuel gas storage unit 4 to the fuel cell system 3 via a fuel gas supply pipe 32 (see FIG. 3) which will be described later.

[0014] The storage battery system 5 has a storage battery. The storage battery is, for example, a lithium secondary battery, but may also be a nickel-cadmium storage battery, a nickel-metal hydride storage battery, or the like. The storage battery system 5 functions as an auxiliary power source that supplies stored power (specifically, DC power) to the propulsion device 6 and peripheral devices 11. In this way, the storage battery system 5 functions as an auxiliary power source, making it possible to compensate for a shortage of power supplied from the fuel cell system 3 to the propulsion device 6, etc. The storage battery system 5 may also supply power to the control device 12.

[0015] The propulsion device 6 is driven by power supplied from a fuel cell 31 (see FIG. 3 ) of the fuel cell system 3, which will be described later, and generates a propulsive force for the hull 1. In other words, the fuel cell ship SH is equipped with the propulsion device 6 that generates a propulsive force for the hull 1 using the power supplied from the fuel cell 31.

[0016] The propulsion device 6 may be driven solely by power supplied from the storage battery of the storage battery system 5, or may be driven by power supplied from both the fuel cell 31 and the storage battery. In other words, the propulsion device 6 may be driven by power supplied from at least one of the fuel cell and the storage battery to generate a propulsive force for the hull 1.

[0017] The propulsion device 6 includes a power converter 6a, a propulsion motor 6b, and a propeller 6c. The power converter 6a converts the power supplied from the fuel cell system 3 into power conforming to the specifications of the propulsion motor 6b. For example, the power converter 6a converts DC power into AC power. In this case, the power converter 6a includes, for example, an inverter. The propulsion motor 6b is driven by the power (for example, AC power) supplied from the power converter 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, generating a propulsive force for the hull 1. Note that a marine gear may be provided between the propulsion motor 6b and the propeller 6c.

[0018] The peripheral devices 11 include, for example, compressors, electromagnetic valves, pumps, etc. The peripheral devices 11 also include electrical devices such as lighting equipment and air conditioners, 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 configured, for example, with one or more computers. The computer is, for example, a programmable logic controller (PLC), but may also be an electronic control unit (ECU). The control device 12 is supplied with power from a battery (not shown, for example, a lead battery) or a storage battery of the battery system 5.

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

[0021] 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 multiple peripheral devices 11 by executing computer programs stored in the storage device of the memory unit 12b.

[0022] [2. Internal structure of fuel cell ships] Next, the internal structure of the fuel cell ship SH will be described with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram that schematically shows the internal structure of the fuel cell ship SH. In Figure 3, the air flow is indicated by dashed arrows. In Figure 3, each component is illustrated with the right side of the drawing as the bow side and the left side of the drawing as the stern side, but the positions of each component are not limited to those shown in Figure 3 as long as the connection relationships between each component are maintained.

[0023] The fuel cell ship SH comprises 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 of the fuel room 14. Below the deck 1a, bulkheads W1, W2, and W3 are located in this order from the bow side to the stern side. The engine room 13 is separated from other spaces by bulkheads W1 and W2. The fuel room 14 is separated from other spaces by bulkheads W2 and W3. The bulkheads W1 to W3 are made of, for example, fiber reinforced plastics (FRP), but may also be made of 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 has a fuel cell 31, a fuel gas supply pipe 32, and a fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33. The fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33 is an example of peripheral equipment 11 (see FIG. 2).

[0025] The fuel cell 31 generates electricity (specifically, DC power) through an 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. In other words, the fuel cell ship SH is equipped with fuel cells 31 that generate electricity through an electrochemical reaction of fuel.

[0026] The fuel cell 31 is a fuel cell stack composed of multiple stacked cells. For example, each cell of the fuel cell 31 has a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode, a cathode, and a pair of separators. The anode and cathode sandwich the solid polymer electrolyte membrane. The anode is the negative electrode (fuel electrode). The anode includes an anode catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer. The cathode is the positive electrode (air electrode). The cathode includes a cathode catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer. The anode, solid polymer electrolyte membrane, and cathode form a membrane electrode assembly (MEA). A pair of separators sandwich the membrane electrode assembly. Each separator has multiple grooves. Each groove in one separator forms a flow path for fuel gas. Each groove in the other separator forms a flow path for oxidant gas.

[0027] In the above-described configuration of the fuel cell 31, hydrogen contained in the fuel gas is decomposed into hydrogen ions and electrons by a catalyst on the anode side. The hydrogen ions pass through the solid polymer electrolyte membrane and move to the cathode side. Meanwhile, the electrons move through an external circuit to the cathode side. This generates current (electricity is generated). On the cathode side, oxygen contained in the oxidant gas combines with the electrons that have flowed through the external circuit and the hydrogen ions that have passed through the solid polymer electrolyte membrane to produce water. The produced water is discharged overboard via the discharge pipe 31a.

[0028] The fuel cell 31 supplies the generated power to the propulsion device 6 and peripheral devices 11 shown in Fig. 2. Note that the fuel cell 31 may also supply the generated power to the propulsion device 6 and 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 (e.g., fuel gas) stored in a fuel tank 41 (described later) of the fuel gas storage unit 4 to the anode of the fuel cell 31. In other words, the fuel cell ship SH is provided with the fuel gas supply pipe 32 as a fuel supply pipe for supplying fuel to the fuel cell 31 from the fuel tank 41 that stores fuel.

[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 the control unit 12a (see FIG. 2). Specifically, the fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33 switches between supplying and stopping the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31 based on the control of the control unit 12a. Only one fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33 is provided on the fuel gas supply pipe 32 in the fuel cell compartment 30, which will be described later, but two or more may be provided.

[0031] The fuel cell ship SH further includes a fuel cell compartment 30. The fuel cell compartment 30 is a housing that houses a fuel cell 31. The fuel cell compartment 30 is arranged in the engine room 13.

[0032] The fuel cell compartment 30 has a hollow shape. For example, the fuel cell compartment 30 has a hollow, approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape. 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 back wall (not shown), a side wall 30c, and a side wall 30d. However, the top, bottom, front, back, and side surfaces of the fuel cell compartment 30 can be arbitrarily determined. Furthermore, the shape of the fuel cell compartment 30 is not particularly limited as long as it has a space large enough to accommodate the fuel cell 31. The fuel cell compartment 30 can also be considered as a container, chamber, or box that accommodates the fuel cell 31. The material of the outer wall of the fuel cell compartment 30 is, for example, FRP, but may also be a steel plate.

[0033] A battery compartment air inlet 30e is provided in the side wall 30d of the fuel cell compartment 30. The battery compartment air inlet 30e is connected to a battery compartment air inlet pipe 35, which will be described later. The battery compartment air inlet 30e may be provided in an outer wall of the fuel cell compartment 30 other than the side wall 30d.

[0034] Meanwhile, a battery compartment exhaust port 30f is provided in the side wall 30c of the fuel cell compartment 30. The battery compartment exhaust port 30f is in communication with a duct compartment 90, which will be described later. Note that the battery compartment exhaust port 30f may be provided in an outer wall of the fuel cell compartment 30 other than the side wall 30c.

[0035] The fuel cell compartment 30 has an internal space that is sealed except for a cell compartment air inlet 30e and a cell compartment air outlet 30f.

[0036] The fuel cell compartment 30 accommodates a portion of the fuel gas supply pipe 32 and a fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33. The fuel cell compartment 30 also accommodates a cell compartment internal gas detector 34a and a cell compartment internal fire detector 34b.

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

[0038] The battery compartment internal gas detector 34a is disposed on the inner surface of the top wall 30a located at the top of the fuel cell compartment 30. Hydrogen gas, which serves as fuel gas, is lighter than air and rises. Therefore, by disposing the battery compartment internal gas detector 34a on the top wall 30a of the fuel cell compartment 30, even if fuel gas leaks within the fuel cell compartment 30, the leaked fuel gas can be reliably detected by the battery compartment internal gas detector 34a. The battery compartment internal gas detector 34a may be located at the most downstream side of the flow path through which the fuel gas flows when the fuel gas leaks within the fuel cell compartment 30.

[0039] When the battery compartment internal gas detector 34a detects fuel gas in the fuel cell compartment 30, the detection signal is sent from the battery compartment internal gas detector 34a to the control unit 12a. As a result, the control unit 12a can stop the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31 by controlling the fuel cell side shutoff valve 33 provided in the fuel gas supply pipe 32.

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

[0041] The battery compartment internal fire detector 34b is disposed on the inner surface of the top wall 30a located at the top of the fuel cell compartment 30. In the unlikely event that a fire breaks out inside the fuel cell compartment 30, the battery compartment internal fire detector 34b detects the fire and outputs a detection signal indicating the occurrence of a fire to the control unit 12a. In this case, the control unit 12a controls the fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33 to stop the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31. This minimizes the risk of an explosion in the fuel cell compartment 30 due to ignition of the fuel gas.

[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 the 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] A battery compartment air supply device 36 and a battery compartment external gas detector 37 are disposed at the end of the battery compartment air supply pipe 35 on the deck 1a side. The battery compartment air supply device 36 and the battery compartment external gas detector 37 are located at the top of the deck 1a.

[0044] The battery compartment air supply device 36 is configured, for example, as an inexpensive non-explosion-proof air supply fan, but may also be configured as an explosion-proof air supply fan. The operation of the battery compartment air supply device 36 is controlled by the control unit 12a. The battery compartment air supply device 36 may be provided with one or more filters (not shown). The filters remove, for example, dust or sea salt particles.

[0045] The battery compartment air supply device 36 supplies air from outside the fuel cell compartment 30 to the inside of the fuel cell compartment 30 via 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 to the duct compartment 90 via the battery compartment exhaust port 30f. This ventilates the inside of the fuel cell compartment 30. As a result, it is possible to prevent flammable gas (e.g., fuel gas leaking from the fuel cell 31) from accumulating inside the fuel cell compartment 30.

[0046] The battery compartment external gas detector 37 detects combustible gases (such as hydrogen gas floating around the hull 1) flowing from the outside of the fuel cell compartment 30 into the interior thereof. The battery compartment external gas detector 37 is a combustible gas sensor, such as a hydrogen gas sensor. The battery compartment external gas detector 37 is disposed on the opposite side of the battery compartment air supply device 36 from the battery compartment air supply pipe 35, that is, upstream of the air flow from the outside of the fuel cell compartment 30 to the interior thereof. The battery compartment external gas detector 37 may also be configured as a gas sensor that detects combustible gases other than hydrogen gas. Combustible gases other than hydrogen gas include, for example, methane, ethane, propane, and carbon monoxide.

[0047] The battery compartment external gas detector 37 outputs a detection signal indicating, for example, the concentration of combustible gas to the control unit 12a. Based on the detection signal, the control unit 12a can determine whether the concentration of combustible gas is equal to or greater than a specified value. If the concentration is equal to or greater than the specified value, the control unit 12a can close the fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33 to stop the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31. The specified value may be determined based on experiments and / or experience.

[0048] The fuel cell ship SH further includes a cooling medium tank 38 and cooling medium piping 39. The cooling medium tank 38 stores a cooling medium for cooling the fuel cells 31. The cooling medium is, for example, an antifreeze liquid with low electrical conductivity. The antifreeze liquid is, for example, a liquid mixture of pure water and ethylene glycol in a predetermined ratio. The cooling medium tank 38 is sealed, but the top may be open.

[0049] The cooling medium piping 39 is a piping for circulating the cooling medium between the fuel cell 31 and a heat exchanger (not shown). A circulation pump (not shown) is also provided midway through the cooling medium piping 39. The circulation pump is driven to supply the cooling medium from the heat exchanger to the fuel cell 31 via the cooling medium piping 39, thereby cooling the fuel cell 31. The cooling medium used to cool the fuel cell 31 is also supplied to the cooling medium tank 38 via the cooling medium piping 39, where volume changes due to temperature changes of the cooling medium are absorbed and the liquid volume of the cooling medium is monitored.

[0050] A cooling tank internal gas detector 38a is provided at an upper portion inside the cooling medium tank 38. The cooling tank internal gas detector 38a is a fuel gas detector that detects fuel gas present in the cooling medium tank 38. The fuel gas present in the cooling medium tank 38 may be, for example, fuel gas that has leaked from the fuel cell 31 and entered the cooling medium tank 38 via the cooling medium piping 39. 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. Based on the detection result by the cooling tank internal gas detector 38a, the control unit 12a can thereby determine whether or not there is a fuel gas leak in the fuel cell 31, and if there is a leak, can perform control to, for example, stop power generation in the fuel cell 31.

[0051] (2-2. Configuration of fuel gas storage section) The fuel gas storage section 4 of the fuel cell ship SH has 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 a peripheral device 11.

[0052] The fuel tank 41 stores fuel (e.g., fuel gas) to be supplied to the fuel cell 31. For convenience, only one fuel tank 41 is shown in Fig. 3, but the number of fuel tanks 41 is not particularly limited, and there may be more than one.

[0053] Gas fill pipe 42 is a pipe (fuel fill pipe) for refilling fuel (e.g., fuel gas) or filling inert gas into fuel tank 41. One end of gas fill pipe 42 is connected to fuel tank 41. The other end of gas fill pipe 42 branches into two, which are connected to a fuel gas fill port 82 and an inert gas fill port 84, respectively. Fuel gas fill port 82 and inert gas fill port 84 are provided in duct section 90 (particularly upper duct section 80), which will be described later.

[0054] The inert gas is, for example, nitrogen gas. For example, if fuel gas remains in the fuel tank 41 when the fuel cell ship SH is undergoing maintenance such as inspection or repair in a dock, there is a risk of an explosion if the fuel gas ignites for some reason. Therefore, when performing maintenance on the fuel cell ship SH, the fuel tank 41 is filled with inert gas and the fuel gas is removed from the fuel tank 41. This makes it possible to avoid the risk of explosion.

[0055] In the fuel gas supply pipe 32 described above, the side opposite to the side connected to the fuel cell 31 is connected to the fuel tank 41 via a main valve 41a. In other words, the fuel tank 41 and the fuel cell 31 are connected via the fuel gas supply pipe 32. The opening and closing of the main valve 41a of the fuel tank 41 is controlled by the control unit 12a.

[0056] The tank-side shutoff valve 43 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 tank-side shutoff valve 43 is controlled by the control unit 12a. Specifically, the tank-side shutoff valve 43 switches between supplying and stopping the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31 based on the control of the control unit 12a. Only one tank-side shutoff valve 43 is provided on the fuel gas supply pipe 32 in the tank compartment 40, which will be described later, but two or more tank-side shutoff valves 43 may be provided.

[0057] The fuel cell ship SH further includes a tank compartment 40. The tank compartment 40 is a container that houses a fuel tank 41. The tank compartment 40 is disposed in the fuel chamber 14.

[0058] The tank compartment 40 has a hollow shape. For example, the tank compartment 40 has a hollow, approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape. In this case, the outer walls constituting the tank compartment 40 include, for example, a top wall 40a, a bottom wall 40b, a front wall (not shown), a back wall (not shown), a side wall 40c, and a side wall 40d. However, the top, bottom, front, back, and side surfaces of the tank compartment 40 can be arbitrarily determined. Furthermore, the shape of the tank compartment 40 is not particularly limited as long as it has a space large enough to accommodate at least one fuel tank 41. The tank compartment 40 can also be considered as a container, chamber, or box that accommodates the fuel tank 41. The material of the outer walls of the tank compartment 40 is, for example, FRP, but may also be steel plate.

[0059] A tank compartment air supply port 40e is provided in the side wall 40c of the tank compartment 40. The tank compartment air supply port 40e is connected to a tank compartment air supply pipe 45, which will be described later. Note that the tank compartment air supply port 40e may be provided in an outer wall of the tank compartment 40 other than the side wall 40c.

[0060] Meanwhile, a tank compartment exhaust port 40f is provided in the top wall 40a of the tank compartment 40. The tank compartment exhaust port 40f is connected to a vent pipe 10. The vent pipe 10 is a pipe for directing air inside the tank compartment 40 to the outside of the ship. Note that the tank compartment exhaust port 40f may be provided in an outer wall of the tank compartment 40 other than the top wall 40a.

[0061] The tank compartment 40 has an internal space that is sealed except for the tank compartment air inlet 40e and the tank compartment air outlet 40f.

[0062] 1, the vent pipes 10 are located aft of the center of the hull 1 in the fore-and-aft direction, and two vent pipes 10 are provided on the left and right sides. The reason why two vent pipes 10 are provided is that the fuel cell ship SH of this embodiment has two fuel cell compartments 30 and tank compartments 40 described above, and two duct compartments 90 (described later) on the left and right sides. That is, the vent pipe 10 located on the left side of the hull 1 is provided corresponding to the fuel cell compartment 30, tank compartment 40, and duct compartment 90 located on the left side of the hull 1. Furthermore, the vent pipe 10 located on the right side of the hull 1 is provided corresponding to the fuel cell compartment 30, tank compartment 40, and duct compartment 90 located on the right side of the hull 1.

[0063] The tank compartment 40 accommodates a portion of the fuel gas supply pipe 32 and a tank-side shutoff valve 43. The tank compartment 40 also accommodates an internal tank compartment gas detector 44a and an internal tank compartment fire detector 44b.

[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 configured with a hydrogen gas detection sensor.

[0065] The tank compartment internal gas detector 44a is disposed on the top wall 40a located at the top of the tank compartment 40, near the tank compartment vent port 40f or inside the tank compartment vent port 40f. In the unlikely event that fuel gas leaks from the fuel tank 41 inside the tank compartment 40, the leaked fuel gas passes through the tank compartment vent port 40f and heads toward the vent pipe 10. In other words, the tank compartment vent port 40f is located at the most downstream side of the flow path through which the fuel gas flows when the fuel gas leaks inside the tank compartment 40. Therefore, by disposing the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a at a position near the tank compartment vent port 40f or inside the tank compartment vent port 40f, no matter where the fuel gas leaks inside the tank compartment 40, the leaked fuel gas can be reliably 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. This enables the control unit 12a to control the tank-side shutoff 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 shutoff 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 selected from a smoke sensor that detects smoke, a heat sensor that detects heat, and a flame sensor that detects flame. The tank compartment internal fire detector 44b may be configured as a thermocouple-type fire detector.

[0068] The tank compartment internal fire detector 44b is disposed on the inner surface of the top wall 40a located at the top of the tank compartment 40. In the unlikely event that a fire breaks out inside the tank compartment 40, the tank compartment internal fire detector 44b detects the fire and outputs a detection signal indicating the occurrence of a fire to the control unit 12a. In this case, the control unit 12a controls the tank-side shutoff valve 43 to stop the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31. This makes it possible to minimize the risk of an explosion in the tank compartment 40 due to ignition of the fuel gas.

[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] A tank compartment air supply device 46 and a tank compartment external gas detector 47 are disposed at the end of the tank compartment air supply pipe 45 on the deck 1a side. The tank compartment air supply device 46 and the tank compartment external gas detector 47 are located at the top of deck 1a.

[0071] The tank compartment air supply device 46 is configured, for example, by an inexpensive non-explosion-proof air supply fan, but may also be configured by an explosion-proof air supply fan. The operation 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 filters remove, for example, dust or sea salt particles.

[0072] The tank compartment air supply device 46 supplies air from outside the tank compartment 40 to the inside of the tank compartment 40 via 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 via the tank compartment exhaust port 40f. This ventilates the inside of the tank compartment 40. As a result, even if fuel gas leaks from the fuel tank 41 inside the tank compartment 40, the accumulation of the fuel gas can be suppressed.

[0073] The tank compartment external gas detector 47 detects flammable gases (such as hydrogen gas floating around the hull 1) flowing from the outside of the tank compartment 40 into the inside. The tank compartment external gas detector 47 is a flammable gas sensor such as a hydrogen gas sensor. The tank compartment external gas detector 47 is disposed on the opposite side of the tank compartment air supply device 46 from the tank compartment air supply pipe 45, that is, upstream of the air flow from the outside of the tank compartment 40 to the inside. The tank compartment external gas detector 47 may be configured as a gas sensor that detects flammable gases other than hydrogen gas.

[0074] The tank compartment external gas detector 47 outputs a detection signal indicating, for example, the concentration of combustible gas to the control unit 12a. Based on the detection signal, the control unit 12a can determine whether the concentration of combustible gas is equal to or greater than a specified value. If the concentration is equal to or greater than the specified value, the control unit 12a can close the tank-side shutoff valve 43 to stop the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31. The specified value may be determined based on experiments and / or experience.

[0075] (2-3. Duct Section) The fuel cell ship SH further includes a lower duct section 70 and an upper duct section 80. Here, the lower duct section 70 and the upper duct section 80 are collectively referred to as a duct section 90. The duct section 90 is a housing that houses various types of piping. For example, the duct section 90 houses a portion of the fuel gas supply piping 32. The interior of the lower duct section 70 and the interior of the upper duct section 80 are connected via a duct connection section 91. The lower duct section 70 and the upper duct section 80 will be described in detail below.

[0076] 2-3-1. Lower duct section The lower duct section 70 is disposed below the deck 1a. Specifically, the lower duct section 70 is disposed in the engine room 13. Within the engine room 13, the lower duct section 70 is located aft of the fuel cell section 30. In other words, the lower duct section 70 is located below the deck 1a, between the fuel cell section 30 and the tank section 40. The lower duct section 70 accommodates a portion of the fuel gas supply piping 32 and a portion of the gas fill piping 42.

[0077] Here, the "part of the fuel gas supply piping 32" accommodated in the lower duct section 70 refers to the part of the fuel gas supply piping 32 that is located between the fuel cell section 30 and the tank section 40. In addition, the "part of the gas fill piping 42" accommodated in the lower duct section 70 refers to the part of the gas fill piping 42 that is located between the tank section 40 and the upper duct section 80.

[0078] The lower duct section 70 is made of a material such as FRP, but may also be made of steel plate. The lower duct section 70 has a hollow shape. For example, the lower duct section 70 has a hollow, approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape. In this case, the outer walls constituting the lower duct section 70 include, for example, a top wall 70a, a bottom wall 70b, a front wall (not shown), a back wall (not shown), a side wall 70c, and a side wall 70d. However, the top, bottom, front, back, and side surfaces of the lower duct section 70 can be arbitrarily determined. Furthermore, the shape of the lower duct section 70 is not particularly limited as long as it has a space large enough to accommodate a portion of the fuel gas supply pipe 32, etc. The lower duct section 70 can also be considered as a container, chamber, or box that accommodates a portion of the fuel gas supply pipe 32, etc.

[0079] A lower duct section air intake port 70e is provided in a side wall 70d of the lower duct section 70. The lower duct section air intake port 70e is connected to a lower duct section air intake pipe 74, which will be described later. Note that the lower duct section air intake port 70e may be provided in an outer wall of the lower duct section 70 other than the side wall 70d.

[0080] Meanwhile, a lower duct section communication port 70f is provided in the top wall 70a of the lower duct section 70. The lower duct section communication port 70f is in communication with the above-mentioned duct communication portion 91. Note that the lower duct section communication port 70f may be provided in an outer wall of the lower duct section 70 other than the top wall 70a.

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

[0082] The communicating pipe 92 is configured, for example, as a double pipe consisting of an inner pipe and an outer pipe. The inner pipe is configured, for example, as the fuel gas supply pipe 32. The outer pipe is located radially outside the inner pipe. Gas inside the fuel cell compartment 30 flows from the cell compartment exhaust port 30f, passing between the inner pipe and the outer pipe of the communicating pipe 92, toward the cell compartment communicating port 70g of the lower duct compartment 70.

[0083] The lower duct section 70 has an internal space that is sealed except for the lower duct section air intake port 70e, the lower duct section communication port 70f, and the battery section communication port 70g.

[0084] The lower duct section 70 accommodates a portion of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71. The fuel gas discharge pipe 71 is a fuel discharge pipe that branches off from the fuel gas supply pipe 32 located inside the lower duct section 70. For example, the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 is located between two shutoff valves SV and branches off from the fuel gas supply pipe 32.

[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 to the inside of the upper duct compartment 80 via the lower duct compartment communication port 70f and the duct communication section 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 point with the fuel gas supply pipe 32 and the upper duct compartment 80.

[0086] The lower duct section 70 further accommodates a release valve 72. The release valve 72 is an on-off valve that is installed in the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 and opens or closes the flow path of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71. The release valve 72 is an example of peripheral equipment 11. The opening and closing of the release valve 72 is controlled by the control unit 11. The release valve 72 may also be installed in the upper duct section 80.

[0087] The lower duct section 70 further houses a lower duct section internal gas detector 73. The lower duct section internal gas detector 73 is a fuel gas detector disposed inside the lower duct section 70. For example, when the fuel gas is hydrogen gas, the lower duct section internal gas detector 73 is configured with a hydrogen gas detection sensor.

[0088] The lower duct section internal gas detector 73 is disposed on the top wall 70a located above the lower duct section 70, near the lower duct section communication port 70f or inside the lower duct section communication port 70f. In the unlikely event that fuel gas leaks from the fuel gas supply pipe 32 inside the lower duct section 70, the leaked fuel gas passes through the lower duct section communication port 70f and heads toward the upper duct section 80. In other words, 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 fuel gas leaks inside the lower duct section 70. Therefore, by disposing the lower duct section internal gas detector 73 near the lower duct section communication port 70f or inside the lower duct section communication port 70f, regardless of the location of the fuel gas leak within the lower duct section 70, the leaked fuel gas can be reliably detected by the lower duct section internal gas detector 73 located at the most downstream side of the flow path.

[0089] When the lower duct section internal gas detector 73 detects 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. Based on the detection signal, the control unit 12a can then perform the below-described control to stop power generation by the fuel cell 31.

[0090] It should be noted that the lower duct section 70 may further house a fire detector for detecting a fire inside the lower duct section 70 .

[0091] A lower duct section air intake pipe 74 is connected to the lower duct section 70. The lower duct section air intake pipe 74 extends from a lower duct section air intake port 70e of the lower duct section 70 to the deck 1a and is exposed from the upper surface of the deck 1a.

[0092] A lower duct section air supply device 75 and a lower duct section external gas detector 76 are disposed at the end of the lower duct section air supply pipe 74 on the deck 1a side. The lower duct section air supply device 75 and the lower duct section external gas detector 76 are located at the upper part of deck 1a.

[0093] The lower duct section air intake device 75 is configured, for example, by an inexpensive non-explosion-proof air intake fan, but may also be configured by an explosion-proof air intake fan. The driving of the lower duct section air intake device 75 is controlled by the control unit 12a. The lower duct section air intake device 75 may be provided with one or more filters (not shown). The filters remove, for example, dust or sea salt particles.

[0094] The lower duct section air supply device 75 supplies air from outside the lower duct section 70 (duct section 90) to the interior of the lower duct section 70 via 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 via the lower duct section communication port 70f. This ventilates the interior of the lower duct section 70. As a result, even if fuel gas leaks from the fuel gas supply pipe 32 inside the lower duct section 70, the accumulation of the fuel gas can be suppressed.

[0095] The lower duct section external gas detector 76 detects combustible gases (such as hydrogen gas floating around the hull 1) flowing from the outside of the duct section 90 into the inside. The lower duct section external gas detector 76 is a combustible gas sensor such as a hydrogen gas sensor. The lower duct section external gas detector 76 is disposed on the opposite side of the lower duct section air supply device 75 from the lower duct section air supply pipe 74, that is, on the upstream side of the air flow from the outside of the duct section 90 to the inside. The lower duct section external gas detector 76 may be configured as a gas sensor that detects combustible gases other than hydrogen gas.

[0096] The lower duct section external gas detector 76 outputs a detection signal indicating, for example, the concentration of combustible gas to the control unit 12a. Based on the detection signal, the control unit 12a can determine whether the concentration of combustible gas is equal to or greater than a specified value. If the concentration is equal to or greater than the specified value, the control unit 12a controls the shutoff valve SV to stop the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31. The specified value may be determined based on experiments and / or experience.

[0097] 2-3-2. Upper duct section The upper duct section 80 is disposed on the upper part of the deck 1a. Specifically, the upper duct section 80 is disposed on the deck 1a, spanning from the lower duct section 70 to the tank section 40. The upper duct section 80 accommodates a portion of the fuel gas discharge piping 71 and a portion of the gas fill piping 42.

[0098] Here, the "part of the fuel gas discharge piping 71" accommodated in the upper duct section 80 refers to the portion of the fuel gas discharge piping 71 that exits the lower duct section 70 and extends toward the vent pipe 10. Additionally, the "part of the gas fill piping 42" accommodated in the upper duct section 80 refers to the portion of the gas fill piping 42 that exits the lower duct section 70 and extends to the fuel gas fill port 82, which will be described later.

[0099] The upper duct section 80 is made of a material such as FRP, but may also be made of steel plate. The upper duct section 80 has a hollow shape. For example, the upper duct section 80 has a hollow, approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape. In this case, the outer walls constituting the upper duct section 80 include, for example, a top wall 80a, a bottom wall 80b, a front wall (not shown), a back wall (not shown), a side wall 80c, and a side wall 80d. However, the top, bottom, front, back, and side surfaces of the upper duct section 80 can be determined arbitrarily. Furthermore, the shape of the upper duct section 80 is not particularly limited as long as it has a space large enough to accommodate a portion of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71, etc. The upper duct section 80 can also be considered as a container, chamber, or box that accommodates a portion of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71, etc.

[0100] As described above, the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 communicates with the inside of the vent pipe 10. As a result, when the release valve 72 is opened, 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 from the vent pipe 10 to the outside of the ship. Here, it is desirable that the end 71a of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 be positioned upward inside the vent pipe 10, that is, facing the open port side of the vent pipe 10. In this case, the discharge direction of the gas released from the end 71a of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 is upward.

[0101] For example, if fuel gas is discharged sideways from the end 71a of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71, the discharged fuel gas may hit the inner wall surface of the vent pipe 10 and flow downward, which may result in malfunction of the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a in the tank compartment 40. By positioning the end 71a of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 facing upward inside the vent pipe 10 as described above, it is possible to reduce the risk of malfunction of the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a due to fuel gas discharged from the end 71a.

[0102] An upper duct section air inlet 80e is provided in the bottom wall 80b of the upper duct section 80. The upper duct section air inlet 80e is connected to the duct connection portion 91. Therefore, the upper duct section 80 is connected to the lower duct section 70 via the upper duct section air inlet 80e, the duct connection portion 91, and the lower duct connection port 70f. Note that the upper duct section air inlet 80e may be provided in an outer wall of the upper duct section 80 other than the bottom wall 80b.

[0103] The upper duct section 80 has a vent pipe communication part 81. The vent pipe communication part 81 is a pipe that communicates the interior of the upper duct section 80 with the vent pipe 10. In FIG. 3, the vent pipe communication part 81 is illustrated as having a shape that is bent upward from the horizontal direction, but the shape of the vent pipe communication part 81 is not limited to the shape shown in FIG. 3. The reason that the vent pipe communication part 81 is bent upward is the same as the reason that the end part 71a of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 is bent upward, which is to reduce the risk of the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a malfunctioning due to the fuel gas, which will be described later, being discharged from the vent pipe communication part 81.

[0104] The vent pipe 10 extends upward from the tank section 40 and is positioned inside the upper duct section 80. More specifically, the vent pipe 10 penetrates the bottom wall 80b of the upper duct section 80, enters the interior of the vent pipe 10, and is positioned by penetrating through the top wall 80a. Note that the top wall 80a is actually inclined as shown in FIG. 1, but is shown as a horizontal plane in FIG. 3 for convenience. The vent pipe communication portion 81 is provided inside the upper duct section 80, penetrating the side wall of the vent pipe 10. As a result, the upper duct section 80 is in communication with the vent pipe 10 via the vent pipe communication portion 81.

[0105] Therefore, the air inside the upper duct section 80 is discharged outside the ship via the vent pipe communication part 81 and the vent pipe 10. This allows ventilation inside the upper duct section 80. Furthermore, even if fuel gas leaks from the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 inside the upper duct section 80, the leaked fuel gas is discharged outside the ship via the vent pipe communication part 81 and the vent pipe 10. This prevents the leaked fuel gas from accumulating inside the upper duct section 80.

[0106] Furthermore, the upper duct section 80 and the lower duct section 70 are connected via a duct communication section 91. This allows (1) air taken into the lower duct 70 via the lower duct section air supply pipe 74, (2) fuel gas that has leaked for some reason from the fuel gas supply pipe 32 in the lower duct 70, and (3) air or fuel gas discharged from the fuel cell section 30 to the lower duct section 70 via the communication pipe 92 to be released outside the ship via the upper duct section 80 and the vent pipe 10. This makes it possible to prevent fuel gas from accumulating inside the lower duct section 70 and the fuel cell section 30.

[0107] 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 a fuel filling port that serves as an inlet when filling the fuel tank 41 with fuel (e.g., fuel gas), and is connected to the gas filling pipe 42.

[0108] 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 fuel gas filling port 82 and the branch point of the gas filling pipe 42 and the inert gas pipe 87 described below.

[0109] When fuel gas is supplied from the fuel gas fill port 82, the fuel gas passes through the gas fill pipe 42 via the fuel gas check valve 83 and is supplied to the fuel tank 41 in the tank compartment 40. In this way, the fuel tank 41 is filled with fuel gas and stored therein. The fuel gas check valve 83 is provided to prevent backflow of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel gas fill port 82.

[0110] The upper duct section 80 is further provided with an inert gas fill port 84, an on-off valve 85, an inert gas check valve 86, and an inert gas pipe 87. The inert gas fill port 84 is an inlet for filling the fuel tank 41 with inert gas, and is connected to the inert gas pipe 87. The inert gas pipe 87 is provided by branching off from the gas fill 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 fill 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 a configuration in which the inert gas check valve 86 is provided in the inert gas pipe 87, the on-off valve 85 may be omitted.

[0112] When fuel gas is not being supplied to the fuel gas fill port 82, inert gas is supplied to the inert gas fill port 84, and the on-off valve 85 opens the flow path of the inert gas piping 87. The inert gas passes through the inert gas check valve 86, and is then supplied to the fuel tank 41 in the tank compartment 40 via the inert gas piping 87 and the gas fill piping 42. Furthermore, the tank-side shutoff valve 43 opens the flow path of the fuel gas supply piping 32, the fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33 closes the flow path of the fuel gas supply piping 32, and the release valve 72 opens the flow path of the fuel gas discharge piping 71. As a result, the fuel gas remaining in the fuel tank 41 is discharged to the vent pipe 10 via the fuel gas supply piping 32 and the fuel gas discharge piping 71. This allows the fuel gas to be removed from the fuel tank 41 (purging process). During this process, the main valve 41 is opened and closed as appropriate.

[0113] It should be noted that there may be a pipe that connects the gas filling pipe 42 directly to the fuel gas supply pipe 32 between the fuel tank 41 and the tank-side shutoff valve 43 (tank system). In this configuration, when purging the fuel tank 41 of inert gas, the fuel tank 41 is filled with inert gas while the tank-side shutoff valve 43 is closed, and then the tank-side shutoff valve 43 must be opened in order to facilitate the release 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 section 80. If the fuel gas filling port 82 and the inert gas filling port 84 are considered to be integral with the fuel gas filling port lid portion 82a and the inert gas filling port 84a, respectively, which will be described later, then it can be said that the fuel gas filling port 82 and the inert gas filling port 84 are located on the boundary surface between the inside and outside of the upper duct section 80. Therefore, "the fuel gas filling port 82 and the inert gas filling port 84 are provided in the upper duct section 80" includes the case where the fuel gas filling port 82 and the inert gas filling port 84 are provided on the boundary surface of the upper duct section 80.

[0115] Also housed within the upper duct section 80 is an upper duct section internal gas detector 88. The upper duct section internal gas detector 88 is a fuel gas detector disposed within the upper duct section 80. For example, if the fuel gas is hydrogen gas, the upper duct section internal gas detector 88 is configured as a hydrogen gas detection sensor.

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

[0117] When the upper duct section internal gas detector 88 detects 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. Based on the detection signal, the control unit 12a can then perform the below-described control to stop power generation by the fuel cell 31.

[0118] Additionally, the upper duct section 80 may further house a fire detector for detecting a fire inside the upper duct section 80 .

[0119] (2-4. Supplementary information about vent pipes) A vent pipe internal gas detector 10a is provided inside the vent pipe 10, downstream of the outlet 81a of the vent pipe communication section 81. Note that the "downstream side" mentioned above refers to the downstream side of the air flow direction when the air inside the tank compartment 40 flows through the inside of the vent pipe 10 and is discharged overboard. For example, if 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. A detection signal from the vent pipe internal gas detector 10a is sent to the control section 12a.

[0120] For example, if the control unit 12a is outputting a signal (closure signal) to close the release valve 72 and the vent pipe internal gas detector 10a detects fuel gas even though the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a and the upper duct compartment internal gas detector 88 are not detecting fuel gas, it can be determined that the release valve 72 is not completely closing the flow path of the fuel gas discharge piping 71, that is, that the release valve 72 is malfunctioning. In this case, the control unit 12a can, for example, notify an external party to urge a maintenance person to inspect, repair, or replace the release valve 72. Note that examples of notifying an external party include displaying a monitor, outputting an alarm, and transmitting information to an external terminal.

[0121] [3. Concentration of dangerous parts in duct compartments] Next, the fact that the dangerous areas through which the fuel gas passes are concentrated in the duct section 90 in the above-described fuel cell ship SH will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 as well as Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of part A in Figure 1. Figure 5 is a perspective view of part A in Figure 1, omitting the fuel gas filler lid portion 82a and the inert gas filler lid portion 84a.

[0122] The fuel gas filler lid portion 82a is rotatably provided relative to the upper window portion 82b shown in FIG. 5. The fuel gas filler port 82 provided in the upper duct section 80 is located inside the upper window portion 82b. By rotating the fuel gas filler lid portion 82a and opening the upper window portion 82b, the fuel gas filler port 82 is exposed to the outside. This makes it possible to fill the fuel tank 41 with fuel gas through the fuel gas filler port 82. On the other hand, by rotating the fuel gas filler lid portion 82a and closing the upper window portion 82b, the fuel gas filler port 82 is hidden. The fuel cell ship SH sails with the fuel gas filler port 82 hidden by the fuel gas filler lid portion 82a in this manner.

[0123] The inert gas filler lid portion 84a is rotatably provided relative to the lower window portion 84b shown in FIG. 5. The inert gas filler port 84 and the on-off valve 85 provided in the upper duct section 80 are located inside the lower window portion 84b. By rotating the inert gas filler lid portion 84a and opening the lower window portion 84b, the inert gas filler port 84 and the on-off valve 85 are exposed to the outside. This makes it possible to open the on-off valve 85 and fill the fuel tank 41 with inert gas through the inert gas filler port 84. On the other hand, by rotating the fuel gas filler lid portion 84a and closing the lower window portion 84b, the inert gas filler port 84 and the on-off valve 85 are hidden. The fuel cell ship SH sails with the inert gas filler port 84 and the on-off valve 85 hidden by the inert gas filler lid portion 84a in this manner.

[0124] As described above, the fuel cell ship SH includes the duct section 90 that houses a portion of the fuel gas supply piping 32 (fuel supply piping), the vent pipe 10 that communicates with the duct section 90 (particularly the upper duct section 80) (via the vent pipe communication section 81), and the fuel gas fill port 82 (fuel fill port) that serves as an inlet for filling fuel into the fuel tank 41. As shown in Figures 1, 3, and 5, the fuel gas fill port 82 is provided in the duct section 90 (particularly the upper duct section 80).

[0125] In the unlikely event that fuel gas leaks from the fuel gas supply pipe 32 within the duct section 90, the leaked fuel gas flows toward the vent pipe 10 (via the vent pipe communication section 81) and is then discharged through the vent pipe 10 to the outside of the duct section 90 (e.g., overboard). When filling the fuel tank 41 with fuel gas, the fuel gas is filled into the fuel tank 41 through the fuel gas fill port 82. Therefore, the vent pipe 10 and the fuel gas fill port 82 are dangerous areas through which fuel gas passes. To ensure safety, it may be required not to install various electrical equipment (e.g., the lower duct section air intake device 75, which is a non-explosion-proof air intake fan) near the dangerous areas (e.g., within a 1.5-m radius). Therefore, if the vent pipe 10 and the fuel gas fill port 82 are located far apart, the dangerous areas where various electrical equipment cannot be installed will become larger.

[0126] By providing the fuel gas filler port 82 in the duct section 90 that communicates with the vent pipe 10, the dangerous areas through which the fuel gas passes (the fuel gas filler port 82 and the vent pipe 10) are concentrated in the duct section 90. This makes it possible to narrow the dangerous areas where various electrical devices cannot be installed (make the range of the dangerous areas more compact) compared to a configuration in which the fuel gas filler port 82 and the vent pipe 10 are installed apart (for example, in separate sections). As a result, the degree of freedom in arranging various electrical devices can be increased.

[0127] The fuel cell ship SH also includes a fuel gas discharge pipe 71 (fuel discharge pipe) that branches off from the fuel gas supply pipe 32 (fuel supply pipe), and a gas filling pipe 42 (fuel filling pipe) that connects a fuel gas filling port 82 (fuel filling port) to the fuel tank 41. The duct section 90 houses the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 and the gas filling pipe 42 (see FIG. 3).

[0128] The fuel gas exhaust pipe 71 and the gas fill pipe 42 (as well as the fuel gas fill port 82 and the vent pipe 10) are also dangerous areas through which fuel gas passes. By integrating the dangerous areas, the fuel gas exhaust pipe 71 and the gas fill pipe 42, into the duct section 90, the dangerous area becomes smaller than in a configuration in which these pipes are provided in separate locations. Therefore, as described above, the degree of freedom in arranging various electrical devices can be increased.

[0129] The fuel cell ship SH also has an inert gas filling port 84, which serves as an inlet for filling the fuel tank 41 with inert gas, and an inert gas piping 87 connected to the inert gas filling port 84 and the gas filling piping 42. The duct section 90 further accommodates the inert gas piping 87 (see FIG. 3).

[0130] With this configuration, it is possible to realize a compact arrangement of the pipes that supply gas to the fuel tank 41 together within the duct section 90. In other words, it is possible to realize a compact arrangement of the gas fill pipe 42 that supplies fuel gas to the fuel tank 41 and the inert gas pipe 87 that supplies inert gas to the fuel tank 41 together within the duct section 90.

[0131] The fuel cell ship SH also includes a fuel cell compartment 30 in which a fuel cell 31 is installed, and a communication pipe 92 that connects the fuel cell compartment 30 to a duct compartment 90 (for example, the lower duct compartment 70) (see FIG. 3).

[0132] In this configuration, exhaust gas from the fuel cell compartment 30 is discharged to the duct compartment 90 via the communication pipe 92, and can then be discharged from the duct compartment 90 to the outside (e.g., overboard) via the vent pipe 10. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which a dedicated vent pipe is provided separately for the fuel cell compartment 30 (independent from the other compartments), the total number of vent pipes can be reduced, thereby simplifying the configuration. Furthermore, even if fuel gas leaks within the fuel cell compartment 30, the leaked fuel gas is guided to the duct compartment 90 via the communication pipe 92. In other words, the areas through which the leaked fuel gas passes are concentrated in the duct compartment 90. This reduces the risk area compared to, for example, a configuration in which a dedicated vent pipe is provided for the fuel cell compartment 30, thereby also increasing the flexibility in arranging various electrical devices.

[0133] The fuel cell ship SH also includes a tank compartment 40 in which a fuel tank 41 is installed. The vent pipe 10 communicates with both the duct compartment 90 (particularly the upper duct compartment 80) and the tank compartment 40 (see FIG. 3).

[0134] In this configuration, exhaust gas from the tank compartment 40 can be discharged to the outside (e.g., overboard) via the vent pipe 10. Furthermore, because the vent pipe 10 for exhausting gas is shared between the tank compartment 40 and the duct compartment 90, the total number of vent pipes can be reduced, simplifying the configuration compared to a configuration in which separate vent pipes are provided for the tank compartment 40 and the duct compartment 90. Furthermore, even if fuel gas leaks from at least one of the tank compartment 40 and the duct compartment 90, the leaked fuel gas is collected in the single vent pipe 10 and discharged to the outside. This reduces the risk area compared to a configuration in which separate vent pipes are provided for the tank compartment 40 and the duct compartment 90 and the fuel gas is discharged from separate vent pipes, thereby also increasing the flexibility in arranging various electrical equipment.

[0135] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a lower duct section air supply device 75 is arranged around the duct section 90. The lower duct section air supply device 75 is an example of the electrical equipment EM (see FIG. 3) arranged around the duct section 90. In other words, the fuel cell ship SH of this embodiment is equipped with electrical equipment EM arranged around the duct section 90. In this case, the degree of freedom in arranging the electrical equipment EM around the duct section 90 can be increased.

[0136] In particular, the electrical equipment EM includes a duct section air supply device (lower duct section air supply device 75) that supplies air to the inside of the duct section 90 (lower duct section 70). In this case, the degree of freedom in arranging the lower duct section air supply device 75 around the duct section 90 can be increased.

[0137] [4. Measures to be taken in the event of a fuel gas leak in the duct compartment] As described above, the duct section 90 is a collection of dangerous areas through which fuel gas passes. For this reason, in order to appropriately deal with the event of a fuel gas leak in the duct section 90, fuel gas detectors (upper duct section internal gas detector 88 and lower duct section internal gas detector 73) that detect fuel gas, which is a gaseous state of fuel, are installed inside the duct section 90. The control unit 12a then controls the power generation of the fuel cell 31 based on the detection signals output from the fuel gas detectors. Note that only the upper duct section internal gas detector 88 may be installed inside the duct section 90. In other words, the lower duct section internal gas detector 73 may be omitted. This is because hydrogen that leaks in the lower duct section 70 will eventually flow into the upper duct section 80 and be detected by the upper duct section internal gas detector 88.

[0138] 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing based on the detection of fuel gas in the duct section 90. When the lower duct section internal gas detector 73 or the upper duct section internal gas detector 88 detects that the concentration of fuel gas in the lower duct section 70 or the upper duct section 80 is equal to or greater than a specified value and sends a detection signal to the control unit 12a (S1), the control unit 12a stops the operation of the fuel cell 31 and stops power generation by the fuel cell 31 (S2). Note that the specified value can be, for example, 40% LEL, but may be determined appropriately based on experiment or experience.

[0139] Next, the control unit 12a closes the main valve 41a of the fuel tank 41 (S3). This stops the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31. Note that, in addition to closing the main valve 41a, the control unit 12a may also perform control to close the shutoff valves SV (tank-side shutoff valve 43, fuel cell-side shutoff valve 33) provided in the fuel gas supply pipe 32.

[0140] In this way, the fuel cell ship SH is equipped with a control unit 12a that controls the power generation of the fuel cell 31. When the fuel gas detectors (upper duct compartment internal gas detector 88, lower duct compartment internal gas detector 73) detect that the concentration of fuel gas is equal to or higher than a predetermined standard value, the control unit 12a stops the power generation of the fuel cell 31 (S1, S2).

[0141] When a fuel gas leak exceeding the specified value is detected in the duct section 90, power generation by the fuel cell 31 can be safely stopped.

[0142] In particular, when the fuel gas detector detects that the concentration of fuel gas is equal to or greater than a predetermined standard value, the control unit 12a closes the main valve 41a of the fuel tank 41 (S3). Closing the main valve 41a stops the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31, so that power generation by the fuel cell 31 can be reliably stopped.

[0143] In this embodiment, gaseous fuel gas is used as the fuel supplied from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31, but the fuel is not limited to gas and may be liquid. When liquid fuel is used, if the liquid fuel leaks from the piping, the leaked liquid fuel vaporizes and becomes gas (fuel gas).

[0144] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these, and the invention can be expanded or modified without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0145] The present invention can be used in, for example, a fuel cell ship. [Explanation of symbols]

[0146] 1. Hull 6 Propulsion device 10 Vent pipe 12a Control section 30 fuel cell compartment 31 Fuel Cell 32 Fuel gas supply piping (fuel supply piping) 40 Tank Compartment 41 Fuel tank 41a Former Barrister 42 Gas filling pipe (fuel filling pipe) 70 Lower Duct Section (Duct Section) 71 Fuel gas exhaust piping 73 Lower duct compartment internal gas detector (fuel gas detector) 75 Lower duct section air supply device (duct section air supply device) 80 Upper Duct Section (Duct Section) 82 Fuel gas filling port (fuel filling port) 84 Inert gas filling port 87 Inert gas piping 88 Upper duct compartment internal gas detector (fuel gas detector) 90 Duct Section 92 Communication pipe EM Electrical Equipment SH fuel cell ship

Claims

1. Equipped with a fuel cell that generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction of fuel, A fuel cell ship that supplies power to onboard equipment from the fuel cell, a fuel cell compartment arranged side by side with a fuel cell tank compartment in which a fuel tank for storing the fuel is installed; a fuel fill port serving as an inlet for filling the fuel tank with the fuel is provided on the tank compartment side of the fuel cell compartment and on the fuel cell compartment side of the tank compartment, A fuel cell ship, wherein the fuel filling port is provided at a position higher than the tank compartment.

2. A fuel cell that generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction of fuel, A fuel cell ship that supplies power to onboard equipment from the fuel cell, a fuel cell compartment arranged side by side with a fuel cell tank compartment in which a fuel tank for storing the fuel is installed; a fuel fill port serving as an inlet for filling the fuel tank with the fuel is provided on the tank compartment side of the fuel cell compartment and on the fuel cell compartment side of the tank compartment, The fuel cell ship, wherein the fuel filling port is provided at a position higher than the deck.

3. A fuel cell that generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction of fuel, A fuel cell ship that supplies power to onboard equipment from the fuel cell, a fuel cell compartment arranged side by side with a fuel cell tank compartment in which a fuel tank for storing the fuel is installed; a fuel fill port serving as an inlet for filling the fuel tank with the fuel is provided on the tank compartment side of the fuel cell compartment and on the fuel cell compartment side of the tank compartment, the fuel fill port and the inert gas fill port are provided on the same surface, The fuel cell ship, wherein the fuel filling port is provided at a higher position than the inert gas filling port.

4. A fuel cell that generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction of fuel, A fuel cell ship that supplies power to onboard equipment from the fuel cell, a fuel cell compartment arranged side by side with a fuel cell tank compartment in which a fuel tank for storing the fuel is installed; a fuel fill port serving as an inlet for filling the fuel tank with the fuel is provided on the tank compartment side of the fuel cell compartment and on the fuel cell compartment side of the tank compartment, The fuel cell ship, wherein the tank compartment is disposed aft of the fuel cell compartment.

5. A fuel cell that generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction of fuel, A fuel cell ship that supplies power to onboard equipment from the fuel cell, a fuel cell compartment arranged side by side with a fuel cell tank compartment in which a fuel tank for storing the fuel is installed; a fuel fill port serving as an inlet for filling the fuel tank with the fuel is provided on the tank compartment side of the fuel cell compartment and on the fuel cell compartment side of the tank compartment, A fuel cell ship, wherein the fuel filling port is provided in a duct compartment arranged between the fuel cell compartment and the tank compartment.

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