fuel cell ship

Abstract

To provide a fuel cell ship which can reduce a risk derived from fuel.SOLUTION: An exemplary fuel cell ship is the one for propelling a ship body using electric power fed from a fuel cell for performing electric power generation by the electrochemical reaction of fuel. The fuel cell ship at least comprises: a tank compartment in which a fuel tank for putting fuel is installed; a fuel cell compartment in which the fuel cell is installed; and a vent pipe which can discharge the fuel in the tank compartment and in the fuel cell compartment to the outside of the ship body. A discharge port of the vent pipe is located at a position higher than a cabin or a bridge provided at the ship body, and at least a part of the vent pipe is arranged at the upper side of a space between the tank compartment and the fuel cell compartment, and overlaps with the space in a plan view.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a fuel cell ship has been proposed that supplies fuel from a fuel tank to a fuel cell and drives a propulsion device with the power generated by the fuel cell (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, when the lid member of the storage unit that houses the fuel cell unit and the hydrogen fuel tank is illegally opened, hydrogen is actively discharged from the hydrogen fuel tank to quickly deplete the fuel and prevent theft.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The fuel supplied to the fuel cell is a combustible gas such as hydrogen. Therefore, in a fuel cell ship, a safe design and safety measures considering the risks derived from the fuel are desired. Conventionally, a fuel cell ship for preventing fuel theft is known as described above, but it is considered that there is room for improvement in safety measures.

[0005] In view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell ship capable of reducing the risks derived from the fuel.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] An exemplary fuel cell vessel of the present invention is a fuel cell vessel that propels its hull using electricity supplied from a fuel cell that generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction of fuel, and comprises at least a tank compartment in which a fuel tank containing the fuel is installed, a fuel cell compartment in which the fuel cell is installed, and a vent pipe capable of releasing the fuel in the tank compartment and the fuel cell compartment to the outside of the hull, wherein the outlet of the vent pipe is located at a position higher than a cabin or bridge provided in the hull, and at least a portion of the vent pipe is located above the space between the tank compartment and the fuel cell compartment and overlaps with the space in a plan view. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a fuel cell vessel that reduces fuel-related hazards and improves safety. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] An explanatory diagram showing the schematic configuration of a fuel cell ship according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] A schematic diagram illustrating the internal structure of the fuel cell ship described above. [Figure 3] Plan view showing a detailed example of a fuel cell ship according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] A perspective view of a fuel cell ship shown in Figure 3, with some components such as the cabin removed. [Figure 5] A schematic perspective view showing the fuel cell compartment, tank compartment, and duct compartment of the fuel cell ship shown in Figure 4. [Figure 6] Schematic perspective view of the fuel cell compartment with the top wall removed, as shown in Figure 5. [Figure 7] Schematic perspective view of the tank compartment with a portion of the top wall removed, as shown in Figure 5. [Figure 8] Figure 3 shows a magnified view of a portion of the cross-section taken between VIII and VIII. [Figure 9] Figure 3 shows a portion of the side view of the fuel cell ship. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments 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 to the bow of the fuel cell vessel is defined as "forward," and the direction from the bow to the stern is defined as "backward." The lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is defined as the left-right direction. In this case, when the fuel cell vessel is moving forward, the left side as seen from the perspective of the operator is defined as "left," and the right side is defined as "right." Furthermore, the upstream side in the direction of gravity perpendicular to the longitudinal and left-right directions is defined as "up," and the downstream side is defined as "down." In addition, although the following description will use the case where the fuel is a gas as an example, the fuel is not limited to a gas and may be a liquid.

[0010] [1. Outline of the fuel cell ship's configuration] First, the fuel cell vessel SH according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 1. Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the schematic configuration of the fuel cell vessel SH. The fuel cell vessel SH comprises a hull 1 and a cabin 2. The cabin 2 is located on the upper side of the hull 1. In this embodiment, the cabin 2 includes a bridge.

[0011] The fuel cell ship SH further comprises a fuel cell system 3, a fuel gas storage unit 4, a battery system 5, a propulsion system 6, a plurality of peripheral devices 11, and a control device 12. In Figure 1, control signals or high-voltage power supply lines are shown as solid lines, and control signals or low-voltage power supply lines are shown as dashed lines.

[0012] The fuel cell system 3 functions as the main power source. The fuel cell system 3 generates electricity (specifically DC electricity) by consuming fuel gas. The fuel gas is a combustible gas. Typically, the fuel gas is hydrogen gas. The fuel cell system 3 supplies the generated electricity to the propulsion system 6 and peripheral equipment 11. The fuel cell system 3 can also supply power to the battery system 5 to charge it.

[0013] The fuel gas storage unit 4 stores the fuel gas supplied to the fuel cell system 3. The supply of the fuel gas from the fuel gas storage unit 4 to the fuel cell system 3 is performed via a fuel gas supply pipe 32 (see FIG. 2) described later.

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

[0015] The propulsion device 6 is driven by the power supplied from a fuel cell 31 (see FIG. 2) of the fuel cell system 3 described later, and generates a propulsion force for the hull 1. That is, the fuel cell ship SH propels the hull 1 using the power supplied from the fuel cell 31.

[0016] Incidentally, the propulsion device 6 may be driven only by the power supplied from the storage battery of the battery system 5, or may be driven by the power supplied from both the fuel cell 31 and the storage battery. That is, the propulsion device 6 may be driven by the power supplied from at least one of the fuel cell and the storage battery to generate a propulsion force for the hull 1.

[0017] The propulsion device 6 includes a power conversion device 6a, a propulsion motor 6b, and a propeller 6c. The power conversion device 6a converts the power supplied from the fuel cell system 3 into power according to the specifications of the propulsion motor 6b. For example, the power conversion device 6a converts DC power into AC power. In this case, the power conversion device 6a has, for example, an inverter. The propulsion motor 6b is driven by the power (e.g., AC power) supplied from the power conversion device 6a. When the propulsion motor 6b is driven, the rotational force of the propulsion motor 6b is transmitted to the propeller 6c. As a result, the propeller 6c rotates and a propulsion force is generated on the hull 1. Note that a configuration having a marine gear between the propulsion motor 6b and the propeller 6c may also be adopted.

[0018] The peripheral devices 11 include, for example, a compressor, a solenoid valve, a pump, etc. The peripheral devices 11 also include electrical devices such as lighting devices and air conditioning devices, but the types of the peripheral devices 11 are not particularly limited.

[0019] The control device 12 controls the fuel cell system 3, the fuel gas storage unit 4, the battery system 5, the propulsion device 6, and the plurality of peripheral devices 11. The control device 12 is constituted by, for example, one or two or more computers. The computer is, for example, an ECU (Electronic Control Unit). The control device 12 may be configured using a PLC (Programable Logic Controller). Power is supplied to the control device 12 from a battery (e.g., a lead battery) not shown or from the battery of the battery system 5.

[0020] The control device 12 has a control unit 12a and a storage unit 12b. The control unit 12a includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The storage unit 12b includes a storage device and stores data and computer programs. Specifically, the storage unit 12b includes a main storage device such as a semiconductor memory and an auxiliary storage device such as a semiconductor memory, a solid state drive, and / or a hard disk drive. The storage unit 12b may include a removable medium.

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

[0022] [2. Overview of the internal structure of a fuel cell ship] Next, the internal structure of the fuel cell vessel SH will be explained with reference to Figure 2. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the internal structure of the fuel cell vessel SH. In Figure 2, the airflow is indicated by dashed arrows. In Figure 2, the right side of the diagram is the bow (front) and the left side is the stern (rear), and each component is illustrated. However, the position of each component is not limited to the positions shown in Figure 2, as long as the connection relationships of 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 fuel room 14 are located below the deck 1a of the hull 1. The engine room 13 is located forward of the fuel room 14. Bulkheads W1, W2, and W3 are located below the deck 1a, in order from forward to aft. 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. Bulkheads W1 to W3 are made of, for example, fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP), but may also be made of steel plates or the like.

[0024] (2-1. Configuration of the fuel cell system) The fuel cell system 3 of the fuel cell ship SH is located in the engine room 13. The fuel cell system 3 includes a fuel cell 31, a fuel gas supply pipe 32, and a fuel cell side shut-off valve 33.

[0025] The fuel cell 31 generates electricity (specifically, DC electricity) through an electrochemical reaction between a fuel gas and an oxidizer gas. Typically, the oxidizer gas is air, and the oxidizer is oxygen. In other words, the fuel cell 31 generates electricity through the electrochemical reaction of the 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 electrode, a cathode electrode, and a pair of separators. The anode electrode and the cathode electrode are separated by the solid polymer electrolyte membrane. The anode electrode is the negative electrode (fuel electrode). The anode electrode includes an anode catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer. The cathode electrode is the positive electrode (air electrode). The cathode electrode includes a cathode catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer. The anode electrode, the solid polymer electrolyte membrane, and the cathode electrode constitute a membrane electrode assembly (MEA). The pair of separators sandwich the membrane electrode assembly. Each separator has multiple grooves. Each groove in one separator forms a flow path for the fuel gas. Each groove in the other separator forms a flow path for the oxidizer gas.

[0027] In the above configuration of the fuel cell 31, at the anode, hydrogen contained in the fuel gas is decomposed into hydrogen ions and electrons by a catalyst. The hydrogen ions permeate the solid polymer electrolyte membrane and move to the cathode. Meanwhile, the electrons move to the cathode through the external circuit. This generates an electric current (electricity is produced). At the cathode, oxygen contained in the oxidizer gas combines with the electrons that have flowed through the external circuit and the hydrogen ions that have permeated the solid polymer electrolyte membrane to produce water. The produced water is discharged overboard through the discharge pipe 31a.

[0028] The fuel cell 31 supplies the generated electricity to the propulsion system 6 and peripheral equipment 11 shown in Figure 1. Alternatively, the fuel cell 31 may indirectly supply the generated electricity to the propulsion system 6 and peripheral equipment 11 via a circuit such as a DC / DC converter.

[0029] The fuel gas supply piping 32 is a pipe for supplying fuel gas stored in the fuel tank 41 of the fuel gas storage unit 4 (described later) to the anode of the fuel cell 31. In other words, the fuel cell ship SH is equipped with fuel gas supply piping 32 that supplies fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31.

[0030] The fuel cell side shut-off valve 33 is an example of a shut-off 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 shut-off valve 33 is controlled by the control unit 12a (see Figure 1). Specifically, the fuel cell side shut-off 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 shut-off valve 33 is provided in the fuel gas supply pipe 32 within the fuel cell compartment 30 where the fuel cell 31 is located, but two or more may be provided. Details of the fuel cell compartment 30 provided in the fuel cell ship SH will be described later.

[0031] The fuel cell system 3 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 cell 31. The cooling medium may be, for example, an antifreeze with low electrical conductivity. The antifreeze is, for example, a liquid obtained by mixing pure water and ethylene glycol in a predetermined ratio. The cooling medium tank 38 is sealed, but its top may be open.

[0032] The cooling medium piping 39 is for circulating the cooling medium between the fuel cell 31 and a heat exchanger (not shown). A circulation pump (not shown) is also provided in the middle of the cooling medium piping 39. By driving the circulation pump and supplying the cooling medium from the heat exchanger to the fuel cell 31 via the cooling medium piping 39, the fuel cell 31 is cooled. 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 in the cooling medium are absorbed and the liquid volume of the cooling medium is monitored.

[0033] (2-2. Configuration of the fuel gas storage section) The fuel gas storage section 4 of the fuel cell ship SH includes a fuel tank 41, a gas filling pipe 42, and a tank-side shut-off valve 43.

[0034] The fuel tank 41 is a container for holding fuel. In this embodiment, the fuel tank 41 holds fuel gas to be supplied to the fuel cell 31. The fuel tank 41 may be, for example, a cylinder, a cradle formed by assembling multiple cylinders, etc. In Figure 2, for convenience, only one fuel tank 41 is shown, but the number of fuel tanks 41 is not particularly limited and there may be multiple tanks.

[0035] The gas filling pipe 42 is a pipe for supplying fuel gas to the fuel tank 41 or for filling it with inert gas. One end of the gas filling pipe 42 is connected to the fuel tank 41. The other end of the gas filling pipe 42 branches into two, which are connected to the fuel gas filling port 82 and the inert gas filling port 84, respectively. The fuel gas filling port 82 and the inert gas filling port 84 are located in the duct section 90 (particularly the upper duct section 80), which will be described in detail later.

[0036] The inert gas mentioned above is, for example, nitrogen gas. For instance, when performing maintenance such as inspection or repair of a fuel cell ship SH in a dry dock, if fuel gas remains in the fuel tank 41, there is a risk of explosion if the fuel gas ignites for any reason. Therefore, during maintenance of the fuel cell ship SH, the fuel tank 41 is filled with an inert gas to remove the fuel gas from the fuel tank 41. This avoids the risk of explosion mentioned above.

[0037] In the aforementioned fuel gas supply piping 32, the end opposite to the fuel cell 31 is connected to the fuel tank 41. The fuel tank 41 and the fuel cell 31 are connected via the fuel gas supply piping 32. In other words, the fuel cell ship SH is further equipped with fuel supply piping that connects the fuel tank 41 and the fuel cell 31. Fuel gas supply piping 32 is an example of fuel supply piping.

[0038] The tank-side shut-off valve 43 is an example of a shut-off valve SV that opens or closes the flow path of the fuel gas supply piping 32. The opening and closing of the tank-side shut-off valve 43 is controlled by the control unit 12a. Specifically, the tank-side shut-off valve 43 switches between supplying and stopping 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 shut-off valve 43 is provided in the fuel gas supply piping 32 within the tank compartment 40 where the fuel tank 41 is installed, but two or more may be provided. Details of the tank compartment 40 equipped in the fuel cell ship SH will be described later.

[0039] [3. Details of the plot] The fuel cell vessel SH comprises at least one compartment including a fuel release source. In this embodiment, the fuel is fuel gas, and more specifically, hydrogen gas. The fuel release source broadly includes portions that may release fuel gas. Examples of fuel release sources include a fuel cell 31, fuel gas supply piping 32, and fuel tanks 41. For example, the compartment includes a tank compartment 40 in which fuel tanks are installed.

[0040] In this embodiment, there are multiple compartments. As shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, the multiple compartments include a fuel cell compartment 30 and a tank compartment 40. The fuel cell compartment 30 is the compartment in which the fuel cell 31 is installed.

[0041] In this embodiment, the multiple compartments further include a duct compartment 90. The duct compartment 90 is a compartment that houses a portion of the fuel supply piping. In detail, the duct compartment 90 is composed of a lower duct compartment 70 and an upper duct compartment 80. The lower duct compartment 70 houses a portion of the fuel gas supply piping 32, which is an example of fuel supply piping. "A portion of the fuel gas supply piping 32" may be all or part of the portion of the fuel gas supply piping 32 located between the fuel cell compartment 30 and the tank compartment 40. In this embodiment, the lower duct compartment 70 houses a portion of the portion of the fuel gas supply piping 32 located between the fuel cell compartment 30 and the tank compartment 40. Note that the duct compartment 90 is not an essential configuration and may not be provided in some cases. Configurations in which the duct compartment 90 is not provided will be described later.

[0042] The detailed configurations of the fuel cell compartment 30, tank compartment 40, and duct compartment 90 are described below. Figure 3 is a plan view showing a detailed example of a fuel cell ship SH. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the fuel cell ship SH shown in Figure 3 with some components, such as cabin 2, removed. In Figure 4, part of deck 1a has also been removed so that the tank compartment 40 and duct compartment 90 are visible. Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view showing the fuel cell compartment 30, tank compartment 40, and duct compartment 90 of the fuel cell ship SH shown in Figure 4.

[0043] In the fuel cell vessel SH shown in Figure 3, the upper duct compartment 80, which is part of the duct compartment 90, is constructed using cabin 2. For this reason, in Figure 4, which shows the fuel cell vessel SH with cabin 2 removed, the upper duct compartment 80 is not shown. Similarly, in Figure 5, the details of the upper duct compartment 80 are not shown, and the vicinity of the location where the upper duct compartment 80 is installed is indicated by a dashed line frame.

[0044] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, in this embodiment, the fuel cell ship SH has a fuel cell compartment 30, a tank compartment 40, and a duct compartment 90 arranged on both the left (port) and right (starboard) sides of the hull 1. In other words, each side of the hull 1 is equipped with the necessary equipment for generating electricity using fuel cells 31. For this reason, Figure 2 above is a diagram showing, in detail, the configuration of one side (one port side) of the hull 1.

[0045] In this embodiment, on both the left and right sides, the fuel cell compartment 30, duct compartment 90, and tank compartment 40 are arranged in that order from front to rear. The configuration of each compartment 30, 40, and 90 is the same on both the left and right sides. In this embodiment, there are two sets of compartments consisting of the fuel cell compartment 30, tank compartment 40, and duct compartment 90. However, this is an example, and the number of such compartment sets may be one, three or more.

[0046] (3-1. Fuel Cell Section) The fuel cell compartment 30 is a housing that contains the fuel cell 31 (see, for example, Figure 2 and Figure 6 described later). The fuel cell compartment 30 is located in the engine room 13 (see, for example, Figures 2 and 4). The fuel cell compartment 30 has a hollow shape. The fuel cell compartment 30 can also be considered as a container, chamber, or box that houses the fuel cell 31.

[0047] In this embodiment, the fuel cell compartment 30 has a hollow rectangular parallelepiped shape. The outer walls constituting the fuel cell compartment 30 include, for example, a top wall 30a, a bottom wall 30b, a rear wall 30c, a front wall 30d, a left wall 30e, and a right wall 30f (see, for example, Figures 2, 5, and Figure 6 described later). The shape of the fuel cell compartment 30 is not particularly limited as long as it has space to accommodate the fuel cell 31. The material of the outer walls of the fuel cell compartment 30 is, for example, FRP, but it may also be sheet metal or the like.

[0048] In detail, the fuel cell compartment 30 is constructed by attaching a top wall 30a to a box-shaped member in which the bottom wall 30b, rear wall 30c, front wall 30d, left wall 30e, and right wall 30f are made of a single material. Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view of the fuel cell compartment 30 shown in Figure 5 with the top wall 30a removed. In detail, Figure 6 shows the fuel cell compartment 30 located on the left side of the hull 1. As shown in Figure 6, in detail, the fuel cell compartment 30 houses a DC / DC converter 311 in addition to the fuel cell 31. In detail, the DC / DC converter 311 boosts the voltage of the electricity generated by the fuel cell 31. Note that the DC / DC converter 311 may be located outside the fuel cell compartment 30.

[0049] As shown in Figure 2, the fuel cell compartment 30 also houses a portion of the aforementioned fuel gas supply piping 32 and a fuel cell side shut-off valve 33. Furthermore, the fuel cell compartment 30 houses an internal battery compartment gas detector 34a. The internal battery compartment gas detector 34a is a fuel gas detector located inside the fuel cell compartment 30. For example, if the fuel gas is hydrogen gas, the internal battery compartment gas detector 34a consists of a hydrogen gas detection sensor.

[0050] The internal battery compartment gas detector 34a is positioned on the inner surface of the top wall 30a located above the fuel cell compartment 30. Hydrogen gas, as a fuel gas, is lighter than air and rises. Therefore, by positioning the internal battery compartment 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 appropriately detected by the internal battery compartment gas detector 34a.

[0051] When the internal battery compartment gas detector 34a detects fuel gas in the fuel cell compartment 30, the detection signal is sent from the internal battery compartment gas detector 34a to the control unit 12a. This allows the control unit 12a to control the fuel cell side shut-off valve 33 installed in the fuel gas supply pipe 32 to stop the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31.

[0052] The fuel cell compartment 30 has ventilation openings for ventilating the inside of the compartment. More specifically, as shown in Figures 2 and 6, the ventilation openings of the fuel cell compartment 30 include a battery compartment air intake 30g and a battery compartment exhaust 30h.

[0053] The battery compartment air intake 30g is provided on one of the left or right outer walls of the fuel cell compartment 30. In the fuel cell compartment 30 on the left side of the hull 1, the battery compartment air intake 30g is configured to include an opening that penetrates the left wall 30e in the left-right direction. In the fuel cell compartment 30 on the right side of the hull 1, the battery compartment air intake 30g is configured to include an opening that penetrates the right wall 30f in the left-right direction. The battery compartment air intake 30g is connected to the battery compartment air intake pipe 35, which will be described later. The location where the battery compartment air intake 30g is provided may be changed as appropriate, and it may be on another outer wall constituting the fuel cell compartment 30.

[0054] The battery compartment exhaust port 30h is provided in the rear wall 30c of each fuel cell compartment 30 located on the left and right sides of the hull 1. The battery compartment exhaust port 30h is configured to include an opening that penetrates the rear wall 30c in the front-rear direction. The battery compartment exhaust port 30h communicates with the duct compartment 90, which will be described in detail later. The battery compartment exhaust port 30h may also be provided on an outer wall other than the rear wall 30c in the fuel cell compartment 30.

[0055] 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 30g of the fuel cell compartment 30 to the deck 1a and is exposed above the deck 1a. A battery compartment air supply device 36 and a battery compartment external gas detector 37 are located at the deck 1a side end of the battery compartment air supply pipe 35. The battery compartment air supply device 36 and the battery compartment external gas detector 37 are located in detail above the deck 1a.

[0056] The battery compartment air supply device 36 supplies outside air (in this example, outside air) to the fuel cell compartment 30 through the battery compartment air supply pipe 35 and the battery compartment air supply port 30g. The supply of outside air to the fuel cell compartment 30 causes the air inside the fuel cell compartment 30 to be discharged to the duct compartment 90 through the battery compartment exhaust port 30h. This ventilates the inside of the fuel cell compartment 30. As a result, the accumulation of combustible gases (e.g., fuel gas leaked from the fuel cell 31) within the fuel cell compartment 30 can be suppressed.

[0057] The battery compartment air supply device 36 is composed of, for example, an inexpensive non-explosion-proof air supply fan, but may also be composed of an explosion-proof air supply fan. The battery compartment air supply device 36 is driven by the control unit 12a. The battery compartment air supply device 36 is housed in an air supply device housing BO1 (see, for example, Figures 3 and 5) which is fixedly placed on the deck 1a. The material constituting the air supply device housing BO1 is not particularly limited, but may be made of metal such as stainless steel.

[0058] A filter unit FP1 is arranged adjacent to the air supply device housing BO1, which houses the battery compartment air supply device 36. The inside of the air supply device housing BO1 and the inside of the filter unit FP1 are in communication. One or more filters are arranged inside the filter unit FP1. The arrangement of the filter unit FP1 helps to suppress dust and other particles from entering the fuel cell compartment 30. In this embodiment, a dustproof filter and a salt damage prevention filter are arranged inside the filter unit FP1. This helps to suppress dust and sea salt particles from entering the fuel cell compartment 30.

[0059] Furthermore, the filter unit FP1 may be configured to contain only a salt damage prevention filter, and this configuration can also remove dust and sea salt particles. However, when configuring the filter unit FP1 to contain both a dust filter and a salt damage prevention filter, it is preferable to place the dust filter upstream of the airflow generated by the battery compartment air supply device 36 relative to the salt damage prevention filter. With this configuration, dust can be removed by the dust filter before it reaches the salt damage prevention filter, thereby extending the lifespan of the expensive salt damage prevention filter while removing dust and sea salt particles.

[0060] The external battery compartment gas detector 37 detects combustible gases (such as hydrogen gas floating around the hull 1) flowing into the fuel cell compartment 30 from the outside. The external battery compartment gas detector 37 is a combustible gas sensor, such as a hydrogen gas sensor. In this embodiment, the external battery compartment gas detector 37 is located inside the air supply device housing BO1. The external battery compartment gas detector 37 is located, for example, on the opposite side of the battery compartment air supply pipe 35 from the battery compartment air supply device 36, that is, upstream of the airflow from the outside to the inside of the fuel cell compartment 30. The external battery compartment gas detector 37 may also be composed of 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.

[0061] The external gas detector 37 for the battery compartment outputs a detection signal to the control unit 12a, for example, indicating the concentration of combustible gas. Based on this detection signal, the control unit 12a can determine whether or not the concentration of combustible gas is above a predetermined threshold. If the concentration is above the predetermined threshold, the control unit 12a can control the fuel cell side shut-off valve 33 to stop the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31. The predetermined threshold can be determined based on experiments and / or experience.

[0062] Furthermore, the battery compartment internal gas detector 34a (see Figure 2) described above is preferably located on the top wall 30a of the fuel cell compartment 30, either near the battery compartment exhaust port 30h or inside the battery compartment exhaust port 30h. If fuel gas leaks within the fuel cell compartment 30, the leaked fuel gas is exhausted through the battery compartment exhaust port 30h. In other words, the battery compartment exhaust port 30h is located at the downstream end of the flow path through which the fuel gas flows when fuel gas leaks within the fuel cell compartment 30. Therefore, by arranging the battery compartment internal gas detector 34a near the battery compartment exhaust port 30h or inside the battery compartment exhaust port 30h, the possibility of detecting leaked fuel gas regardless of where the leak occurs within the fuel cell compartment 30 can be improved. In other words, the battery compartment internal gas detector 34a may be configured to be located at the downstream end of the flow path through which the fuel gas flows when fuel gas leaks.

[0063] The fuel cell compartment 30 has an internally sealed space except for the battery compartment air intake port 30g and the battery compartment exhaust port 30h. In other words, the fuel cell compartment 30 is sealed except for the battery compartment air intake port 30g and the battery compartment exhaust port 30h. To put it another way, the fuel cell compartment 30 is sealed except for the ventilation ports that provide ventilation to the inside of the compartment (its own compartment). Due to this sealed structure, in principle, the air that enters the fuel cell compartment 30 from the battery compartment air intake port 30g when the battery compartment air supply device 36 is driven is exhausted from the fuel cell compartment 30 through the battery compartment exhaust port 30h.

[0064] To ensure airtightness, sealing material is appropriately placed in areas where gaps may occur. For example, sealing material is placed in areas where multiple components are assembled. For example, sealing material is placed between the box-shaped members that make up the bottom wall 30b, rear wall 30c, front wall 30d, left wall 30e, and right wall 30f, and the top wall 30a. Also, for example, sealing material is placed in screw-fastened areas. Also, for example, sealing material is appropriately placed in appropriate locations in holes provided in the fuel cell compartment 30 for passing electrical wiring and piping.

[0065] (3-2. Tank Compartment) The tank compartment 40 is a housing that contains the fuel tank 41 (see, for example, Figure 2, and Figure 7 described later). The tank compartment 40 is located in the fuel chamber 14 (see, for example, Figures 2 and 4). The tank compartment 40 has a hollow shape. The tank compartment 40 can also be considered as a container, chamber, or box that houses the fuel tank 41.

[0066] As shown in Figure 4, in this embodiment, the fuel chamber 14, located behind the engine room 13 and containing the tank compartment 40, is divided into two sections. In other words, in this embodiment, there are two fuel chambers 14. Between the two fuel chambers 14 in the left-right direction, there is a battery chamber 15 that houses the batteries (not shown) of the battery system 5. By arranging the fuel chambers 14 and the battery chamber 15 together at the rear of the hull 1 in this way, the space of the hull 1 can be used efficiently, and the size of the hull 1 can be reduced.

[0067] In this embodiment, the tank compartment 40 has a hollow, substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The tank compartment 40 is positioned in the fuel chamber 14 with its longitudinal direction as the front-to-back direction. The outer walls constituting the tank compartment 40 include, for example, a top wall 40a, a bottom wall 40b, a rear wall 40c, a front wall 40d, a left wall 40e, and a right wall 40f (see, for example, Figures 2, 5, and Figure 7 described later). The shape of the tank compartment 40 is not particularly limited as long as it has space to accommodate at least one fuel tank 41. The material of the outer walls of the tank compartment 40 is, for example, FRP, but it may also be sheet metal or the like.

[0068] In detail, the tank compartment 40 is constructed by attaching a top wall 40a to a box-shaped member, the bottom wall 40b, rear wall 40c, front wall 40d, left wall 40e, and right wall 40f being made of a single member. Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view of the tank compartment 40 shown in Figure 5 with a portion of the top wall 40a removed. In detail, Figure 7 shows the tank compartment 40 located on the left side of the hull 1.

[0069] In this embodiment, the box-shaped member constituting the tank compartment 40 is made of FRP. The left wall 40e and the right wall 40f are provided with thin-walled sections 401, which are thinner in the left-right direction compared to other parts. Multiple thin-walled sections 401 are provided on both the left wall 40e and the right wall 40f. These multiple thin-walled sections 401 are rectangular in shape and spaced apart in the front-to-back direction. The thin-walled sections 401 on the left wall 40e and the thin-walled sections 401 on the right wall 40f are positioned opposite each other in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the thin-walled sections 401 on the left wall 40e and the thin-walled sections 401 on the right wall 40f are positioned symmetrically with respect to a bisecting plane that divides the box-shaped member in half horizontally. The provision of the thin-walled sections 401 allows for weight reduction while maintaining the necessary strength for the containment of the tank compartment 40. Note that the thin-walled sections 401 are not required. Furthermore, if thin-walled portions 401 are provided, the shape, number, and arrangement of the thin-walled portions 401 may be appropriately changed from the configuration of this embodiment.

[0070] A frame member 402, made of a metal such as aluminum, is positioned on top of the box-shaped member that constitutes the tank compartment 40. The positioning of the frame member 402 improves the strength of the housing that constitutes the tank compartment 40. Furthermore, by attaching members such as eye bolts to the frame member 402, the tank compartment 40 can be lifted and installed by a crane or the like during ship construction. The frame member 402 has a rectangular frame portion 402a in a plan view from above, and a plurality of bridging portions 402b that bridge the left and right portions of the frame portion 402a. The frame portion 402a is positioned on the outer edge of the box-shaped member described above. The plurality of bridging portions 402b that extend in the left and right directions are all straight and are positioned at intervals in the front and rear directions. With the provision of a plurality of bridging portions 402b, a plurality of rectangular frame member openings 402c are arranged in the front and rear directions in the portion enclosed by the frame member 402.

[0071] The top wall 40a constituting the tank compartment 40 is, in detail, composed of multiple sections. That is, there are multiple top walls 40a. While the top wall 40a could be a single unit, dividing it into multiple sections can improve, for example, handling. Each of the multiple top walls 40a is positioned to cover each frame member opening 402c.

[0072] In this embodiment, a cylindrical section 403 is provided on the front wall 40d of the tank compartment 40 to cover the fuel gas supply pipe 32 and the gas filling pipe 42 that protrude forward from the tank compartment 40. By providing the cylindrical section 403, a double-pipe structure can be created, and even if fuel gas leaks from the fuel gas supply pipe 32 or the gas filling pipe 42, it is possible to prevent fuel gas from leaking into the fuel chamber 14. In this embodiment, two pipes 32 and 42 pass through one cylindrical section 403, but a cylindrical section may be provided for each pipe 32 and 42. That is, multiple cylindrical sections forming a double-pipe structure may be provided in the tank compartment 40.

[0073] As shown in Figure 7, four fuel tanks 41 are arranged within the tank compartment 40. The number of fuel tanks 41 housed within the tank compartment 40 may be changed as appropriate, and one or more is sufficient. As shown in Figure 2, the tank compartment 40 also houses a portion of the aforementioned fuel gas supply piping 32 and a tank-side shut-off valve 43. Furthermore, the tank compartment 40 houses an internal tank compartment gas detector 44a. The internal tank compartment gas detector 44a is a fuel gas detector located inside the tank compartment 40. For example, if the fuel gas is hydrogen gas, the internal tank compartment gas detector 44a consists of a hydrogen gas detection sensor.

[0074] The tank compartment internal gas detector 44a is positioned on the inner surface of the top wall 40a located at the top of the tank compartment 40. Hydrogen gas, used as fuel gas, is lighter than air and rises. Therefore, by positioning the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a on the top wall 40a of the tank compartment 40, even if fuel gas leaks within the tank compartment 40, the leaked fuel gas can be properly detected by the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a.

[0075] When the internal tank gas detector 44a detects fuel gas in the tank compartment 40, the detection signal is sent from the internal tank gas detector 44a to the control unit 12a. As a result, the control unit 12a can control the tank-side shut-off valve 43 installed in the fuel gas supply pipe 32 to stop the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31.

[0076] The tank compartment 40 has ventilation openings for ventilating the inside of the compartment. More specifically, as shown in Figures 2 and 7, the ventilation openings of the tank compartment 40 include a tank compartment air intake 40g and a tank compartment exhaust 40h.

[0077] The tank compartment air inlet 40g is provided in the rear wall 40c of the tank compartment 40. The tank compartment air inlet 40g is configured to include an opening that penetrates the rear wall 40c in the front-rear direction. The tank compartment air inlet 40g is connected to the tank compartment air supply pipe 45, which will be described later. The location where the tank compartment air inlet 40g is provided may be changed as appropriate, and it may be located in other outer walls that make up the tank compartment 40.

[0078] The tank compartment exhaust port 40h is provided in the top wall 40a of the tank compartment 40. As described above, in this embodiment, the top wall 40a of the tank compartment 40 is composed of multiple panels arranged in the front-to-back direction. The tank compartment exhaust port 40h is located in the top wall 40a that is positioned furthest forward among the multiple top walls 40a. However, the top wall 40a on which the tank compartment exhaust port 40h is provided may be any top wall 40a other than the furthest forward. The tank compartment exhaust port 40h is configured to include an opening that penetrates the top wall 40a in the vertical direction. The tank compartment exhaust port 40h is in communication with the vent pipe 10. The tank compartment exhaust port 40h may also be provided in an outer wall other than the top wall 40a of the tank compartment 40.

[0079] 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 inlet 40g of the tank compartment 40 to the deck 1a and is exposed above the deck 1a. A tank compartment air supply device 46 and a tank compartment external gas detector 47 are located at the deck 1a side end of the tank compartment air supply pipe 45. The tank compartment air supply device 46 and the tank compartment external gas detector 47 are located above the deck 1a.

[0080] The tank compartment air supply device 46 supplies outside air (in this example, outside air) to the inside of the tank compartment 40 via the tank compartment air supply pipe 45 and the tank compartment air intake port 40g. The supply of outside air to the tank compartment 40 causes the air inside the tank compartment 40 to be discharged through the tank compartment exhaust port 40h to the vent pipe 10. This ventilates the inside of the tank compartment 40. As a result, even if fuel gas leaks from the fuel tank 41 within the tank compartment 40, the accumulation of that fuel gas can be suppressed.

[0081] The tank compartment air supply device 46 is composed of, for example, an inexpensive non-explosion-proof air supply fan, but may also be composed of an explosion-proof air supply fan. The tank compartment air supply device 46 is driven by the control unit 12a. The tank compartment air supply device 46 is housed in an air supply device housing BO2 (see, for example, Figure 5) which is fixedly placed on the deck 1a, similar to the battery compartment air supply device 36 described above. A filter unit FP2 is also connected to the air supply device housing BO2 which houses the tank compartment air supply device 46.

[0082] The configuration of the filter unit FP2 is generally the same as that of the battery compartment air supply device 36 described above. However, the filter unit FP2 connected to the air supply device housing BO2 that houses the tank compartment air supply device 46 is not adjacent to the air supply device housing BO2, but is connected to the air supply device housing BO2 via a connecting pipe CP. By providing the connecting pipe CP in this way, the intake port for external air when the tank compartment air supply device 46 is driven can be positioned in an appropriate location with safety in mind. For example, it becomes possible to set the distance from the opening leading to the tank compartment 40 (the atmospheric side opening of the filter unit FP2) to other equipment or the air supply port to a predetermined distance or more.

[0083] The external tank compartment gas detector 47 detects flammable gases (such as hydrogen gas floating around the hull 1) flowing into the tank compartment 40 from the outside. The external tank compartment gas detector 47 is a flammable gas sensor, such as a hydrogen gas sensor. In this embodiment, the external tank compartment gas detector 47 is located inside the air supply device housing BO2. The external tank compartment gas detector 47 is located on the opposite side of the tank compartment air supply pipe 45 from the tank compartment air supply device 46, that is, upstream of the airflow from the outside to the inside of the tank compartment 40. The external tank compartment gas detector 47 may also be composed of a gas sensor that detects flammable gases other than hydrogen gas.

[0084] The external gas detector 47 in the tank compartment outputs a detection signal to the control unit 12a, for example, indicating the concentration of combustible gas. Based on this detection signal, the control unit 12a can determine whether the concentration of combustible gas is above a predetermined threshold. If the concentration is above the predetermined threshold, the control unit 12a can control the tank-side shut-off valve 43 to stop the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31. The predetermined threshold can be determined based on experiments and / or experience.

[0085] The tank compartment internal gas detector 44a (see Figure 2) described above is located on the top wall 40a of the tank compartment 40, either near the tank compartment exhaust port 40h or inside the tank compartment exhaust port 40h. If fuel gas leaks from the fuel tank 41 within the tank compartment 40, the leaked fuel gas will pass through the tank compartment exhaust port 40h towards the vent pipe 10. In other words, the tank compartment exhaust port 40h is located at the downstream end of the flow path through which the fuel gas flows when fuel gas leaks within the tank compartment 40. Therefore, by positioning the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a near the tank compartment exhaust port 40h or inside the tank compartment exhaust port 40h, the possibility of detecting leaked fuel gas regardless of where the leak occurs within the tank compartment 40 can be improved. In other words, the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a may be configured to be located at the downstream end of the flow path through which the fuel gas flows when fuel gas leaks.

[0086] The tank compartment 40 has an internal sealed space except for the tank compartment air intake port 40g and the tank compartment exhaust port 40h. In other words, the tank compartment 40 is sealed except for the tank compartment air intake port 40g and the tank compartment exhaust port 40h. To put it another way, the tank compartment 40 is sealed except for the ventilation ports that ventilate the inside of the compartment (its own compartment). Due to this sealed structure, in principle, the air that enters the tank compartment 40 from the tank compartment air intake port 40g by the drive of the tank compartment air supply device 46 is exhausted from the tank compartment 40 through the tank compartment exhaust port 40h. In order to ensure sealing, as in the case of the fuel cell compartment 30, sealing material is appropriately placed in places where gaps may occur. For example, inside the cylindrical portion 403 of the tank compartment 40, sealing material is placed to fill the gap between the fuel gas supply pipe 32 and the gas filling pipe 42 and the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 403.

[0087] In this embodiment, since the fuel cell compartment 30, which includes the fuel release source, and the tank compartment 40 are sealed except for ventilation openings that provide ventilation inside each compartment, the area that does not include the fuel release source can be isolated from the area that includes the fuel release source. In other words, the possibility of fuel entering the area that does not include the fuel release source and causing ignition or explosion can be reduced.

[0088] (3-3. Duct Compartment) Figure 8 is a magnified view of a portion of the cross-section taken at line VIII-VIII in Figure 3. Figure 8 shows the configuration of the duct compartment 90 and its surroundings, which are located on the left side of the hull 1. In other words, the duct compartment 90 and tank compartment 40 shown in Figure 8 belong to the left (port side) compartment set of two compartment sets located on the right and left sides of the hull 1.

[0089] The duct compartment 90 is a housing for various types of piping (see, for example, Figure 2). As described above, the duct compartment 90 houses, for example, a portion of the fuel gas supply piping 32. Also, as described above, the duct compartment 90 includes a lower duct compartment 70 and an upper duct compartment 80. The interior of the lower duct compartment 70 and the interior of the upper duct compartment 80 are connected via a vertically extending duct connecting section 91. The duct connecting section 91 can be considered as a part of the duct compartment 90.

[0090] In this embodiment, there are two duct connecting sections 91 that connect the lower duct section 70 and the upper duct section 80 (see Figures 4 and 5). The number of duct connecting sections 91 is not limited to two; there may be one or three or more. The details of the lower duct section 70 and the upper duct section 80 will be described below.

[0091] 《3-3-1. Lower Duct Compartment》 The lower duct compartment 70 is located below the deck 1a. Specifically, the lower duct compartment 70 is located in the engine room 13. Within the engine room 13, the lower duct compartment 70 is located aft of the fuel cell compartment 30. In other words, the lower duct compartment 70 is located below the deck 1a, between the fuel cell compartment 30 and the tank compartment 40 in the longitudinal direction. The lower duct compartment 70 houses a portion of the fuel gas supply piping 32 and a portion of the gas filling piping 42.

[0092] The "part of the fuel gas supply piping 32" housed in the lower duct compartment 70 may be all or part of the portion of the fuel gas supply piping 32 located between the fuel cell compartment 30 and the tank compartment 40, as described above. Furthermore, the "part of the gas filling piping 42" housed in the lower duct compartment 70 may be all or part of the portion of the gas filling piping 42 located between the tank compartment 40 and the upper duct compartment 80. In this embodiment, the lower duct compartment 70 houses a portion of the gas filling piping 42 located between the tank compartment 40 and the upper duct compartment 80.

[0093] The lower duct compartment 70 has a hollow shape. The lower duct compartment 70 can also be considered as a container, chamber, or box that houses a part of the fuel gas supply piping 32, etc. In this embodiment, the lower duct compartment 70 has a hollow, substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The outer walls constituting the lower duct compartment 70 include, for example, a top wall 70a, a bottom wall 70b, a rear wall 70c, a front wall 70d, a left wall 70e, and a right wall 70f (see, for example, Figures 2, 5, and 8). The shape of the lower duct compartment 70 is not particularly limited as long as it has space to accommodate a part of the fuel gas supply piping 32, etc. The material of the lower duct compartment 70 is, for example, FRP, but it may also be sheet metal, etc. In addition, in this embodiment, the rear wall 70c of the lower duct compartment 70 is constructed using a partition wall W2 that separates the engine room 13 and the fuel room 14, but a configuration without using partition wall W2 is also possible.

[0094] As shown in Figure 2, the lower duct section 70 further accommodates a portion of the fuel gas exhaust piping 71. The fuel gas exhaust piping 71 is a pipe that branches off from the fuel gas supply piping 32 located within the lower duct section 70. For example, the fuel gas exhaust piping 71 branches off from the fuel gas supply piping 32 between two shut-off valves SV.

[0095] More specifically, the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 is provided branching off from the fuel gas supply pipe 32 between the tank-side shut-off valve 43 in the tank compartment 40 and the fuel cell-side shut-off valve 33 in the fuel cell compartment 30. The fuel gas discharge pipe 71 extends from inside the lower duct compartment 70 into the upper duct compartment 80 via the lower duct compartment communication port 70h and the duct communication section 91, which will be described later, and further communicates with the inside of the vent pipe 10. Therefore, the "part of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71" housed in the lower duct compartment 70 may be all or part of the portion of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 located between the branching point with the fuel gas supply pipe 32 and the upper duct compartment 80. In this embodiment, the lower duct compartment 70 houses a portion of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 located between the branching point with the fuel gas supply pipe 32 and the upper duct compartment 80. Furthermore, at the point where the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 merges with the inside of the vent pipe 10, it is preferable that the direction of fuel gas discharge is toward the open end (tip) of the vent pipe 10, as shown in Figure 2. By configuring it in this way, it is possible to suppress the flow of fuel gas discharged from the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 into the vent pipe 10 toward the tank compartment 40. As a result, it is possible to suppress false detection of fuel gas discharged from the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 into the vent pipe 10 by the tank compartment internal gas detector 44a located in the tank compartment 40.

[0096] The lower duct compartment 70 further houses the discharge valve 72. That is, the duct compartment 90 houses the discharge valve 72. The discharge valve 72 is an on-off valve installed in the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 that opens or closes the flow path of the fuel gas discharge pipe 71. The opening and closing of the discharge valve 72 is controlled by the control unit 12a. The discharge valve 72 may also be installed in the upper duct compartment 80.

[0097] Thus, when the shut-off valve SV installed in the tank compartment 40 is designated as the tank-side shut-off valve 43, and the shut-off valve SV installed in the fuel cell compartment 30 is designated as the fuel cell-side shut-off valve 33, the fuel cell ship SH further includes a fuel gas discharge pipe 71 branched from the fuel gas supply pipe 32 and installed between the tank-side shut-off valve 43 and the fuel cell-side shut-off valve 33, and a discharge valve 72 installed in the fuel gas discharge pipe 71.

[0098] The lower duct compartment 70 further houses the lower duct compartment internal gas detector 73. The lower duct compartment internal gas detector 73 is a fuel gas detector located inside the lower duct compartment 70. For example, if the fuel gas is hydrogen gas, the lower duct compartment internal gas detector 73 consists of a hydrogen gas detection sensor.

[0099] The lower duct compartment internal gas detector 73 is positioned on the inner surface of the top wall 70a located at the top of the lower duct compartment 70. Hydrogen gas, used as fuel gas, is lighter than air and rises. Therefore, by positioning the lower duct compartment internal gas detector 73 on the top wall 70a of the lower duct compartment 70, even if fuel gas leaks within the lower duct compartment 70, the leaked fuel gas can be properly detected by the lower duct compartment internal gas detector 73.

[0100] When the lower duct compartment internal gas detector 73 detects fuel gas in the lower duct compartment 70, the detection signal is sent from the lower duct compartment internal gas detector 73 to the control unit 12a. This allows the control unit 12a to control the shut-off valve SV installed in the fuel gas supply pipe 32 to stop the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31.

[0101] As shown in Figure 2, a lower duct compartment air inlet 70g is provided in the bottom wall 70b of the lower duct compartment 70. The lower duct compartment air inlet 70g is configured to include an opening that penetrates vertically. The lower duct compartment air inlet 70g is connected to a duct compartment air supply pipe 74, which will be described later. Note that the lower duct compartment air inlet 70g may also be provided in an outer wall other than the bottom wall 70b of the lower duct compartment 70.

[0102] A lower duct compartment communication opening 70h is provided in the top wall 70a of the lower duct compartment 70. The lower duct compartment communication opening 70h is configured to include an opening that penetrates in the vertical direction. The lower duct compartment communication opening 70h communicates with the duct communication section 91 described above. Note that the lower duct compartment communication opening 70h may also be provided in an outer wall other than the top wall 70a of the lower duct compartment 70.

[0103] Furthermore, a battery compartment communication port 70i is provided in the front wall 70d of the lower duct compartment 70. The battery compartment communication port 70i is configured to include an opening that penetrates in the front-to-back direction. The battery compartment communication port 70i is connected to the battery compartment exhaust port 30h of the fuel cell compartment 30, as described above, via a communication pipe 92 that extends in the front-to-back direction. As a result, when the battery compartment air supply device 36 is driven, the air inside the fuel cell compartment 30 flows into the lower duct compartment 70 via the battery compartment exhaust port 30h, the communication pipe 92, and the battery compartment communication port 70i. Note that the battery compartment communication port 70i may also be provided in an outer wall other than the front wall 70d of the lower duct compartment 70.

[0104] In this embodiment, the fuel gas supply pipe 32 passes inside the connecting pipe 92. In other words, the connecting pipe 92 is located outside the fuel gas supply pipe 32 and together with the fuel gas supply pipe 32 forms a double pipe. That is, the fuel cell ship SH further includes an outer pipe located outside the fuel supply pipe and together with the fuel supply pipe forming a double pipe. By employing a double pipe in which the fuel supply pipe is surrounded by an outer pipe, the possibility of fuel entering the engine room 13 even if a fuel leak occurs in the fuel supply pipe can be reduced.

[0105] The front end of the connecting pipe 92 surrounds the battery compartment exhaust port 30h provided in the fuel cell compartment 30 and is connected to the fuel cell compartment 30. In other words, one end of the outer pipe constituting the double pipe surrounds the ventilation port for exhaust in the fuel cell compartment and is connected to the fuel cell compartment. With this configuration, the double pipe structure provided to ensure safety can be effectively utilized as an exhaust path for ventilation in the fuel cell compartment.

[0106] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the rear end of the connecting pipe 92 surrounds the battery compartment connecting port 70i provided in the lower duct compartment 70 and connects to the lower duct compartment 70. For this reason, the lower duct compartment 70 and the fuel cell compartment 30 are connected via the connecting pipe 92. In other words, the duct compartment and the fuel cell compartment are connected via the outer pipe that constitutes a double pipe. As a result, exhaust gas for ventilation of the fuel cell compartment can be sent into the duct compartment and discharged to the outside together with the exhaust gas for ventilation of the duct compartment. In other words, the exhaust path for ventilation in the fuel cell ship SH can be configured compactly.

[0107] Furthermore, it is preferable that the fuel gas supply pipe 32, which constitutes the inner pipe of the double-walled pipe, and the connecting pipe 92, which constitutes the outer pipe, be made of materials having equivalent pressure resistance. For example, if the fuel gas supply pipe 32 is made of stainless steel, it is preferable that the connecting pipe 92 is also made of stainless steel. However, in cases such as when a structure is employed to safely release fuel gas to the outside of the fuel cell ship SH while preventing the outer pipe from rupturing even if fuel gas leaks in the inner pipe, the outer pipe may have lower pressure resistance than the inner pipe. In this embodiment, because such a structure is employed, the fuel gas supply pipe 32 is made of stainless steel and the connecting pipe 92 is made of FRP.

[0108] A duct compartment air supply pipe 74 is connected to the lower duct compartment 70 (see, for example, Figures 2 and 8). The duct compartment air supply pipe 74 extends from the lower duct compartment air inlet 70g of the lower duct compartment 70 to the deck 1a and is exposed above the deck 1a. A duct compartment air supply device 75 and a duct compartment external gas detector 76 are located at the deck 1a side end of the duct compartment air supply pipe 74. The duct compartment air supply device 75 and the duct compartment external gas detector 76 are located above the deck 1a.

[0109] The duct compartment air supply device 75 supplies outside air (in this example, outside air) to the lower duct compartment 70 (duct compartment 90) through the duct compartment air supply pipe 74 and the lower duct compartment air supply port 70g. The supply of outside air to the lower duct compartment 70 causes the air inside the lower duct compartment 70 to be discharged to the upper duct compartment 80 through the lower duct compartment communication port 70h and the duct communication section 91. This ventilates the inside of the lower duct compartment 70. As a result, even if fuel gas leaks from piping such as the fuel gas supply pipe 32 within the lower duct compartment 70, the accumulation of that fuel gas can be suppressed.

[0110] The duct compartment air supply device 75 is composed of, for example, an inexpensive non-explosion-proof air supply fan, but it may also be composed of an explosion-proof air supply fan. The duct compartment air supply device 75 is driven by the control unit 12a. The duct compartment air supply device 75 is housed in an air supply device housing BO3 (see, for example, Figures 3 and 5) which is fixedly placed on the deck 1a, similar to the battery compartment air supply device 36 described above. In addition, a filter unit FP3, similar to that of the battery compartment air supply device 36 described above, is connected to the air supply device housing BO3 that houses the duct compartment air supply device 75.

[0111] The external duct compartment gas detector 76 detects flammable gases (such as hydrogen gas floating around the hull 1) flowing into the duct compartment 90 from the outside. The external duct compartment gas detector 76 is a flammable gas sensor, such as a hydrogen gas sensor. The external duct compartment gas detector 76 is positioned on the opposite side of the duct compartment air supply pipe 74 from the duct compartment air supply device 75, that is, upstream of the airflow from the outside to the inside of the duct compartment 90. The external duct compartment gas detector 76 may also be composed of a gas sensor that detects flammable gases other than hydrogen gas.

[0112] The duct compartment external gas detector 76 outputs a detection signal to the control unit 12a, for example, indicating the concentration of combustible gas. Based on this detection signal, the control unit 12a can determine whether the concentration of combustible gas is above a predetermined threshold. If the concentration is above the predetermined threshold, the control unit 12a can control the shut-off valve SV to stop the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31. The predetermined threshold can be determined based on experiments and / or experience.

[0113] The lower duct compartment internal gas detector 73 described above is positioned on the ceiling wall 70a located above the lower duct compartment 70, either near the lower duct compartment communication port 70h or inside the lower duct compartment communication port 70h. If fuel gas leaks from the fuel gas supply pipe 32 or the like within the lower duct compartment 70, the leaked fuel gas will travel through the lower duct compartment communication port 70h towards the upper duct compartment 80. In other words, the lower duct compartment communication port 70h is located at the downstream end of the flow path through which the fuel gas flows when it leaks within the lower duct compartment 70. Therefore, by positioning the lower duct compartment internal gas detector 73 near the lower duct compartment communication port 70h or inside the lower duct compartment communication port 70h, the possibility of detecting leaked fuel gas regardless of where the leak occurs within the lower duct compartment 70 can be improved.

[0114] The lower duct compartment 70 has a sealed space inside, except for the lower duct compartment air inlet 70g, the lower duct compartment communication port 70h, and the battery compartment communication port 70i. In other words, the lower duct compartment 70 is sealed except for the lower duct compartment air inlet 70g, the lower duct compartment communication port 70h, and the battery compartment communication port 70i. Due to this sealed structure, in principle, when the duct compartment air supply device 75 and the battery compartment air supply device 36 are driven, air entering the lower duct compartment 70 from the lower duct compartment air inlet 70g and the battery compartment communication port 70i is exhausted from the lower duct compartment 70 through the lower duct compartment communication port 70h. To ensure airtightness, sealing material is appropriately placed in places where gaps may occur.

[0115] 《3-3-2. Upper Duct Compartment》 The upper duct compartment 80 is located on the upper part of the deck 1a. Specifically, the upper duct compartment 80 is located on the deck 1a, spanning from the lower duct compartment 70 to the tank compartment 40. In this embodiment, the upper duct compartment 80 is located behind the cabin 2 and is constructed using the components that make up the cabin 2. That is, the upper duct compartment 80 can be said to be a part of the cabin 2. The upper duct compartment 80 houses a portion of the fuel gas discharge piping 71 and a portion of the gas filling piping 42.

[0116] In this embodiment, the "part of the fuel gas discharge piping 71" housed in the upper duct compartment 80 is the portion of the fuel gas discharge piping 71 from the upper end of the duct connection section 91 to the vent pipe 10. The "part of the gas filling piping 42" housed in the upper duct compartment 80 is the portion of the gas filling piping 42 from the fuel gas filling port 82 provided in the upper duct compartment 80 to the duct connection section 91. The duct connection section 91, together with the fuel gas discharge piping 71 and the gas filling piping 42, constitutes a double-walled pipe. This prevents fuel gas from entering the engine room 13 even if a fuel gas leak occurs in the fuel gas discharge piping 71 or the gas filling piping 42. The duct connection section 91 is made of, for example, FRP or stainless steel.

[0117] The upper duct compartment 80 has a hollow shape. The upper duct compartment 80 can also be considered as a container, chamber, or box that houses a part of the fuel gas exhaust piping 71, etc. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 and 8, the outer wall constituting the upper duct compartment 80 has, for example, a top wall 80a, a bottom wall 80b, a rear wall 80c, a front wall 80d, a left wall (not shown), and a right wall (not shown). More specifically, the rear wall 80c is an inclined structure that is located towards the rear as it goes downwards. More specifically, the rear wall 80c is composed of a plurality of inclined sections with different inclination angles, and the plurality of inclined sections have a structure in which the inclination is greater on the upper side than on the lower side. The material of the upper duct compartment 80 is, for example, FRP, but it may also be a sheet of steel or the like. Furthermore, the shape of the upper duct compartment 80 is not particularly limited as long as it has space to house a part of the fuel gas exhaust piping 71, etc.

[0118] As shown in Figure 2, the upper duct section 80 is provided with a fuel gas filling port 82 and a fuel gas check valve 83. The fuel gas filling port 82 is connected to the gas filling pipe 42. The fuel gas check valve 83 is located in the gas filling pipe 42. More specifically, the fuel gas check valve 83 is located between the branching point of the gas filling pipe 42 and the inert gas pipe 87 (described later) and the fuel gas filling port 82.

[0119] When fuel gas is supplied from the fuel gas filling port 82, the fuel gas is supplied to the fuel tank 41 in the tank compartment 40 via the fuel gas check valve 83 and the gas filling pipe 42. As a result, the fuel tank 41 is filled with fuel gas and stored. The fuel gas check valve 83 is provided to prevent backflow of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel gas filling port 82.

[0120] The upper duct section 80 is further provided with an inert gas filling port 84, an on-off valve 85, an inert gas check valve 86, and an inert gas pipe 87. The inert gas filling port 84 is connected to the inert gas pipe 87. The inert gas pipe 87 is provided branching off from the gas filling pipe 42 within the upper duct section 80. The on-off valve 85 and the inert gas check valve 86 are provided in the inert gas pipe 87. In the inert gas pipe 87, the on-off valve 85 is located between the inert gas filling port 84 and the inert gas check valve 86.

[0121] The on-off valve 85 opens or closes the flow path of the inert gas piping 87. In configurations where an inert gas check valve 86 is provided in the inert gas piping 87, the installation of the on-off valve 85 may be omitted.

[0122] When fuel gas is not supplied to the fuel gas filling port 82, inert gas is supplied to the inert gas filling port 84, and the shut-off valve 85 opens the flow path of the inert gas piping 87. The inert gas then passes through the inert gas check valve 86 and is supplied to the fuel tank 41 in the tank compartment 40 via the inert gas piping 87 and the gas filling piping 42. In addition, the tank-side shut-off valve 43 opens the flow path of the fuel gas supply piping 32, the fuel cell-side shut-off valve 33 closes the flow path of the fuel gas supply piping 32, and the discharge valve 72 opens the flow path of the fuel gas discharge piping 71. As a result, any 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 removes the fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 (purging). Alternatively, there may be a pipe connecting the gas filling piping 42 directly to the fuel gas supply piping 32 between the fuel tank 41 and the tank-side shut-off valve 43 (tank system). In this configuration, when purging the fuel tank 41 with inert gas, the tank-side shut-off valve 43 is closed while the fuel tank 41 is filled with inert gas, and then the tank-side shut-off valve 43 is opened to facilitate the release of the inert gas from the fuel tank 41.

[0123] Furthermore, an internal gas detector 88 is housed within the upper duct compartment 80. The internal gas detector 88 is a fuel gas detector located inside the upper duct compartment 80. For example, if the fuel gas is hydrogen gas, the internal gas detector 88 consists of a hydrogen gas detection sensor.

[0124] The upper duct compartment internal gas detector 88 is located on the ceiling wall 80a above the upper duct compartment 80. Hydrogen gas, used as fuel gas, is lighter than air and rises. Therefore, even if fuel gas leaks within the upper duct compartment 80, the leaked fuel gas can be properly detected by the upper duct compartment internal gas detector 88.

[0125] When the upper duct compartment internal gas detector 88 detects fuel gas in the upper duct compartment 80, the detection signal is sent from the upper duct compartment internal gas detector 88 to the control unit 12a. As a result, the control unit 12a can control the shut-off valve SV installed in the fuel gas supply pipe 32 to stop the supply of fuel gas from the fuel tank 41 to the fuel cell 31.

[0126] An upper duct compartment air inlet 80g is provided in the bottom wall 80b of the upper duct compartment 80. The upper duct compartment air inlet 80g is configured to include an opening that penetrates vertically. The upper duct compartment air inlet 80g communicates with the duct communication section 91. Therefore, the upper duct compartment 80 communicates with the lower duct compartment 70 via the upper duct compartment air inlet 80g, the duct communication section 91, and the lower duct communication opening 70h. Note that the upper duct compartment air inlet 80g may also be provided in an outer wall other than the bottom wall 80b of the upper duct compartment 80.

[0127] An upper duct compartment exhaust port 80h is provided near the boundary between the rear wall 80c of the upper duct compartment 80 and the top wall 80a. The upper duct compartment exhaust port 80h is configured to include an opening that penetrates the rear wall 80c. The upper duct compartment exhaust port 80h is in communication with a vent pipe connection section 81. The vent pipe connection section 81 is a pipe. The interior of the upper duct compartment 80 is in communication with the vent pipe 10 via the upper duct compartment exhaust port 80h and the vent pipe connection section 81. In other words, the vent pipe connection section 81 is a pipe that connects the interior of the upper duct compartment 80 with the vent pipe 10.

[0128] The vent pipe 10 extends upward from the tank compartment 40 and passes through the interior of the upper duct compartment 80. More specifically, the vent pipe 10 penetrates the bottom wall 80b of the upper duct compartment 80, enters the interior of the upper duct compartment 80, and passes through the rear wall 80c.

[0129] When the duct compartment air supply device 75 is operating, the air inside the upper duct compartment 80 is discharged overboard via the vent pipe connection 81 and the vent pipe 10. This allows for ventilation inside the upper duct compartment 80. Furthermore, even if fuel gas leaks from the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 within the upper duct compartment 80, the leaked fuel gas is discharged overboard via the vent pipe connection 81 and the vent pipe 10. This prevents the leaked fuel gas from accumulating within the upper duct compartment 80.

[0130] Furthermore, the upper duct compartment 80 and the lower duct compartment 70 are connected via a duct connecting section 91. This allows (1) air taken into the lower duct compartment 70 via the duct compartment air supply pipe 74, (2) fuel gas leaking from the fuel gas supply pipe 32 in the lower duct compartment 70 for any reason, and (3) air or fuel gas discharged from the fuel cell compartment 30 to the lower duct compartment 70 via the connecting pipe 92 to be discharged overboard via the upper duct compartment 80 and the vent pipe 10. This suppresses the accumulation of fuel gas inside the lower duct compartment 70 and the fuel cell compartment 30.

[0131] The upper duct compartment internal gas detector 88 described above is positioned near the upper duct compartment exhaust port 80h, or inside the upper duct compartment exhaust port 80h. If fuel gas leaks from the fuel gas discharge pipe 71 or gas filling pipe 42 within the upper duct compartment 80, the leaked fuel gas will pass through the upper duct compartment exhaust port 80h towards the vent pipe 10. In other words, the upper duct compartment exhaust port 80h is located at the downstream end of the flow path through which the fuel gas flows when it leaks within the upper duct compartment 80. Therefore, by positioning the upper duct compartment internal gas detector 88 near the upper duct compartment exhaust port 80h or inside the upper duct compartment exhaust port 80h, the leaked fuel gas can be detected regardless of where it leaks within the upper duct compartment 80. In this embodiment, a preferred configuration is that the upper duct compartment internal gas detector 88 is installed in a position that can detect hydrogen gas accumulated on the top plate of the upper duct compartment 80. This allows for rapid detection of hydrogen gas leaks even in the absence of ventilation.

[0132] The upper duct compartment 80 has a sealed space inside, except for the upper duct compartment air intake port 80g and the upper duct compartment exhaust port 80h. In other words, the upper duct compartment 80 is sealed except for the upper duct compartment air intake port 80g and the upper duct compartment exhaust port 80h. Due to this sealed structure, in principle, when the duct compartment air supply device 75 and the battery compartment air supply device 36 are driven, air entering the upper duct compartment 80 from the upper duct compartment air intake port 80g is exhausted from the upper duct compartment 80 through the upper duct compartment exhaust port 80h. To ensure airtightness, sealing material is appropriately placed in places where gaps may occur.

[0133] As can be seen from the above explanation, the duct compartment 90 is sealed except for the ventilation openings that provide ventilation to the inside of the compartment (its own compartment). In addition to the fuel cell compartment 30 and the tank compartment 40, the duct compartment containing the fuel release source is also sealed except for the ventilation openings that provide ventilation to the inside, which further reduces the possibility of fuel entering areas that do not contain the fuel release source and causing ignition or explosion.

[0134] [4. Bent pipe] As can be seen from the above description, the fuel cell ship SH is equipped with vent pipes 10 that can release fuel from a compartment containing the fuel release source to the outside of the hull 1 (outside the ship). More specifically, the vent pipes 10 can release not only fuel but also air and explosion pressure (blast) to the outside of the ship. In this embodiment, one vent pipe 10 is provided on the right side and one on the left side of the hull 1. That is, the fuel cell ship SH is equipped with two vent pipes 10. The configuration and function of the two vent pipes 10 are the same.

[0135] The vent pipe 10 may consist of only one piping component, or it may be composed of a combination of multiple piping components. When multiple piping components are combined, the components may all be made of the same material, or they may be made of different materials. Furthermore, the number of vent pipes 10 provided in the fuel cell ship SH may be appropriately changed depending on, for example, the way the compartments are configured.

[0136] Figure 9 shows a portion of the side view of the fuel cell ship SH shown in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 9, the outlet 10a of the vent pipe 10 is located higher than the cabin 2 located on the hull 1. With this configuration, fuel leaked in the compartment containing the fuel release source can be released via the vent pipe 10 to a location higher than the cabin 2. In other words, the fuel leaked in the compartment can be guided to a safe place in the atmosphere, preventing ignition or explosion on the deck 1a caused by fuel floating on the deck 1a. Furthermore, even if a blast wave is released from the vent pipe 10, the possibility of personal injury is reduced because the outlet 10a is located higher than the cabin 2.

[0137] In this embodiment, the fuel cell vessel SH is configured to have a cabin 2 including a bridge, but the fuel cell vessel SH may also be configured to have only a bridge. In such a configuration, the discharge port 10a of the vent pipe 10 may be located at a higher position than the bridge provided on the hull 1.

[0138] As described above, in this embodiment, fuel leaked in the fuel cell compartment 30, tank compartment 40, and duct compartment 90 is released from the vent pipe 10. With this configuration, the leaked fuel in each of the compartments 30, 40, and 90, where fuel leaks may occur, can be guided to a safe location in the atmosphere. In other words, the possibility of ignition or explosion on the deck 1a caused by fuel floating on the deck 1a can be reduced.

[0139] In this embodiment, the fuel cell compartment 30, the tank compartment 40, and the duct compartment 90 on the right and left sides of the hull 1 share a single vent pipe 10 as an exhaust path for leaked fuel. That is, fuel leaked in each of the compartments 30, 40, and 90 is released overboard through the same vent pipe 10. By adopting this configuration, the number of vent pipes 10 can be reduced, resulting in a simpler fuel cell ship SH.

[0140] In this embodiment, at least a portion of the vent pipe 10 is positioned above the tank compartment 40. This configuration allows the vent pipe 10 to be positioned near the compartment containing the fuel release source, thereby suppressing the complexity of the exhaust path including the vent pipe 10. Furthermore, since the tank compartment 40 is a place where a large amount of fuel is stored, positioning the vent pipe 10 near the tank compartment 40 allows for a more effective release of blast waves by the vent pipe 10. In detail, as shown in Figure 8, one end of the vent pipe 10 is attached to the front top wall 40a of the tank compartment 40, and the majority of it is located above the tank compartment 40.

[0141] The vent pipe 10 passes through the cabin 2. This configuration allows the lower side of the vent pipe 10 to be securely held. In other words, the possibility of damage such as the vent pipe 10 breaking can be reduced. By making the vent pipe 10 less susceptible to damage, safety can be further improved.

[0142] In detail, the vent pipe 10 passes through an upper duct compartment 80, which is provided as part of the cabin 2. The vent pipe 10 extends upward through the upper duct compartment 80, positioning the discharge port 10a at a high position outside the vessel. In this configuration, the lower side of the vent pipe 10 can be supported using the upper duct compartment 80, thereby increasing the number of support points and areas for the vent pipe 10 and providing firm support for the vent pipe 10.

[0143] As mentioned above, the fuel cell vessel SH may also have a configuration that includes only a bridge. In such a configuration, the vent pipe 10 may pass through the bridge. Even in such a configuration, the vent pipe 10 can be firmly supported, making it less susceptible to damage.

[0144] Preferably, at least the portion of the vent pipe 10 that protrudes outside the hull 1 is inclined so that it approaches the stern (rear) side as it goes upward. With this configuration, the possibility of the vent pipe 10 bending due to the wind it receives when the fuel cell ship SH moves forward can be reduced.

[0145] In this embodiment, the portion of the vent pipe 10 that is located inside the hull 1 is not necessarily inclined to move towards the stern as it goes upwards (see Figure 8). Such a structure can be easily realized, for example, by composing the vent pipe 10 with multiple piping members. By composing the vent pipe 10 with multiple piping members, it is possible to make a portion of the vent pipe 10 inclined while making it easier to adjust the overall arrangement.

[0146] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 9, the upper tip of the vent pipe 10 is provided with a bent portion 10b that directs the discharge port 10a toward the stern (rearward). With this configuration, fuel can be safely discharged through the discharge port 10a while preventing falling objects from above, such as rain, from entering the vent pipe 10 through the discharge port 10a.

[0147] The discharge port 10a, which is directed towards the stern, may be configured to open in a direction parallel to the front-rear direction. However, it is preferable that the discharge port 10a is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction and opens diagonally downward. That is, it is preferable that the bent portion 10b is configured to direct the discharge port 10a diagonally downward towards the stern. This further reduces the possibility of falling objects from above, such as rain, entering the vent pipe 10 through the discharge port 10a. In addition, a rain-proof member that prevents rain from entering through the discharge port 10a of the vent pipe 10 may be placed at the tip of the vent pipe 10.

[0148] [5. Points to note, etc.] Various technical features disclosed herein can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the technical creation. Furthermore, the multiple embodiments and modifications shown herein may be combined as possible.

[0149] In the above configuration, at least a portion of the vent pipe 10 is positioned above the tank compartment 40. However, this is merely an example. Preferably, at least a portion of the vent pipe 10 is positioned above either the tank compartment 40 or the fuel cell compartment 30, or above the space between the tank compartment 40 and the fuel cell compartment 30. With such a configuration, the vent pipe can be positioned near the compartment containing the fuel release source, and the complexity of the exhaust path including the vent pipe can be suppressed.

[0150] In this embodiment, where the tank compartment 40 and the fuel cell compartment 30 are arranged in the front-to-back direction, the space between the tank compartment 40 and the fuel cell compartment 30 is the space between them in the front-to-back direction. Furthermore, there may or may not be any components placed in the space between the tank compartment 40 and the fuel cell compartment 30. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0151] 1. Hull 2. Cabin 10. Bent pipe 10a...Discharge port 30...Fuel cell compartment 31...fuel cell 40... Tank compartments 41. Fuel tank 82. Fuel gas filling port (fuel filling port) 90...Duct compartment SH...Fuel cell ship

Claims

1. A fuel cell ship that propels its hull using electricity supplied from a fuel cell that generates electricity through the electrochemical reaction of fuel, A tank compartment in which at least the fuel tank containing the aforementioned fuel is installed, A fuel cell compartment in which the fuel cell is installed, A vent pipe that can discharge the fuel in the tank compartment and the fuel cell compartment to the outside of the hull, Equipped with, The outlet of the vent pipe is located at a higher position than the cabin or bridge provided on the hull. At least a portion of the vent pipe is positioned above the space between the tank compartment and the fuel cell compartment in the front-rear direction, and overlaps with the space in a plan view. Fuel cell ship.

2. One end of the vent pipe is attached to the upper surface of the tank compartment. The fuel cell ship according to claim 1.

3. A gas detector for detecting fuel gas is provided in the vent pipe. The fuel cell ship according to claim 1.

4. A gas detector is provided outside the tank compartment to detect fuel gases around the hull. The fuel cell ship according to claim 1.

5. The fuel cell compartment consists of a plurality of fuel cell compartments. Each of the aforementioned fuel cell compartments is connected to the vent pipe. The fuel cell ship according to claim 1.

6. The tank is provided with a fuel filling port for supplying fuel, The vent pipe and the fuel filling port are provided on the same side of the hull. The fuel cell ship according to claim 1.

7. The tank compartment is located further aft than the fuel cell compartment. The fuel cell ship according to claim 1.

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