fuel cell device

Abstract

To improve a drain performance with a simple method.SOLUTION: A fuel cell device 10 includes a drain mechanism 70 that drains water in an auxiliary machine 40 (a heat storage tank 44, a radiator 48, and a condensed water tank 46) to an external part of a housing 20. The drain mechanism 70 is constructed including: a grommet 72 provided in the housing 20; and a first hose 80A to a third hose 80C in which one end part is arranged at the external part of the housing 20 and the other end part is connected to the auxiliary machine 40, and each of the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C is supported by the grommet 72 so as to be movable between a storage position and a lead-out position. Therefore, when each of the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C is lead-out to a lead-out position at the time of a drain operation, the one end part (a drain valve 84) of the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C can be arranged at a position lower than the grommet 72. Therefore, water in each of the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C can be made to effectively flow and can be drained to the external part of the housing 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] In the fuel cell device described in Patent Document 1 below, a drain pipe is connected to the downstream side of a radiator (auxiliary machine), and a gas introduction part is connected to the upstream side of the radiator. During the water drainage operation of the fuel cell device, by sending air from the gas introduction part, the water in the radiator can be efficiently drained through the drain pipe. That is, the water drainage performance in the fuel cell device can be improved.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the above fuel cell device, there is room for improvement in the following points. That is, in the above fuel cell device, the gas introduction part has a gas introduction pipe connected to a pipe and a stop valve, and a pump is connected to the tip of the gas introduction pipe. Then, the pump is operated to supply air into the gas introduction pipe to perform the water drainage operation. Therefore, although the water drainage performance can be improved in the above fuel cell device, the water drainage operation may become complicated. Therefore, it is desirable to have a structure in the fuel cell device that can improve the water drainage performance by a simple method.

[0005] The present invention provides a fuel cell device capable of improving the water drainage performance by a simple method.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] One or more embodiments of the present invention include an auxiliary unit comprising: a fuel cell that generates electricity using an oxygen-containing gas and a fuel gas; a heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between exhaust gas and liquid generated in the fuel cell; and a circulation line for circulating the heat-exchanged liquid; a housing that houses the fuel cell and the auxiliary unit; and a drainage mechanism connected to the auxiliary unit for draining the liquid inside the auxiliary unit to the outside of the housing, wherein the drainage mechanism comprises a support member provided on the housing and a hose formed in an elongated shape, with one end located outside the housing and the other end connected to the auxiliary unit, supported by the support member so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction, and which moves between a storage position stored inside the housing and an extended position pulled out from the storage position to the outside of the housing when operated. The support member is provided at the lower end of the outer circumference of the housing, with the direction perpendicular to the vertical direction being the first direction, and the direction perpendicular to both the vertical direction and the first direction being the second direction, the support member is provided at one end of the housing in the first direction and has a support hole through which the hose is inserted, the support hole penetrates along a direction that slopes downward as it approaches one side of the first direction when viewed from the second direction, the hose is inserted so as to be movable in the axial direction of the support hole and comprises an elastic and flexible hose body and a drain plug provided at one end of the hose body, the outer diameter of the hose body is set to be larger than the inner diameter of the support hole, and the drain plug has a supported portion that fits into the support hole in the storage position, the outer diameter of the supported portion is set to be larger than the inner diameter of the support hole It is a fuel cell device.

[0009] One or more embodiments of the present invention, viewed from the second direction, The first direction This fuel cell device has an angle of 45 degrees or less between the axis of the support hole and the other element.

[0010] One or more embodiments of the present invention are fuel cell devices in which the housing is installed on an installation part via a base part, and the length of the hose at the withdrawal position is set such that one end of the hose does not come into contact with the installation part at the withdrawal position.

[0013] One or more embodiments of the present invention are fuel cell devices in which the housing comprises a base that constitutes the lower end of the housing and is formed in a plate shape with the vertical direction being the thickness direction, and has a flange that is bent upward on its outer circumference, and an outer peripheral wall whose lower end is fixed to the flange, and a mounting portion for attaching the support member is provided on one side of the flange in the first direction, and a mounting hole for attaching the support member is formed in the mounting portion.

[0014] One or more embodiments of the present invention are fuel cell devices in which the flange comprises an inclined flange portion that constitutes the lower part of the flange and is inclined upward as viewed from the second direction toward one side in the first direction, and an upper flange portion that constitutes the upper part of the flange and extends upward from the upper end of the inclined flange portion, the mounting portion is provided on the inclined flange portion and the outer peripheral wall is fixed to the upper flange portion.

[0015] One or more embodiments of the present invention are fuel cell devices in which a pair of constricted portions are formed on one end of the base in the first direction, and on both sides of the mounting portion in the second direction, the constricted portions are raised upward. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, water drainage performance can be improved in a simple manner. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] This is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of the fuel cell device according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a front view showing the entire fuel cell device according to this embodiment, as seen from the front. [Figure 3] This is a side view from the right side, showing the lower part of the fuel cell device as shown in Figure 2. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view of the drainage mechanism shown in Figure 3, viewed from the front (cross-sectional view along line 4-4 in Figure 3). [Figure 5] (A) is a perspective view from the left front showing the right end of the base shown in Figure 4, and (B) is a perspective view showing the mounting part of (A) with the drainage mechanism attached. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] The fuel cell device 10 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. The overall configuration of the fuel cell device 10 will be described first, followed by a description of the drainage mechanism 70 of the fuel cell device 10. In the drawings, the arrows UP, FR, and LH, as shown as appropriate, indicate the top, front, and left sides of the fuel cell device 10, respectively. In the following description, when using the directions of up and down, front and back, and left and right, unless otherwise specified, they refer to the up and down direction, front and back direction, and left and right direction of the fuel cell device 10. The left and right direction corresponds to the first direction of the present invention, the front and back direction corresponds to the second direction of the present invention, and the right side corresponds to one side of the first direction of the present invention.

[0019] (Regarding the overall configuration of the fuel cell device 10) As shown in Figure 1, the fuel cell device 10 according to this embodiment is composed of a fuel cell module 30, an auxiliary device 40, and a drainage mechanism 70, with the fuel cell module 30 and the auxiliary device 40 housed in a housing 20. As shown in Figures 2 to 5(A), the housing 20 constitutes the outer shell of the fuel cell device 10 and is formed in the shape of a hollow rectangular box. The lower end of the housing 20 is composed of a base 21, which is formed in the shape of a substantially rectangular plate with the vertical direction being the thickness direction. As shown in Figure 5(A), a base flange 21A is formed on the outer periphery of the base 21 as a flange bent upward. In the right base flange 21A, the base flange 21A is composed of an inclined flange portion 21A1 which constitutes the lower part of the base flange 21A and an upper flange portion 21A2 which constitutes the upper part of the base flange 21A. The inclined flange portion 21A1 is inclined upward as it moves to the right when viewed from the front-rear direction, and the upper flange portion 21A2 extends upward from the upper end of the inclined flange portion 21A1. Hereafter, the direction in which the inclined flange portion 21A1 extends when viewed from the front-rear direction will be referred to as the inclination direction, and the direction perpendicular to the inclination direction will be referred to as the orthogonal direction (see the directions of arrows V1 and V2 in Figure 4). Also, the side in the direction of arrow V1 in Figure 4 will be referred to as one side of the orthogonal direction, and the side in the direction of arrow V2 will be referred to as the other side of the orthogonal direction.

[0020] The middle part in the front-rear direction of the inclined flange portion 21A1 of the right base flange 21A is configured as an attachment portion 21B for attaching a grommet 72, which will be described later. An attachment hole 21C is formed to penetrate in the orthogonal direction in the attachment portion 21B, and the attachment hole 21C is formed in an elongated hole shape with the front-rear direction as the longitudinal direction. At the right end portion of the base 21, throttle portions 21D that bulge upward are formed at positions on both sides in the front-rear direction of the attachment portion 21B. By the throttle portions 21D, both side portions in the front-rear direction of the right end portion of the base 21 are formed in a concave shape that is open downward and to the right.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a right wall 22 as an outer peripheral wall is provided on the right side of the base flange 21A, and the lower end portion of the right wall 22 is fastened and fixed to the upper flange portion 21A2 of the base flange 21A. At the lower end portion of the right wall 22, a notch portion 22A that is open downward is formed at a position corresponding to the attachment hole 21C, and the grommet 72, which will be described later, is exposed by the notch portion 22A.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a pair of left and right mounting angles 23 are provided below the housing 20. The mounting angle 23 is formed in a substantially elongated shape extending in the front-rear direction, and is formed in a substantially U-shaped shape that is open upward when viewed from its longitudinal direction. Then, the mounting angle 23 is disposed on a base portion 102 placed on an installation portion 100 such as the ground, and both longitudinal ends of the mounting angle 23 are fastened and fixed to the base portion 102 by fastening members such as bolts, whereby the housing 20 (that is, the fuel cell device 10) is installed on the installation portion 100.

[0023] (Regarding the fuel cell module 30) As shown in Figure 1, the fuel cell module 30 comprises a reformer 31 and a fuel cell 32. The reformer 31 steam reforms raw fuel gas such as natural gas or LPG to produce fuel gas, which is then supplied to the fuel cell 32. The reformer 31 is connected to a fuel supply device 50 that supplies raw fuel gas and a reformed water supply device 52 that supplies reformed water. The raw fuel gas and reformed water undergo a reforming reaction in the heated reformer 31, producing a fuel gas containing hydrogen.

[0024] As an example, the fuel cell 32 has a cell stack structure in which multiple fuel cell cells are arranged. The fuel cell 32 is supplied with fuel gas produced in the reformer 31 and air (oxygen-containing gas) introduced by the air supply device 54. As the fuel gas passes through the fuel cell cells of the fuel cell 32, the fuel gas and oxygen-containing gas react to generate electricity. The fuel gas and oxygen-containing gas that are not used for power generation merge and burn at the top of the fuel cell 32 (between it and the reformer 31). This combustion of fuel gas generates high-temperature exhaust gas, and this heat heats the reformer 31.

[0025] (Regarding auxiliary equipment 40) The auxiliary equipment 40 includes a heat exchanger 42, a heat storage tank 44, a condensate tank 46, a radiator 48, and the aforementioned fuel supply device 50, reformed water supply device 52, and air supply device 54. The heat exchanger 42, heat storage tank 44, heat transfer fluid pump P1, and radiator 48 are connected by piping 56 to form a heat transfer fluid circulation line 60. A heat transfer fluid (water in this embodiment) is introduced into the heat transfer fluid circulation line 60, and the heat transfer fluid circulates within the piping 56.

[0026] In the heat exchanger 42, heat exchange takes place between the exhaust gas generated in the fuel cell 32 and the heat transfer medium, heating the heat transfer medium. The heat storage tank 44 stores the heat transfer medium heated in the heat exchanger 42. The heat transfer medium stored in the heat storage tank 44 is sent to the radiator 48, where it is cooled. The heat transfer medium cooled in the radiator 48 is sent back to the heat exchanger 42, where it is heated again. In this way, the heat transfer medium is circulated in the heat transfer medium circulation line 60, and the heat storage tank 44 accumulates heat transfer medium with higher temperatures from the top, forming a temperature stratification.

[0027] Furthermore, a condensate tank 46 is connected to the heat exchanger 42 via a condensate recovery channel 62. When the exhaust gas generated by the fuel cell module 30 is cooled by heat exchange, the water vapor contained in the exhaust gas is separated into water and gas, and the separated water is recovered into the condensate tank 46 through the condensate recovery channel 66. The condensate tank 46 is equipped with an ion exchange resin 46A, which removes impurities from the recovered water to produce pure water. The purified water is supplied to the reformer 31 by a reformed water supply device 52 connected to the condensate tank 46 and used as reformed water. Meanwhile, the gas from which the water has been removed is discharged outside the housing 20 after passing through an exhaust channel (not shown).

[0028] (Regarding drainage mechanism 70) As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the drainage mechanism 70 is configured as a mechanism that drains water from the heat storage tank 44, the radiator 48, and the condensate tank 46, and drains the water to the outside of the housing 20. The drainage mechanism 70 is configured including a grommet 72 as a support member, and a first hose 80A, a second hose 80B, and a third hose 80C as hoses.

[0029] As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5(B), the grommet 72 is configured as a member that supports the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C so that they can move in the orthogonal direction and connects to the housing 20. The grommet 72 is made of a resin material or the like. The grommet 72 is formed in a concave shape that extends in the front-rear direction and is open to the other side in the orthogonal direction. A mounting groove 72A corresponding to the mounting hole 21C of the housing 20 is formed on the outer circumference of the grommet 72. The mounting groove 72A extends along the circumferential direction of the grommet 72 and is formed around the entire circumference of the grommet 72. The edge of the mounting hole 21C of the housing 20 is fitted into the mounting groove 72A, and the grommet 72 is attached to the base 21. When the grommet 72 is attached to the base 21, when viewed from the right side, the upper part of the grommet 72 is positioned within the notch 22A of the housing 20, and the thickness dimensions of the grommet 72 are set so that the grommet 72 does not protrude to the right of the right wall 22 of the housing 20. Three support holes 72B are formed through the grommet 72 in a perpendicular direction, and the three support holes 72B are arranged in a line with a predetermined interval in the front-to-back direction. That is, the axis AL of the support holes 72B is inclined downward as it moves to the right when viewed from the front-to-back direction. Furthermore, the angle AG of the axis AL of the support holes 72B with respect to the left-to-right direction when viewed from the front-to-back direction is set to 45 degrees or less (30 degrees in this embodiment) (see Figure 4).

[0030] The first hose 80A to the third hose 80C are configured similarly. Therefore, the configurations of the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C will be described below using the first hose 80A as an example. The first hose 80A is composed of a hose body 82 formed in a long cylindrical shape and a drain plug 84 provided at one end of the hose body 82. The hose body 82 is made of an elastic and flexible material such as rubber. The hose body 82 is inserted into the support hole 72B of the grommet 72 so as to be movable in a perpendicular direction (axial direction of the support hole 72B). Specifically, the first hose 80A is configured to move back and forth between a storage position (indicated by a dashed line in Figure 4) and an extended position (indicated by a solid line in Figure 4) which is pulled out to one side perpendicular to the storage position. The outer diameter of the hose body 82 is set to be slightly larger than the inner diameter of the support hole 72B of the grommet 72. As a result, the outer circumference of the hose body 82 is pressed radially inward by the inner circumference of the support hole 72B, and this pressing force holds the hose body 82 in place when it is pulled out from its storage position.

[0031] The drain plug 84 comprises a plug body 86 and a valve 88. The drain plug 84 is formed in a substantially stepped cylindrical shape with the longitudinal direction of the hose body 82 as its axial direction. Specifically, the plug body 86 has a first connecting portion 86A that constitutes one end (tip side) of the plug body 86 and a second connecting portion 86B that constitutes the other end (base side) of the plug body 86, with the outer diameter of the second connecting portion 86B being smaller than the outer diameter of the first connecting portion 86A. The second connecting portion 86B is fitted into one end of the hose body 82, and the drain plug 84 is fixed to the hose body 82.

[0032] One end of the first connecting portion 86A is configured as a nut portion 86C. The outer circumference of the nut portion 86C is formed in the shape of a regular hexagon when viewed from the axial direction, and an internal thread 86D is formed on the inner circumference of the nut portion 86C. The other end of the first connecting portion 86A is configured as a supported portion 86E, and a slope portion 86F is formed between the nut portion 86C and the supported portion 86E. The outer diameter of the supported portion 86E is set to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the hose body 82, and the outer diameter of the slope portion 86F is set to increase towards the one end, and the supported portion 86E and the nut portion 86C are connected by the slope portion 86F. When the first hose 80A is in the storage position, the supported portion 86E is fitted into the support hole 72B of the grommet 72, and the drain plug 84 is supported by the grommet 72. In other words, in the storage position, the tip of the drain plug 84 protrudes from the grommet 72 in one direction perpendicular to the grommet 72.

[0033] Valve 88 is formed as a roughly bottomed cylindrical shape, open to one end of the first hose 80A. A male thread 88A is formed on the outer circumference of the other end of valve 88. Valve 88 is fixed to the plug body 86 by inserting the other end of valve 88 into the plug body 86 and screwing the male thread 88A into the female thread 86D of the plug body 86. The other end of valve 88 is provided with a valve portion 88B, and a ring-shaped seal 90 is provided on the valve portion 88B. The seal 90 seals the valve portion 88B to the inside of the slope portion 86F of the plug body 86. In addition, one end of valve 88 is configured as a knob portion 88C, and the outer shape of the knob portion 88C is formed as a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the axial direction. The user performs the water draining operation by gripping the knob portion 88C and loosening the fastening between valve 88 and plug body 86.

[0034] The other end of the first hose 80A is connected to the heat storage tank 44, and the water in the heat storage tank 44 is drained using the first hose 80A. The other end of the second hose 80B is connected to the radiator 48, and the water in the radiator 48 is drained using the second hose 80B. The other end of the third hose 80C is connected to the condensate tank 46, and the water in the condensate tank 46 is drained using the third hose 80C. The other ends of the first hose 80A, the second hose 80B, and the third hose 80C are each positioned above the grommet 72. Furthermore, the length of the extension of the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C from the storage position to the extension position is set so that the drain plugs 84 of the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C do not come into contact with the installation section 100 when the extension position of the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C. Please note that the hose connection locations and number of hoses are examples only and are not limited to those described above.

[0035] (Effects and Benefits) Next, the effects and advantages of this embodiment will be described.

[0036] Before draining the fuel cell device 10 configured as described above, the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C are positioned in their storage location, and the tip of the drain plug 84 is positioned to protrude perpendicularly from the grommet 72 to one side. When draining the fuel cell device 10, the user pulls out the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C from their storage location to one side perpendicularly to the storage location, positioning them in the pulled-out location. This positions the drain plug 84 below the grommet 72. In this state, the valve 88 is loosened from the valve body 86 of the drain plug 84. This causes the water flowing through the hose body 82 of the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C to one end to be drained from the drain plug 84. Therefore, when the fuel cell device 10 is not used for a long period of time, draining the water from the heat storage tank 44, radiator 48, and condensate tank 46 prevents the water in the heat storage tank 44, radiator 48, and condensate tank 46 from freezing.

[0037] As described above, the fuel cell device 10 of this embodiment has a drainage mechanism 70 for draining water from the auxiliary equipment 40 (heat storage tank 44, radiator 48, and condensate tank 46) to the outside of the housing 20. The drainage mechanism 70 consists of a grommet 72 provided in the housing 20 and first hoses 80A to third hoses 80C, one end of which is located outside the housing 20 and the other end of which is connected to the auxiliary equipment 40. Furthermore, the first hoses 80A to third hoses 80C are supported by the grommet 72 so as to be movable between a storage position where they are stored inside the housing 20 and an extended position where they are pulled out from the storage position to the outside of the housing 20. For this reason, when performing water drainage work, by pulling out the first hoses 80A to third hoses 80C to the extended position, one end of the first hoses 80A to third hoses 80C (drain plug 84) can be positioned below the grommet 72. In other words, compared to a configuration in which the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C are connected to the housing 20 in a way that prevents them from moving forward or backward, one end of the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C (drain plug 84) can be positioned on the lower side. Therefore, the water inside the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C can be efficiently drained to one end of the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C, and the water can be drained to the outside of the housing 20 from that end. As a result, the fuel cell device 10 can improve drainage performance in a simple manner.

[0038] Furthermore, by configuring the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C to be movable forward and backward relative to the housing 20, the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C can be returned to their storage position when not in use. This prevents the fuel cell device 10 from becoming larger, even if the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C are configured to be pullable out from the housing 20. This prevents, for example, a decrease in the packaging performance of the fuel cell device 10. It also prevents a decrease in the aesthetic design of the fuel cell device 10.

[0039] Furthermore, the grommet 72 is provided on the base flange 21A of the base 21 in the housing 20. That is, the grommet 72 is positioned at the lower end of the housing 20. This allows the water in the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C to flow effectively to one end of the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C.

[0040] Furthermore, the support hole 72B of the grommet 72 penetrates along a direction that slopes downward as it moves to the right when viewed from the front-to-back direction. This allows the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C, which are inserted through the support hole 72B, to be pulled out from the storage position diagonally downward to the right. This ensures that the drain plugs 84 of the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C are securely positioned below the grommet 72 in the pulled-out position. In addition, in the pulled-out position, the longitudinal middle portions of the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C can be supported by the support hole 72B in a state that is tilted diagonally downward to the right. Thus, the water drainage performance of the fuel cell device 10 can be further improved.

[0041] Furthermore, when viewed from the front-to-back direction, the angle AG of the axis AL of the support hole 72B in the left-to-right direction (horizontal direction) is set to 45 degrees or less. This contributes to miniaturization of the fuel cell device 10 while improving the water drainage performance of the fuel cell device 10. In other words, if the angle AG of the axis AL of the support hole 72B in the left-to-right direction is greater than 45 degrees, the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C extending from the grommet 72 into the housing 20 will extend more upward compared to this embodiment. As a result, the space available for the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C in the housing 20 in the storage position may be larger upwards compared to this embodiment. Consequently, the housing 20 may be larger upwards compared to this embodiment in order to avoid interference between the auxiliary equipment 40 located inside the housing 20 and the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C. In contrast, in this embodiment, the angle AG of the axis AL of the support hole 72B in the left-right direction is set to 45 degrees or less, which allows for space saving in the arrangement area of ​​the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C in the stored state. Therefore, it is possible to improve the water drainage performance of the fuel cell device 10 while contributing to the miniaturization of the fuel cell device 10.

[0042] Furthermore, the housing 20 is installed on the ground or other installation area 100 via a base 102, and the extension lengths of the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C at the extension positions are set so that the drain plug 84 does not come into contact with the installation area 100 at the extension positions of the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C. This prevents, for example, the user from accidentally stepping on the drain plug 84 during draining work. As a result, the protective performance of the drain plug 84 can be improved, and the workability during draining work can be improved.

[0043] Furthermore, the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C have a hose body 82 that is elastic and flexible. The hose body 82 is movably inserted into the support hole 72B of the grommet 72, and the outer diameter of the hose body 82 is set to be larger than the inner diameter of the support hole 72B. As a result, when the hose body 82 is pulled out from the storage position, the hose body 82 is pressed radially inward by the inner circumferential surface of the support hole 72B, and the hose body 82 is held in place by this pressing force. Therefore, for example, the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C cannot be unintentionally returned to the storage position during water draining work. Thus, the workability during water draining work can be further improved.

[0044] Furthermore, the drain plugs 84 of the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C have a supported portion 86E that fits into the support hole 72B when the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C are in their storage positions, and the outer diameter of the supported portion 86E is set to be larger than the inner diameter of the support hole 72B. As a result, when the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C are in their storage positions, the drain plugs 84 are lightly press-fitted into the grommet 72 and held in place. Therefore, for example, when installing the fuel cell device 10 on the foundation 102 or during normal use of the fuel cell device 10, it is possible to prevent the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C from being unintentionally pulled out from the storage position to the pull-out position.

[0045] Furthermore, in the housing 20, a mounting portion 21B for attaching the grommet 72 is provided on the base flange 21A, which is bent upward on the outer circumference of the base 21. This allows the mounting portion 21B to be positioned close to the bent portion of the base flange 21A. As a result, the mounting portion 21B for the grommet 72 can be provided on the base 21 while suppressing a decrease in the strength of the base 21. In addition, an elongated mounting hole 21C is formed through the mounting portion 21B, with the front-to-back direction being the longitudinal direction, and the grommet 72 is attached to the edge of the mounting hole 21C. Therefore, the strength of the mounting portion 21B can be increased compared to, for example, a case where the mounting hole 21C is a notched shape that opens upward.

[0046] Furthermore, the right base flange 21A of the base 21 is composed of an inclined flange portion 21A1 that slopes upward as it moves to the right when viewed from the front-rear direction, and an upper flange portion 21A2 that extends upward from the upper end of the inclined flange portion 21A1. The mounting portion 21B is provided on the inclined flange portion 21A1, and the right wall 22 of the housing 20 is fixed to the upper flange portion 21A2. This allows the right wall 22 to be fixed to the base flange 21A while ensuring the strength of the mounting portion 21B. Also, by providing the mounting portion 21B on the inclined flange portion 21A1, the tip of the drain plug 84 can be positioned adjacent to the mounting portion 21B on one side in a direction perpendicular to it. That is, the tip of the drain plug 84 can be positioned on the chamfered portion at the lower end of the housing 20. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the amount of the drain plug 84 protruding to the right when the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C are stored. In other words, it is possible to suppress the increase in size of the fuel cell device 10.

[0047] Furthermore, a pair of constricted portions 21D are formed on the right end of the base 21, at positions on both sides in the front-rear direction of the mounting portion 21B, and are raised upward. As a result, the strength of the base 21 and the mounting portion 21B can be increased by the pair of constricted portions 21D.

[0048] In this embodiment, the support hole 72B of the grommet 72 penetrates in a direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction when viewed from the front-to-back direction. However, for example, the support hole 72B of the grommet 72 may be formed to penetrate in the left-to-right direction. Even in this case, since the hose body 82 is flexible, the drain plug 84 can be positioned below the grommet 72 at the withdrawal positions of the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C.

[0049] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the grommet 72 is provided on the inclined flange portion 21A1 of the base flange 21A of the base 21, but the position of the grommet 72 can be changed as appropriate. Also, for example, in the storage position of the first hose 80A to the third hose 80C, the shape of the base flange 21A may be changed so that the position of the mounting portion 21B is located to the left of this embodiment so that the tip of the drain plug 84 does not protrude to the right of the housing 20. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0050] 10 Fuel cell device 20 Housing 21 Base 21A Base flange (flange) 21A1 Inclined flange section 21A2 Upper flange section 21B Mounting section 21C Mounting Hole 21D Aperture section 22 Right wall (outer wall) 32 Fuel Cell 40 Auxiliary equipment 42 Heat exchanger 60 Heat transfer fluid circulation line (circulation line) 70 Drainage mechanism 72 Grommets (support members) 72B Support hole 80A First Hose (Hose) 80B Second Hose (Hose) 80C Third Hose (Hose) 82 Hose body 84 Drain plug 86E Supported part 100 Installation part 102 Foundation Axis of AL support hole AG support hole angle

Claims

1. A fuel cell that generates electricity using oxygen-containing gas and fuel gas, An auxiliary device comprising a heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between the exhaust gas and liquid generated in the fuel cell, and a circulation line that circulates the heat-exchanged liquid, A housing for the fuel cell and the auxiliary equipment, A drainage mechanism connected to the aforementioned auxiliary equipment, which drains the liquid inside the auxiliary equipment to the outside of the housing, Equipped with, The drainage mechanism is, A support member provided in the housing, A hose formed in an elongated shape, with one end positioned outside the housing and the other end connected to the auxiliary equipment, supported by the support member so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction, and which moves between a stored position inside the housing and an extended position pulled out from the stored position to the outside of the housing when operated, Equipped with, The support member is provided at the lower end of the outer periphery of the housing, The direction perpendicular to the vertical direction is defined as the first direction, and the direction perpendicular to both the vertical direction and the first direction is defined as the second direction. The support member is provided at one end of the housing in the first direction and has a support hole through which the hose is inserted. The support hole penetrates the area along a direction that, when viewed from the second direction, slopes downward as it approaches one side of the first direction. The aforementioned hose is, A hose body, which is elastic and flexible, is inserted into the support hole so as to be movable in the axial direction, A drain plug is provided at one end of the hose body, It is composed of including, The outer diameter of the hose body is set to be larger than the inner diameter of the support hole. The drain plug has a supported portion that fits into the support hole in the storage position, and the outer diameter of the supported portion is set to be larger than the inner diameter of the support hole in the fuel cell device.

2. The fuel cell device according to claim 1, wherein, when viewed from the second direction, the angle of the axis of the support hole with respect to the first direction is set to 45 degrees or less.

3. The housing is installed on the installation part via the base part. The fuel cell device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the length of the hose pulled out at the pulling-out position is set such that one end of the hose does not come into contact with the installation portion at the pulling-out position.

4. The aforementioned housing is A base which constitutes the lower end of the housing and is formed in a plate shape with the vertical direction being the thickness direction, and has a flange that is bent upward at the outer circumference, The outer peripheral wall, whose lower end is fixed to the flange, It is composed of including, The fuel cell device according to claim 1, wherein the flange on one side in the first direction is provided with a mounting portion for attaching the support member, and the mounting portion is provided with a mounting hole for attaching the support member.

5. The flange mentioned above is The lower part of the flange and the inclined flange portion which, when viewed from the second direction, slopes upward as it approaches one side in the first direction, The upper part of the flange comprises an upper flange portion that extends upward from the upper end of the inclined flange portion, It is composed of including, The fuel cell device according to claim 4, wherein the mounting portion is provided on the inclined flange portion and the outer peripheral wall is fixed to the upper flange portion.

6. The fuel cell device according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein a pair of constricted portions that are raised upward are formed on both sides of the mounting portion in the second direction at one end of the base in the first direction.

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