Hydrogen Pump Dash Panel Collision Redirection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel cell vehicles with hydrogen pumps in the front compartment are prone to causing deformation of the dash panel during collisions due to the heavy weight and rigidity of the pump components, which can lead to increased impact and damage.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell vehicle design where a gas-liquid separator is fastened to the hydrogen pump with a center of gravity shifted from the pump's center of gravity, and the separator's end portion is positioned more to the rear, allowing it to collide with the dash panel first and redirect the force to rotate the pump, reducing the impact on the dash panel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the hydrogen pump is provided in the front compartment with high strength components, then the pump can withstand operational pressures and maintain reliability, but the dash panel may deform during vehicle collision due to the heavy weight and rigidity of the pump components
Solution Approach 1:
A collision prevention member is introduced as an intermediary component between the hydrogen pump and the dash panel. This member has a collision surface that contacts the dash panel during collision, preventing direct contact between the heavy hydrogen pump and the dash panel, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining pump reliability and preventing dash panel deformation
Solution Approach 2:
The collision prevention member converts the harmful effect of the hydrogen pump's weight and rigidity into a protective feature. By positioning the collision prevention member with its collision surface facing the dash panel, the structure that could cause harm (heavy pump components) is transformed into a protective arrangement where the collision prevention member absorbs and redirects collision forces away from the dash panel
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel cell vehicle has a front compartment accommodating a hydrogen pump provided to a pipe through which fuel gas is supplied, and a gas-liquid separator that is fastened to the hydrogen pump and removes water from the fuel gas flowing through the pipe, the gas-liquid separator having an end portion on a backward side in a travelling direction arranged more on the backward side than an end portion of the hydrogen pump on the backward side in the travelling direction. A fastening portion, at which the hydrogen pump and the gas-liquid separator are fastened to each other, has a center of gravity CGLS shifted from a center of gravity CHP of the hydrogen pump in a width direction of the fuel cell vehicle, in the fuel cell vehicle as viewed in a vertical direction.