Resin Gas-Liquid Separator Impact Buffering for Fuel Cell Pump Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In fuel cell vehicles, the fuel gas pump mounted on the stack frame is prone to damage during a head-on collision due to its projection towards the dash panel, leading to potential damage and increased repair costs.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell vehicle design that incorporates a gas-liquid separator made of resin, mounted to the fuel gas pump and projecting towards the dash panel, which absorbs the impact force, reducing damage to the metal fuel gas pump by contacting the metallic dash panel first, and a bracket system that allows the fuel gas pump to turn away from the dash panel during a collision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the fuel gas pump is mounted to the stack frame so as to project from the stack frame toward the dash panel side to circulate fuel gas in a shorter route, then the fuel gas circulation efficiency is improved, but the fuel gas pump is prone to damage during head-on collision
Solution Approach 1:
The gas-liquid separator is mounted to project from the stack frame toward the dash panel side, positioned in advance to contact the dash panel during collision. This separator acts as a cushioning element that absorbs impact force before it reaches the fuel gas pump, thereby protecting the pump from damage while maintaining the short circulation route configuration
2Productivity
If the fuel gas pump projects from the stack frame toward the dash panel side, then the fuel gas circulation route is shortened, but the repair cost increases due to pump damage
Solution Approach 1:
The gas-liquid separator is designed as a sacrificial protective element that can be easily replaced. It is positioned to absorb collision impact in place of the more expensive fuel gas pump, thereby reducing repair costs while maintaining the efficient short circulation route configuration
3Reliability
If the gas-liquid separator is mounted to project from the stack frame and fuel gas pump toward the dash panel side, then the fuel gas pump is protected from impact, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gas-liquid separator serves dual functions: it performs its primary function of separating gas and liquid from the fuel off-gas, and simultaneously acts as a protective cushioning element during collision. By merging these two functions into a single component, the patent protects the fuel gas pump without significantly increasing device complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The resin gas-liquid separator effectively buffers the impact force, reducing damage to the fuel gas pump and lowering repair costs, while the bracket system further minimizes the impact on the pump by allowing it to rotate away from the dash panel, thereby reducing overall damage.
Implementation Method 1
a gas-liquid separator that separates gas and liquid from a fuel off-gas discharged from the fuel cell stack
Implementation Method 2
the gas-liquid separator is damaged. Thus, the gas-liquid separator can buffer an impact force on the fuel gas pump at the time of the collision
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel cell vehicle includes a front compartment and a metallic dash panel in a front side of the vehicle. The front compartment houses a fuel cell stack, a gas-liquid separator, and a fuel gas pump. The dash panel is disposed between the front compartment and a cabin to partition them. The fuel gas pump is mounted to a lower portion of a stack frame in a state of projecting from the stack frame toward the dash panel side. The gas-liquid separator is mounted to a lower portion of the fuel gas pump in a state of projecting from the stack frame and the fuel gas pump toward the dash panel side. The fuel gas pump is made of metal, and the gas-liquid separator is made of resin.