Fuel Cell System for Vehicle and Vehicle

• US 20080093140A1
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Nakata, Hisashi, Asai, Akihiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,381,850 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/00 Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00; electric transmission arrangements B60K17/12; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles per se B60L; current-collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0207 Wire harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/17 forming fluid or electrical conduit means or having other means to accommodate the transmission of a force or signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/248 Means for compression of the fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A fuel cell system for a vehicle (1) includes a fuel cell (14) configured to react fuel gas and oxidizing gas with each other and generate electricity; a system frame (20) fixed under a floor of a body of the vehicle and supporting the fuel cell (14); a driving motor (43) configured to drive the vehicle, arranged in a motor compartment (R2); and a high-voltage cable (101, 102) configured to transmit high-voltage power generated by the fuel cell (14) to the driving motor (43), the high-voltage cable (101, 102) having apart extended across the system frame, the part is arranged on an inner side of the system frame (20) and is along a frame member (22) of the system frame (20).

Claims

1. A fuel cell system for a vehicle, comprising:

a fuel cell configured to react fuel gas and oxidizing gas with each other and generate electricity;

a system frame fixed under a floor of a body of the vehicle and supporting the fuel cell;

a driving motor configured to drive the vehicle, arranged in a motor compartment; and

a high-voltage cable configured to transmit high-voltage power generated by the fuel cell to the driving motor, the high-voltage cable having a part extended across the system frame, the part is arranged on an inner side of the system frame and is along a frame member of the system frame.

2. The fuel cell system of claim 1, wherein:

the motor compartment is formed on one of the front and rear sides of the system frame.

3. The fuel cell system of claim 1, further comprising:

fuel cell accessories configured to operate when the fuel cell generates electricity, at least one of the fuel cell fixed on the system frame.

4. The fuel cell system of claim 1, further comprising:

fuel cell accessories configured to operate when the fuel cell generates electricity; and

a power delivery module configured to deliver the high-voltage power generated by the fuel cell to the driving motor and at least one of the fuel cell accessories, the power delivery module being accommodated in the motor compartment, wherein

the part of the high-voltage cable is a part of the high-voltage cable between the fuel cell and the power delivery module.

5. The fuel cell system of claim 1, further comprising:

a power delivery module configured to deliver the high-voltage power generated by the fuel cell to the driving motor and at least one of the fuel cell accessories, the power delivery module being arranged opposite to the motor compartment with the system frame being interposed between the power delivery module and the motor compartment, wherein

the part of the high-voltage cable is a part of the high-voltage cable between the power delivery module and the driving motor.

6. The fuel cell system of claims 1, wherein:

frame members of the system frame are made of insulating material.

7. The fuel cell system of claim 1, wherein:

frame members of the system frame are made of metal and covered with insulating material.

8. The fuel cell system of claim 1, wherein:

at least one frame member of the system frame is hollow to accommodate the high-voltage cable therein.

9. The fuel cell system of claim 8, wherein:

the hollow frame member accommodating the high-voltage cable is made of metal.

10. The fuel cell system of claim 8, wherein:

the hollow frame member comprises a main body having an open sectional shape and a cover.

11. The fuel cell system of claim 3, wherein:

the fuel cell accessories supported on the system frame include fuel gas supply accessories related to supplying fuel gas to the fuel cell; and

the fuel gas supply accessories and the high-voltage cable are separated from each other in a vehicle width direction.

12. The fuel cell system of claim 11, wherein:

the fuel gas supply accessories include a mass flow controller configured to adjust the pressure and/or flow rate of fuel gas supplied from a fuel tank to the fuel cell and a fuel gas circulator configured to circulate an unconsumed fuel gas, which has not been used for power generation in the fuel cell and has been discharged from the fuel cell, to the fuel cell.

13. The fuel cell system of claim 11, wherein:

a fuel gas supply line configured to supply fuel gas from a fuel tank to the fuel gas supply accessories and the high-voltage cable are separated from each other in a vehicle width direction.

14. A vehicle, comprising:

a fuel cell configured to react fuel gas and oxidizing gas with each other and generate electricity;

a system frame fixed under a floor of a body of the vehicle and supporting the fuel cell;

a driving motor configured to drive the vehicle, arranged in a motor compartment; and

a high-voltage cable configured to transmit high-voltage power generated by the fuel cell to the driving motor, having a part extending across the system frame, the part arranged on an inner side of the system frame and along a frame member of the system frame.