Valve, Valve Controller, and Fuel Cell System

• US 20090014089A1
• Filed: 02/06/2007
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Takeshita, Masahiro, Ishitoya, Tsukuo
• Application Number:
  US12/223,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20090014089A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 141/192
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/305 with valve member and actuator on the same side of the seat
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/0644 One-way valve
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/0648 the armature and the valve member forming one element F16K31/0651 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/04 Arrangement or mounting of valves valves per se F16K ; snap-coupling of nipples F16L37/00
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/056 Small (<1 m3)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0604 Liners
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0619 with two layers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/066 Plastics
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0663 in form of fibers or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0305 Bosses, e.g. boss collars
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0317 fusing or melting
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0326 electrically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0332 Safety valves or pressure relief valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0335 Check-valves or non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0338 Pressure regulators
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0391 inside the pressure vessel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0394 in direct contact with the pressure vessel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/012 Hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/033 Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0123 : gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/036 : Very high pressure (>80 bar)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2225/0123 : gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2225/036 : Very high pressure, i.e. above 80 bars
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0135 : Pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0157 : Compressors
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/032 : using computers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/043 : Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0439 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0626 : Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0636 : Flow or movement of content
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/015 : Facilitating maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/018 : Adapting dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0105 : Ships
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0168 : by vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0173 : Railways
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0184 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/05 : for industrial use
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0518 : Semiconductors
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0763 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 : of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04097 : with recycling of the reactants H01M8/04119, H01M8/04104 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04201 : Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04223 : during start-up or shut-down; Depolarisation or activation, e.g. purging; Means for short-circuiting defective fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04228 : during shut-down
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0432 : Temperature; Ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0438 : Pressure; Ambient pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04753 : of fuel cell reactants
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 : Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells

Abstract

Provided are a valve being able to adjust a flow rate of fluid out of a tank with a high accuracy, a valve controller, and a fuel cell system. The valve is configured to adjust the flow rate of fluid to the secondary side. The valve is disposed on the tank so that the secondary side is a discharge side for fluid from inside the tank. The valve is configured to adjust the flow rate of fluid from the tank by a duty control.

Claims

1. An injector for adjusting a flow rate of hydrogen gas to a secondary side, wherein the injector is disposed on a mouthpiece portion of a tank so that the secondary side is a discharge side for the hydrogen gas from inside the tank, and the flow rate of the hydrogen gas from the tank to a fuel cell is configured to be adjustable by a duty control, and

wherein the axis line of the injector is parallel to the axis line of the tank.

2. The injector according to claim 1, comprising a flow rate adjusting mechanism for adjusting the flow rate by the duty control,

wherein the flow rate adjusting mechanism is configured to block a discharge of the hydrogen gas from the tank.

3. The injector according to claim 2, wherein the flow rate adjusting mechanism comprises a valve body, a valve seat that comes into contact/breaks contact with the valve body, and a solenoid for urging the valve body in directions in which the valve body comes into contact/breaks contact with the valve seat.

4. The injector according to claim 3, wherein the valve seat has an opening at a center thereof, and

wherein an area of the opening is changed depending on a position of the valve body.

5. The injector according to claim 3, wherein the duty control is performed by changing a duty ratio of pulse-like excitation current supplied to the solenoid.

6. The injector according to claim 3, wherein the flow rate adjusting mechanism is configured to apply a pressure in the tank to the valve body in a direction in which the valve body comes into contact with the valve seat.

9. The injector according to claim 1, wherein a main stop valve independent of the injector is disposed on the tank, and

wherein the main stop valve is located on a primary side of the injector.

10. The injector according to claim 9, wherein the main stop valve is located in the tank.

11. A valve controller for controlling the injector according to claim 1 by the duty control.

12. A fuel cell system comprising:

the injector according to claim 1;

the tank; and

a fuel cell supplied with oxidant gas and hydrogen gas.

13. A fuel cell system comprising:

the injector according to claim 1;

a tank storing the hydrogen gas;

a fuel cell supplied with the hydrogen gas from the tank; and

a main stop valve disposed on the tank so that the main stop valve is located at a primary side of the injector,

wherein the main stop valve is closed at a time of stopping of operation of the fuel cell system.

8. (canceled)