Cooling Arrangement for a fuel-cell vehicle

• US 7,481,288 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2005
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Makuta, Yohei, Horii, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis; Christopher P
• Assistant Examiner(s): COOLMAN, VAUGHN
• Application Number:
  US11/201,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20060040154A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/220, 180/65.3, 180/65.5, 180/65.6, 180/68.1, 180/68.2, 180/68.4, 180/68.6
• US Class Current: 180/68.2
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2202/00 Motorised scooters
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2204/00 Adaptations for driving cycles by electric motor for driving electrically assisted bicycles B62M6/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 7/12 with the engine beside or within the driven wheel

Abstract

To inhibit an electric pump from generating heat with a simple structure when the electric pump is used in a cooling system. A two-wheeled fuel-cell vehicle is provided with a cooling system to cool a fuel cell. A first radiator and a second radiator are provided to cool the cooling water warmed by the fuel cell with a flow of air. A cooling fan functions so as to ventilate the cooling fins of the first radiator and the cooling fans function so as to ventilate the cooling fins of the second radiator. An electric pump is disposed in the middle of a pipe line for the circulation of the cooling water. The electric pump is disposed at a position where the electric pump can catch the flow of air created by the cooling fan.

Claims

1. A fuel-cell vehicle for traveling by electric power generated by supplying a reactive gas and a fuel gas to a fuel cell that is cooled by a liquid cooling system,

the fuel-cell vehicle comprising:

a first radiator and a second radiator for dissipating heat and cooling a coolant warmed by said fuel cell;

at least first and second cooling fans for ventilating cooling fins of said first and second radiators, respectively; and

an electric pump, disposed along a pipe line of said cooling system for circulating the coolant;

wherein said electric pump is disposed at a position where said electric pump can catch the flow of air created by the second cooling fan,

wherein the flow of air created by the second cooling fan and directed to the electric pump is thereafter directed to the fuel cell for cooling the fuel cell.

2. The fuel-cell vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first cooling fan is operatively mounted relative to said first radiator, and

the second cooling fan is operatively mounted relative to said second radiator and is disposed adjacent to said electric pump for providing a flow of air thereto.

3. The fuel-cell vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said first cooling fan and said second cooling fan suck air to flow though the first and second radiators to create an air flow wherein the air flow from the second cooling fan is designated to blow against said electric pump.

4. The fuel-cell vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said second cooling fan and a third cooling fan are provided adjacent to the second radiator for sucking air to flow though the second radiator.

5. The fuel-cell vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said electric pump is located so that the projection thereof is in the projecting area of said second radiator on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of said fuel-cell vehicle.

6. The fuel-cell vehicle according to claim 5, wherein said fuel-cell vehicle is a two-wheeled vehicle equipped with down frames being connected to a head tube at front portions and descending in a rearward direction of a vehicle body;

and said second radiator is located in the vicinity of said down frames.

7. The fuel-cell vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said first radiator is disposed in front of the vehicle and the second radiator is larger relative to the first radiator and is disposed adjacent to the electric pump.

8. The fuel-cell vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said fuel-cell vehicle is a two-wheeled vehicle equipped with down frames being connected to a head tube at front portions and descending in a rearward direction of a vehicle body;

and said second radiator is located in the vicinity of said down frames.

9. The fuel-cell vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first and second radiators do not overlap each other on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

10. A liquid cooling system for cooling a fuel cell of a fuel-cell vehicle comprising:

a first radiator and a second radiator for dissipating heat and cooling a coolant warmed by said fuel cell;

at least first and second cooling fans for ventilating cooling fins of said first and second radiators, respectively; and

an electric pump, disposed along a pipe line of said cooling system for circulating the coolant;

wherein said electric pump is disposed at a position where said electric pump can catch the flow of air created by the second cooling fan,

wherein the flow of air created by the second cooling fan and directed to the electric pump is thereafter directed to the fuel cell for cooling the fuel cell.

11. The liquid cooling system for cooling a fuel cell of a fuel-cell vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the first cooling fan is operatively mounted relative to said first radiator, and

the second cooling fan is operatively mounted relative to said second radiator and is disposed adjacent to said electric pump for providing a flow of air thereto.

12. The liquid cooling system for cooling a fuel cell of a fuel-cell vehicle according to claim 11, wherein said first cooling fan and said second cooling fan suck air to flow through the first and second radiators to create an air flow wherein the air flow from the second cooling fan is designated to blow against said electric pump.

13. The liquid cooling system for cooling a fuel cell of a fuel-cell vehicle according to claim 11, wherein said second cooling fan and a third cooling fan are provided adjacent to the second radiator for sucking air to flow through the second radiator.

14. The liquid cooling system for cooling a fuel cell of a fuel-cell vehicle according to claim 10, wherein said electric pump is located so that the projection thereof is in the projecting area of said second radiator on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of said fuel-cell vehicle.

15. The liquid cooling system for cooling a fuel cell of a fuel-cell vehicle according to claim 14, wherein said fuel-cell vehicle is a two-wheeled vehicle equipped with down frames being connected to a head tube at front portions and descending in a rearward direction of a vehicle body;

and said second radiator is located in the vicinity of said down frames.

16. The liquid cooling system for cooling a fuel cell of a fuel-cell vehicle according to claim 10, wherein said fuel-cell vehicle is a two-wheeled vehicle equipped with down frames being connected to a head tube at front portions and descending in a rearward direction of a vehicle body;

and said second radiator is located in the vicinity of said down frames.

17. The liquid cooling system for cooling a fuel cell of a fuel-cell vehicle according to claim 10, wherein said first radiator is disposed in front of the vehicle and the second radiator is larger relative to the first radiator and is disposed adjacent to the electric pump.

18. The liquid cooling system for cooling a fuel cell of a fuel-cell vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the first and second radiators do not overlap each other on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

19. A fuel-cell vehicle for traveling by electric power generated by supplying a reactive gas and a fuel gas to a fuel cell that is cooled by a liquid cooling system, the fuel-cell vehicle comprising:

a first radiator and a second radiator for dissipating heat and cooling a coolant warmed by said fuel cell;

a first cooling fan for ventilating cooling fins of said first radiator, and

second and third cooling fans for ventilating cooling fins of lower and upper parts of said second radiator, respectively; and

an electric pump, disposed along a pipe line of said cooling system for circulating the coolant;

wherein said electric pump is disposed at a position where said electric pump can catch the flow of air created by the second cooling fan, and

the third cooling fan that cools the upper part of the second radiator is disposed in a position that is below the first cooling fan that cools the first radiator.