Hydrogen station, method of charging hydrogen, and vehicle

• US 7,980,344 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2008
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki (Toyota Motor Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki (Toyota Motor Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Mori, Daigoro, Kubo, Hidehito, Isogai, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan; Hau V
• Assistant Examiner(s): OLSZEWSKI, JOHN
• Application Number:
  US12/045,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20080210185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 180/69.2, 180/69.21, 180/69.24, 180/68.1, 180/68.4
• US Class Current: 180/68.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00257 Non-transportable devices, disposed outside the vehicle, e.g. on a parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00392 for electric vehicles having only electric drive means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/71 Arrangement of fuel cells within vehicles specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 11/005 for hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/056 Small (<1 m3)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/058 portable (<30 l)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0142 bundled in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0326 electrically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/012 Hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0123 gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0157 Compressors
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0309 using another fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0313 by forced circulation, e.g. using a fan
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0388 separate
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0397 characterised by fins
• 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 2250/0631 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/025 : Reducing transfer time
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2265/065 : for refuelling vehicle fuel tanks
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0139 : Fuel stations
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0168 : by vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0184 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 5/06 : for filling with compressed gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 : Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04201 : Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 : Hydrogen storage
• 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 hydrogen station includes gas storage equipment for storing hydrogen, a dispenser for charging hydrogen gas supplied from the gas storage equipment into a hydrogen tank of a vehicle, and a blower. When charging hydrogen, the blower blows air towards a radiator of the vehicle parked at a predetermined vehicle parking area of the hydrogen station. The current flow of the blower is adjusted in accordance with the heat load on the radiator.

Claims

1. A vehicle for use with hydrogen as a fuel source for the vehicle, the vehicle comprising:

a hydrogen tank for storing hydrogen, the hydrogen tank contains a hydrogen adsorption alloy;

a radiator for cooling the hydrogen tank when charging the hydrogen tank with hydrogen, the radiator being arranged in a compartment located at a front portion of the vehicle;

a hood for covering an upper opening of the compartment, the hood having a lid that opens and closes, the lid is arranged in the vicinity of the radiator and at a downstream side of the radiator with respect to a flow direction of air blown towards the radiator;

a flow passage for enhancing discharge of air from the compartment, with air being blown from outside the compartment towards the radiator and flowing through the radiator, the flow passage extending from an upstream side of the radiator, through the radiator and through the hood when the lid opens; and

a detector for detecting heat generation of the hydrogen tank to transmit information related to the heat generation to a hydrogen station for charging hydrogen into the hydrogen tank.

2. A vehicle for use with hydrogen as a fuel source for the vehicle, the vehicle comprising:

a hydrogen tank for storing hydrogen;

a radiator for cooling the hydrogen tank when charging the hydrogen tank with hydrogen, the radiator being arranged in a compartment formed in the vehicle;

a hood for covering an upper opening of the compartment, the hood having a lid that is capable of opening and closing, the lid is arranged in the vicinity of the radiator and at a downstream side of the radiator with respect to a flow direction of air blown towards the radiator; and

a flow passage for enhancing discharge of air from the compartment, with air being blown from outside the compartment towards the radiator and flowing through the radiator, the flow passage extending from an upstream side of the radiator, through the radiator and through the hood when the lid opens.

3. A vehicle for use with hydrogen as a fuel source for the vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes a hydrogen tank for storing hydrogen, and the hydrogen tank is charged with hydrogen with the vehicle parked at a hydrogen station having a blower for blowing air toward the vehicle, the vehicle comprising:

a radiator for cooling the hydrogen tank when charging the hydrogen tank with hydrogen, the radiator being arranged in a compartment formed in the vehicle so that the radiator faces the blower when the vehicle is parked at the hydrogen station;

a hood for covering an upper opening of the compartment, the hood having a lid that is capable of opening and closing, the lid is arranged in the vicinity of the radiator and at a downstream side of the radiator with respect to a flow direction of air blown towards the radiator; and

a flow passage for enhancing discharge of air from the compartment, with the air being blown from the blower towards the radiator and flowing through the radiator when the vehicle is parked at the hydrogen station, the flow passage extending from an upstream side of the radiator, through the radiator and through the hood when the lid opens.