Gas detection system, fuel cell system, and vehicle

• US 8,920,982 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2008
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kajiwara, Shigeto, Ishigaki, Katsuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Wollschlager, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): YI, STELLA KIM
• Application Number:
  US12/738,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20100209787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,280 Days
• Field of Search: 429/400, 429/57, 429/427, 429/402, 429/403, 429/407, 429/412, 429/413, 429/426, 429/428, 429/90, 429/535
• US Class Current: 429/400
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1095 Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04447 of anode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04679 of 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 gas detection system is configured to detect a preset gas in a predetermined space. The gas detection system includes a gas concentration detector constructed to detect a gas concentration of the preset gas, a recording assembly, a notification module, and a decision module. When the gas concentration detected by the gas concentration detector is higher than a preset first reference value, the decision module controls the notification module to give notice. When the detected gas concentration is higher than a preset second reference value but is lower than the preset first reference value, on the other hand, the decision module controls the notification module to give no notice but record a specific piece of information into the recording assembly. This arrangement of the gas detection system enables the user to readily detect deterioration of a device utilizing a fuel, for example, fuel cells.

Claims

1. A vehicle equipped with a fuel cell system comprising fuel cells and a gas detection system configured to detect hydrogen leaked from the fuel cells, the gas detection system comprising:

a gas concentration detector constructed to detect a concentration of hydrogen leaked from the fuel cells;

a recording assembly;

a notification module; and

a control device programmed to make a distinction between, on one hand, giving notice to an operator of the vehicle and stopping the operation of the fuel cell system, and, on the other hand, recording a result of the concentration of hydrogen leaked into the recording assembly that can be retrieved at a later time by a diagnostic checking tool, wherein the control device is programmed to render the distinction based on the concentration of hydrogen leaked from the fuel cells in the following manner;

(a) when the hydrogen concentration detected by the gas concentration detector is higher than a preset first reference value, control the notification module to give notice to the operator of the vehicle and stop the operation of the fuel cell system, and

(b) when the detected hydrogen concentration is (i) higher than a preset second reference value that is lower than the preset first reference value and (ii) is lower than the preset first reference value, not give notice to the operator of the vehicle via the notification module, but record the detection result into the recording assembly that can be retrieved at a later time by a diagnostic checking tool.

2. The vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the notification module is provided on an instrumental panel.

3. The vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the notification module is a warning lamp.

4. The vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the notification module is a display displaying a warning.