Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Syuji Hirakata

Yutaka Hotta

Shin Nishida

Hideyuki Tanaka

Toru Bisaka

Akira Aoto

Ichiro Hosotani

Tomohiro Tanaka

In a vehicle, a first gas sensor detects a hydrogen gas concentration of a vehicle interior front zone. Air-conditioning corresponding to an operation of a suction air switching button or the like is performed until the hydrogen gas concentration of the vehicle interior front zone reaches a predetermined second reference concentration, and any one of interior air mode switching control of an interior/exterior air switching mechanism and stop control of a blower is performed regardless of the operation of the suction air switching button or the like when the hydrogen gas concentration reaches the second predetermined reference concentration.

Fuel cell vehicle and control method thereof

An electric vehicle with fuel cells mounted thereon has a fuel tank that stores a fuel therein, and a connector receptor that is connected to the fuel tank and is open to the surface of the vehicle body. A connector of a predetermined hydrogen supply device is fitted in and attached to the connector receptor, so that a supply of fuel is fed from the hydrogen supply device to the electric vehicle. The connector receptor is provided with a fuel lid for covering over the connector receptor. When it is determined that the fuel cells are in a working state, the fuel lid is not opened in response to input of an opening instruction of the fuel lid in the course of fuel supply. When it is determined that the fuel lid is open, on the other hand, operation of the fuel cells is not started in response to input of a starting instruction of the fuel cells in the electric vehicle. Such an arrangement enhances the safety of fuel supply to any system with fuel cells.

Fuel cell fuel supply system and mobile body

A heat exchange system includes a fuel cell that receives a specified gas and generates electric power, a heat exchange device that exchanges heat with a heat exchange medium, a heat exchange medium passage, and a gas detector. The heat exchange medium passage allows the heat exchange medium to circulate between the heat exchange device and the fuel cell such that the heat exchange medium can exchange heat with the heat exchange device and the fuel cell. The gas detector is disposed at at least one of the heat exchange device and the heat exchange medium passage to detect the specified gas that leaks into the heat exchange medium.

Heat exchange system

A fuel cell apparatus is formed by connecting four stacks via a supply/discharge box. A cooling water supply opening and a cooling water discharge opening are short-circuited by a cable so as to eliminate the electric potential difference therebetween. To avoid hindrance of gas flow due to water droplets, a drain port for discharging water droplets is provided near a fuel gas discharge opening of the supply/discharge box. Each stack is formed by clamping end plates disposed on opposite ends of stacked cells through the use of upper and lower tension plates. The thus-formed fuel cell apparatus is housed in an outer case that has a sealed construction for preventing penetration of foreign substances. Thus, the apparatus achieves a size reduction and an improvement in practicality.

Fuel cell apparatus

A hydrogen using system for installation in a vehicle has a methanol tank that stores methanol as a source material of hydrogen, which is a fuel of the hydrogen using system, a water tank that stores water, a methanol reformer that produces a hydrogen fuel from methanol and water, a first electromagnetic valve provided in a first channel connecting the methanol tank to the reformer, a polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack that generates power from the hydrogen fuel supplied from the reformer, a second electromagnetic valve provided in a second channel connecting the reformer to the fuel cell stack, an electronic control unit that controls various portions of the hydrogen using system, etc. When an impact occurs on the vehicle, the electronic control unit shuts the first channel and the second channel by forcibly closing the first and second electromagnetic valves based on a detection signal from the impact sensor. This hydrogen using system curbs reactions of hydrogen at the time of an accident or the like, thereby further improving safety of the system.

Growing community of inventors

Susono, Japan

Syuji Hirakata