US 7,028,706 B2Granted

Gas decompression device for fuel cell system

AssigneeAisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorAkira Ando

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Abstract

A decompression valve incorporated in a gas decompression device valve of fuel cell system is divided into a measuring room and a back pressure room by a diaphragm. A valve seat and a valve body adjoining to the measuring room are arranged on the decompression valve. When gas pressure works on the diaphragm, the diaphragm is displaced to move in a direction for making the valve body closer to the valve seat. Pressure control springs arranged on the decompression valve urge the diaphragm in a direction to make the valve body separate from the valve seat. The diaphragm, pressure control springs and the like allow hydrogen gas to pass the valve seat, whereby hydrogen gas from an outlet is decompressed. The gas decompression further comprises a pressure switch valve which adjusts urging force of the pressure control spring by back pressure, a flow rate sensor which detects gas flow rate at the outlet, and an electronic control unit which controls the pressure switch valve so as to adjust back pressure depending on gas flow rate.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A gas decompression device which decompresses gas to be supplied to a fuel cell in fuel cell system, the gas decompression device comprising:

a body which includes an inlet, an outlet, and an internal space;
a diaphragm which divides the internal space into a measuring room and a back pressure room;
a valve seat which is provided for the measuring room and arranged between the inlet and the outlet;
a valve body which is provided for the valve seat and interlocked with the diaphragm;
working pressure supply means which supplies working pressure to the back pressure room;
a pressure control spring which urges the diaphragm in a direction to make the valve body separate from the valve seat;
working pressure adjust means which adjusts working pressure to be supplied to the back pressure room;
gas flow rate detect means which detects flow rate of gas from the outlet or a value corresponding to the flow rate;
stop detect means which detects a stop of the fuel cell system, wherein the control means controls the working pressure adjust means so as to lower the working pressure to atmospheric pressure level when a stop of the fuel cell system is detected by the stop detect means;
and
control means which controls the working pressure adjust means so as to adjust the working pressure depending on the flow rate or the value corresponding to flow rate detected by the gas flow rate detect means,
wherein
the diaphragm is displaced in a direction to make the valve body come close to the valve seat when gas pressure works on the measuring room side of the diaphragm,
the diaphragm is displaced in a direction to make the valve body separate from the valve seat when working pressure works on the back pressure room side of the diaphragm, and
gas flowing in the measuring room through the inlet and out from the outlet is decompressed by such that collaboration of at least the diaphragm and the pressure control spring makes the valve body move with reference to the valve seat.

12 more elements

A gas decompression device which decompresses gas to be supplied to a fuel cell in fuel cell system, the gas decompression device comprising:

a body which includes an inlet, an outlet, and an internal space;
a diaphragm which divides the internal space into a measuring room and a back pressure room;
a valve seat which is provided for the measuring room and arranged between the inlet and the outlet;
a valve body which is provided for the valve seat and interlocked with the diaphragm;
a compressor which compresses air;
an air path which supplies working pressure derived from air compressed by the compressor;
a pressure control spring which urges the diaphragm in a direction to make the valve body separate from the valve seat;
a pressure switch valve which is arranged on the air path so as to adjust working pressure to be supplied to the back pressure room and switches states between a pressure supply state for supplying air pressure to the back pressure room and an air release state for releasing air pressure to the back pressure room;
a flow rate sensor which detects flow rate of gas from the outlet;
and
an ignition switch which detects a stop of the fuel cell system, wherein the electronic control unit controls the pressure switch valve to switch to the air release state so as to lower the working pressure to atmospheric pressure level when a stop of the fuel cell system is detected by the ignition switch;
and
an electronic control unit which controls the pressure switch valve so as to adjust the working pressure depending on detected gas flow rate,
wherein
the diaphragm is displaced in a direction to make the valve body come close to the valve seat when gas pressure works on the measuring room side of the diaphragm,
the diaphragm is displaced in a direction to make the valve body separate from the valve seat when working pressure works on the back pressure room side of the diaphragm, and
gas flowing in the measuring room through the inlet and out from the outlet is decompressed by such that collaboration of at least the diaphragm and the pressure control spring makes the valve body move with reference to the valve seat.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/814,170Filed 1 Apr 2004
Priority: JP 2003-11519221 Apr 2003
Published: US 2004/0206400 A121 Oct 2004
Granted: 18 Apr 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G05D 16/0663
The membrane acting directly on the obturator: using a spring-loaded membrane with a spring-loaded slideable obturator
Y10T 137/7761
Pilot or servo controlled: electrically actuated valve
Y10T 137/7782
With separate connected fluid reactor surface: with manual or external control for line valve
Y10T 137/7836
Valve seating in direction of flow: flexible diaphragm or bellows reactor