Hydrogen tank cooling device and cooling method in hydrogen fuel automobile, and hydrogen fuel automobile

A hydrogen tank cooling device for a hydrogen fuel automobile, the hydrogen fuel automobile comprising:

• a hydrogen tank containing a hydrogen storage material and having a heat exchanger inside, the heat exchanger including a heat medium pipe through which a heat medium flows;
• a drive portion for driving the vehicle using hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen tank as fuel;
• a heat medium passage through which flows the heat medium which can exchange heat with the drive portion and can be supplied to the heat medium pipe;
• a radiator for cooling the heat medium which flows through the heat medium passage;
• and
• an air cooling apparatus that includes a compressor for compressing a refrigerant gas, a condenser for condensing the compressed refrigerant gas using a fan, an evaporator for making expanded refrigerant liquid evaporate cooling air sent by another fan by latent heat of evaporation in the refrigerant, and a refrigerant circuit, wherein the refrigerant circuit is provided with the compressor, condenser, and evaporator,
• wherein the hydrogen tank cooling device comprising:
• a bypass passage which branches from the refrigerant circuit such that expanded refrigerant liquid detours the evaporator so as to be drawn into the compressor;
• a switch portion that can switch between a state where the expanded refrigerant liquid passes through the evaporator so as to be drawn into the compressor and a state where the expanded refrigerant liquid detours the evaporator so as to flow through the bypass passage;
• and
• a hydrogen storage material cooling portion for cooling the hydrogen storage material using the expanded refrigerant liquid that flows through the bypass passage,
• wherein
• the hydrogen storage material cooling portion includes a refrigerant pipe provided inside the hydrogen tank, and
• the expanded refrigerant liquid that flows through the bypass passage flows through the refrigerant pipe.

A hydrogen tank cooling device for a hydrogen fuel automobile, the hydrogen fuel automobile comprising:

• a hydrogen tank containing a hydrogen storage material and having a heat exchanger inside, the heat exchanger including a heat medium pipe through which a heat medium flows;
• a drive portion for driving the vehicle using hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen tank as fuel;
• a heat medium passage through which flows the heat medium which can exchange heat with the drive portion and can be supplied to the heat medium pipe;
• a radiator for cooling the heat medium which flows through the heat medium passage;
• and
• an air cooling apparatus that includes a compressor for compressing a refrigerant gas, a condenser for condensing the compressed refrigerant gas using a fan, an evaporator for making expanded refrigerant liquid evaporate cooling air sent by another fan by latent heat of evaporation in the refrigerant, and a refrigerant circuit, wherein the refrigerant circuit is provided with the compressor, condenser, and evaporator,
• wherein the hydrogen tank cooling device comprising:
• a bypass passage which branches from the refrigerant circuit such that expanded refrigerant liquid detours the evaporator so as to be drawn into the compressor;
• a switch portion that can switch between a state where the expanded refrigerant liquid passes through the evaporator so as to be drawn into the compressor and a state where the expanded refrigerant liquid detours the evaporator so as to flow through the bypass passage;
• and
• a hydrogen storage material cooling portion for cooling the hydrogen storage material using the expanded refrigerant liquid that flows through the bypass passage,
• wherein
• the compressor is a variable displacement compressor, and
• the hydrogen tank cooling device further comprises a control portion for controlling the displacement of the variable displacement compressor in accordance with the temperature of the heat medium.

A hydrogen fuel automobile, comprising:

• a hydrogen tank containing a hydrogen storage material and having a heat exchanger inside, the heat exchanger including a heat medium pipe through which a heat medium flows;
• a drive portion for driving the vehicle using hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen tank as fuel;
• a heat medium passage through which flows the heat medium which can exchange heat with the drive portion and can be supplied to the heat medium pipe;
• a radiator for cooling the heat medium which flows through the heat medium passage;
• an air cooling apparatus that includes a compressor for compressing an expanded refrigerant gas, a condenser for condensing the compressed refrigerant gas using a fan, an evaporator for making expanded refrigerant liquid evaporate thereby cooling air sent by another fan by latent heat of evaporation in the refrigerant, and a refrigerant circuit, wherein the refrigerant circuit is provided with the compressor, condenser, and evaporator;
• a bypass passage which branches from the refrigerant circuit such that expanded refrigerant liquid detours the evaporator so as to be drawn into the compressor;
• a switch portion that can switch between a state where the expanded refrigerant liquid passes through the evaporator so as to be drawn into the compressor and a state where the expanded refrigerant liquid detours the evaporator so as to flow through the bypass passage;
• and
• a hydrogen storage material cooling portion for cooling the hydrogen storage material using the expanded refrigerant liquid that flows through the bypass passage,
• wherein the switch portion is a first switch portion, and the hydrogen tank cooling device further comprises a second switch portion which can switch between a state where the heat medium flows through the heat medium pipe after cooling the drive portion and a state where the heat medium flows through the heat medium pipe without passing through the drive portion.