CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-203919 filed on Nov. 11, 2019, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a fuel cell system including a fuel cell stack, a hydrogen gas system auxiliary device, and an air system auxiliary device.

Description of the Related Art

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, a hydrogen gas system auxiliary device for supplying/discharging a hydrogen gas to/from the fuel cell stack, and an air system auxiliary device for supplying/discharging the air to/from the fuel cell stack. In the case where the fuel cell system is mounted in a fuel cell vehicle, it is required to suitably dispose the fuel cell stack and auxiliary devices in a limited space of a motor room.

For example, a fuel cell system disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2013-004352 is directed to achieve a compact structure where hydrogen gas system auxiliary devices such as a hydrogen pump, a gas liquid separator, and an injector are attached to positions adjacent to an end plate disposed at one end of the fuel cell stack.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In this regard, in the fuel cell system, the pressure of the hydrogen gas is low at some positions of the hydrogen gas system auxiliary devices and the pressure of the hydrogen gas is high at other positions of the hydrogen gas system auxiliary devices, during operation, etc. of the fell cell stack. If the fuel cell system adopts a layout where a heavy object (e.g., a humidifier as an air system auxiliary device) is disposed adjacent to a position where the pressure of the hydrogen gas is high for size reduction, in the case where the fuel cell vehicle receives a large load such as an impact, the auxiliary devices which are present at such a position where the pressure of the hydrogen gas is high may be damaged by movement of the heavy object.

The present invention relates to the above fuel cell system, and an object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell system in which, even if the fuel cell system receives a load, it is possible to suitably protect auxiliary devices which are present at positions where the pressure of the hydrogen gas is high.

In order to achieve the above object, according to an aspect of the present invention, a fuel cell system is provided. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, a hydrogen gas system auxiliary device disposed outside the fuel cell stack, and an air system auxiliary device disposed adjacent to the hydrogen gas system auxiliary device. The hydrogen gas system auxiliary device includes an injector, an upstream side auxiliary device provided on the upstream side of the injector in the flow direction of hydrogen gas, and a downstream side auxiliary device provided on the downstream side of the injector in the flow direction of the hydrogen gas. The upstream side auxiliary device is disposed at a position farther away from the air system auxiliary device than the downstream side auxiliary device.

In the fuel cell system, the upstream side auxiliary device is disposed at a position farther away from the air system auxiliary device than the downstream side auxiliary device. With such a configuration, when the air system auxiliary device receives a large load toward the hydrogen gas system auxiliary device, the air system auxiliary device is initially brought into contact with the injector or the downstream side auxiliary device. Therefore, it is possible to suitably protect the upstream side auxiliary device having a pressure of hydrogen gas that is higher than a pressure of hydrogen gas in the downstream side auxiliary device. That is, even if the fuel cell system receives a large load, it is possible to suppress damage on the upstream side auxiliary device.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

