IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,394,809
Granted Patent B2
US 12,394,809 · App. 17/830,144 · Granted Aug 19, 2025

Fuel cell ship

Inventors: Manabu Shinagawa (Osaka, JP); Takehiro Maruyama (Osaka, JP); Yasuyoshi Yamaguchi (Osaka, JP); Takuya Hiraiwa (Osaka, JP); Yukihiko Kimura (Kunisaki, JP)
Assignee: YANMAR HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
H01M8/04201B60L50/72B63H21/17H01M8/04089H01M8/04455H01M8/04753B60L2200/32H01M2008/1095H01M2250/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,394,809
App. No.
17/830,144
Granted
Aug 19, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A fuel cell ship includes a fuel cell that generates electric power by an electrochemical reaction of fuel, a propulsion device that generates propulsive force on a hull by electric power supplied from the fuel cell, a fuel supply pipe through which the fuel is supplied from a fuel tank housing the fuel to the fuel cell, a duct compartment that houses a part of the fuel supply pipe, a vent pipe that communicates with the duct compartment, and a fuel filling port that serves as an inlet for filling the fuel tank with the fuel. The fuel filling port is provided in the duct compartment.

Claims (27)

1. A fuel cell ship comprising:

a fuel cell configured to generate electric power by an electrochemical reaction of fuel;

a propulsion device configured to generate propulsive force on a hull by electric power supplied from the fuel cell;

a fuel supply pipe configured to provide the fuel from a fuel tank housing the fuel to the fuel cell;

a duct compartment that houses a part of the fuel supply pipe;

a vent pipe configured to communicate with the duct compartment; and

a fuel filling port configured as an inlet for filling the fuel tank with the fuel, and

wherein the fuel filling port is provided in the duct compartment.

2. The fuel cell ship according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a fuel discharge pipe provided by branching from the fuel supply pipe; and

a fuel filling pipe configured to connect the fuel filling port and the fuel tank, and

wherein the duct compartment is configured to house the fuel discharge pipe and the fuel filling pipe.

3. The fuel cell ship according to claim 2 , further comprising:

an inert gas filling port configured as an inlet for filling the fuel tank with an inert gas; and

an inert gas pipe connected to the inert gas filling port and the fuel filling pipe, wherein the duct compartment is further configured to house the inert gas pipe.

4. The fuel cell ship according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a fuel cell compartment installed with the fuel cell; and

a communication pipe by which the fuel cell compartment is configured to communicate with the duct compartment.

5. The fuel cell ship according to claim 1 , further comprising a tank compartment installed with the fuel tank, wherein the vent pipe is configured to communicate with both the duct compartment and the tank compartment.

6. The fuel cell ship according to claim 1 , further comprising electrical equipment arranged around the duct compartment.

7. The fuel cell ship according to claim 6 , wherein the electrical equipment includes a duct compartment air supply device configured to supply air to inside of the duct compartment.

8. The fuel cell ship according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a control unit configured to control electric power generation of the fuel cell,

wherein:

a fuel gas detector is configured to detect a fuel gas being the fuel in a gaseous state is installed inside the duct compartment, and

based on detection by the fuel gas detector that a concentration of the fuel gas is equal to or greater than a predetermined standard value, the control unit is configured to stop the electric power generation of the fuel cell.

9. The fuel cell ship according to claim 8 , wherein, based on detection by the fuel gas detector that the concentration of the fuel gas is equal to or greater than the predetermined standard value, the control unit is configured to close a main valve of the fuel tank.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2022
From: SHINAGAWA, MANABU; MARUYAMA, TAKEHIRO; YAMAGUCHI, YASUYOSHI; HIRAIWA, TAKUYA; KIMURA, YUKIHIKO
To: YANMAR HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 060075/0947 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-092712 · Jun 2, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220393201A1 · Dec 8, 2022
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