IP Library Granted Patent US 9,249,935
Granted Patent B2
US 9,249,935 · App. 13/880,215 · Granted Feb 2, 2016

Fuel supply system

Inventors: Eiji Okawachi (Toyota, JP); Kazushi Numazaki (Toyota, JP)
Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
F17D1/00F16K31/0655F17C7/00H01M8/04089H01M8/04201H01M8/04373H01M8/04388H01M8/04753Y02E60/50Y10T137/8158
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,249,935
App. No.
13/880,215
Granted
Feb 2, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A fuel supply system includes a fuel gas tank; a temperature detecting portion; a fuel gas discharge flow path; a main stop valve that is provided in the fuel gas discharge flow path; and a control portion. The main stop valve includes an inlet portion and an outlet portion, a main valve that is arranged between the inlet portion and the outlet portion and that opens and closes the fuel gas discharge flow path, a pilot flow path that is provided so as to communicate the inlet portion with the outlet portion, a pilot valve that opens and closes the pilot flow path, and an actuator capable of opening and closing the main valve and the pilot valve at different timings. The control portion opens the pilot valve and closes the main valve when the detected temperature is equal to or lower than a first reference temperature.

Claims (20)

1. A fuel supply system that supplies fuel gas, comprising:

a fuel gas tank in which the fuel gas is stored at high pressure;

a temperature detecting portion that detects a temperature inside the fuel gas tank;

a fuel gas discharge flow path that is connected to the fuel gas tank;

a main stop valve that is provided in the fuel gas discharge flow path; and

a control portion that controls opening and closing of the main stop valve,

wherein the main stop valve includes an inlet portion through which the fuel gas flows in and an outlet portion through which the fuel gas flows out, a main valve that is arranged between the inlet portion and the outlet portion and that opens and closes the fuel gas discharge flow path, a pilot flow path that is provided so as to communicate the inlet portion with the outlet portion, a pilot valve that opens and closes the pilot flow path, and an actuator capable of opening and closing the main valve and the pilot valve at different timings, and

wherein the pilot flow path and the pilot valve are formed inside the main valve, and

wherein the control portion is programmed to open the pilot valve and close the main valve when a detected temperature detected by the temperature detecting portion is equal to or lower than a first reference temperature.

2. The fuel supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the control portion is further programmed to repeatedly open and close the pilot valve and closes the main valve when the detected temperature detected by the temperature detecting portion is equal to or lower than the first reference temperature.

3. The fuel supply system according to claim 2 , wherein the control portion is further programmed to open the main valve when the detected temperature is equal to or higher than a second reference temperature that is higher than the first reference temperature.

4. The fuel supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the pilot valve opens and closes the pilot flow path that is provided inside the main valve.

5. The fuel supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator drives the pilot valve, and drives the main valve via the pilot valve.

6. The fuel supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator is an electromagnet.

7. The fuel supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the reference temperature is a temperature set based on a cold resistance temperature of a member arranged downstream of the main stop valve in the fuel gas discharge flow path.

8. A fuel cell system having a fuel cell, comprising the fuel supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the fuel gas is hydrogen gas, and the fuel cell generates electric power using hydrogen gas supplied from the fuel supply system.

9. The fuel supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the pilot flow path formed inside the main valve communicates with the outlet portion via an opening portion formed in the main valve.

10. A control method for a fuel supply system that supplies fuel gas, the fuel supply system including a fuel gas tank in which the fuel gas is stored, a fuel gas discharge flow path that is connected to the fuel gas tank, and a main stop valve that is provided in the fuel gas discharge flow path, the main stop valve including an inlet portion through which the fuel gas flows in and an outlet portion through which the fuel gas flows out, a main valve that is arranged between the inlet portion and the outlet portion and that opens and closes the fuel gas discharge flow path, a pilot flow path that is provided so as to communicate the inlet portion with the outlet portion, and a pilot valve that opens and closes the pilot flow path, wherein the pilot flow path and the pilot valve are formed inside the main valve, the control method comprising:

detecting a temperature inside the fuel gas tank; and

opening the pilot valve and closing the main valve when the temperature detected inside the fuel gas tank is equal to or lower than a first reference temperature.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 18, 2013
From: OKAWACHI, EIJI; NUMAZAKI, KAZUSHI
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 030243/0372 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2010-241755 · Oct 28, 2010 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20130206257A1 · Aug 15, 2013