Fuel Cell Vehicle and Vehicle

Abstract

The object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell vehicle capable of generating running noise that does not feel unnatural based on the driving situation by noting and effectively utilizing the fact that a muffling section is provided on a gas piping line of a fuel cell system. In a fuel cell vehicle ( 1 ) in which a fuel cell system ( 3 ) equipped with a muffling section ( 20 ) on a gas piping line ( 5 ) is mounted, the muffling capability of the muffling section ( 20 ) is variable based on the driving situation of the fuel cell vehicle ( 1 ). In a low-speed driving situation, the muffling capability of the muffling section ( 20 ) is lowered. For example, the muffling section ( 20 ) has a direction control valve ( 24 ) that changes over between a muffler ( 21 ) and a bypass passage ( 23 ), based on the driving situation. The direction control valve ( 24 ) may be mechanically operated based on the gas flow speed, or its changeover operation may be controlled by means of a control device ( 51 ).

1 . A fuel cell vehicle in which a fuel cell system having a muffling section on a gas piping line is mounted, 
 wherein the muffling capability of the muffling section can be lowered in a driving situation where the fuel cell vehicle runs at low speeds or in an urban area and the muffling capability of the muffling section can be increased in a driving situation where the fuel cell vehicle runs at high speeds or in a suburban area.    
   
   
       2 . (canceled)  
   
   
       3 . (canceled)  
   
   
       4 . The fuel cell vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the muffling section comprises a muffler that is capable of muffling sound by introducing gas from the gas piping line, and 
 the interior of the muffler has    at least two muffling spaces of different muffling capability, and    changeover means that changes over the at least two muffling spaces based on the driving situation.    
   
   
       5 . The fuel cell vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the muffling section comprises 
 a muffler which muffles sound by introducing gas from the gas piping line,    a bypass passage that bypasses the muffler, and    changeover means that changes over to either of the muffler or the bypass passage based on the driving situation.    
   
   
       6 . The fuel cell vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the muffling section comprises 
 at least two mufflers capable of muffling sound by introducing gas from the gas piping line, the at least two mufflers having mutually different muffling capability, and    changeover means that changes over the at least two mufflers based on the driving situation.    
   
   
       7 . The fuel cell vehicle according to any of  claims 4  to  6 , further comprising 
 detection means that detects the driving situation and    a control device that controls the changeover action of the changeover means based on the detection means.    
   
   
       8 . The fuel cell vehicle according to  claim 7 , wherein the detection means is a flow meter that detects the gas flow rate and is provided in the gas piping line.  
   
   
       9 . The fuel cell vehicle according to  claim 7 , wherein the detection means is a vehicle speedometer that detects the speed of the fuel cell vehicle.  
   
   
       10 . The fuel cell vehicle according to  claim 7 , wherein the detection means detects the position of the fuel cell vehicle.  
   
   
       11 . The fuel cell vehicle according to  claim 10 , wherein the detection means detects the position of the fuel cell vehicle using a GPS signal.  
   
   
       12 . The fuel cell vehicle according to any of  claims 4  to  6 , further comprising 
 a pressurizing device provided on the gas piping line, the pressurizing device delivering oxidizing gas under pressure to a fuel cell, and    a control device that controls the pressurizing device based on the driving situation, wherein    the control device controls the changeover action of the changeover means based on the flow rate of oxidizing gas estimated from a control instruction value supplied to the pressurizing device.    
   
   
       13 . The fuel cell vehicle according to any of  claims 4  to  6 , further comprising 
 detection means that detects the driving situation,    reporting means that reports to an occupant of the vehicle the detection result obtained by the detection means, and    manual control means capable of manually controlling changeover of the changeover means by manual control performed by the occupant of the vehicle.    
   
   
       14 . The fuel cell vehicle according to any of  claims 4  to  6 , wherein the changeover means performs changeover mechanically based on the flow speed of gas flowing therethrough.  
   
   
       15 . The fuel cell vehicle according to any of  claims 4  to  14 , wherein the changeover means is a direction control valve.  
   
   
       16 . The fuel cell vehicle according to any of  claims 4  to  15 , wherein the muffler is provided on the downstream side of a fuel cell in the gas piping line.  
   
   
       17 . The fuel cell vehicle according to  claim 1 , further comprising 
 detection means that detects the driving situation and    a control device that varies the muffling capability of the muffling section based on the detection means.    
   
   
       18 . The fuel cell vehicle according to  claim 17 , wherein the detection means is a flow meter that detects the gas flow rate and is provided in the gas piping line.  
   
   
       19 . The fuel cell vehicle according to  claim 17 , wherein the detection means is a vehicle speedometer that detects the speed of the fuel cell vehicle.  
   
   
       20 . The fuel cell vehicle according to  claim 17 , wherein the detection means detects the position of the fuel cell vehicle.  
   
   
       21 . The fuel cell vehicle according to  claim 20 , wherein the detection means detects the position of the fuel cell vehicle using a GPS signal.  
   
   
       22 . The fuel cell vehicle according to  claim 1 , further comprising 
 a pressurizing device provided on the gas piping line, the pressurizing device delivering oxidizing gas under pressure to a fuel cell, and    a control device that controls the pressurizing device based on the driving situation, wherein    the control device varies the muffling capability of the muffling section based on the flow rate of oxidizing gas estimated from a control instruction value supplied to the pressurizing device.    
   
   
       23 . The fuel cell vehicle according to  claim 1 , further comprising 
 detection means that detects the driving situation,    reporting means that reports to an occupant of the vehicle the detection result obtained by the detection means, and    manual control means capable of manually varying the muffling capability of the muffling section by manual control performed by the occupant of the vehicle.    
   
   
       24 . A vehicle comprising: 
 a drive source that generates drive energy by being supplied with gas by means of gas piping;    an exhaust system that discharges gas from the drive source; and    a muffling section provided in the exhaust system, wherein    the muffling capability of the muffling section can be lowered in a driving situation where the fuel cell vehicle runs at low speeds or in an urban area and the muffling capability of the muffling section can be increased in a driving situation where the fuel cell vehicle runs at high speeds or in an suburban area.