Abstract: An example fuel cell arrangement includes a fuel cell stack configured to receive a supply fluid and to provide an exhaust fluid that has more thermal energy than the supply fluid. The arrangement also includes an ejector and a heat exchanger. The ejector is configured to direct at least some of the exhaust fluid into the supply fluid. The heat exchanger is configured to increase thermal energy in the supply fluid using at least some of the exhaust fluid that was not directed into the supply fluid.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide: a liquid electrolyte for batteries, which has excellent stability to lithium metals; a method for producing the liquid electrolyte; and a lithium battery comprising the liquid electrolyte. Presented is a liquid electrolyte for lithium batteries, wherein the liquid electrolyte comprises a mesoionic compound represented by the following general formula (1): wherein R1 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and R2 is a group represented by any one of the following general formulae (2), (3) and (4): General Formula (2): —ClH2l—(OCH2)m—CnH2n+1; General Formula (3): —CxH2x—(CH2OCH2)y—CzH2z+1; and General Formula (4): —CpH2p—(C2H4OCH2)q—CrH2r+1.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a middle- or large-sized battery pack case in which a battery module having a plurality of stacked battery cells, which can be charged and discharged, is mounted, wherein the battery pack case is provided with a coolant inlet port and a coolant outlet port, which are disposed such that a coolant for cooling the battery cells can flow from one side to the other side of the battery module in the direction perpendicular to the stacking direction of the battery cells, and the battery pack case is further provided with a flow space (‘inlet duct’) extending from the coolant inlet port to the battery module and another flow space (Outlet duct’) extending from the battery module to the coolant outlet port, the inlet duct having a vertical sectional area less than that of the outlet duct.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cooling system for a fuel cell (2), comprising a main heat-transfer-fluid circuit including a main circulation pump (6) and a heat exchanger (8) with the exterior, which feed an upstream pipe (12) supplying the fluid to the cells (4) of the fuel cell, said fluid leaving the cells via a downstream pipe (14) in order to return to the main pump. The system is characterised in that a secondary circuit, comprising a secondary circulation device (30) that circulates the fluid in an alternate manner, is connected in parallel with the main circuit to the upstream (12) and downstream (14) pipes and in that one or more controlled valves (10, 16) allow the main circuit and the secondary circuit to operate independently.

Abstract: A window portion allowing the terminal of the cell to be inserted through is opened in the board holder, and projecting portions are provided projecting inward in the window portion in plural locations of the edge sides facing the window portion in the board holder. And the plural projecting portions in the board holder each decrease in cross-sectional size toward the tips of the plural projecting portions, the board holder is engaged in position by the tips of the plural projecting portions at least partially contacting the under surface of the terminal of the cell which is exposed to the sealing plate side without being covered by a gasket.

Abstract: Discussed herein is a battery pack configured to have a structure in which a battery pack case is provided at the upper part and the lower part thereof with a coolant inlet port and a coolant outlet port, respectively, the battery pack case is provided with a coolant introduction part and a coolant discharge part, the coolant introduction part includes (a) a parallel introduction part adjacent to the coolant inlet port, the parallel introduction part extending in parallel to a top of the unit cell stack and (b) an inclined introduction part connected to the parallel introduction part, the inclined introduction part extending from the coolant inlet port to an end of the battery pack case opposite to the coolant inlet port such that a distance between the inclined introduction part and the top of the unit cell stack is gradually decreased.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a battery module including (a) a battery cell stack including two or more battery cells or unit modules electrically connected to each other in a state in which the battery cells or unit modules are vertically stacked, (b) a first housing to cover the entirety of the end of one side of the battery cell stack and portions of the top and bottom of the battery cell stack and (c) a second housing to cover the entirety of the end of the other side of the battery cell stack and the remainder of the top and bottom of the battery cell stack, wherein the first housing and the second housing are provided with coupling holes formed to couple the first housing and the second housing to each other, the coupling holes being horizontal coupling holes, through which coupling members can be inserted in the lateral direction.

Abstract: Composite electrode material for a rechargeable battery cell includes an electroactive material; and a polymeric binder including pendant carboxyl groups, characterized in that (i) the electroactive material includes one or more components selected from the group including an electroactive metal, an electroactive semi-metal, an electroactive ceramic material, an electroactive metalloid, an electroactive semi-conductor, an electroactive alloy of a metal, an electroactive alloy of a semi metal and an electroactive compound of a metal or a semi-metal, (ii) the polymeric binder has a molecular weight in the range 300,000 to 3,000,000 and (iii) 50 to 90% of the carboxyl groups of the polymeric binder are in the form of a metal ion carboxylate salt. A method of making a composite electrode material, an electrode, cells including electrodes and devices using such cells are also disclosed.

Abstract: A gel polymer electrolyte including: an organic solvent; a lithium salt that reacts with residual water contained in the organic solvent to produce at least one material selected from the group consisting of a protonic acid and a Lewis acid; and a polymer that is generated by polymerizing at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of monomers represented by Formulae 1 to 3 below: wherein in Formulae 1 to 3, R1 to R31 are the same as defined in the detailed description section of the specification.

Abstract: Systems and methods for switching high-voltage contactors in a battery system with reduced degradation over time are presented. In certain embodiments, a system may include solid-state switches disposed is parallel with the high-voltage contactors. The solid-state switches may be configured to selectively close when the high-voltage contactors are in transition from a closed state to an open state. By closing the solid-state switches during this transition, electrical arcing and associated degradation and/or damage to the contactors may be reduced.

Abstract: A fuel cell arrangement is disclosed. The fuel cell arrangement includes a fuel cell stack and a housing wall element to form a housing surrounding the fuel cell stack. The housing wall element comprises a penetrating opening for an electric contacting of the fuel cell stack via a conductor. The conductor extends through the penetrating opening. A sheath is arranged between the penetrating opening wall and the conductor around an insulation layer arranged at the conductor. The sheath, together with the insulation layer, is pushed against the conductor in a gas-tight fashion, with the penetrating opening being sealed in a gas-tight fashion via a compensation element to compensate for longitudinal and lateral movements. The compensation element is lastingly fastened at the sheath element and the housing wall element in a gas-tight fashion.

Abstract: To provide an ionic electrolyte membrane structure that enables contact between the air pole and the fuel pole in which structure an edge face of the interface between an ion conducting layer and an ion non-conducting layer stands bare on a plane, an ionic electrolyte membrane structure which transmits ions only is made up of i) a substrate having a plurality of pores which have been made through the substrate in the thickness direction thereof and ii) a plurality of multi-layer membranes each comprising an ion conducting layer formed of an ion conductive material and an ion non-conducting layer formed of an ion non-conductive material which have alternately been formed in laminae a plurality of times on each inner wall surface of the pores of the substrate in such a way that the multi-layer membranes fill up the pores completely; the ions only being transmitted in the through direction by way of the multi-layer membranes provided on the inner wall surfaces of the pores.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery includes an electrode assembly that performs charging and discharging; a case in which the electrode assembly is installed; a cap plate coupled to the case; an electrode terminal coupled to a terminal hole of the cap plate; and an insulator between the cap plate and the electrode terminal. The electrode includes a flow path that supplies a cooling fluid to a portion of the electrode terminal coupled with the insulator.

Abstract: To provide an ionic electrolyte membrane structure that enables contact between the air pole and the fuel pole in which structure an edge face of the interface between an ion conducting layer and an ion non-conducting layer stands bare on a plane, an ionic electrolyte membrane structure which transmits ions only is made up of i) a substrate having a plurality of pores which have been made through the substrate in the thickness direction thereof and ii) a plurality of multi-layer membranes each comprising an ion conducting layer formed of an ion conductive material and an ion non-conducting layer formed of an ion non-conductive material which have alternately been formed in laminae a plurality of times on each inner wall surface of the pores of the substrate in such a way that the multi-layer membranes fill up the pores completely; the ions only being transmitted in the through direction by way of the multi-layer membranes provided on the inner wall surfaces of the pores.

Abstract: A difluorophosphate effective as an additive for a nonaqueous electrolyte for secondary battery is produced by a simple method from inexpensive common materials. The difluorophosphate is produced by reacting lithium hexafluorophosphate with a carbonate in a nonaqueous solvent. The liquid reaction mixture resulting from this reaction is supplied for providing the difluorophosphate in a nonaqueous electrolyte comprising a nonaqueous solvent which contains at least a hexafluorophosphate as an electrolyte lithium salt and further contains a difluorophosphate. Also provided is a nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary battery employing this nonaqueous electrolyte.

Abstract: A method of extending the life of a battery, including positioning a dendrite seeding material in an electrolyte solution disposed between a metal-containing electrode and an electrolyte permeable separator membrane, growing metal dendrites from the lithium dendrite seeding material toward the lithium-containing electrode, and contacting metal dendrites extending from the metal containing electrode with metal dendrites extending from the metal dendrite seeding material, wherein the electrolyte contains metal ions.

Abstract: An iterative process of depositing on a solid electrolyte a coating of unconnected particles composed of an ionically conductive material. A liquid solution is also applied. The liquid solution includes an inorganic component. The deposited liquid is heated to a temperature sufficient to evaporate or otherwise remove some or all of the volatile components of the liquid solution. Typically the temperature is below 1000° and often at about 850° C. The effect of heating the solution is to cause ion conducting material in the solution to adhere to the surface of the existing ion conducting particles and form connections between these particles. This is understood to create an ion conducting skeletal support structure. Within the intrestices of this skeletal support structure, the step of heating is also understood to result in the deposition of the inorganic component that will begin to form a electron conducting structure.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery includes an electrode assembly in a battery case, and a buffer sheet between the electrode assembly and the battery case, the buffer sheet contacting the electrode assembly and the battery case.

Abstract: Catalysts that include at least one catalytically active element and one helper catalyst can be used to increase the rate or lower the overpotential of chemical reactions. The helper catalyst can simultaneously act as a director molecule, suppressing undesired reactions and thus increasing selectivity toward the desired reaction. These catalysts can be useful for a variety of chemical reactions including, in particular, the electrochemical conversion of CO2 or formic acid. The catalysts can also suppress H2 evolution, permitting electrochemical cell operation at potentials below RHE. Chemical processes and devices using the catalysts are also disclosed, including processes to produce CO, OH?, HCO?, H2CO, (HCO2)?, H2CO2, CH3OH, CH4, C2H4, CH3CH2OH, CH3COO?, CH3COOH, C2H6, O2, H2, (COOH)2, or (COO?)2, and a specific device, namely, a CO2 sensor.

Abstract: A fuel cell power plant (36) has vertical fuel cells (102) each sharing a half of a hybrid separator plate (100) which includes a solid fuel flow plate (105) having horizontal fuel flow channels (106) on one surface and coolant channels (108) on an upper portion of the opposite surface, bonded to a plain rear side of a porous, hydrophilic oxidant flow field plate (115) having vertical oxidant flow channels (118). Coolant permeates through the upper portion of the porous, hydrophilic oxidant flow field plates and enters the oxidant flow channels, where it evaporates as the water trickles downward through the oxidant flow field channels, thereby cooling the fuel cell.