Abstract: Flow guides forming an inlet channel are formed on a surface of a metal separator of a fuel cell. The flow guides overlap a section of an outer seal provided on the other surface of the metal separator. When a load is applied to the flow guides and the overlapping section in a stacking direction of the fuel cell, the flow guides and the overlapping section are deformed substantially equally in the stacking direction to the same extent. The line pressure of the flow guides and the line pressure of the overlapping section are substantially the same. The seal length L1 of the flow guides and the seal length L2 of the overlapping section are substantially the same.

Abstract: A method of operating a high temperature fuel cell system containing a plurality of fuel cell stacks includes operating one or more of the plurality of fuel cell stacks at a first output power while operating another one or more of the plurality of the fuel cell stacks at a second output power different from the first output power.

Abstract: A cathode having a groove extending about 10 to about 450 microns into a surface of the cathode. The cathode can also be roughened.

Abstract: A negative electrode active material for a lithium-based secondary battery includes a graphite-like carbon material having an intensity ratio I(110)/I(002) of an X-ray diffraction peak intensity I(002) at a (002) plane to an X-ray diffraction peak intensity I(110) at a (110) plane of less than 0.2.

Abstract: An HVAC controller includes a controller housing having an aperture and a battery tray removably disposed within the aperture. The battery tray can include an outer wall and a beam element fixed relative to the outer wall and extending away from the outer wall. The beam element can have a free end and an end element disposed on or adjacent to the free end.

Abstract: A fuel cell system with flow passages and/or flow chambers which conduct moist gases in operation is characterized in that at least a part of the flow passages and/or flow chambers is provided with a coating which takes up water in distributed form at low temperatures and releases the water again at least in part at higher temperatures. This coating makes it possible to operate the fuel cell system at pronounced temperatures below zero, such as, for example, ?40° C., and to ensure an adequate humidification of the operating gases, which protects the membranes from damage and favors a faster starting up of the fuel cell system.

Abstract: A system for optimizing the purge cycle of a fuel cell stack responsive to the performance of the fuel cell. The system includes a controller that measures a process parameter indicative of the rate at which water is being produced in the fuel cell. If the measured value exceeds a threshold value, then the purge assembly is automatically actuated.

Abstract: Unit cells are held in a plate frame to form a cell module. A plurality of the cell modules is laminated in a thickness direction of the frame to form a laminated structure of unit cells. The cell unit is pressurized with heat sinks from both sides in the direction of the lamination, and is integrally held to form a battery.

Abstract: A radical compound may be used as an active material for an anode layer 2 to provide a novel stable secondary battery with a higher energy density and a larger capacity. The radical compound used has, for example, a spin concentration of 1021 spins/g or more.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell including a cell enclosure, a fill tube, a ball, a closing button, an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte. The cell enclosure defines an internal volume and includes a cover forming a fillport through hole. The fill tube is separately formed, and defines a leading section, a trailing section, and a passageway. The leading section is secured within the fillport through hole. The ball is sealingly secured within the passageway. The closing button is also separately formed, and is sealingly secured within the fillport through hole adjacent the leading section of the fill tube. The anode, cathode, and electrolyte are maintained within the internal volume. By configuring the fill tube such that the leading section thereof is secured within the fillport through hole, an overall extension of the fill tube relative to the internal volume is greatly reduced, thereby maximizing a volumetric efficiency.

Abstract: An activated electrode for a non-aqueous electrochemical cell is disclosed with a precursor thereof a lithium metal oxide with the formula xLi2MnO3.(1?x)LiMn2?yMyO4 for 0.5<x<1.0 such that the spinel component constitutes less than 50 mole % of the precursor electrode and 0?y<1 in which the Li2MnO3 and LiMn2-yMyO4 components have layered and spinel-type structures, respectively, and in which M is one or more metal cations. The electrode is activated by removing lithia, or lithium and lithia, from the precursor. A cell and battery are also disclosed incorporating the disclosed positive electrode.

Abstract: For accomplishing the subjects, the invention provides a nickel electrode material for use in a nickel electrode, wherein the positive-electrode material constituting the electrode material comprises: positive active material particles which comprise as the main component either a nickel hydroxide or a solid solution in a nickel hydroxide of one or more other elements and in which part of the nickel hydroxide has been oxidized; and a coating layer formed on the surface of the positive active material particles and comprising as the main component a high-order cobalt compound in which the cobalt has an oxidation number larger than 2, the average oxidation number of the nickel in the positive active material particles and the cobalt in the coating layer being from 2.04 to 2.40, and the positive-electrode material having a tap density of 2.0 g/cm3 or higher.

Abstract: In a fuel-cell stack in which a plurality of cells are stacked, each of the cells includes a membrane electrode assembly which is composed of a polyelectrolyte membrane and a pair of electrodes sandwiching the polyelectrolyte membrane, and a pair of separators by which the membrane electrode assembly is sandwiched, where the electrodes each have a catalytic layer brought into contact with the polyelectrolyte membrane and a gas diffusion layer brought into contact with the separator, and where a material of the gas diffusion layers is formed from carbon fiber woven cloth. In this fuel-cell stack, the warp direction and weft direction of the carbon fiber woven cloth are so set as to be uniform in all the cells with respect to the primary direction of the gas flow passages of the separators.

Abstract: A battery having a collecting structure that can reduce internal resistance of the battery and a structure that allows easy manufacturing of the battery by the following processes is provided. An enlarged portion is formed near an opening end of a battery case and a supporting ledge is provided on the inner surface of the lower end of the enlarged portion. A collector of one polarity is bonded to an electrode plate group. A connection lead is bonded to the collector at one end and is bonded to a lower surface of a sealing member at the other end. An insulation gasket is mounted to a peripheral edge portion of the sealing member from a side opposite to the collector. The peripheral edge portion of the sealing member is supported by the supporting ledge with the insulation gasket interposed therebetween.

Abstract: To provide a polymer electrolyte membrane having excellent size stability and excellent mechanical strength that can sufficiently prevent the size change due to the swelling condition, the displacement of the polymer electrolyte membrane and the formation of wrinkles during the production of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell, and can prevent damage during the production and operation of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell. In a composite electrolyte membrane including a porous reinforcement layer made of a resin and an electrolyte layer made of a polymer electrolyte and laminated at least one main surface of the reinforcement layer, the direction having a high tensile modulus of elasticity in the reinforcement layer is substantially corresponded with the direction having a high rate of size change in the electrolyte layer.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide an electrolyte membrane for fuel cell of low fuel permeability and high proton conductivity and to provide a fuel cell comprising the electrolyte membrane. According to the present invention, a polymer membrane including repeating unit of five-membered heterocyclic rings is used as an electrolyte membrane of the fuel cell. The electrolyte membrane has high proton conductivity with free from moves of the fuel or water when the proton conducts in the electrolyte membrane.

Abstract: A fuel cell having a polymer electrolyte membrane containing fluorine atoms distributed along the polymer chains, and metal conductors and/or catalysts, is protected from fluoride ion degradation of the metal components by a fluoride ion sequestering agent fixed in the cell or flowing through the cell. In a preferred embodiment, the fluoride ion scavenger comprises a suitable number of azacrown moieties attached to polymer constituents in the electrolyte membrane or in electrodes.

Abstract: A fuel cell system is provided which generates electricity by supplying fuel gas and oxidant gas to a fuel cell stack comprising a fuel cell stack, a DC power supply, and a controller. The DC power supply comprises at least one of a generator and battery. The controller is programmed to determine whether or not the fuel cell stack is generating electricity, and to supply current to the fuel cell stack by at least one of the generator and the battery when generation of electricity by the fuel cell stack is terminated. The current supplied to the fuel cell stack removes residual water in the fuel cell stack by electrolytically reducing the water into hydrogen and oxygen gasses which are subsequently purged from the fuel cell stack.

Abstract: To provide a gas diffusion layer excellent in micro short-circuit resistance and anti-flooding characteristics by optimizing the surface shape of a gas diffusion layer. In a gas diffusion layer for a gas diffusion electrode including at least a catalyst layer containing an electrode catalyst and a gas diffusion layer having electron conductivity and gas diffusibility, a second surface of the gas diffusion layer, which is positioned opposite to a first surface thereof to be in contact with the catalyst layer, is made rougher than the first surface. The first surface has a maximum height Ry1 of 10 to 50 determined by JIS B 0601 surface roughness measurement method, and the second surface has a maximum height Ry2 of 100 to 500 determined by JIS B 0601 surface roughness measurement method.

Abstract: In a nickel-metal hydride rechargeable battery comprising a positive electrode of nickel hydroxide and a negative electrode of hydrogen-absorption alloy, prolonged battery life is achieved by limiting the charge and discharge operations to be performed in the range of 20-60% of the hydrogen-absorption capacity of the hydrogen-absorption alloy.