Abstract: The present invention provides a method of production of a separator for a solid polymer type fuel cell characterized by shaping a substrate comprised of stainless steel, titanium, or a titanium alloy and then spraying the substrate surface with superhard core particles comprised of conductive compound particles of an average particle size of 0.01 to 20 ?m mixed with a coating material and coated on their surfaces under conditions of a spray pressure of 0.4 MPa or less and a spray amount per cm2 of the substrate of 10 to 100 g in blast treatment. The ratio of the conductive compound to the mass of the core particles is 0.5 to 15 mass %.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a gel polymer Li-ion battery electrode slice and a method for preparing the same. The electrode slice comprises a two-layer composite structure of electrode active material/gel electrolyte or a three-layer composite structure of electrode active material/gel electrolyte/electrode active material.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a negative electrode includes: a first step of forming a plurality of columnar active material blocks capable of electrochemically storing and releasing lithium ions on the surface of a current collector; and a second step of disposing particulate lithium in the gaps between the active material blocks.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a portable fuel cell power source including an expandable enclosure, a first reactant contained within the enclosure, one or more fuel cells and a fluid port positioned in the expandable enclosure and adapted to be in fluidic communication with the one or more fuel cells. The enclosure may also include an opening to insert a second reactant. When the first reactant is contacted with the second reactant a fuel is generated for use with one or more of the fuel cells. The volume of the portable fuel cell power source in a collapsed state may be smaller than the volume of the amount of first reactant and second reactant needed to substantially consume the first reactant in a fuel generation reaction.

Abstract: A fuel cell cooling system includes a fuel cell having a liquid loop that produces water vapor. An antifreeze cooling loop includes an inductor that receives the water vapor and introduces the water vapor to an antifreeze. The water is separated from the antifreeze and returned to the liquid cooling loop as liquid water after the mixture of condensed water vapor and antifreeze has passed through a radiator. Water in the liquid cooling loop exits the fuel cell and passes through a restricting valve thereby lowering the pressure of the water. A flash cooler downstream from the restricting valve collects the water vapor and provides it to the inductor in the antifreeze cooling loop. The flash cooling in the first cooling loop provides a first cooling capacity that is low temperature and pressure compatible with fuel cell operation.

Abstract: A solid electrolyte structure containing a porous solid electrolyte is prepared. At least the porous solid electrolyte of the solid electrolyte structure is immersed in a first sol solution containing at least a precursor of an electrode active material as a solute. Then, the first sol solution, in which the porous solid electrolyte is immersed, is heated. A solvent of the first sol solution is evaporated by the heating, whereby a pore of the porous solid electrolyte is filled with a high concentration (a large amount) of the electrode active material precursor.

Abstract: A prismatic sealed rechargeable battery includes a substantially prismatic battery case that accommodates an electrode plate assembly and an electrolyte solution. The battery case is formed of metal. On a side face of the battery case, a thin plate is provided which has a plurality of protruding portions formed in parallel at appropriate intervals. The protruding portion and the side face form spaces opened at both ends therebetween. The thin plate is bonded to the side face of the battery case by making flat portions between the protruding portions into surface-contact with the side face, thereby improving cooling capability of the battery.

Abstract: A metal separator 1 for a fuel cell according to the invention is a metal separator for a fuel cell manufactured by using a metal substrate 2 with a flat surface, or with concave gas flow paths formed on at least a part of the surface. The metal separator 1 includes an acid-resistant metal film 3 formed over the surface of the metal substrate 2, and containing one or more kinds of non-noble metals selected from the group comprised of Zr, Nb, and Ta, and a conductive alloy film 4 formed over the acid-resistant metal film 3, and containing one or more kinds of noble metals selected from the group comprised of Au and Pt, and one or more kinds of non-noble metals selected from the group comprised of Zr, Nb, and Ta. A method for manufacturing the metal separator for a fuel cell according to the invention includes a step S1 of depositing an acid-resistant metal film, and a step S2 of depositing a conductive alloy film.

Abstract: A primary battery includes a cathode having a non-stoichiometric metal oxide including transition metals Ni, Mn, Co, or a combination of metal atoms, an alkali metal, and hydrogen; an anode; a separator between the cathode and the anode; and an alkaline electrolyte.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an additive, primarily for combustion of low sulfur and high alkali coals, that includes a transition metal to impact positively bottom ash slag and optionally a halogen to effect mercury oxidation and collection in the flue gas.

Abstract: A method is provided for treating silica sand scrubs (SSS) generated and accumulated as waste in the chloride manufacturing process of titanium dioxide pigment. A hydrothermal process is used to produce sodium silicate solutions of modulus 3.0 to 3.8, and precipitated silicas. In some embodiments, the process uses two specific principal reaction stages. A sodium silicate solution having a low SiO2:Na2O molar ratio, in the range from 2.0 to 2.8, is first produced by reaction of the SSS, as a cost-effective SiO2 source, with aqueous caustic soda. The conversion of this intermediate sodium silicate solution of low modulus to a high SiO2:Na2O molar ratio is made possible by using a SiO2 source that is prepared as precipitated amorphous silica from the intermediate sodium silicate solution produced above.

Abstract: In an electrolyte membrane (10) for a solid polymer fuel cell, sealing ribs (12) of a predetermined height made of an electrolyte resin is formed integrally with the electrolyte membrane (10). Using the electrolyte membrane, a membrane-electrode assembly (20) is formed, which is further processed into a fuel cell (30). Thus, an electrolyte membrane and a membrane-electrode assembly which are capable of improving the sealing characteristic when incorporated into a fuel cell are obtained. Besides, a fuel cell improved in the sealing characteristic is obtained.

Abstract: An interconnect for a fuel cell stack includes a first set of gas flow channels in a first portion of the interconnect, and a second set of gas flow channels in second portion of the interconnect. The channels of the first set have a larger cross sectional area than the channels of the second set.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a stack body formed by stacking a plurality of power generation cells. At opposite ends of the stack body in a stacking direction, end plates are provided. A second power collecting terminal protrudes outwardly from the end plate. One end of a bus bar is electrically connected to the second power collecting terminal such that the bus bar extends along an end plate surface intersecting the second power collecting terminal. A high voltage cable is connected to the other end of the bus bar. The high voltage cable is drawn toward the end plate.

Abstract: Fluid control valves, such as a humidifying module bypass valve, an inlet shutoff valve, an outlet shutoff valve are opened and closed by the pressure of air flowing in a fluid flow path. The pressure of air flowing in the fluid flow path is regulated, based on a drive demand pressure emitted to drive the flow control valves, by the flow rate of air discharged from an air compressor, the degree of opening of a fuel cell bypass valve, the degree of opening of an air pressure regulation valve, etc. The drive demand pressure for driving a shutoff valve is set such that, for example, the greater the absolute value of the negative pressure inside the fuel cell stack, the higher the drive demand pressure, and the air pressure is controlled to be the drive demand pressure.

Abstract: A battery cover latching assembly, detachably securing a battery cover to a housing, includes a button, battery cover, elastic member arranged between the button and the housing, and a resisting member resisting the battery cover away from the housing. The button includes a locking portion. The battery cover includes a corresponding locking member. The locking portion is slidably received in the housing to clamp or release the locking member.

Abstract: In a fuel cell system, a humidifier is attached to an end plate. A pipe connector of a fluid pipe provided at the end plate such as an oxygen-containing gas inlet manifold and a pipe connector of a fluid pipe of the humidifier such as a humidified air supply pipe are connected through a substantially ring-shaped intermediate pipe. O-rings are attached to annular grooves in the outer circumferential portions of the intermediate pipe. One of the O-rings tightly contacts the inner circumferential surface of the pipe connector of the oxygen-containing gas inlet manifold, and the other of the O-rings tightly contacts the inner circumferential surface of the pipe connector of the humidified air supply pipe.

Abstract: A process for producing sodium hydrogencarbonate crystal particles having a low caking property, which entails subjecting sodium hydrogencarbonate crystal particles having an average particle size of from 50 to 500 ?m based on the mass to heat treatment at a temperature of from 70 to 95° C. by a heating gas having a carbon dioxide gas concentration of at most the concentration calculated by the formula: Carbon dioxide gas concentration=0.071×e(0.1×T)×R(?0.0005×T?0.9574), where T (° C.) is the temperature of sodium hydrogencarbonate crystals, and R (%) is the relative humidity around the crystals at the temperature of the crystals, provided that the upper limit of the carbon dioxide gas concentration is 100 vol % to form anhydrous sodium carbonate on the surface of the sodium hydrogencarbonate crystal particles with a content of anhydrous sodium carbonate of from 0.03 to 0.4 mass % in the sodium hydrogencarbonate crystals.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes an electrode assembly, a case containing the electrode assembly, and a cap assembly. The electrode assembly includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator between the first and second electrodes. The cap assembly is coupled to the case. The cap assembly includes a tab that is electrically connected to the first electrode and a deformable plate that is electrically connected to the second electrode. The deformable plate also includes a notch that is opened due to an increase of pressure. The deformable plate deforms as a result of increased pressure and electrically contacts the first tab, short circuiting the rechargeable battery.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell and a supplying unit, which supplies reactive gases to the fuel cell. A control unit includes a power production effective area calculator calculates the areas of the electrodes available for power production as a power production effective area. A current density calculator which calculates a current density of the power production effective area calculated by the power production effective area calculator based on the total amount of power required by the fuel cell. A gas supply amount determiner determines the amount of reactive gas to be supplied to the fuel cell depending on the current density. A gas supply controller controls the supplying unit so as to supply the amount of reactive gas determined by the gas supply amount determiner to the fuel cell.