Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to steam reformers for the production of a hydrogen rich reformate, comprising a shell having a first end, a second end, and a passage extending generally between the first end and the second end of the shell, and at least one heat source disposed about the second end of the shell. The shell comprises at least one conduit member comprising at least one thermally emissive and high radiant emissivity material, at least partially disposed within the shell cavity. The shell further comprises at least one reactor module at least a portion of which is disposed within the shell cavity and about the at least one conduit member and comprises at least one reforming catalyst.

Abstract: A battery case provided with a safety valve (4) in which a breakage groove (45) is used, wherein in order to stabilize the operation pressure, a lid (2) of the battery case has formed thereon: a thin plate portion (30) obtained by thinning a plate part (3); and a first recessed part (40) comprising a curved part (44) in which the thin plate portion (30) is indented inward, with respect to the case, in a curved shape. The breakage groove (45) for the safety valve (4) is formed at the bottom part (440) of the curved part (44). A first connecting portion (46) and a second connecting portion (47) of the plate part (3), which connect to the curved part (44) on both sides flanking the curved part (44), are at positions protruding toward the outside of the case from the plate part (3).

Abstract: A hydrogen generator and a fuel cell system including the hydrogen generator are disclosed. The hydrogen generator includes a fuel composition including a hydrogen containing material that releases hydrogen gas to produce hydrogen when heated. A biasing member working in cooperation with a heating element and retainer, all of which are disposed within a unitary container, facilitate and control the release of hydrogen gas. The fuel composition can be segregated into individual quantities.

Abstract: A hydrogen generator includes a hydro-desulfurizer, a reformer, a reactor and an electric heater. The hydro-desulfurizer is operative to remove a sulfur compound in a raw material and including a tubular first wall. The reformer is operative to generate a hydrogen-containing gas by using the raw material supplied from the hydro-desulfurizer. The reactor includes a tubular second wall provided coaxially with the first wall so as to be opposed to the first wall. The electric heater is annularly provided in a gap between the first wall and the second wall so as to extend in an axial direction of the first wall and turn back in the axial direction of the first wall. The electric heater includes a first portion contacting the first wall and a second portion contacting the second wall. A connecting portion, which connects the first portion and the second portion, has elasticity.

Abstract: A battery pack including a plurality of battery arrays, each battery array including unit batteries that each have a terminal, the plurality of battery arrays being stacked in a first direction; an insulator on at least one side of the battery arrays, terminals of the unit batteries being on the one side; and a sensing bar on the insulator, wherein the insulator includes at least one opening therein, at least one terminal being exposed through the at least one opening, and the sensing bar is electrically connected to the at least one terminal exposed through the at least one opening to sense a state of the battery array.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fuel unit for a gas generator such as a hydrogen gas generator that can supply gas to a gas consuming system such as a fuel cell system. The fuel unit includes a housing containing a solid fuel composition and a heat producing material. The fuel composition contains gas releasing solid material that reacts to release gas when heated. The heat producing material reacts exothermically to produce heat. A plurality of quantities of the heat producing material are in thermal communication with corresponding portions of an unsegregated quantity the fuel composition such that, following initiation of a reaction of each quantity of the heat producing material, the quantity of heat producing material will heat the corresponding portion of the unsegregated quantity of the fuel composition, and the corresponding portion of the unsegregated quantity of the fuel composition will react to release a quantity of the gas.

Abstract: A method of controlling the temperature of autothermal microchannel reactors is disclosed. A hierarchical control structure employs a distributed temperature controller including a phase change material and a supervisory control system including the control of one or more inputs into the reactor. The phase change material acts as a fast, distributed controller, and the supervisory controller acts over a longer time horizon to mitigate persistent disturbances. A stochastic optimization method for selecting the phase change layer thickness is employed.

Abstract: Embodiments of a molten metal anode solid oxide fuel cell (MMA-SOFC) system comprise a first MMA-SOFC and a second MMA-SOFC, a fuel contactor integral with the first MMA-SOFC or in fluid communication with the first MMA-SOFC, a molten metal conduit configured to deliver molten metal from a first molten metal anode to a second molten metal anode, and one or more external electric circuits, wherein a first molten metal anode is configured to oxidize molten metal to produce metal oxides and electrons, the fuel contactor is configured to reduce the metal oxides and produce metals and metal sulfides in the molten metal upon reaction with sulfur-containing fuel. The second molten metal anode is configured to oxidize the metal sulfides in the metal sulfides-containing molten metal to produce metals and electrons, and the external electric circuits are configured to generate power from the electrons produced in the first and second MMA-SOFCs.

Abstract: Oxycombustion process wherein low ranking, gaseous, liquid, solid, optionally solid melting hydrocarbon fractions are used as fuels, having a vanadium content in an amount by weight from 50 to 5,000 ppm or higher, for producing energy, wherein magnesium is added as oxide, or as a water-soluble salt, the combustor being refractored and isotherm or quasi isotherm, flameless, working at temperatures comprised between 1,250° C. and 1,450° C. and under pressurized conditions, wherein the oxidant is oxygen, the oxidant being used in admixture with water or steam such that the ratio by moles oxidant:(water-steam) is comprised between about 1:0.4 and about 1:3 or the oxidant is used in admixture with flue gases recycled from the flue gases outletting the energy recovery equipments, wherein the water amount is higher than 30% by volume, optionally by adding water, the molar ratio oxidant:(water/steam) in flue gases being comprised from about 1:0.

Abstract: Oxycombustion process for producing energy wherein low ranking gaseous, liquid, solid, optionally solid melting hydrocarbon fractions are used as fuels, having a vanadium content in amounts by weight from 50 to 5,000 ppm or higher, and alkaline metals Ma in amounts from 20 to 10,000 ppm, wherein magnesium is added as oxide, or as a magnesium compound forming MgO in the combustion process, or mixtures thereof and a silico-aluminate wherein the molar ratio SiO2:Al2O3 ranges from 2:1 to 6:1; the combustor being refractored, isotherm or quasi-isotherm, flameless, working at temperatures in the range 1,250°-1,450° C. and under pressurized conditions, wherein the oxidant being used in admixture with water or steam, the ratio by moles oxidant:(water/steam) being comprised between about 1:0.

Abstract: A vehicle battery system has a vehicle battery, a cooling device to cool the vehicle battery and which includes a heat sink in thermal contact with the battery cells to transfer heat from the battery cells to the heat sink. The heat sink has at least one cooling channel through which a coolant may flow and connection ends formed by delimitations of the at least one cooling channel. A coolant distributor is provided at and connected to at least one end of the heat sink at a receiving region which is adhesive bonded to the heat sink, the receiving region of the coolant distributor surrounding the connection ends of the heat sink, in which the end faces of the delimitations of the cooling channel form stops for the coolant distributor which abut contact surfaces of the coolant distributor.

Abstract: An electronic device includes: a substrate; a first all-solid-state secondary cell provided on the substrate, the first all-solid-state secondary cell including a first electrode layer, a solid electrolyte layer, and a second electrode layer; a first transistor including a first source drain, a second source drain electrically connected to the second electrode layer, and a first gate electrode; a first terminal electrically connected to the first electrode layer; a second terminal to control a potential of the first gate electrode; a third terminal electrically connected to the first source drain; and a sealing layer covering the first all-solid-state secondary cell and the first transistor, wherein the first terminal, the second terminal, and the third terminal are exposed on an upper surface of the sealing layer.

Abstract: Provided is a battery in which an area density S (mg/cm2) of a positive electrode active material layer is 27 mg/cm2 or greater, and a porous film included in a separator has a structure satisfying the following Expressions. 0.04?Ri??0.07L?0.09×S+4.99 Ri=?2L/?? ??=[{(L×?/100)?Rz×0.46/3}/L]×100 ?={(1.216×??Td×10?4)/L}0.