Abstract: A fuel cell separator and a fuel cell are provided that can improve uniformity in reaction gas flow rate and can prevent flooding due to excessive condensed water in passage grooves appropriately. A reaction gas passage region (101) of a separator (2) has a flow splitting region (21) having a passage groove group where the reaction gas is split, and one or more flow merge regions (22) having a recessed portion in which the reaction gas is mixed and connecting a plurality of flow splitting regions so that the passage groove group of the adjacent flow splitting regions (21) are connected to the recessed portion, and protrusions (27) vertically extend from a bottom face of the recessed portion and arranged in an island form. A pair of passage groove groups connected to the recessed portion of the flow merge region (22) is formed so as to have a greater number of grooves in the upstream passage groove group than the number of grooves of grooves in the downstream passage groove group.

Abstract: For the purpose of providing a fuel cell module having a small number of molding processes and favorable productivity, the edge of a polymer electrolyte membrane (44) exposed at the outer periphery of an electrode section, which is formed by providing an anode electrode (46a) and a cathode electrode (46b) on the polymer electrolyte membrane (44), is placed on the upper surface of one frame (47a); and another frame (47c) is molded on the upper surface of the one frame (47a) by injecting a resin material having a smaller Young's modulus than the one frame (47a), and a seal section (49) made from the same material as the other frame (47c) is simultaneously molded on the lower surface of the other frame (47a).

Abstract: Methods are provided for easily obtaining a high performance electrode without using an organic solvent for making an ink of an electrode catalyst or a surfactant for making an ink of a water repellent carbon material. The methods of manufacturing an electrode for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprise (a) a step of adhering a polymer electrolyte or a water repellent material to fine electrically conductive particles, and granulating the electrically conductive particles to obtain multinary granules, and (b) a step of depositing the multinary granules in layer form to obtain a catalyst layer or a water repellent layer of an electrode. Apparatus for manufacturing the electrodes, as well as polymer electrolyte fuel cells using the electrodes are also provided.

Abstract: For the purpose of providing a fuel cell module having a small number of molding processes and favorable productivity, the edge of a polymer electrolyte membrane (44) exposed at the outer periphery of an electrode section, which is formed by providing an anode electrode (46a) and a cathode electrode (46b) on the polymer electrolyte membrane (44), is placed on the upper surface of one frame (47a); and another frame (47c) is molded on the upper surface of the one frame (47a) by injecting a resin material having a smaller Young's modulus than the one frame (47a), and a seal section (49) made from the same material as the other frame (47c) is simultaneously molded on the lower surface of the other frame (47a).

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a means for integrating an MEA and a pair of separators and regulate their positions without using parts that are specifically dedicated for position regulation use. More specifically, the present invention provides a polymer electrolyte fuel cell including a frame-integrated MEA, a separator having a channel for supplying and releasing a fuel gas, and a separator having a channel for supplying and releasing an oxidizer gas, and, in this fuel cell, the frame body of the frame-integrated MEA has a plurality of projections having a hook-shaped tip on both planes of the frame body and each separators has a plurality of stepped parts, and the projections on the frame body and the stepped parts on the pair of separators are integrated by fitting together with each other.

Abstract: A fuel cell separator (2) of the present invention has a turn portion of a serpentine-shaped reaction gas passage region (101). In the turn portion, a recessed portion (28) is defined by an outer end (28a) of the turn portion and oblique boundaries between the recessed portion (28) and a pair of passage groove group.

Abstract: An MEA having an MEA body part 5C; a frame 6 made of a plate-like thermoplastic resin; and gaskets 7 formed on opposed surfaces of the frame 6 so as to hold the frame 6 between. The gaskets 7 each have an annular portion 7A that is annularly formed so as to extend along the inner periphery of the frame 6 and elongated portions 7B1 to 7B8 that extend from the annular portion 7A and come into contact with the side faces of an associated electrode layer 5C after passing over the inner periphery of the frame 6 and a peripheral region 5D of a polymer electrolyte membrane.

Abstract: The polymer electrolyte fuel cell of the present invention is equipped with a cell having an MEA having a hydrogen ion-conducting polymer electrolyte membrane and an anode and a cathode sandwiching the polymer electrolyte membrane; a platelike anode-side separator positioned on one side of the MEA so that the front surface thereof contacts the anode, with fuel gas passages through which fuel gas flows being formed in the front surface; and a platelike cathode-side separator positioned on the other side of the MEA so that the front surface thereof contacts the cathode, with oxidizing gas passages through which oxidizing gas flows being formed in the front surface; a cell stack in which a plurality of said cells is stacked; and a cooling water flow passage, through which cooling water flows, formed on at least the rear surface of one from among the anode-side separator and the cathode-side separator of at least a prescribed cell in said cell stack; where said fuel gas, oxidizing gas, and cooling water flow thro

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a means for integrating an MEA and a pair of separators and regulate their positions without using parts that are specifically dedicated for position regulation use. More specifically, the present invention provides a polymer electrolyte fuel cell including a frame-integrated MEA, a separator having a channel for supplying and releasing a fuel gas, and a separator having a channel for supplying and releasing an oxidizer gas, and, in this fuel cell, the frame body of the frame-integrated MEA has a plurality of projections having a hook-shaped tip on both planes of the frame body and each separators has a plurality of stepped parts, and the projections on the frame body and the stepped parts on the pair of separators are integrated by fitting together with each other.

Abstract: In a fuel cell composed of a pair of separators with a membrane electrode assembly sandwiched therebetween, gas passages having a plurality of generally linear passage portions, and bent passage portions each of which makes one end portion of the linear passage portions communicated with the other end portion of the linear passage portions, are formed so as to be communicative from a gas introducing port to a discharge port. In inner wall surfaces of the groove portions of the separators constituting the linear passage portions, water-retaining groove portions capable of retaining inside thereof at least part of water generated in the gas passage are formed in such a grooved configuration as to be substantially continuous along the passage portion. As a water drop generated within the gas passage makes contact with retained water within the water-retaining groove portions, growth of the water drop is suppressed to avoid any blockage of the gas passage, by which the anti-flooding property is improved.

Abstract: A fuel cell (FC) of the present invention includes: four fastening rods (35) which extend in a stack direction of a stack structure (ST) so as to penetrate through openings of end plates (30L, 30R); and fastening portions (36) which are disposed at both ends of the fastening rods (35) and can adjust fastening forces applied by the fastening rods to the stack structure sandwiched between the end plates. Each fastening rod (35) is disposed in the vicinity of an intermediate point of each side (L1, L2, L3, L4) of the end plate (30L, 30R).

Abstract: A solid polymer fuel cell stack. A fuel cell which can uniformly supply gas in a short time to all stacked cells not only in a steady state operation but also in a transient operation state, such as start, stop, or load variation operation, is provided. In each cell included in the solid polymer fuel cell stack, an intake manifold is divided into a connection space with a separator channel and one more space by forming a protrusion or a bridge portion in the intake manifold, and the structure of the protrusion or the bridge portion is adjusted depending on each cell.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for recording valve actuation information that enables to figure out the actual operation condition of each individual valve without checking plural valves individually, and the valves do not have to be wired, and the structure of the system is simple. The present invention is a system for recording valve actuation information comprising a valve, detecting means for detecting actuation of said valve, a RFID tag affixed to said valve and recording the valve actuation information detected by said detecting means, and a terminal for reading out the valve actuation information detected by said detecting means, wherein said RFID tag searches said terminal by intermittently transmitting a radio wave, wherein said RFID tag transfers the valve actuation information recorded in said RFID tag to said terminal when said RFID tag detects said terminal.

Abstract: A power protection apparatus including: a switch unit 4 connected in series in a power supply line from a power source 2 to a DC regulator 3; a first short-circuit detector 5 for detecting a short circuit based on an output voltage value of the DC regulator 3 obtained by making the switch unit 4 conductive for predetermined time and, after that, interrupting the switch unit 4; a second short-circuit detector 7 for detecting a short circuit based on a value of current flowed in the switch unit 4 when the switch unit 4 is conductive; and a switch interrupting unit 8, when a short circuit is detected by the second short-circuit detector 7, for forcedly interrupting the switch unit 4 regardless of a state of the switch unit 4 controlled by the first short-circuit detector 5.

Abstract: A transflective type liquid crystal display panel used as a displaying liquid crystal panel in a 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal panel, wherein a color filter having a colored layer and a transparent layer is provided on an opposing substrate. The transparent layer is formed to face only the reflective region of an active matrix substrate (region where a reflective electrode is formed), and serves as a diffuser processed layer. Accordingly, a liquid crystal display panel having a 2D/3D switching function and a transflective function can prevent moire in 2D display and at the same time provide good 3D display.

Abstract: An electrode-membrane-frame assembly for a polyelectrolyte fuel cell which is held between one pair of separators and constitutes an electric cell module in the fuel cell is constituted of a membrane electrode assembly, a first frame body which has a separator-side surface on which a sealing member for sealing between the member and one separator and a membrane-side surface located on one surface of the peripheral edge portion of the membrane electrode assembly and is formed of a thermoplastic resin material, and a second frame body that has a separator-side surface on which a sealing member for sealing between the member and the other separator and a membrane-side surface located on the other surface of the peripheral edge portion of the membrane electrode assembly and is formed of a thermoplastic resin material and fitted to the first frame body holding the peripheral edge portion of the membrane electrode assembly between the second frame body and the first frame body.

Abstract: Discloses are liquid crystal medium based on a mixture of polar compounds, the use thereof for electro-optical purposes, and displays containing the medium.

Abstract: The present invention provides a three-dimensional display device, which can display a 3D image of higher quality than a conventional one by arranging a parallax barrier layer with higher positioning accuracy, and a method for fabricating such a display device. The three-dimensional display device 100 includes a first substrate 11, which is provided closer to the viewer and which is made of a transparent material, a second substrate 21 arranged so as to face the first substrate 11, a liquid crystal layer 30 provided between the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 21, and a parallax barrier layer 12 provided on the surface of the first substrate so as to face the viewer. A polarizer 40 is further provided on the surface of the viewer-side substrate 10 that includes the parallax barrier layer 12 thereon.

Abstract: A polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprises an electrolyte membrane-electrode assembly, a pair of conductive separator plates sandwiching the electrolyte membrane of the electrolyte membrane-electrode assembly, and a pair of sealing means sealing between the electrodes of the electrolyte membrane-electrode assembly and the separator plates. The pair of sealing means is constituted by combination of a flat sealing member having a flat portion in flat contact with the electrolyte membrane and of a linear sealing member having a rib in linear contact with the electrolyte membrane, and at least part of the rib is in the form of falling in the direction to the electrode when the electrolyte membrane, the pair of electrodes and the pair of separator plates are stacked to be cramped. This makes it possible for the fuel cell to have an excellent sealing property and a stable output characteristic.

Abstract: In a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, at least one of the anode side separator plate and cathode side separator plate is formed with a main surface having a convex shape protruding toward a gas diffusion layer, and a peripheral edge portion surrounding the main surface. An average thickness of the main surface is made to be thicker than an average thickness of the peripheral edge portion. And a difference ?t between the thickest part of the main surface and an average thickness of the peripheral edge portion is made to be 5-30 ?m.