Abstract: A fuel cell includes a separator having a circular disk. On one surface of the circular disk, a fuel gas channel for supplying a fuel gas to an anode is provided, and on the other surface of the circular disk, an oxygen-containing gas channel for supplying air to a cathode is provided. The fuel gas channel has an end point disposed at the outer circumferential end of the anode. A fuel gas discharge channel is connected to the end point of the fuel gas channel, such that the consumed fuel gas is emitted from a position spaced outwardly from an outer circumferential portion of the electrolyte electrode assembly.

Abstract: The present invention relates to negative-electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery exhibiting excellent capacity property and cycle life property, a method of preparing the same, and a lithium secondary battery using the negative-electrode active material, wherein the negative-electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery comprises a nanotube having a tube shape defined by an outer wall with a thickness of nanoscale, the outer wall of the nanotube comprises at least one non-carbonaceous material selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium and antimony, and an amorphous carbon layer with a thickness of 5 nm or less is formed on the outer wall of the nanotube.

Abstract: A battery carriage is provided, including first and second dual-contact assemblies. The first dual contact assembly is disposed on a body portion of the battery carriage and the second dual contact assembly is disposed on a separable portion of the battery carriage. Each dual contact assembly includes a positive contact configured to contact a positive terminal of a battery and a negative contact configured to contact a negative terminal of the battery. The separable portion of the battery carriage is selectively moveable into and out of a coupled state with the body portion. When the separable portion is moved into the coupled state, the dual contact assemblies are held spaced apart to define a receptacle in which the dual contact assemblies hold opposing ends of the battery.

Abstract: A battery pack for a vehicle, the battery pack including a sealed inner case accommodating a battery module; an open external case surrounding the inner case, the open external case including a first opening part having an open side and a second opening part having another open side; and an air flow channel between an external surface of the inner case and an inner surface of the external case, the air flow channel connecting the first opening part and the second opening part.

Abstract: A fuel cell system is disclosed comprising a plurality of fuel cell modules including a sealed planar fuel cell stack, the stack including internal manifold channels for transport of fuel and air to fuel cells within the stack and transport of tail gas and spent air away from fuel cells within the stack. Each of the fuel cell stacks is mounted on a stack footprint area of a top member of a base manifold. The base manifolds are configured to allow for interconnection of a number of fuel cell stack modules to provide a fuel cell system capable of producing power outputs that otherwise would have required large surface area cells or stack with a large number of cells.

Abstract: This invention relates to fuel cells. A fuel cell 10 defines a space 11 having an air/ethanol inlet 12 and an outlet source 13. The operative part of the fuel cell, 14, includes a pvc substrate 15, a working electrode 16 and a counter electrode 17. A working electrode current collector 20 extends over the working electrode 16, whilst a counter electrode current collector 21 extends across the counter electrode 17. The electrodes formed from tantalum. At least one of the current collector electrodes 20, 21 are non-conformably depressed into their associated electrode to define a channel for containing electrolyte whereby charge can be transferred to the current collector by ionic exchange.

Abstract: A polymer electrolyte membrane having good resistance to radicals is provided. A polymer electrolyte membrane is characterized of containing organic/inorganic hybrid particles in which a surface of an inorganic particle, which is a radical scavenger, is modified with organic compounds in a polymer electrolyte. As the organic/inorganic hybrid particles in which a surface of an inorganic particle is modified with organic compounds, a radical scavenger prepared by reacting inorganic particles with organic compounds in a solvent by supercritical or subcritical hydrothermal synthesis is preferred.

Abstract: Through enhancement of productivity in a gas flow-path formation member, rising of production cost and deterioration of productivity of a cell that contains the gas flow-path formation member in cell components of the cell are prevented. A porous board 32 as a gas flow-path formation member that is individually formed from a separator is a molded piece containing carbon powder as raw materials, whereby possibilities of corrosion in an inner cell environment are naturally lower than the metallic-made. Further, since necessary conductivities are securable by carbon itself, additional treatments such as gilding for improvement of conductivity are not required. Moreover, because a plurality of openings of the porous board 32 are regularly arranged, forming either a tortoise-shell formed mesh 22 or lozenge-formed mesh 26, the porous board 32 can be easily molded with a mold 30 and can be accurately formed with high precision even in mass production.

Abstract: A battery module includes a plurality of flat cells and a plurality of nipping plates. Each of the flat cells has a cell main body and at least one electrode tab. The cell main body includes a power storage element sealed in a package member. The electrode tab is electrically connected to the power generating member and protruding outwardly from the cell main body. The flat cells are stacked on one another such that the electrode tabs are electrically connected in a stacking direction. Adjacent ones of the nipping plates in the stacking direction nip the electrode tab and a portion of the cell main body of a corresponding one of the flat cells from both opposite side surfaces of the corresponding one of the flat cells along the stacking direction.

Abstract: The traditional method of pressing CFx, screen and SVO sheet assembly results in an electrode that is cupped and not flat. This results in the reduction of the effective volumetric energy density of the electrode or the addition of a process step of flattening of the cathode if at all possible. The new method of assembly effectively eliminates the cupping behavior and produces a flat electrode. In addition, the physical density of the cathode is also increased.

Abstract: Piping interconnecting a fuel cell and a humidifier is laid with a rising gradient from the end on the humidifier side of the piping toward the end on the fuel cell side of the piping. The piping is first bent vertically downward and then vertically upward, and this forms a water containing trap in the piping. Problems caused by freezing of condensed water occurring in the piping can be avoided.

Abstract: An electrolyte membrane 5, 5a having different EW values in different regions provides durability comparable to that of an electrolyte membrane made of a single type of ion exchange resin (i.e., an electrolyte membrane having the same EW value in its entire regions). A process for manufacturing such electrolyte membrane is also provided. Two or more kinds of ion exchange resin membranes 1 and 2 having different EW values are disposed such that their edges overlap upon each other and are then placed on a lower die 11 of a hot press 10. An upper die 12 is moved closer to the lower die 11 to press the ion exchange resin membranes 1 and 2 while at least their overlapping region 3 is heated, whereby in the overlapping region 3 the respective ion exchange resins are fused and mixed integrally. The adjacent ion exchange resin membranes are thus integrally bonded to each other in a stable manner, thus forming an electrolyte membrane 5.

Abstract: A modular system for mounting batteries that includes one or more modules mounted on a base. Each of the modules includes a top tray and a bottom tray and two side walls. The first end of each tray has a wall extending from the surface and the opposing sides have a section that is inserted into slots in the side walls. The side walls have a flanged edge on all four sides. A plurality of apertures in the top tray, the bottom tray, the tray walls and the flanges of the side walls are aligned and fastening devices are used to secure the trays to the side walls and to attach adjacent modules to form the modular system.

Abstract: A fuel cell has a plurality of constituent members that constitute the fuel cell. The constituent members have first positioning portions and a second positioning portion that is provided on an outer peripheral portion, which are used for positioning during stacking.

Abstract: A container for a sealed secondary cell containing an electrode plate group is provided comprising a wall forming a base (2) in electrically conducting material, the base comprising a peripheral portion (2a), a closure member portion (2b) and a weakened portion (2c) joining the peripheral portion (2a) to the closure member portion and designed to rupture in the presence of an excess pressure inside the container. An electrically insulating ring member (4) is mounted on the peripheral portion to support the electrode plate group, and the container includes an electrically conducting flexible connection part (3), electrically connected to the closure member portion (2b) and to the electrode plate group, in which, in the presence of an excess pressure leading to rupturing of the weakened portion, the connection part guides the closure member portion to a position after rupture which is substantially parallel to its position prior to rupture.

Abstract: Good cycle performance is obtained with a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte. The positive electrode contains as positive electrode active material a mixture of a lithium-manganese composite oxide and a lithium-transition metal composite oxide containing at least Ni and Mn as transition metals. The negative electrode contains as a negative electrode active material a material capable of intercalating and deintercalating lithium. Charging of the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery is controlled so that the end-of-charge voltage becomes higher than 4.3 V.

Abstract: A fuel cell system determines whether an operation condition of a fuel cell corresponds to a fuel gas shortage or an oxidation gas shortage. Upon determining that the fuel gas is in shortage, the system sets a lower voltage limit to be higher than that set when the system determines that the oxidation gas is in shortage. The system further controls an output voltage from the fuel cell so as to prevent output voltage from the fuel cell from decreasing below the lower voltage limit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a biaxially oriented microporous film composed of at least two coextruded layers encompassing an external shut-off layer and another layer, wherein both layers contain a mixture of propylene homopolymer and propylene block copolymer and ?-nucleation agent. The propylene block copolymer I of the other layer has a melting point exceeding 140° C. and the propylene block copolymer II of the external shut-off layer has a melting range starting at a temperature ranging from 50 to 120° C. The melting point of the propylene block copolymer I is greater than the melting point of the propylene block copolymer II. The film can be used as a separator in a primary or secondary battery.

Abstract: An exterior member for a battery element includes: a first sheet piece made of a laminated sheet; a second sheet piece made of a laminated sheet; a bending part for partitioning the first sheet piece and the second sheet piece from each other; a sealing part which is formed by a peripheral part of the first sheet piece and a peripheral part of the second sheet piece corresponding to the peripheral part of the first sheet piece and which hermetically seals a battery element; and a thick-walled part formed so as to include at least a part of the bending part.

Abstract: Assembled battery (80) includes two battery cells (20A, 20B) arranged in parallel, which are accommodated in single parallel-arranged module (50). Inter-battery airflow passage (65) is formed between parallel-arranged modules so as to allow cooling air to pass therethrough. Pressure contact members (60) each have hollow portion (61) formed by solid portion (66) and thin wall portion (61a) and are arranged in layers. Hollow portion (61) forms a cooling air passage. Cooling air supplied to the cooling air passage is sent to battery cell (20B) on the rear side, and directed and supplied toward the central part of battery cell (20B). Solid portions (66) in area A hold electrode tab (25) therebetween while pressure contact members (60) are in contact with each other in area B.