Abstract: A flow control valve for a fuel cell that has particular application for controlling the flow of cathode air through a cathode flow channel of the fuel cell. The valve includes an element that controls the flow through the flow channel in response to changes in the voltage potential of the fuel cell. The valve includes a shape memory alloy wire and a flow control element secured to both ends of the shape memory alloy wire. The ends of the wire are also coupled to the anode and cathode of the fuel cell. When no current is flowing through the wire, the flow control element holds the wire in a pre-strained condition. If the voltage generated by the fuel cell increases, the current passing through the wire will heat the wire and cause it to shrink or contract which forces the flow control element into the flow path.

Abstract: A method of operating a fuel cell system includes purging heavier and lighter than air gases from a system cabinet containing at least one fuel cell stack during a single purge step, and starting-up the fuel cell system after the purging step. The system includes an air blower, a purge manifold, and a purge damper.

Abstract: An electric storage battery and method of manufacture thereof characterized by a feedthrough pin which is internally directly physically and electrically connected to an inner end of a positive electrode substrate. A C-shaped mandrel extends around the pin and substrate end enabling the pin/mandrel to be used during the manufacturing process as an arbor to facilitate winding layers of a spiral jellyroll electrode assembly. The pin additionally extends from the battery case and in the final product constitutes one of the battery terminals with the battery case comprising the other terminal. Active material is removed from both sides of the outer end of the negative electrode in the jellyroll to allow room for adhesive tape to secure the jellyroll. The electrolyte is injected through the open end of the case after the endcap is welded to the negative electrode but before sealing the endcap to the case. The electrolyte is preferably injected through the C-shaped mandrel to facilitate and speed filling.

Abstract: A pouch type secondary battery which can prevent a cut portion from electrically contacting a protective circuit module, thereby preventing an electrical short circuit and acceleration of corrosion of a core material and enhancing safety includes an electrode assembly having a first electrode plate, a second electrode plate, and a separator; a pouch case made of a flexible material, and having a container, insulated at least on its inner surface and accommodating the electrode assembly, and sealing portions along an edge of the container, the sealing portions including a first sealing portion through which electrode taps of the electrode assembly extend from the pouch case, and a second sealing portion and a third sealing portion respectively positioned at opposite sides of the first sealing portion, the second an third sealing portions being folded at least one time; a protective circuit module connected to the electrode taps and mounted on an outer surface of the first sealing portion; and a short circuit p

Abstract: A fuel cell, which can supply stable output even at elevated temperatures and can maintain its power generation performance over a long period of time, can be realized by an electrode for a fuel cell comprising a catalyst layer formed of a catalyst composite and a binder, the catalyst composite comprising a proton-conductive inorganic oxide and an oxidation-reduction catalyst phase supported on the proton-conductive inorganic oxide, the proton-conductive inorganic oxide comprising a catalyst carrier selected from tin(Sn)-doped In2O3, fluorine(F)-doped SnO2, and antimony(Sb)-doped SnO2 and an oxide particle phase chemically bonded to the surface of the catalyst carrier.

Abstract: A sealed nickel metal-hydride battery shows a high output density and an excellent cycle performance particularly in a cold atmosphere. In a nickel metal-hydride battery having a nickel electrode and a hydrogen absorbing electrode respectively as positive electrode and negative electrode, the hydrogen absorbing electrode is formed by making an conductive support carry hydrogen absorbing alloy powder of rare earth elements and non-rare earth elements including nickel and the saturation mass susceptibility of the hydrogen absorbing alloy powder is 2 to 6 emu/g while the rate at which the hydrogen absorbing electrode carries hydrogen absorbing alloy powder per unit area is 0.06 to 0.15 g/cm2.

Abstract: The invention provides an anion-deficient non-stoichiometric lithium iron phosphate as an electrode-active material, which is represented by the formula Li1?xFe(PO4)1?y, wherein 0<x?0.15 and 0<y?0.05. The invention provides a method for preparing said Li1?xFe(PO4)1?y, which comprises preparing a precursor of lithium iron phosphate; mixing said precursor with water under reaction conditions of 200˜700° C. and 180˜550 bar to produce lithium iron phosphate; and calcining, or granulating and calcining the resultant compound. The invention also provides electrochemical devices employing said Li1?xFe(PO4)1?y as an electrode-active material.

Abstract: A fuel cell system is provided including a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cells disposed between a first end unit and a second end unit. The fuel cell system includes a compression retention system comprising a first sheet coupled to the first end unit and a second sheet coupled to the second end unit. A plurality of springs is disposed between the first sheet and the second sheet and is adapted to apply a compressive force to the fuel cell stack. The claimed invention includes methods for assembling the fuel cell system.

Abstract: In order to easily transport a fuel cell stack, without increasing costs, the fuel cell stack according to the present invention includes a stack body 5 in which end plates 8, 8 are arranged at both ends in a cell lamination direction, and suspension hangers 10 provided on the end plates 8, 8. The suspension hangers 10 project outward from a case 6 in which the stack body 5 is stored. With this arrangement, the fuel cell stack can be suspended from outside the case 6, and transported. Also using the suspension hangers 10, this fuel cell stack can be secured in a predetermined installation location.

Abstract: A low-cost fuel cell separator having a metallic substrate which is able to stably maintain low electric resistance (high electrical conductivity) and high corrosion resistance for a long period is provided. The separator has a metallic substrate having an oxide film forming a surface thereof and made from an oxidization of a metal of the substrate, and an electrically conductive thin film formed on a surface of the oxide film of the substrate. Due to this construction, low electric resistance (high electrical conductivity) is achieved by the electrically conductive thin film. Furthermore, even if the electrically conductive thin film has pinholes, the oxide film substantially prevents or reduces elution from the separator substrate, thereby achieving high corrosion resistance. Still further, since the oxide film is formed by oxidation of the substrate, the oxide film can be formed at a lower cost than an oxide film formed from a different metal.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly, and first and second separators. A first insulating bushing is attached to a first positioning hole of a first separator, and a second insulating bushing is attached to a second positioning hole of the second separator. An inner wall of the first insulating bushing is fitted to an outer wall of the second insulating bushing for positioning the first and second separators such that the first and second separators are insulated from each other.

Abstract: An electrode for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising a catalyst layer comprising at least electrocatalyst particles (3), a supporting substance therefor (4) and proton-conductive polymers (1) and (2), wherein the proton-conductive polymer (1) is present in a primary presence state in which the proton-conductive polymer (1) covers the electrocatalyst particles (3) or the supporting substance therefor (4), or both at least partly; the proton-conductive polymer (2) is present in a secondary presence state in which the proton-conductive polymer (2) binds the electrocatalyst particles (3) to one another or binds particles of the supporting substance (4) to one another or to the solid polymer electrolyte membrane; and the melt viscosity of the proton-conductive polymer (1) is lower than the melt viscosity of the proton-conductive polymer (2).

Abstract: The invention provides a fuel cell device having first and second cold end regions with a reaction zone therebetween. Fuel and oxidizer inlets are positioned in the first and second cold end regions with respective fuel and oxidizer outlets positioned in either the reaction zone or the opposite cold end region, and respective elongate fuel and oxidizer passages are coupled between the respective inlets and outlets at least partially extending through the reaction zone within an interior solid ceramic support structure in parallel and opposing relation. Electrodes are positioned adjacent the fuel and oxidizer passages in the reaction zone within the interior solid ceramic support structure and are electrically coupled to exterior contact surfaces in at least one of the cold end regions to which electrical connections are made. An electrolyte between the electrodes is monolithic with the interior solid ceramic support structure.

Abstract: The invention provides an electrode which can improve cycle characteristics by reducing structural destruction of an active material layer and reaction between the active material layer and an electrolyte according to charge and discharge, and a battery using it. A current collector made of a metal material containing a metal element which does not form an intermetallic compound with Li, such as Cu, Ni, Ti, Fe, and Cr; the active material layer containing Si, Ge, or an alloy thereof, and a thin film layer made of a metal material containing at least one of metal elements and metalloid elements which can make a solid solution with lithium and do not form an intermetallic compound with lithium, e.g. Cu, Ni are layered in this order. The current collector is alloyed with the active material layer, and the thin film layer is alloyed with the active material layer.

Abstract: A modular direct methanol fuel cell system includes a housing having a pump for supplying fuel from a fuel tank to a fuel cell stack and a system controller for electronically controlling the modular direct methanol fuel cell system. An integrated processor is contained in the housing, the integrated processor integrating a water condenser and a gas/liquid stream separator. A first fluid connection unit is between the fuel cell stack and the integrated processor for feeding air and fuel exiting from the fuel cell stack to the integrated processor. A second fluid connection unit is between the fuel cell stack and the integrated processor for feeding a fuel mixture from the integrated processor to the fuel cell stack. The direct methanol fuel cell system also includes a third fluid connection unit for feeding pure fuel from the fuel tank to the integrated processor.

Abstract: A redox chemical shuttle comprising an aromatic compound substituted with at least one tertiary carbon organic group and at least one alkoxy group (for example, 2,5-di-tert-butyl-1,4-dimethoxybenzene) provides repeated overcharge protection in rechargeable lithium-ion cells.

Abstract: A battery capable of improving the energy density and cycle characteristics is provided. A cathode active material layer contains a complex oxide containing Li and Co as a cathode active material. An anode active material layer contains a CoSnC containing material containing Sn, Co, and C as an element, in which the content of C is from 16.8 wt % to 24.8 wt %, and the ratio of Co to the total of Sn and Co is from 30 wt % to 45 wt % as an anode active material. The surface density ratio of the cathode active material layer to the anode active material layer (surface density of the cathode active material layer/surface density of the anode active material layer) is from 2.77 to 3.90.

Abstract: A battery that can secure the sufficient capacity, reduces deviation of the pressure distribution inside a spirally wound electrode body, and shows the superior charge and discharge characteristics is provided. The battery includes: a spirally wound electrode body in which a cathode having a cathode active material layer on a strip-shaped cathode current collector and an anode having an anode active material layer on a strip-shaped anode current collector are layered with a separator in between, and spirally wound in a planular state; and a lead jointed to the cathode current collector or the anode current collector in a center portion of the spirally wound electrode body. An inner circumferential end of the cathode active material layer is provided in a region where the inner circumferential end does not overlap with the lead in a short axis direction of the spirally wound electrode body.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electrolyte for a battery comprising: (a) an electrolyte salt; (b) an organic solvent; and (c) a functional electrolyte additive. An electrochemical device comprising the electrolyte is also disclosed. The additive used in the electrochemical device effectively controls the surface of a cathode active material, which otherwise causes side reactions with an electrolyte, due to the basic skeleton structure and polar side branches of the additive. Therefore, it is possible to improve the safety of a battery, while not adversely affecting the quality of a battery.

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).