Abstract: A battery, suitable for forming a battery pack, includes an electrode assembly having a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate, and a separator wound or laminated together, core materials of the negative and positive electrode plates being bared respectively at either end. A bottomed cylindrical outer case having a bottom is connected to either end face of the electrode assembly to serve as a battery terminal. Electrolyte is impregnated in the electrode assembly and a lid connected to the other end face of the electrode assembly and fixedly attached to the outer case with a sealer and an insulator interposed therebetween. A connecting part is a part of the lid so that the connecting part engages with and connects to a bottom part of the outer case of another battery.

Abstract: In order to provide a fuel cell unit, comprising a housing which limits at least one gas chamber and has a gas opening in a first housing wall and a gas opening in a second housing wall located opposite the first housing wall, the housing of which has an adequate deformation stability in relation to the sealing surface pressure required for a flat seal even at high temperatures, it is suggested that the fuel cell unit comprise at least one supporting element which is arranged between the first housing wall and the second housing wall and keeps the two housing walls at a distance from one another.

Abstract: A fuel cell system and a related operating method are disclosed. The system includes a fuel cell body 1 having an anode electrode supplied with fuel gas containing hydrogen and a cathode electrode supplied with oxidizer gas, a catalyst degradation-suppressing means operative to interrupt supplying oxidizer gas to the cathode electrode after disconnecting the external load from the fuel cell body 1 and allow a load current, generated by the fuel cell body 1, to be extracted by an internal load 26 while supplying fuel gas to the anode electrode, a hydrogen supply stop means operative to interrupt a supply of fuel gas to the anode electrode during a period in which the load current is extracted by the internal load, and load current control means controlling a target load current such that after the supply of fuel gas to the anode electrode is stopped, a pressure inside the anode electrode is maintained at a target pressure.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, a fluid unit including a heat exchanger for heating an oxygen-containing gas, before the oxygen-containing gas is supplied to the fuel cell stack, and a casing for containing the fuel cell stack and the fluid unit. A first output terminal is electrically connected to one electrode, and provided adjacent to an end plate. A second output terminal is electrically connected to another electrode through a tightening member, and provided adjacent to the end plate. The fluid unit is provided adjacent to an end plate.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a planar flow field design having an intake manifold and an exhaust manifold which are configured in two offset planes. A relatively short passage extends from the intake manifold through the exhaust manifold and terminates at a reactive face of a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) such that a differential flow distribution is provided from the intake manifold through the passage and across a reactive face of the MEA to the exhaust manifold.

Abstract: A fuel cell (100) which has an electrode-electrolyte joined article (101) composed of a fuel electrode (102), an oxidizing agent electrode (108) and, sandwiched thereby, a solid polymer electrolyte (114), characterized in that a separation film (330) comprising a material exhibiting an oxygen/nitrogen separation factor of more than 1 is provided on the surface of an oxidizing agent electrode side current collector (110) constituting the oxidizing agent electrode (108). The fuel cell is a liquid fuel supply type of fuel cell which has a simple structure and also is capable of supplying satisfactory oxygen to an oxidizing agent electrode.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a heat exchange system that controls the temperature of a medium- or large-sized battery pack including a plurality of unit cells. The heat exchange system includes a sealed type housing surrounding the outer surface of the battery pack such that a predetermined flow channel, through which a heat exchange medium flows, is defined between the housing and the battery pack, a driving fan mounted in the housing for driving the heat exchange medium to flow, and a heat exchange unit mounted at one side of the housing for controlling the temperature of the heat exchange medium. In the heat exchange system according to the present invention, the heat exchange medium, for example, air is not introduced from the outside of the battery system, but is circulated in the battery system by the heat exchange unit.

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 lithium secondary battery which comprises: a negative electrode comprising as an active material a carbonaceous material capable of electrochemically holding/releasing lithium; a positive electrode comprising as an active material a lithium chalcogenide; and polymer electrolyte layers united respectively with the negative electrode and the positive electrode. The polymer electrolyte layers comprise an ionically conductive polymer matrix holding a nonaqueous electrolytic solution. They are obtained by crosslinking and polymerizing a liquid mixture of a monomeric precursor for the ionically conductive polymer and the nonaqueous electrolytic solution respectively on the negative electrode and the positive electrode using different polymerization initiators.

Abstract: A method of producing a fuel cell by layering a large number of sheets of unit fuel cells (11). A first supporting plate (14) is placed at the front section of a pusher unit (52) in a slightly inclined, upward facing position, and then a large number of sheets of unit fuel cells are layered on the first supporting plate (14). After that, while making the pusher unit fall into a horizontal position, vibration is applied to the layered unit fuel cells for alignment. A second supporting plate (15) is provided at the front end surface of the aligned unit fuel cells. The first and second supporting plates are connected using connection plates (16, 16) while a predetermined pressing force is applied to the unit fuel cells through the first supporting plate and the second supporting plate.

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: Electrochemical active cathode layers (MoO3, FeS2) are produced on the substrate of stainless steel, aluminum, or titanium by the method of thermal vacuum condensation-solidification. This method enables formation of active cathode layer in the wide thickness range of 0.5 ?m-3.0 mm.

Abstract: An anode for a metal-air battery has an electrode and a metal foil interconnected with the electrode. A barrier layer surrounds the metal foil and includes a polymer blend that substantially reduces the passage of moisture therethrough while permitting the passage of ions therethrough. A method of making the barrier layer is also presented.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel cell stack structure capable of suppressing a drop in voltage resulting from flooding or contamination at an end in a direction in which cells are laminated, particularly in a cell at a gas outlet/inlet end. In this fuel cell stack structure, a layer which is irrelevant to power generation and in which a gas flow channel is formed is provided at least at a gas outlet/inlet end of a laminated-cell body of a fuel cell such as a solid-polyelectrolyte fuel cell. The layer is constructed of a dummy cell having a gas flow channel but no MEA. In addition, according to this fuel cell stack structure, both a fuel gas flow channel and an oxidative gas flow channel are formed in one face of the layer which is irrelevant to power generation and in which the gas flow channels are formed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to fuel cells and components used within a fuel cell. Heat transfer appendages are described that improve fuel cell thermal management. Each heat transfer appendage is arranged on an external portion of a bi-polar plate and permits conductive heat transfer between inner portions of the bi-polar plate and outer portions of the bi-polar plate proximate to the appendage. The heat transfer appendage may be used for heating or cooling inner portions of a fuel cell stack. Improved thermal management provided by cooling the heat transfer appendages also permits new channel field designs that distribute the reactant gases to a membrane electrode assembly. Flow buffers are described that improve delivery of reactant gases and removal of reaction products. Single plate bi-polar plates may also include staggered channel designs that reduce the thickness of the single plate.

Abstract: Carbon nanotubes for use in a fuel cell, a method for fabricating the same, and a fuel cell using the carbon nanotubes for its electrode are provided. The internal and external walls of the carbon nanotubes are doped with nano-sized metallic catalyst particles uniformly to a degree of 0.3-5 mg/cm2. The carbon nanotubes are grown over a carbon substrate using chemical vapor deposition or plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Since the carbon nanotubes have a large specific surface area, and metallic catalyst particles are uniformly distributed over the internal and external walls thereof, the reaction efficiency in an electrode becomes maximal when the carbon nanotubes are used for the electrode of a fuel cell. The carbon nanotubes fabricated using the method can be applied to form a large electrode. The carbon nanotubes grown over the carbon substrate can be readily applied to an electrode of a fuel cell, providing economical advantages and simplifying the overall electrode manufacturing process.

Abstract: Disclosed is a secondary lithium battery module.

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: The present invention reduces components of a circuit board and miniaturizes a battery pack using a thermostat. The battery pack includes a thermostat (9) having a casing portion (10) formed of a nonconductive material, a first electrode portion (13) disposed at one surface (10a) of the casing portion, and a second electrode portion (18) and (18) disposed at another surface (10c) opposite to the one surface of the casing portion, wherein one electrode lead (5) projected from a battery cell (3) is connected to one electrode connecting portion (7) of a circuit board (4); another electrode lead (6) is connected to the first electrode portion of the thermostat; and the second electrode portion of the thermostat is connected to another electrode connecting portion (8) of the circuit board.

Abstract: The car power source battery apparatus houses a plurality of battery modules in a holder case. Battery modules have batteries connected in a straight-line fashion, and boundary regions between batteries are covered with elastomer cylinders, which can flexibly deform. The outline of elastomer cylinder regions of a battery module is wider than the outline of battery regions not covered by elastomer cylinders. The holder case is divided into a first holder and a second holder to form holding compartments to retain battery modules. The inside shape of a holding compartment is a cylinder shape which is narrower than the outline of elastomer cylinder regions and wider than the outline of battery regions. Elastomer cylinder regions are resiliently compressed by holding compartment inside surfaces to hold battery modules, and cooling gaps are established between battery regions and holding compartment inside surfaces.