Abstract: An electrochemical device comprises an electrode matrix including a multilayer structure composed of a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a first separator, and first and second dummy electrodes electrically connected to the positive and negative electrodes, respectively. The first and second dummy electrodes have respective opposing parts opposing each other through a second separator at an outer peripheral part of the electrode matrix. One or each of the first and second dummy electrodes has a resistance control layer at least on a side where the opposing parts oppose each other. The resistance control layer has such a resistance value that an estimated internal short circuit current between the first and second dummy electrodes is equivalent to 0.09 C to 1.00 C. The first and second dummy electrodes are adapted to short-circuit each other at a lower temperature than the positive and negative electrodes do.

Abstract: A positive electrode and a negative electrode are accommodated in a bottomed cylindrical battery case with a separator interposed therebetween, and an opening part of the battery case is sealed by means of a gasket. A body part of the battery case has a thickness in the range between 0.1 and 0.17 mm. The positive electrode is made of a material obtained by adding graphite to manganese dioxide. The density of the graphite in the material of the positive electrode is in the range between 0.12 and 0.23 g/cm3.

Abstract: FC current control in a fuel cell operation system can be roughly divided into two parts. The first part executes a total air feed amount calculation step, an FC air amount calculation step, and a bypass air amount calculation step. These steps are executed by using a stoichiometry map and a pumping hydrogen amount map. The second part calculates a control valve open amount instruction value and a bypass valve open amount instruction value according to the calculated FC air amount and the bypass air amount. Here, a control valve open amount map and the like are used. When generated power is output from the fuel cell stack by these instruction values, the actual FC current value is compared to the FC current instruction value and the control valve open amount is corrected according to a difference between them.

Abstract: A hydrogen generator and a fuel cell using the same includes: a first container containing an aqueous solution of alkaline metal carbonate or bicarbonate; a second container containing a metal hydride; and a supply unit disposed between the first container and the second container. The hydrogen generator has a high hydrogen generating rate, can provide a fuel cell with a high energy density, and the amount of hydrogen generated thereby is easy to control.

Abstract: Metal complex salts may be used in lithium ion batteries. Such metal complex salts not only perform as an electrolyte salt in a lithium ion batteries with high solubility and conductivity, but also can act as redox shuttles that provide overcharge protection of individual cells in a battery pack and/or as electrolyte additives to provide other mechanisms to provide overcharge protection to lithium ion batteries. The metal complex salts have at least one aromatic ring. The aromatic moiety may be reversibly oxidized/reduced at a potential slightly higher than the working potential of the positive electrode in the lithium ion battery. The metal complex salts may also be known as overcharge protection salts.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes: cells (11), each of which includes an electrolyte layer-electrode stack assembly (5) having a electrolyte layer (1) and a pair of gas diffusion electrodes (4a, 4b) sandwiching a portion of the electrolyte layer (1) which portion is located on an inner side of a peripheral portion of the electrolyte layer (1), an annular peripheral member disposed at the peripheral portion of the electrolyte layer (1), a pair of electrically conductive separators (6A, 6B) which sandwich the electrolyte layer-electrode stack assembly (5) and the peripheral member, and damage detecting wires (31); and a fuel cell stack (100) formed by stacking the cells (11), wherein: the damage detecting wires (31) are formed on components constituting the cell (11) other than the electrolyte layer-electrode stack assembly (5); and the damage detecting wires (31) are connected to one another to form an open circuit by stacking the cells (11).

Abstract: A fuel cell system that includes a compressor for providing cathode air to the cathode side of a fuel cell stack and an air filter for filtering the air sent to the compressor to prevent particulates and other contaminants from entering the compressor and the fuel cell stack. The fuel cell system also includes a mass flow meter that measures the flow of air to the compressor and a pressure sensor that measures the pressure of the airflow at the output of the compressor. An electronic compressor map is provided that defines the operating characteristics of the compressor. By knowing the flow through the compressor and the pressure at the outlet of the compressor, an algorithm can determine where on the compressor map the compressor is operating, and from that determine the inlet pressure to the compressor, which in turn shows whether the air filter is clogged or otherwise damaged.

Abstract: A cell of a fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly, and metal first and second separators which sandwich the membrane electrode assembly to form gas flow paths disposed on each side of the membrane electrode assembly. A back surface of the first separator and a back surface of the second separator, the first separator and the second separator being included in adjacent cells, are in contact with each other, thereby forming a temperature-control medium flow path between the first separator and the second separator. In the first separator and the second separator, corrosion-resistant coating layers are provided only on reaction-side surfaces of the first separator and the second separator, the reaction-side surfaces facing the membrane electrode assembly, and portions where the back surface of the first separator is in contact with the back surface of the second separator are joined by welded portions.

Abstract: To improve the penetration short-circuit resistance of a valve-regulated lead-acid battery. A mixed and scooped mat of glass fibers and organic fibers is used as a separator 3 of a battery comprising an electrode plate pack 4 obtained by inserting the separator 3 between a positive electrode plate 2 and a negative electrode plate 1 and housed in a container 5 and an electrolyte retained in the electrode plate pack 4 and the separator 3, wherein the separator is a mixed and scooped mat of glass fibers and organic fibers and the electrolyte is silica sol mixed with silica and silica sol is injected as the electrolyte.

Abstract: The air-cooled thermal management of a fuel cell stack is disclosed. One disclosed embodiment comprises a cooling plate apparatus for an air-cooled fuel cell stack, where the cooling plate comprises a body configured to receive heat from one or more fuel cells in thermal communication with the body, and airflow channels formed in the body and configured to allow a flow of a cooling air to pass across the body. An insulating structure is disposed in the airflow channels, wherein the insulating structure has decreasing thickness from a cooling air inlet toward a cooling air outlet.