Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for activating a fuel cell stack, which significantly reduces the time required for activation and the amount of hydrogen used for the activation by employing a vacuum wetting process in a shutdown operation. In particular, a high humidity open circuit voltage operation humidifies the fuel cell stack and operates the fuel cell stack at an open circuit voltage, and a vacuum wetting operation wets the surface of a polymer electrolyte membrane by creating a vacuum atmosphere in the fuel cell stack. The high humidity open circuit voltage operation and the vacuum wetting operation are performed alternately and repeatedly.

Abstract: In an electrochemical cell including a cathode 7, an anode 6, electrolyte 10, a hollow container 1 accommodating these members, and terminals extending from the inside to the outside of the hollow container 1, the terminals include a plurality of inner terminals 5a formed on the inner surface of the hollow container 1, a cathode outer terminal 5b 1 formed on the outer surface of the hollow container 1, and an inner layer wire 5c formed on the inner layer of the hollow container 1 for commonly connecting the plurality of inner terminals 5a to the cathode outer terminal 5b1.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a plate-shaped secondary battery used as a unit cell for middle- or large-sized battery pack, the secondary battery having an electrode assembly, which can be charged and discharged, mounted in a sheet-shaped battery case including a metal layer and a resin layer in a sealed state, the electrode assembly having electrode terminals protruding outside a sealing part of the battery case, wherein at least one of the electrode terminals is provided at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the sealing part with a self cutting part having a vertical sectional area less than that of the remaining part of the at least one electrode terminal such that the self cutting part can break first when overcurrent flows in the secondary battery.

Abstract: A protective circuit module for a secondary battery is provided including a circuit board. At least one protection control circuit element for preventing overcharge and over-discharge of the secondary battery is mounted on the circuit board. A first conductive pad is coupled to the circuit board. A positive temperature coefficient device is between the at least one protection control circuit and the first conductive pad such that when a secondary battery temperature reaches a threshold value, resistance of the positive temperature coefficient device is increased and battery current is reduced.

Abstract: A secondary battery includes an electrode assembly, the electrode assembly including an uncoated region at ends thereof; a case accommodating the electrode assembly; a cap plate coupled with the case; and an insulation member in the case, the insulation member including a first region between the electrode assembly and the cap plate, and a second region between the uncoated region of the electrode assembly and an inner surface of the case.

Abstract: A fuel cell system and a control method enables a smooth shift from a heat-up operation to a normal operation in a simple operating process. The fuel cell system includes a cell stack, an aqueous solution holding device having aqueous solution tanks which store aqueous methanol solution, and a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion which connect the aqueous solution tanks with each other, and a temperature sensor which detects a temperature of the aqueous methanol solution. Based on a result of a temperature detection, a setting is made for one of a first mode where the aqueous methanol solution in the aqueous solution tank is circulated to the cell stack and a second mode where the aqueous methanol solution in the aqueous solution tanks is circulated to the cell stack.

Abstract: A battery pack includes a connection circuit board connected to the unit cells, a conductive lead drawn out from the connection circuit board, a printed circuit module having an opening into which the conductive lead is inserted, a solder portion formed by solder connection in which the conductive lead is inserted into the opening, wherein the conductive lead has an insertion portion inserted into the opening, a bent portion bent from the insertion portion, and a recess by which the insertion portion is divided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a lithium battery and, more particularly, to a lithium battery, in which the structure of a battery module contained in the lithium battery is simplified, thus reducing the size of the entire lithium battery, and which includes a connector by which two or more lithium batteries are mechanically coupled to each other so that in response to a required amount of power, an appropriate number of lithium batteries can be easily connected to each other.

Abstract: A flow field plate for use in a fuel cell includes a non-porous plate body having a flow field that extends between first and second ends of the non-porous plate body. The flow field includes a plurality of channels having channel inlets and channel outlets, a fluid inlet portion that diverges from the first end to the channel inlets, and a fluid outlet portion that converges from the channel outlets to the second end. A fuel cell including the flow field plate includes an electrode assembly having an electrolyte between an anode catalyst and a cathode catalyst. The flow field of the flow field plate is side by side with the electrode assembly. A method of processing a flow field plate includes forming the flow field in a non-porous plate body.

Abstract: An electrode for a lithium secondary battery includes an electrode active material, a conductive agent, and a polyurethane-based compound, and has pores having an average diameter of about 2 to about 20 nm. A lithium secondary battery includes the electrode.

Abstract: Disclosed is an additive for a non-aqueous electrolyte, which is a compound having a double bond and at least two cyano groups, the two cyano groups being in a trans-formation to the double bond. Also, a non-aqueous electrolyte comprising the additive and an electrochemical device comprising the non-aqueous electrolyte are also disclosed. Further, an electrode comprising the cyano group-containing compound and an electrochemical device comprising the electrode are disclosed.

Abstract: An electrochemical storage cell includes a housing; a solid electrolyte tube, which defines an inner space of the housing as a first electrode chamber and a second electrode chamber; a first electrode material in the first electrode chamber; a second electrode material in the second electrode chamber; and an electron channel unit arranged in the second electrode chamber for guiding movement of electrons in the second electrode chamber, the electron channel unit having a non-constant thickness.

Abstract: Arrays of planar solid state batteries are stacked in an aligned arrangement for subsequent separation into individual battery stacks. Prior to stacking, a redistribution layer (RDL) is formed over a surface of each wafer that contains an array; each RDL includes first and second groups of conductive traces, each of the first extending laterally from a corresponding positive battery contact, and each of the second extending laterally from a corresponding negative battery contact. Conductive vias, formed before or after stacking, ultimately couple together corresponding contacts of aligned batteries. If before, each via extends through a corresponding battery contact of each wafer and is coupled to a corresponding conductive layer that is included in another RDL formed over an opposite surface of each wafer. If after, each via extends through corresponding aligned conductive traces and, upon separation of individual battery stacks, becomes an exposed conductive channel of a corresponding battery stack.

Abstract: A pouch case for a secondary battery in which the width of a metal layer in a plurality of layers to constitute the pouch case is formed narrower than those of other layers so that the metal layer is not exposed to an outer surface of the pouch case. A secondary battery includes an electrode assembly provided with one or more electrode tabs. A pouch case has the electrode assembly accommodated therein, and is formed of a plurality of layers. In the secondary battery, any one of the plurality of layers to constitute the pouch case is formed as a metal layer of which width is narrower than those of the other layers.

Abstract: A redox flow battery includes a positive electrode electrolyte and a negative electrode electrolyte, each of which includes a metal-ligand coordination complex, in which a metal of a metal-ligand coordination complex of the positive electrode electrolyte is different from a metal of a metal-ligand coordination complex of the negative electrode electrolyte. Due to use of different metals in the positive and negative electrode electrolytes, the redox flow battery has high energy density and high charge and discharge efficiency.

Abstract: An incombustible lithium secondary battery, which has excellent battery capacity and high safety, contains a separator provided between a positive electrode and a negative electrode, and a nonaqueous electrolytic solution containing a lithium salt, in which the nonaqueous electrolytic solution employs an ionic liquid as a solvent, and the separator contains an electrically insulating porous inorganic membrane and a substrate. The ionic liquid may contain a bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide anion as an anionic component, and may contain a cation containing a nitrogen atom as a cationic component.

Abstract: Provided is a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), including: a fuel electrode for allowing a fuel gas to be reacted; an air electrode for allowing a gas containing oxygen to be reacted; an electrolyte film provided between the fuel electrode and the air electrode; and a reaction prevention film provided between the air electrode and the electrolyte film. The reaction prevention film includes two layers including one layer of a porous layer having an interface with the electrolyte film; and one layer of a dense layer having an interface with the air electrode. The dense layer has a porosity of 5% or less and the porous layer has a porosity of 5.1 to 60%. The porous layer includes closed pores each having a diameter of 0.1 to 3 ?m. The porous layer includes closed pores each including a component (such as Sr) for the air electrode.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for assembling a high voltage battery without exposing an operator to contacts having a voltage greater than a predetermined maximum are presented. A bus bar module has standard compartments equipped with integrated bus bars separated by break compartments without bus bars. The bus bar module can be coupled to a plurality of electrochemical cells to connect the cells in groups having a voltage less than a predetermined maximum Vmax. Compartment lids can be closed to prevent contact with connected posts. A separate non-integrated bus bar can be provided to a break compartment to connect a first group of cells with a second group of cells to form a series of connected cells that can provide a voltage greater than Vmax, to achieve a desired battery voltage. The bus bar module and methods of the invention can protect an operator during battery assembly or service.

Abstract: In a rechargeable battery, a case is combined with an upper surface of a bare cell by being fixed to a lead plate electrically coupling a protection circuit board of a protection circuit module to the bare cell. Alternatively, the case is combined with the bare cell by being fixed to the protection circuit board so as not to be separated from the bare cell, thereby improving the reliability of the products.

Abstract: A battery module includes a plurality of adjoining of battery cells; heat conductive sheets between at least some adjacent battery cells, the heat conductive sheets being in thermal co-operation with the battery cells; a heat dispersion member coupled with the heat conductive sheets and in thermal co-operation therewith; and a heat dissipation member coupled with the heat dispersion member and in thermal co-operation therewith.