Abstract: A battery module includes unit batteries spaced apart from each other and a barrier arranged between neighboring ones of the unit batteries. The barrier includes protrusions formed on a front surface, a rear surface, or both of the barrier to form an airflow portion; and strength reinforcing portions formed on the barrier, each extending in a direction and having a channel.

Abstract: A catalytic combustion unit for a fuel cell system is provided. The catalytic combustion unit includes a reactor having a porous medium with a catalyst deposited thereon. The reactor is disposed adjacent a heat exchanger and adapted to receive an air stream and a hydrogen stream. The reactor is further adapted to promote an exothermic reaction and modulate a temperature of a fuel cell stack. A fuel cell system and method employing the catalytic combustion unit are also provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a battery holder 30 for an electronic device. In order to provide an improved possibility of exchanging a battery of an electronic device, it is proposed that the battery holder 30 comprises an outer surface 31, means 32 for receiving an exchangeable battery 20 and means 33, 34 for connecting the battery holder 30 releasably to an electronic device. The latter means enable a connection of the battery holder to the electronic device in a way that electrical contact elements 21 of a battery 20 received by said battery holder 30 come into contact with electrical contact elements of the electronic device and that the outer surface 31 of the battery holder 30 forms part of the outer surface of the electronic device. The invention relates equally to a corresponding electronic device and to a cover for such an electronic device.

Abstract: Elastic members that are integrally joined to a frame member are placed between an outer edge of an electrode unit and an inner edge of the frame member, and in the assembled state of the single cell module, the elastic members are elastically deformed in the thickness direction of a membrane-electrode-frame assembly so that the gap between the membrane-electrode-frame assembly and the separator is sealed in a tight contact state.

Abstract: A fuel cell powered vehicle is disclosed having a fuel tank, wherein the fuel tank is disposed on an undercarriage of the vehicle and has a substantially conical shape to militate against interference with a function of a suspension system of the vehicle.

Abstract: The carboxyl borate represents a novel liquid that upon reaction with lithium halide produces a lithium ion electrochemical device electrolyte upon dissolution in an aprotic solvent mixture.

Abstract: A cylindrical lithium ion secondary battery includes a center pin fabricated with an inexpensive material and having a coating layer formed on the outer surface of the center pin. The cylindrical lithium ion secondary battery includes an electrode assembly having the center pin inserted through the center of the electrode. A case is provided for housing the electrode assembly and an electrolyte. A cap assembly seals the case. The center pin includes a body formed from a metallic material and a coating layer is formed on the outer surface of the body.

Abstract: In a lithium secondary battery of the present invention, the positive electrode includes a positive electrode current collector and a positive electrode active material layer carried on the positive electrode current collector, the negative electrode includes a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active material layer carried on the negative electrode current collector, a heat-resistant layer is formed on the negative electrode, and an insulating tape is attached onto at least a part of the exposed portion of the positive electrode current collector that is opposite to the end of the negative electrode active material layer. Thus, by forming the heat-resistant layer on the negative electrode and attaching the insulating tape onto a part of the exposed portion of the positive electrode current collector, it is possible to efficiently provide a lithium secondary battery exhibiting high safety.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a battery having an electrode assembly, which can be charged and discharged, mounted in a plate-shaped battery case, and cathode and anode terminals protruding from opposite ends of the battery case, wherein the electrode terminals are deviated from each other about the vertical central axis on the plane of the battery cell while the electrode terminals are arranged in a symmetrical fashion, the battery case includes an upper case and a lower case, only one of which is provided with a location part for receiving the electrode assembly, and the electrode terminals are deviated toward the upper or lower case which has no location part on the vertical section of the battery cell, and a battery module including the same.

Abstract: A fuel cell system is provided which includes a fuel cell to which fuel gas and oxidizing gas are supplied to generate electricity, a purge valve which purges fuel gas discharged from the fuel cell, a dilutor which mixes the purged fuel gas with the oxidizing gas and purges the purged fuel gas mixed with the oxidizing gas into the atmosphere, and an ECU which stops supply of the oxidizing gas to the fuel cell so as to cause an idle stop and determines whether to permit the idle stop depending on a concentration of the fuel gas in the dilutor.

Abstract: Gas discharge ports are provided in almost the entire area of a layer surface of a separator, and a gas for reaction is discharged like a shower from the separator toward a power generation cell. The separator is constructed by layering plate-shaped members containing iron-base alloy, nickel-base alloy, or chrome-base alloy as the base material. Silver, silver alloy, copper, or copper alloy is plated on both sides or one side of the base material of the plate-shaped member. The construction above can increase durability of a separator and enables the separator and a solid oxide fuel cell to be stably used for a long period.

Abstract: The power source contains a plurality of batteries stacked in more than three tiers within a battery case divided into a first sub holder case and second sub holder case, and the first sub holder case contains the batteries in a larger number of tiers than the second sub holder case. An intermediary duct is provided between the two sub holder cases, and a first outer duct and a second outer duct are respectively provided outside each of the two sub holder cases. The batteries in the holder case are cooled by the cooling air which flows from the intermediary duct through the holder case into the outer duct for exhaustion. Further, the second outer duct is designed to experience a larger pressure loss than the first outer duct.

Abstract: In a method for operating a fuel cell including an electrolyte membrane sandwiched by a fuel electrode and an oxidizing agent electrode, the method includes a hydrogen feedback process either before starting operation of the fuel cell or after stopping operation of the fuel cell. The hydrogen feedback process includes the processes of a process for electrically connecting a positive electrode of an external electric power source to the oxidizing agent electrode of the fuel cell, a process for electrically connecting a negative electrode of the external electric power source to the fuel electrode of the fuel cell, a process for oxidizing hydrogen remaining in the oxidizing agent electrode to generate protons, the hydrogen contained in the fuel, and a process for reducing the protons, transferred to the fuel electrode from the oxidizing agent electrode through the electrolyte membrane, into hydrogen.

Abstract: A monolithically integrated lithium thin film battery (10) provides increased areal capacity on a single level (without stacking of multiple cells). The Lithium thin film battery (10) comprises a substrate (12) having a surface (13) textured to comprise a plurality of openings (16) having sides (15) angled between 10 and 80 degrees to the surface (13). A current collector (18) and a cathode (22) are formed on the substrate (12) and within the openings (16). An electrolyte (24) comprising lithium phosphorous oxynitride is formed by physical vapor deposition on the cathode (22), thereby providing a layer on the surface of the cathode (22) and within the openings (16) of the cathode having substantially the same thickness. An anode (26) and a capping layer (28) are then formed on the electrolyte (24).

Abstract: An electrochemical device includes a case, a nonaqueous electrolyte filled in the case and containing a room temperature molten salt in an amount of 1 to 50 vol %, a first electrode housed in the case, and a second electrode housed in the case and containing a substance having a lamellar crystal structure. The room temperature molten salt contains a cation represented by formula (1) or formula (2) given below. R1 includes a carbonic acid ester group. Each of R2 and R3 denotes a substituent having an acyclic structure and having 4 or less carbon atoms, or R2 and R3 are combined to denote a substituent having a cyclic structure and having 4 or 5 carbon atoms. R4 includes a carbonic acid ester group, R5 has an acyclic structure and has 4 or less carbon atoms, and R6 denotes a hydrogen atom or a methyl group.

Abstract: The bipolar plate is thinner because it includes in a single plane all of the channels (21) for circulation of the oxidiser, the fuel and the coolant fluid (41). The feed plate, which is preferably made of a composite material, has on each of its faces (1A, 1B) a network of channels for the circulation either of oxidiser or fuel, which are supplied through feed apertures (2, 3) passing through the plate. Refrigeration is achieved by means of feed apertures (4) feeding into one or more refrigeration channels (41) positioned between the parts of the circulation channels (21) for the oxidiser or the fuel. Possible through passages (43) allow these different channels to pass from one face to the other so as to organise the circulation and the removal of these three fluids. It is thus possible to distribute the oxidiser and the fuel to both sides of the plate, while also arranging its refrigeration. Application to fuel cells of average and high power.

Abstract: A battery case includes a box portion forming a battery chamber in which at least one short-length battery and at least one long-length battery can be selectively accommodated along a lengthwise direction of the box portion through an insertion opening thereof; a battery chamber lid for closing the insertion opening; at least one battery locking lug which is engaged with the long-length battery to lock the long-length battery in the box portion upon the long-length battery being inserted into the box portion; and at least one lock releasing piece which disengages the battery locking lug from the long-length battery when the battery chamber lid is opened from a closed state thereof.

Abstract: A spirally-wound fuel cell assembly is disclosed. The spirally-wound fuel cell assembly includes an enclosure. Multiple cell assemblies are disposed in electrical contact with each other and provided in the enclosure. Each of the cell assemblies has at least one membrane electrode assembly including a negative electrode, a positive electrode and a proton conductive membrane sandwiched between the negative electrode and the positive electrode. An oxidant channel is provided in each of the cell assemblies for receiving an oxidant gas. A fuel gas pathway is defined around the cell assemblies for receiving a fuel gas. A method of fabricating a fuel cell assembly is also disclosed.