Abstract: First reinforcing members, having a low modulus of elasticity, are disposed between an electrolyte membrane and second reinforcing members having a high modulus of elasticity, so as not to allow the electrolyte membrane to readily rub against the first reinforcing members as the electrolyte membrane expands and shrinks and to ultimately prevent degradation of the electrolyte membrane.

Abstract: A solar cell assembly and method are disclosed. The solar cell assembly comprises a substrate having a front surface and a back surface, wherein the substrate has a p-n junction providing reverse bias protection, and wherein the substrate functions as a bypass diode. The solar cell assembly further comprises a multijunction solar cell having a plurality of solar cell layers, wherein the multijunction solar cell has a first surface and a second surface, the first surface being attached to the front surface of the substrate. The solar cell assembly further comprises an electrical connector element positioned adjacent the front surface of the substrate and the first surface of the multijunction solar cell, a first contact coupled to the back surface of the substrate, and at least one second contact coupled to a portion of the second surface of the multijunction solar cell.

Abstract: A solar power generation system includes a plurality of individual modules, each formed from a photovoltaic cell, a solar concentrator, a sealed evaporative cooling system and a heat sink. The solar concentrator focuses sunlight onto a front side the cell to generate electricity. The cooling system circulates a coolant in a liquid state to an evaporative cooling chamber having a wall defined at least partially by a back side of the cell to remove heat from the cell by direct contact between the coolant and the cell, and emits coolant in a vapor state to a condenser where the vapor coolant is condensed to a liquid state. The heat sink may be any suitable body of water, such that the condenser may be at least partially submerged therein. The modules are combined to form a platform that is rotated on the body of water by a drive device to provide tracking of the sun.

Abstract: A power generator includes a fuel container adapted to hold a hydrogen containing fuel. A two stage valve is coupled between a fuel cell and a fuel container and between a water reservoir and the fuel container. A pressure responsive actuator is coupled to the two stage valve and the fuel container.

Abstract: A system and method for generating electrical power from a heat source utilizing both photonic and thermal conversion are disclosed. Specifically, power is generated by coupling photon converters to thermoelectric pairs in a way such that the thermoelectric pairs gain not only the charge carriers (holes and electrons) generated by the photons absorbed by the photon converters, but also the charge carriers generated by excess heat in the photon converters and an added thermal gradient generated by excess energy in the absorbed photons. Heat exchanger variations for such a system are also disclosed. Specifically, heat exchangers with and without photon emitters are disclosed and variants of refractive indices for heat exchanger systems are disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a solar photovoltaic energy conversion apparatus. The apparatus consists of a substrate, a buffer layer formed on the substrate layer, a first transparent conductive oxide layer formed on the buffer layer, periodic protrusions containing first silicon layers formed on the first transparent conductive oxide layer, second silicon layers formed on the first silicon layers, a second transparent conductive oxide layer covering the first silicon layers, the second silicon layers and the first transparent conductive oxide layer, and an anti-reflective protective layer. The first silicon layer and the second silicon layer are the electrodes with the opposite type of charge carriers. The first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer are the electrodes with the opposite type of charge carriers. This TCO-based hybrid solar photovoltaic energy conversion device not only can allow the transmission of visible sunlight but also can enhance the photovoltaic energy.

Abstract: Provided is a secondary battery comprising a separator having an inorganic layer wherein active sites of inorganic particles in the inorganic layer are modified into non-reactive sites. Use of the separator leads to improvements in wettability of an electrolyte and thermoelectric stability and storage characteristics of the secondary battery. Provided is also a method of manufacturing the same secondary battery.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a stack of fuel cells. Each of the fuel cells includes a membrane electrode assembly and a separator that are stacked. The membrane electrode assembly includes an electrolyte membrane and a pair of electrodes sandwiching the electrolyte membrane therebetween. The terminal plate, the insulation plate, and the end plate are stacked at each end of the stack of the fuel cells in a stacking direction of the fuel cells. The terminal plate has a plurality of spaces formed therein. The spaces are separated from each other by a partition wall. A connection terminal is disposed on a plate surface of the terminal plate. The plate surface faces the insulation plate, at a position at which the connection terminal does not overlap the partition wall in the stacking direction. The connection terminal protrudes outward from the end plate in the stacking direction.

Abstract: A photovoltaic roofing system and a method of installing the photovoltaic ridge cap structure have been provided. The photovoltaic roofing system includes a ridge cap adapted to cover a ridge of a roof structure. The system also includes at least one photovoltaic cell disposed within the ridge cap. The method of installing a photovoltaic ridge cap structure includes mounting the ridge cap over multiple photovoltaic cells along a ridge of a roof structure. The method further includes routing electrical leads from each photovoltaic cell through one or more openings along the ridge of the roof structure.

Abstract: A solid state electrolyte fuel cell stack includes: layered solid state electrolyte fuel cells, each formed by a solid state electrolyte body having a fuel pole in contact with a fuel gas and an air pole in contact with an oxidant gas; and inter-connectors arranged between the solid state electrolyte fuel cells so as to separate a gas flow path between the solid state electrolyte fuel cells and assure electric conduction between the solid state electrolyte fuel cells. The solid state electrolyte fuel cell stack has two or more air vents for supplying a fuel gas or two or more air vents for supplying the oxidant gas which vents penetrate a part or the whole of the fuel cell stack in the stack layering direction. The different air vents communicate with the different solid state electrolyte fuel cells.

Abstract: In an electrolyte membrane (10) for a solid polymer fuel cell, sealing ribs (12) of a predetermined height made of an electrolyte resin is formed integrally with the electrolyte membrane (10). Using the electrolyte membrane, a membrane-electrode assembly (20) is formed, which is further processed into a fuel cell (30). Thus, an electrolyte membrane and a membrane-electrode assembly which are capable of improving the sealing characteristic when incorporated into a fuel cell are obtained. Besides, a fuel cell improved in the sealing characteristic is obtained.

Abstract: DC-DC converters are described that employ a time-averaged modulated bypass diode to facilitate the efficient harvest of power in photovoltaic systems.

Abstract: A photonic device, a method of making the device and a nano-scale antireflector employ a bramble of nanowires. The photonic device and the method include a first layer of a microcrystalline material provided on a substrate surface and a second layer of a microcrystalline material provided on the substrate surface horizontally spaced from the first layer by a gap. The photonic device and the method further include, and the nano-scale antireflector includes, the bramble of nanowires formed between the first layer and the second layer. The nanowires have first ends integral to crystallites in each of the first layer and the second layer. The nanowires of the bramble extend into the gap from each of the first layer and the second layer.

Abstract: A lithium/fluorinated carbon electrochemical cell having the CFx material supported on a titanium current collector screen sputter coated with a noble metal is described. The gold, iridium, palladium, platinum, rhodium and ruthenium-coated titanium current collector provides the cell with higher rate capability, even after exposure to high temperatures, in comparison to cells of a similar chemistry having the CFx contacted to a titanium current collector painted with a carbon coating.

Abstract: An interconnect for a fuel cell stack includes a first set of gas flow channels in a first portion of the interconnect, and a second set of gas flow channels in second portion of the interconnect. The channels of the first set have a larger cross sectional area than the channels of the second set.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a stack body formed by stacking a plurality of power generation cells. At opposite ends of the stack body in a stacking direction, end plates are provided. A second power collecting terminal protrudes outwardly from the end plate. One end of a bus bar is electrically connected to the second power collecting terminal such that the bus bar extends along an end plate surface intersecting the second power collecting terminal. A high voltage cable is connected to the other end of the bus bar. The high voltage cable is drawn toward the end plate.

Abstract: A hybrid photovoltaic cell comprising a composite substrate of a nanotube or nanorod array of metal oxide infiltrated with a monomer precursor and subsequently polymerized in situ via UV irradiation. In an embodiment, the photovoltaic cell comprises an electron accepting TiO2 nanotube array infiltrated with a photo-sensitive electron donating conjugated polymer. The conjugated polymer may be formed in situ through UV irradiation polymerizing a monomer precursor such as 2,5-diiodothiophene (DIT).

Abstract: Disclosed is a rechargeable lithium battery that includes a positive electrode including a lithium nickel-based positive active material; a negative electrode including a negative active material; an electrolyte including a lithium salt and a non-aqueous organic solvent; and a separator including a polymer substrate and a hydroxide compound-containing coating layer disposed on the polymer substrate.

Abstract: A thermoelectric generator has a top plate disposed in spaced relation above a bottom plate. A series of foil segments are electrically and mechanically connected end-to-end to generate a foil assembly that is spirally wound and in thermal contact with the bottom and top plates. Each foil segment comprises a substrate having a series of spaced alternating n-type and p-type thermoelectric legs disposed in parallel arrangement on the front substrate surface. Each of the n-type and p-type legs is formed of a bismuth telluride-based thermoelectric material having a thickness of about 10-100 microns, a width of about 10-100 microns and a length of about 100-500 microns. The alternating n-type and p-type thermoelectric legs are electrically connected in series and thermally connected in parallel such that a temperature differential between the bottom and top plates results in the generation of power.

Abstract: Apparatus and Method for Optimizing the Efficiency of a Bypass Diode in Solar Cells. In a preferred embodiment, a layer of TiAu is placed in an etch in a solar cell with a contact at a doped layer of GaAs. Electric current is conducted through a diode and away from the main cell by passing through the contact point at the GaAs and traversing a lateral conduction layer. These means of activating, or “turning on” the diode, and passing the current through the circuit results in greater efficiencies than in prior art devices. The diode is created during the manufacture of the other layers of the cell and does not require additional manufacturing.