Abstract: The problem of the present invention is to provide a sulfide solid electrolyte material having excellent ion conductivity. The present invention solves the problem by providing a sulfide solid electrolyte material comprising an M1 element (such as a Li element), an M2 element (such as a Ge element and a P element), and an S element; having a peak in a position of 2?=29.58°±0.50° in an X-ray diffraction measurement using a CuK? line; and having an IB/IA value of less than 0.50 when a diffraction intensity at the peak of 2?=29.58°±0.50° is represented by IA and a diffraction intensity at a peak of 2?=27.33°±0.50° is represented by IB.

Abstract: Provided is a method for evaluating a positive electrode active material. The method evaluates the performance of a positive electrode active material comprising a lithium transition metal oxide that contains a manganese-containing transition metal oxide. In this method, the lithium penetration rate into a transition metal site in the lithium transition metal oxide is evaluated based on the intensity ratio P between a first-neighbor Mn—O peak intensity A and a second-neighbor Mn-M peak intensity B in a radial distribution function obtained from EXAFS at the K absorption edge of manganese (Mn). Moreover, the ratio of excess lithium present in the positive electrode active material may also be evaluated based on the excess amount of added lithium Q contained in excess of the stoichiometric ratio of the lithium transition metal oxide and the intensity ratio P.

Abstract: A battery pack that can prevent an electrical short of a lead tab that electrically connects a battery cell and a protective circuit module. The battery pack includes a plurality of battery cells, a protective circuit module electrically connected to the battery cells, a case including a lower case in which the battery cells and the protective circuit module are mounted, and an upper case coupled to the lower case, a cell tab electrically connected to electrode terminals of the battery cells and extending to the outside of the case, a protective circuit electrically connected to the protective circuit module and extending to the outside of the case, and a connection tab formed at the outside of the case and electrically connecting the cell tab and the protective circuit tab.

Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle includes under a floor of the vehicle: a fuel cell generating electric power through an electrochemical reaction between reaction gases; a fluid supply/discharge unit for the fuel cell; and a converter converting electric power from the fuel cell, the converter being contained in a center tunnel provided, at a center in a vehicle width direction, so as to be curved toward a cabin along a vehicle axis in a front-back direction, the fuel cell and the unit being arranged on a rear side of the vehicle relative to the converter and arranged in the vehicle width direction, wherein the converter is provided to be offset toward the fuel cell with respect to a centerline of the center tunnel along the vehicle axis and to be offset toward the unit with respect to a centerline of the fuel cell along the vehicle axis.

Abstract: A process for shutting down a fuel cell power plant (5) shuts off (40) process air, recycles (44-46) air exhaust 42 to air inlets 34, and connects an auxiliary load to the stack (6). Coulombs are counted by integrating (17) current (73) or voltage (75) to the load to determine when all oxygen in the air side (10, 27, 30, 34, 42, 44-47) of the power plant is consumed and a desired concentration of hydrogen is transferred to the air side of the power plant. The speed of the shutdown processes may be increased by increasing fuel pressure (15) or adding a battery (78) in series with the auxiliary load.

Abstract: Fuel cells for selectively reacting a feedstock material with or without generating electricity, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A fuel cell system in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a first electrode positioned in a first region, a second electrode positioned in a second region, an electrolyte between the first and second regions, and an electrical circuit connected between the first and second electrodes. The system can further include a material collector in the first region to collect a non-gaseous reaction product from a non-electricity-generating reaction of the feedstock material in the first region. A controller receives an input corresponding to an instruction to control the rate of reaction product production and/or electrical current production. In response, the controller can partially or completely interrupt electron flow along the electrical circuit and/or change a rate at which reactants other than the feedstock material are supplied to the fuel cell.

Abstract: Fuel cells for selectively reacting a feedstock material with or without generating electricity, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A fuel cell system in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a first electrode positioned in a first region, a second electrode positioned in a second region, an ion-transport medium between the first and second regions, and an electrical circuit connected between the first and second electrodes. The system is operable in a first mode to react the feedstock material by a non-electricity-generating reaction to produce a product and in a second mode to react the feedstock material by an electricity-generating reaction to produce electricity. A controller receives an input (e.g., corresponding to a change in demand for electricity) and causes the system to switch between operating in the first mode and operating in the second mode in response to the input.

Abstract: A connection structure for connecting a tab of a cell with a cover board comprising a tab and a cover board is provided. An insulating spacer and an elastic conductive ring are provided at an end of the cell. The tab passes through an orifice of the insulting spacer and then is electrically connected with the elastic conductive ring which is electrically connected with the cover board. An elastic pressing disc may be further provided on the elastic conductive ring. The elastic conductive ring is electrically connected with the cover board via the elastic pressing disc. A staple may be further provided on the elastic pressing disc and the elastic conductive ring. The staple has a slot on one end for matching with an elastic hook provided on the insulating spacer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a continuous flow of hydrogen by catalyzed hydrolysis of a complex hydride, which comprises at least adding continuously and at constant rate a fuel solution to a reactor comprising a complex hydride stabilized on a hydroxide on a cobalt boride catalyst that is added in excess inside said reactor. Sodium borohydride is preferably used, the hydroxide is sodium hydroxide and the catalyst is supported on nickel foam. Parameters and optimal conditions to achieve continuous production of hydrogen have been determined, which is essential in the operation of fuel cells. A facility comprising a semi continuous reactor designed to perform the above process, which needs no refrigeration is also an object of the present invention, as well as a washing and reactivation process of a catalyst of the type used in the process mentioned above.

Abstract: A thermal management system is provided that minimizes the effects of thermal runaway. The system includes a sealed battery pack enclosure configured to hold a plurality of batteries and at least one exhaust nozzle assembly. The exhaust nozzle assembly includes an exhaust nozzle that passes and directs the flow of hot gas from within the battery pack to the ambient environment during a thermal runaway event, a nozzle seal mounted within the exhaust nozzle that seals the exhaust nozzle during normal operation of the battery pack, and a shape memory alloy (SMA) retaining member that is configured to capture an end portion of the nozzle seal and hold the seal within the exhaust nozzle when the SMA retaining member is configured in its first shape, and that is configured to release the seal from the exhaust nozzle when the SMA retaining member is heated to its transformation temperature.

Abstract: Instead of CCS technique, a possible approach to mitigate the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission is to decompose it into useful products. This invention shows a high temperature rechargeable battery system for decomposition of oxygen-containing gases (e.g CO2/H2O, NOx, SOx, in particular GHG), oxygen generation, and energy storage by using ODF/La2NiO4-based materials in Li/Ti/Mg—CO2 battery architecture. Different from ionic Lithium conducting electrolyte, the invention has a higher ionic oxygen conducting electrolyte to work efficiently at higher temperature without sacrificing safety. During battery discharge, GHG can be decomposed into syngas (CO+H2) or solid carbon, while renewable energy (e.g. solar/wind power) could be used to charge the battery and generate oxygen. The energy consumption for GHG decomposition is self-sustainable and the byproducts (i.e. carbon/syngas and oxygen) have good market values.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery including an electrode assembly, the electrode assembly including a non-coating portion having a front surface, a rear surface, and a side surface; a case accommodating the electrode assembly; a cap plate sealing the case; and a collector electrically connected to the non-coating portion of the electrode assembly, wherein the collector includes a front collector tab welded to the front surface of the non-coating portion and a rear collector tab welded to the rear surface of the non-coating portion, a collector plate electrically connected to the collector tabs, the collector plate being coupled with a bottom surface of the cap plate, and a protrusion protruding perpendicularly from one of the front collector tab or rear collector tab.

Abstract: A fuel cell system (101) comprising a fuel cell (120) and a reaction container (103), wherein the fuel cell (120) comprises a fuel electrode (121), an air electrode (122) and an electrolyte film (123) and the reaction container (103) comprises a hydrogen storage material (106) and a heater (114) and can supply hydrogen to the fuel cell (120), and wherein a water flow path (109) for supplying water produced in the air electrode (122) to the reaction container (103) is provided.

Abstract: A redox flow battery in which a positive electrode electrolyte stored in a positive electrode tank and a negative electrode electrolyte stored in a negative electrode tank are supplied to a battery element to charge and discharge the battery is provided, the positive electrode electrolyte in the redox flow battery containing a Mn ion as a positive electrode active material, the negative electrode electrolyte containing at least one of a Ti ion, a V ion, and a Cr ion as a negative electrode active material, in which the redox flow battery includes a negative-electrode-side introduction duct in communication with inside of the negative electrode tank from outside thereof, for introducing oxidizing gas into the negative electrode tank, and a supply mechanism for supplying the oxidizing gas into the negative electrode tank via the negative-electrode-side introduction duct.

Abstract: An electrode is provided with a metal terminal extending from a battery module main body, a bolt which has an expanded section configuring a retaining section at a rear end portion and penetrates the metal terminal upward, and an insulating body which insulates the metal terminal and the battery module case one from the other. The insulating body is provided with a drop preventing section which abuts at least a lower surface of the expanded section of the bolt and prevents the bolt from dropping from the metal terminal.

Abstract: Provided is a secondary battery including an electrode including silicon or a silicon compound. The electrode includes, for example, a current collector formed using metal and a silicon film as an active material provided over the current collector. The hydrogen concentration in the silicon film of the electrode may be higher than or equal to 1.0×1018 cm?3 and lower than or equal to 1.0×1021 cm?3. Such a silicon film is formed over a current collector by a plasma CVD method or the like for example, and hydrogen is contained as little as possible in the silicon film, which is preferable. In order to contain hydrogen as little as possible in the silicon film, the silicon film may be formed over the current collector under a high temperature environment.

Abstract: An electrode is provided with a metal terminal extending from a battery module main body, a bolt which has an expanded section configuring a retaining section at a rear end portion and penetrates the metal terminal upward, and an insulating body which insulates the metal terminal and the battery module case one from the other. The insulating body is provided with a drop preventing section which abuts at least a lower surface of the expanded section of the bolt and prevents the bolt from dropping from the metal terminal.

Abstract: Provided is a carbon catalyst for a cathode of a direct fuel cell, which selectively promotes an oxygen reduction reaction even when crossover of a fuel compound occurs. The carbon catalyst for a cathode of a direct fuel cell exhibits an oxygen-reducing catalytic activity in an electrolytic solution containing a fuel compound for the direct fuel cell, and exhibits substantially no catalytic activity to oxidize the fuel compound in the electrolytic solution.

Abstract: A water control sheet having superior drainage and gas diffusion properties and superior handling characteristics, and a gas diffusion sheet, a membrane-electrode assembly and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, which utilize the water control sheet, are provided. The water control sheet is independent and located for use adjacent to a catalyst layer of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, and is formed of a nonwoven fabric containing conductive fibers containing conductive particles at least inside a hydrophobic organic resin. The gas diffusion sheet, the membrane-electrode assembly and the polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to the present invention have the above water control sheet.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a storage device, a fuel cell, a power circuit, a controller, and a memory. The memory stores a favorable combination range in which the combination of a water distribution condition of the fuel cell and the state of charge of the storage device is suitable for the required power of the vehicle, and the controller includes a water distribution condition estimating and acquiring unit that acquires the water distribution condition of the fuel cell, a state-of-charge acquiring unit that acquires the state of charge of the storage device, a combination status determining unit that determines whether the combination of the acquired water distribution condition and the acquired state of charge is within the favorable combination range, and a combination status improving unit that improves the water distribution condition of the fuel cell when the combination is not within the favorable combination range.