Abstract: An electrode for a battery includes an electrode sheet, a lead, and a metal piece. The electrode sheet has a collector, an active material layer formed on the collector, and a lead connecting portion which is configured as an exposed extension of the collector, on both surfaces of which the active material layer is not formed. The lead connecting portion, the lead, and the metal piece are overlapped to and joined to each other. With this configuration, even if a contact area between the lead connecting portion and the lead is small, an electric resistance at the joined portion between the lead connecting portion and the lead becomes small, with a result that it is possible to enhance the strength of the joined portion and to enhance the discharge load characteristic of the battery.

Abstract: A highly efficient fuel cell is provided that can be reduced in size and provide a large electromotive force and that comprises an electrolyte/electrode joined member comprising a fuel electrode, an oxidizer electrode, and an electrolyte membrane provided between the electrodes, wherein a plurality of spacers are provided at least on a surface on the oxidizer electrode side of the electrolyte/electrode joined member.

Abstract: An aspect of the invention for achieving the aforementioned objects relates to a fuel cell including at least one unit cell. The unit cell includes a first separator which is disposed on one side of an MEA, and which includes a first concave groove which constitutes a first gas passage, and a first convex rib whose rear surface constitutes a first refrigerant passage, and on which a first gas cross groove is formed; and a second separator which is disposed on the other side of the MEA, and which includes a second concave groove which constitutes a second gas passage, and a second convex rib whose rear surface constitutes a second refrigerant passage, and on which a second gas cross groove is formed.

Abstract: A fuel cell element comprising a tube of a solid electrolyte. An outer electrode is provided on an outside of the tube and an inner electrode is provided in the inside of the tube. A ring formed of an electrically conducting material is mounted to the tube and is electrically connected to the tube. The ring has a first surface intended to be mountable to and slidingly engageable with a substantially complementary shaped second surface of a wall of a conduit means to supply a gaseous consumable to an interior of the tube or to carry gas from the interior. The mounting of the ring to and the engaging of the ring with the second surface is to provide an electrical connection between the fuel cell element and the conduit means.

Abstract: A fuel cell system and a related control method are disclosed wherein, during start-up of a fuel cell stack 1, a controller 21 operates a DC/DC converter 13 in a voltage control mode to allow an electric power to be supplied from a secondary battery 7 to a load 6 at an output voltage managed by the DC/DC converter. Under such a condition, an electric power level appearing when a voltage level of the electric power to be supplied from the secondary battery to the load lies at a value greater than an open voltage level of the fuel cell stack 1. Next, the DC/DC converter 13 is operative in an electric power control mode to allow the electric power to be supplied from the secondary battery to the load at a managed electric power output. Then, a level of the electric power to be supplied to the load is detected with the DC/DC converter 13, which permits the electric power to be supplied from the secondary battery to the load at an electric power level less than a resulting detected electric power level.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fuel cell vehicle capable of efficiently cooling a fuel stack and supplying sufficient reactant gas to the fuel stack with only a single air supply means.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a method and apparatus for hydrogen detection and dilution. The present invention uses an enclosure within which a variety of components of a fuel cell system are located and a ventilation stream to vent the enclosure which is induced by operation of a compressor that also is operable to supply the oxygen to the fuel cell system. The ventilation stream is directed through an outlet in the enclosure that contains a hydrogen sensor that is operable to both detect the presence of hydrogen and to consume hydrogen within the ventilation stream prior to being exhausted from the enclosure. The ventilation stream, alternatively, can be induced by operation of a fan driven by a motor which operates independently of the operation of the oxidant delivery system.

Abstract: The fuel cell system is provided which detects a freeze among specific components and portions thereof by evaluating various conditions upon starting operation of the fuel cell system. If a freeze is detected through those evaluations, the start of the system is prohibited in order to prevent some deterioration in the fuel cell system.

Abstract: A direct type fuel cell power generator comprises an anode electrode including an anode catalyst layer, a cathode electrode including a cathode catalyst layer, a fuel container comprising at least two electromotive portion units, each of which comprises an electrolyte film disposed between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, the fuel container housing a fuel therein, and a fuel flow path to supply a fuel in the electromotive portion unit. In the power generator, the fuel flow path has a flow path which produces flow-back again from the fuel container to the first electromotive portion unit via the first electromotive portion unit and the second electromotive portion unit, and which is not branched during the flow-back.

Abstract: A first seal structure includes a seal joint and seal members connected to the seal joint. An interior angle at the seal joint defined by central lines of the seal members is in a range of 40° to 90°. The seal joint includes a curved portion having a predetermined radius of curvature R for connecting the seal members.

Abstract: A fuel cell comprises a cathode (electrode catalyst layer), an anode (electrode catalyst layer), and a gas diffusion layer provided at least on one of the cathode and anode between a collector and the electrode catalyst layer and containing carbon having an oil absorption larger than that of a catalyst-supporting carbon used in the electrode catalyst layers. As a result, the dropping of the cell voltage due to external factor is suppressed, even if the cell temperature is low (room temperature to 50° C.). The water-absorption pressure of the water passage in the gas diffusion layer is higher than those of the electrode catalyst layers. The produced water and moving water in the cathode is absorbed into the water passage in the gas diffusion layer exhausted to the collector side. When a cell temperature is low, the evaporation speed of water from the collectors is lowered.

Abstract: A leak in a fuel cell module can allow hydrogen and/or oxygen to escape from the fuel cell module, thereby creating a high risk of fire or explosion. This problem is addressed by providing a fuel cell installation with a fuel cell module that is enclosed in a gas-tight pressure container. Filling the pressure container with a protective gas ensures that if the fuel cell module does leak, no operating gas can escape from the module, with protective gas entering the module instead. A leak therefore no longer poses a risk. The leak can also be identified and located by a voltage drop in the cells affected by the leak.

Abstract: A multi-stage compressor system that compresses air supplied to a cathode of a fuel cell system includes a first stage compressor that compresses inlet air to provide a first pressurized air stream at a first pressure. A second stage compressor includes a compression unit that compresses the first pressurized air stream to a second pressurized air stream at a second pressure. A drive unit drives the compression unit using expansion energy of an exhaust stream of the fuel cell. A first heat exchanger enables heat transfer between the second pressurized air stream and the exhaust stream to heat the exhaust stream.

Abstract: A simple, inexpensive and highly efficient fuel cell has boundary structures made of a photo-sensitive material in combination with selective patterning. Printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication techniques combine boundary structures with two and three dimensional electrical flow path. Photo-sensitive material and PCB fabrication techniques are alternately or combined utilized for making micro-channel structures or micro stitch structures for substantially reducing dead zones of the diffusion layer while keeping fluid flow resistance to a minimum. The fuel cell assembly is free of mechanical clamping elements. Adhesives that may be conductively contaminated and/or fiber-reinforced provide mechanical and eventual electrical connections, and sealing within the assembly. Mechanically supporting backing layers are pre-fabricated with a natural bend defined in combination with the backing layers' elasticity to eliminate massive support plates and assist the adhesive bonding.

Abstract: An electrically conducting gas diffusion substrate, capable of removing oxidizable impurities from an impure gas stream, which comprises an electrically conducting porous structure and a first catalytic component, wherein the first catalytic component comprises a first catalyst supported on an electrically non-conducting support is disclosed. In addition, an electrode, a membrane electrode assembly and a fuel cell each comprising said electrically conducting gas diffusion substrate is disclosed.

Abstract: A hermetically sealed battery is provided, equipped with a opening sealing unit 10 including a Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) element without reducing the volume of the outside can, and capable of preventing the generation of a large current in case a short circuit occurs as well as enhancing operational security. The opening sealing unit 10 according to the invention comprises a bottom plate 11 for closing the opening of the outside can 18, a positive electrode cap 12 forming a space for storing a pressure valve, said positive electrode cap being used as a terminal for the positive electrode, a resilient valve 14 having a steel plate 14a on the upper surface, a spring 15 and a PTC element ring 16 disposed on the flange 12a in the positive electrode cap 12. An insulation gasket 17 is mounted onto the periphery of the opening sealing unit 10 to hermetically close the opening of the outside can 18.

Abstract: A cell and a method for preparing an electrochemical cell having an electrode containing a mixture of agglomerated particles and nonagglomerated particles are disclosed. The process enables the incorporation of small particles of electrochemically active material, such as zinc dust, into the electrode's formula while preventing undesirable segmentation of the particles.

Abstract: A galvanic element including at least one positive electrode in strip form, at least one negative electrode in strip form, at least one separator in strip form interposed between the positive and negative electrodes such that the separator and the electrodes are spirally rolled, and at least one disk-shaped current collector connected mechanically and electrically conductively to an edge portion of at least one of the electrodes, the current collector having more than one contact tab.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a membrane-electrode assembly, and fuel cells adopting a membrane-electrode assembly formed by the method, wherein the method includes: coating nano-sized catalytic metal particles on a proton exchange polymer membrane by sputtering a catalytic metal source; coating nano-sized carbon particles on the proton exchange polymer membrane by arc discharging or by sputtering a carbon source to form a nanophase catalyst layer; and bonding electrodes to the proton exchange polymer membrane having the nanophase catalyst layer. The nano-sized catalytic metal and nano-sized carbon particles can be coated on a proton exchanger polymer membrane to form a catalyst layer by simultaneously sputtering a catalyst metal source and a carbon source.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a plurality of metal clip members for holding outer regions of first and second metal separators at a plurality of positions. Each of the metal clip member includes a side plate and first and second holding portions. The side plate is curved at opposite ends, and the first and second holding portions are extending from the opposite ends of the side plate. The first and second holding portions generates a predetermined elastic force for holding the first and second metal separators. The outer ends of the first and second metal separators are covered by insulating sections, and the insulating sections are held between the first and second holding portions so that the entire unit cell is tightened by the predetermined elastic force.