Abstract: The present disclosure relates to electrochemical energy storage systems. In particular, the present disclosure relates to particular systems and methods for providing a compact framework in which to house an electrochemical energy storage system. Various embodiments of electrochemical energy storage systems are disclosed that include a flow manifold and a flow manifold cover. The flow manifold may provide a plurality of channels for distributing liquid reactant to an electrical cell stack. The flow manifold may be utilized in conjunction with a flow manifold cover. The flow manifold cover may be configured to support a variety of components of a liquid reactant distribution system. Such components may include liquid reactant pump motors, inlet and outlet ports, a reference cell, and a variety of sensors. The distribution of liquid reactants to the cell stack from the inlet and outlet ports may be accomplished by way of the flow manifold cover.

Abstract: Graphene is formed with a practically uniform thickness on an uneven object. The object is immersed in a graphene oxide solution, and then taken out of the solution and dried; alternatively, the object and an electrode are immersed therein and voltage is applied between the electrode and the object used as an anode. Graphene oxide is negatively charged, and thus is drawn to and deposited on a surface of the object, with a practically uniform thickness. After that, the object is heated in vacuum or a reducing atmosphere, so that the graphene oxide is reduced to be graphene. In this manner, a graphene layer with a practically uniform thickness can be formed even on a surface of the uneven object.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack and a method of assembling a fuel cell stack includes compressing fuel cells along their stacking axis. A compression retention device made up of an enclosure may be used with one or more optional insertable shims to correct for any stack height variations. Significantly, the enclosure is formed to allow the stack to be loaded in compression by a press such that the cells that make up the stack are placed into and maintained in a substantially compressed state while the compression force is not imparted to the enclosure. By resolving any stack height variances while the cells of the stack are maintained in their substantially compressed state, assembly operations are simplified in that repeated compression and decompression of the stack is avoided while trying to ensure that the stack and enclosure are joined into their final assembly form.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a fluoride ion conducting electrolyte solution which can improve ionic conductivity includes a step of heating a fluoride and/or a solvent when the fluoride and the solvent are mixed, wherein a heating temperature at the step is lower than a temperature at which the solvent decomposes.

Abstract: An electrode can include a functional layer having an Ln2MO4 phase, where Ln is at least one lanthanide optionally doped with a metal and M is at least one 3d transition metal, and a heavily-doped ceria phase. In an embodiment, the ceria phase can be present in the functional layer in an amount of at least 40 vol % based on a total volume of the functional layer absent any porosity. An electrochemical device or a sensor device can include the electrode.

Abstract: A battery module having secondary batteries or unit modules, each having two or more secondary batteries, stacked vertically, wherein the battery module includes a base plate on which the secondary batteries or the unit modules are stacked, a pair of end plates disposed in contact with outer sides of the secondary batteries or the unit modules in which the bottom of each of the end plates is fixed to the base plate, and supporting bars connected between opposite sides of the end plates. The base plate is provided at opposite sides thereof with a pair of upward protrusions extending in a longitudinal direction to prevent deformation due to vertical vibration and to disperse pressure. Opposite sides of the bottom of each of the unit modules are disposed at the top of the upward protrusions.

Abstract: An electrode assembly includes a cell stack part having a structure of steps obtained by stacking at least two groups of radical units having different sizes or having different geometric shapes according to the size or the geometric shapes. The radical unit has a combined structure into one body by alternately disposing same number of electrodes and separators, and each step of the cell stack part has a structure in which one kind of radical units is disposed once or repeatedly, or a structure in which at least two kinds of radical units are disposed. The one kind of radical unit has a four-layered structure of first electrode, first separator, second electrode and second separator sequentially stacked or a repeating structure of the four-layered structure. Each of the at least two kinds of radical units are stacked by ones to form the four-layered structure or the repeating structure.

Abstract: An electrode assembly includes a cell stack part having (a) a structure in which one kind of radical unit having a same number of electrodes and separators alternately disposed and integrally combined is repeatedly disposed, or (b) a structure in which at least two kinds of radical units having a same number of electrodes and separators alternately disposed and integrally combined are disposed in a predetermined order, and a fixing part extending from a top surface along a side to a bottom surface thereof for fixing the cell stack part. The one kind of radical unit has a four-layered structure in which first electrode, first separator, second electrode and second separator are sequentially stacked or a repeating structure in which the four-layered structure is repeatedly stacked, and each of the at least two kinds of radical units are stacked by ones to form the four-layered structure or the repeating structure.

Abstract: This application proposes the use of rechargeable and replaceable zinc cartridges to expand cycle life and lifetime of nickel-zinc and silver-zinc batteries. Two types of possible battery cell assemblies are demonstrated: a battery that includes face-to-back arrangement of cells, and side-by-side linked flat batteries that can be used as wall mounted batteries. An improved composition of the replaceable zinc electrode is suggested.

Abstract: A vehicle battery system includes a battery housing and a plurality of straps. The battery housing is configured to house a battery for powering the vehicle. Each of the plurality of straps is configured to extend about the battery housing, and includes a first end portion and a second end portion that are configured to be attached to the vehicle. The plurality of straps is configured such that upon application of a shock load to the battery housing along a first axis, the plurality of straps deforms prior to deformation of the battery housing.

Abstract: To provide a secondary battery that can be mounted on a substrate and can easily select a voltage to be output in manufacture and a manufacturing method thereof. A secondary battery in which small cells with substantially the same form are stacked and whose voltage to be output is easily selected in manufacture by changing the number of stacked layers is manufactured. In the cell, an electrolytic solution including a spacer and a polymer is used to keep at least a certain distance between the positive electrode active material layer and the negative electrode active material layer with the spacer. Furthermore, the electrolytic solution is made to gelate by the polymer to be an electrolytic solution that can be formed in the form of a sheet. Furthermore, the positive electrode active material layer and the negative electrode active material layer are formed using a printing method typified by screen printing.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a battery pack suitable for preventing simultaneous separation of both ends of a handle unit from an upper case during transportation of a lower case and the upper case that are laminated sequentially. The battery pack according to the present disclosure includes the lower case and the upper case stacked sequentially to encase a battery module, wherein the upper case includes a housing and a handle unit relatively rotated with respect to the housing to be seated on the housing, and the handle unit has shaft hooks that are penetrated by the rotation supporting shafts of the housing and that are each rotary-coupled to each of the rotation supporting shafts in different angles.

Abstract: A fuel cell device includes: a reformer that generates a reformed gas; a fuel cell; a combustor that combusts off-gas of the reformed gas and air for power generation, and generates a combustion exhaust gas; a first air heat exchanger that has a combustion exhaust gas path and a first air supply path, and that performs heat exchange between the combustion exhaust gas and the air for power generation; a fuel cell storage which stores the fuel cell; a second air heat exchanger that has a second air supply path that supplies the air for power generation to the fuel cell, and that performs heat exchange between the off-gas of the air for power generation and the air for power generation; and a housing that stores members. The first air supply path and the second air supply path are disposed to cover whole members stored in the housing.

Abstract: A positive electrode active material includes: a particle including a lithium composite oxide; a first layer that is provided on a surface of the particle and includes a lithium composite oxide; and a second layer that is provided on a surface of the first layer. The lithium composite oxide included in the particle and the lithium composite oxide included in the first layer have the same composition or almost the same composition, the second layer includes an oxide or a fluoride, and the lithium composite oxide included in the first layer has lower crystallinity than the lithium composite oxide included in the particle.

Abstract: A separator for an electrochemical cell, in particular a lithium cell, and a corresponding manufacturing method. In order to provide a separator having an elevated dendrite resistance, in particular ion-conducting, particles are introduced into pores of a polymer layer and frictionally retained between polymer walls delimiting pores. An electrochemical cell equipped therewith is also described.

Abstract: According to the present disclosure, there is provided an electrode assembly comprising (a) a structure in which one kind of radical unit is repeatedly disposed, the one kind of radical unit having a same number of electrodes and separators which are alternately disposed and integrally combined, or (b) a structure in which at least two kinds of radical units are disposed in a predetermined order, the at least two kinds of radical units each having a same number of electrodes and separators which are alternately disposed and integrally combined.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an active material is provided. The active material includes a composite of a phase of a titanium-including composite oxide and a phase of a titanium dioxide. The titanium-including composite oxide has crystal structures which belong to a space group Cmca, a space group Fmmm, or both the space group Cmca and the space group Fmmm.

Abstract: The present invention is notably directed to a flow cell device. The device comprises: an exchange membrane, extending essentially in a plane; an adhesive, at a periphery of the membrane; and two half-cells, each on a respective side of said plane, the half-cells sandwiching the membrane. The membrane spans a smaller area than each of the areas of the half-cells, whereby a peripheral space is defined at the periphery of the membrane between two opposing faces of the half-cells. This space is at least partly filled with an adhesive, so as to secure the two half-cells to each other with the membrane encapsulated therein. The present invention is further directed to a method of fabrication of such a flow cell device.

Abstract: To form graphene to a practically even thickness on an object having an uneven surface or a complex surface, in particular, an object having a surface with a three-dimensional structure due to complex unevenness, or an object having a curved surface. The object and an electrode are immersed in a graphene oxide solution, and voltage is applied between the object and the electrode. At this time, the object serves as an anode. Graphene oxide is attracted to the anode because of being negatively charged, and deposited on the surface of the object to have a practically even thickness. A portion where graphene oxide is deposited is unlikely coated with another graphene oxide. Thus, deposited graphene oxide is reduced to graphene, whereby graphene can be formed to have a practically even thickness on an object having surface with complex unevenness.

Abstract: A battery includes a bottomed cylindrical case body that accommodates an electrode body and a bottom-portion insulating plate (19) that is disposed between the electrode body and a bottom portion of the case body. The bottom portion of the case body has a gas discharge port that opens when an internal pressure of the battery reaches a predetermined pressure. The bottom-portion insulating plate (19) has a through hole. An aperture ratio, which is a ratio of an area of the through hole with respect to a total area of the insulating plate, is greater than or equal to 10% and less than or equal to 40%. A Young's modulus of the bottom-portion insulating plate at 25° C. is 10 GPa or greater.