Abstract: The present invention provides a carbon fiber sheet that exhibits high gas diffusibility even in a high current density region while suppressing dry up of an electrolyte membrane by high thermal conductivity. The present invention relates to a carbon fiber sheet including a binding agent containing at least a resin and a fibrous carbon, and a carbon fiber structure bound with the binding agent, wherein a content of the fibrous carbon is 25 mass or more in 100 mass % of the carbon fiber sheet, and a pore size distribution of the carbon fiber sheet has a peak between a pore size of 0.3 ?m and 1.0 ?m and a peak between a pore size of 20 ?m and 100 ?m.

Abstract: This carbon sheet includes at least a carbon fiber structure formed from carbon fibers, a binding agent, and graphite particles, wherein in a pore diameter distribution of the carbon sheet, the ratio of the volume of a second peak present in a region having a pore diameter of 0.5 ?m to 3 ?m to the volume of a first peak present in a region having a pore diameter of 20 ?m to 100 ?m is 0.06 to 0.50. A carbon sheet which suppresses dry-up and achieves both conductivity and retention of moisture is provided in order to exhibit high power generation performance in a solid polymer fuel cell.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a gas diffusion electrode which reduces electrical resistance in a thickness direction without impairing gas diffusibility, and improves power generation performance when used in a fuel cell. The present invention relates to a gas diffusion electrode having a microporous layer on at least one surface of a conductive porous substrate. The gas diffusion electrode is characterized in that the microporous layer includes carbon black and graphite particles with an aspect ratio of 10 or more, and the ratio of the thickness of a portion in which the microporous layer is sunk of the conductive porous substrate to the thickness of a portion in which the microporous layer is not sunk of the conductive porous substrate is 5-20% inclusive.

Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a method which is for producing a gas diffusion electrode substrate having a high conductivity and a chemical resistance, and by which an increase in production cost can be suppressed. The present invention is a method for producing a gas diffusion electrode substrate in which a microporous layer is formed in a conductive porous body formed by bonding carbon fibers to each other by means of a cured product of a binder resin, the method having, in the following order: a binder resin impregnation step in which a carbon fiber structure is impregnated with a binder resin composition to obtain a pre-impregnated body; a coating step in which the surface of the pre-impregnated body is coated with a microporous layer coating solution; and a heat treatment step in which the pre-impregnated body that has been subjected to the coating step is heat-treated at a temperature of at least 200° C.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an electrode substrate that maintains electrical conductivity and achieves both a high drainage performance and any one of a high gas diffusivity and spring property. To achieve the above-described object, an electrode substrate according to the present invention is an electrode substrate including a carbon fiber sheet having pores filled with a fluoropolymer and carbon fine powder, wherein, in terms of a fluorine/carbon ratio (F/C), the ratio of the smallest value (F/Cmin) to the largest value (F/Cmax) of the average value (F/C-1) in one surface of the electrode substrate, the average value (F/C-2) in the central plane in the thickness direction, and the average value (F/C-3) in the other surface is 0.80 or more, and wherein, in a pore size distribution, the electrode substrate has at least a first peak present in the range of pore size of 0.5 ?m or more and less than 120 ?m and a second peak present in the range of pore size of 10 nm or more and less than 0.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to shorten the aging time for a fuel cell. To achieve the object, a gas diffusion electrode medium product according to the present invention includes sulfuric acid in an amount of 1.1 ?g/cm2 or less. In addition, a polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to the present invention has the gas diffusion electrode medium product according to the present invention incorporated therein.

Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a method which is for producing a gas diffusion electrode substrate having a high conductivity and a chemical resistance, and by which an increase in production cost can be suppressed. The present invention is a method for producing a gas diffusion electrode substrate in which a microporous layer is formed in a conductive porous body formed by bonding carbon fibers to each other by means of a cured product of a binder resin, the method having, in the following order: a binder resin impregnation step in which a carbon fiber structure is impregnated with a binder resin composition to obtain a pre-impregnated body; a coating step in which the surface of the pre-impregnated body is coated with a microporous layer coating solution; and a heat treatment step in which the pre-impregnated body that has been subjected to the coating step is heat-treated at a temperature of at least 200° C.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus of the embodiment includes a calculator. The calculator acquires an amount of primary energy consumption at timings in a period of time and an amount of primary energy production at timings in the period of time. The amount of primary energy consumptions has been consumed and/or is estimated to be consumed by a plurality of energy-supplying apparatuses configured to supply energy to a load. The amount of primary energy productions has been produced and/or is estimated to be produced by the plurality of energy-supplying apparatuses. The calculator calculates a net amount of primary energy consumption at the timings in the period of time, based on the acquired amount of primary energy consumption and the amount of primary energy production. The calculator calculates an integrated value of the net amounts of primary energy consumption over the period of time, based on the net amounts of primary energy consumption calculated at the timings in the period of time.

Abstract: An operation plan generation device of an embodiment includes a consumption amount computer, a cost computer, and an operation plan generator. The consumption amount computer is configured to compute an amount of primary energy consumption by a plurality of energy supply devices that generates energy to be supplied to a load. The cost computer is configured to compute a total cost for the plurality of energy supply devices to generate energy to be supplied to the load. The operation plan generator is configured to generate an operation plan for the plurality of energy supply apparatuses to achieve at least one of a target relating to the amount of primary energy consumption and a target relating to the total cost, based on the amount of primary energy consumption computed by the consumption amount computer, and on the total cost computed by the cost computer.

Abstract: An engine of a vehicle is provided with an engine control device including an idle speed control (ISC) device provided for an intake bypass passage connecting an upper side and a lower side of a throttle valve installed in an intake passage so as to control an idle speed of the engine by adjusting an amount of air flowing through the intake bypass passage at a time of idling of the engine. The engine control device includes a throttle opening degree sensor disposed in the intake passage and configured to detect a degree of opening of the throttle valve, an intake pressure sensor disposed in the intake passage and configured to detect an intake negative pressure at the lower side of the throttle valve, and a control unit configured to control an output of the engine.