Abstract: This invention is a foreign substance removal apparatus that removes foreign substances in such a medium as a refrigerant that flows through a circulation path, the foreign substance removal apparatus including: a foreign substance sedimentation unit which is connected to the circulation path and is configured to settle the foreign substances; a foreign substance separation unit configured to separate, from the foreign substance sedimentation unit, the foreign substances settled in the foreign substance sedimentation unit; first pressure open/close means which is disposed on a bottom of the foreign substance sedimentation unit, and is configured to open or close in accordance with pressure inside the circulation path; and a foreign substance discharge pipe which connects the bottom of the foreign substance sedimentation unit and the foreign substance separation unit via the first pressure open/close means.

Abstract: A sacrifice positive electrode layer is formed conveniently, efficiently, and accurately on the surface of a refrigerant distributor having a complicated shape. Further, during the formation of the sacrifice positive electrode layer, the strength in the surroundings of joined parts is prevented from being lowered by excessive heating.

Abstract: A lifetime diagnosis component for anticorrosive coating includes a plate-shaped base member having an aluminum layer on a surface thereof; and a sacrificial anode layer portion formed of zinc on the base member. The surface of the base member has a base-member exposing portion where the aluminum layer is exposed.

Abstract: This invention is a foreign substance removal apparatus that removes foreign substances in such a medium as a refrigerant that flows through a circulation path, the foreign substance removal apparatus including: a foreign substance sedimentation unit which is connected to the circulation path and is configured to settle the foreign substances; a foreign substance separation unit configured to separate, from the foreign substance sedimentation unit, the foreign substances settled in the foreign substance sedimentation unit; first pressure open/close means which is disposed on a bottom of the foreign substance sedimentation unit, and is configured to open or close in accordance with pressure inside the circulation path; and a foreign substance discharge pipe which connects the bottom of the foreign substance sedimentation unit and the foreign substance separation unit via the first pressure open/close means.

Abstract: A sacrifice positive electrode layer is formed conveniently, efficiently, and accurately on the surface of a refrigerant distributor having a complicated shape. Further, during the formation of the sacrifice positive electrode layer, the strength in the surroundings of joined parts is prevented from being lowered by excessive heating.

Abstract: A corrosion protection performance degradation detection sensor includes a detection electrode that reacts with the corrosion inhibitor dissolved in the solvent and forms on a surface thereof an electrode surface film which inhibits corrosion, a counter electrode that is disposed so as to face the detection electrode, and an AC power supply that applies an AC voltage between the detection electrode and the counter electrode. A change in concentration of the corrosion inhibitor in the solvent is detected, on the basis of a change in impedance of the electrode surface film formed on the surface of the detection electrode.

Abstract: A lifetime diagnosis component for anticorrosive coating includes a plate-shaped base member having an aluminum layer on a surface thereof; and a sacrificial anode layer portion formed of zinc on the base member. The surface of the base member has a base-member exposing portion where the aluminum layer is exposed.

Abstract: The liquid-quality adjusting apparatus of the present invention includes: a water purifying part that deionizes a machining liquid; an anticorrosive part that exchanges ions in the machining liquid with anticorrosive ions; a conductivity measuring part that measures a measured value of conductivity of the machining liquid; a storage part that stores in advance a first reference value and a second reference value which are an upper limit value and a lower limit value of conductivity applicable to machining, respectively, and a third reference value which is between the first reference value and the second reference value; and a control part that performs control on the basis of the reference values stored in the storage part and the measured value of the conductivity of the machining liquid measured by the conductivity measuring part.

Abstract: A corrosion protection performance degradation detection sensor includes a detection electrode that reacts with the corrosion inhibitor dissolved in the solvent and forms on a surface thereof an electrode surface film which inhibits corrosion, a counter electrode that is disposed so as to face the detection electrode, and an AC power supply that applies an AC voltage between the detection electrode and the counter electrode. A change in concentration of the corrosion inhibitor in the solvent is detected, on the basis of a change in impedance of the electrode surface film formed on the surface of the detection electrode.

Abstract: A corrosion preventing apparatus including: a water purifying part that includes a hydrogen-ion form resin and a hydroxy-ion form resin; an anticorrosive part that includes a cation form resin and an anion form resin having anticorrosive ions supported thereon; a conductivity measuring part that measures a measured value of conductivity of a machining liquid; and a control part that controls a flow of the machining liquid to the water purifying part and the anticorrosive part on the basis of the conductivity measuring part; wherein the control part performs control on the basis of predetermined first and second conductivities and the measured value measured by the conductivity measuring part.

Abstract: The liquid-quality adjusting apparatus of the present invention includes: a water purifying part that deionizes a machining liquid; an anticorrosive part that exchanges ions in the machining liquid with anticorrosive ions; a conductivity measuring part that measures a measured value of conductivity of the machining liquid; a storage part that stores in advance a first reference value and a second reference value which are an upper limit value and a lower limit value of conductivity applicable to machining, respectively, and a third reference value which is between the first reference value and the second reference value; and a control part that performs control on the basis of the reference values stored in the storage part and the measured value of the conductivity of the machining liquid measured by the conductivity measuring part.

Abstract: A corrosion preventing apparatus including: a water purifying part that includes a hydrogen-ion form resin and a hydroxy-ion form resin; an anticorrosive part that includes a cation form resin and an anion form resin having anticorrosive ions supported thereon; a conductivity measuring part that measures a measured value of conductivity of a machining liquid; and a control part that controls a flow of the machining liquid to the water purifying part and the anticorrosive part on the basis of the conductivity measuring part; wherein the control part performs control on the basis of predetermined first and second conductivities and the measured value measured by the conductivity measuring part.

Abstract: A fuel cell is obtained, in which oxidation degradation of a catalyst in the cathode can be prevented even if a large volume of air instantaneously penetrates into the cell, and the fuel-cell characteristics also do not deteriorate even though starting-up, shutting-down and pausing operations are repeatedly performed. As a method of controlling a fuel cell system, hydrogen-containing fuel gas is supplied to the anode and oxidant gas is supplied to the cathode, an external load is connected between the anode and the cathode so that the fuel cell generates electric power, the external load is disconnected after the power generation, a resistor is connected between the anode and the cathode, supply of the oxidant gas is stopped, and then supply of the fuel gas is stopped after the potential at the cathode has dropped to equal to or lower than the potential at which hydrogen evolution starts, so as to pause the fuel cell.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a solid polymer electrolyte membrane and cathode and anode catalyst layers held between a fuel electrode substrate having a surface area larger than that of the cathode catalyst layer and an oxidizer electrode substrate having a surface area larger than that of the anode catalyst layer. The fuel electrode substrate includes a fuel-sealing support portion surrounding the cathode catalyst layer. The oxidizer electrode substrate includes an oxidizer-sealing support portion surrounding the anode catalyst layer. The fuel-sealing and oxidizer-sealing support portions each include pores partially or wholly filled with a resin. The fuel-sealing support portion is bonded to the membrane by the resin at a position closer to an outer edge of the membrane than is the cathode catalyst. The oxidizer-sealing support portion is bonded to the membrane by the resin at a position closer to the outer edge of the membrane than is the anode catalyst.

Abstract: A method of operating a fuel cell including a fuel electrode, an oxidant electrode, and an electrolyte layer having hydrogen ion conductivity sandwiched between the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode, so that the fuel cell generates electricity as a result of an electrochemical reaction between a fuel and an oxidant. Each time the fuel cell is started from a non-operating condition, the fuel is supplied to the fuel electrode with the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode electrically interconnected to produce hydrogen at the oxidant electrode by provoking electrochemical reactions expressed by the chemical equations H2?2H++2e? and 2H++2e??H2 at the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode, respectively, reducing oxides on the oxidant electrode, using the hydrogen produced at the oxidant electrode. Then, the oxidant is supplied to the oxidant electrode to begin normal continuing operation of the fuel cell.

Abstract: A method of operating a fuel cell including a fuel electrode, an oxidant electrode, and an electrolyte layer having hydrogen ion conductivity sandwiched between the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode, so that the fuel cell generates electricity as a result of an electrochemical reaction between a fuel and an oxidant. Each time the fuel cell is started from a non-operating condition, the fuel is supplied to the fuel electrode with the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode electrically interconnected to produce hydrogen at the oxidant electrode by provoking electrochemical reactions expressed by the chemical equations H2?2H++2e? and 2H++2e??H2 at the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode, respectively, reducing oxides on the oxidant electrodes using the hydrogen produced at the oxidant electrode. Then the oxidant is supplied to the oxidant electrode to begin normal continuing operation of the fuel cell.

Abstract: A fuel cell is obtained, in which oxidation degradation of a catalyst in the cathode can be prevented even if a large volume of air instantaneously penetrates into the cell, and the fuel-cell characteristics also do not deteriorate even though starting-up, shutting-down and pausing operations are repeatedly performed. As a method of controlling a fuel cell system, hydrogen-containing fuel gas is supplied to the anode and oxidant gas is supplied to the cathode, an external load is connected between the anode and the cathode so that the fuel cell generates electric power, the external load is disconnected after the power generation, a resistor is connected between the anode and the cathode, supply of the oxidant gas is stopped, and then supply of the fuel gas is stopped after the potential at the cathode has dropped to equal to or lower than the potential at which hydrogen evolution starts, so as to pause the fuel cell.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode composite body in which a cathode catalyst layer and an anode catalyst layer are joined to central portions of two surfaces of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane and further held from two sides between a fuel electrode substrate having a surface area that is larger than that of the cathode catalyst layer and an oxidizer electrode substrate having a surface area that is larger than that of the anode catalyst layer, wherein: pores of a fuel-sealing support portion surrounding the cathode catalyst layer in the fuel electrode substrate are partially or wholly filled with a resin; pores of an oxidizer-sealing support portion surrounding the anode catalyst layer in the oxidizer electrode substrate are partially or wholly filled with the resin; and the fuel-sealing support portion and the oxidizer-sealing support portion are bonded to the solid polymer electrolyte membrane by the resin.

Abstract: The battery of the present invention comprises the electrode which contains the pre-determined amount of electronically conductive material at which resistance increases in accordance with temperature rise and conductive agent; the electrode wherein the ratio of the total amount of the electronically conductive material and the conductive agent to the active material is set to a pre-determined value; and the electrode wherein the average particle size of the conductive agent based on the average particle size of the electronically conductive material is in a pre-determined range. The coducitive material contains an electrically conductive filler and a crystalline resin. The conductive material and the coductive agent are contacted with the active material. A significant reduction in short circuit current is achieved over a defined range of conductive agent particle size.

Abstract: The present invention provides a nonaqueous electrolyte battery, of which impact resistance can be enhanced. The nonaqueous electrolyte battery comprising a electric power generating element, a baglike container, leads, and a resin for fixing the leads and an inner surface of the baglike container together.