Abstract: A negative electrode for a secondary battery according to the present invention has a collector and a negative electrode active material layer formed on a surface of the collector and containing negative electrode active material particles. In the negative electrode active material layer, an insulating material is arranged between the negative electrode active material particles so as not to develop conductivity by a percolation path throughout the negative electrode active material layer. It is possible in this configuration to effectively prevent the occurrence of a short-circuit current due to an internal short circuit and the generation of heat due to such short-circuit current flow in the secondary battery while securing the battery performance of the secondary battery.

Abstract: The present invention provides a non-aqueous electrolyte composition with excellent high-temperature stability and a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery using the same. The non-aqueous electrolyte composition includes a supporting electrolyte, an organic solvent, and at least one kind of chemical compound (a) selected from the group consisting of a chemical compound (a1) indicated by the following general formula (1) and a chemical compound (a2) indicated by the following general formula (2).

Abstract: An electrode structure includes a substrate, an electrode active material layer formed on the substrate and divided into a plurality of portions on a side of a surface thereof, and a high resistance member having an electric resistance higher than that of an electrolyte. The high resistance member is formed on at least a part of a parting portion formed between the divided portions of the electrode active material layer. A method for producing an electrode structure, and a bipolar battery using the electrode structure are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a non-aqueous electrolyte composition with excellent high-temperature stability and a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery using the same. The non-aqueous electrolyte composition includes a supporting electrolyte, an organic solvent, and at least one kind of chemical compound (a) selected from the group consisting of a chemical compound (a1) indicated by the following general formula (1) and a chemical compound (a2) indicated by the following general formula (2).

Abstract: A negative electrode for a secondary battery according to the present invention has a collector and a negative electrode active material layer formed on a surface of the collector and containing negative electrode active material particles. In the negative electrode active material layer, an insulating material is arranged between the negative electrode active material particles so as not to develop conductivity by a percolation path throughout the negative electrode active material layer. It is possible in this configuration to effectively prevent the occurrence of a short-circuit current due to an internal short circuit and the generation of heat due to such short-circuit current flow in the secondary battery while securing the battery performance of the secondary battery.

Abstract: A sintered lithium complex oxide characterized in that the sintered lithium complex oxide is constituted by sintering fine particles of a lithium complex oxide, the peak pore size giving the maximum differential pore volume is 0.80-5.00 ?m, the total pore volume is 0.10-2.00 mL/g, the average particle size is not less than the above-specified peak pore size but not more than 20 ?m, there is a sub-peak giving a differential pore volume not less than 10% of the maximum differential pore volume on the smaller pore size side with respect to the above-specified peak pore size, the pore size corresponding to the sub-peak is more than 0.50 ?m but not more than 2.00 ?m, the BET specific surface area of the sintered lithium complex oxide is 1.0-10.0 m2/g, and the half width of the maximum peak among X-ray diffraction peaks in an X-ray diffraction measurement is 0.12-0.30 deg.

Abstract: Fuel cells (20) are superimposed one upon the other in the stacking direction. Each fuel cell (20) comprises an anode gas passage (32) and a cathode gas passage (36). Each passage has a meandering configuration provided with two or more bent portions (511, 512, 521, 522). At least the most downstream bent portion (512, 522) of at least one of the anode gas passage (32) and the cathode gas passage (36) is connected to a through-hole (332, 372) extending through the fuel cell stack (1) in the stacking direction of the fuel cells (20). The through hole (332, 372) averages out the condensed water in the anode gas passages (32 )or the cathode gas passages (36) and prevents flooding from being caused in a specific anode gas or cathode gas passage.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack is constructed by laminating together unit fuel cells (1) each comprising an anode separator (7) and a cathode separator (8) sandwiching an MEA (13). The cathode separator (8) comprises on the outer circumference thereof outward projections (28) and (29) to which two terminals (91) of a voltage monitor (92) that monitors the voltage of a specific unit fuel cell (1) are connected. One of the terminals (91) is connected to the outward projection (28) of one cathode separator (8), while the other terminal (91) is connected to the outward projection (29) of another cathode separator (8). The outward projections (28) and (29) to which the terminals are connected do not overlap in the lamination direction of the unit fuel cells (1), and therefore an environment in which short-circuits are unlikely to occur between the terminals due to vibration or shock is obtained.

Abstract: A compressor which adjusts the pressure of an oxygen-containing gas supplied to a fuel cell system, a throttle valve which controls the flowpath surface area of part of the oxygen-containing gas, and shutoff valves which divide the oxygen-containing gas downstream of the compressor between a fuel cell and reformer, are provided. When fuel vapor absorbed by the canister is purged, the opening of the throttle valve is reduced, and the canister is made to communicate with the upstream side of the compressor. Due to the negative pressure upstream of the compressor, fuel vapor absorbed by the canister is divided between the reformer or a burner, and processed.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method and a system for operating an internal combustion engine capable of performing auto-ignition combustion as well as spark-ignition combustion. In auto-ignition combustion mode, inlet and outlet control devices are adjusted to retain a portion of exhaust gas for subjecting the retained exhaust gas to compression. In one preferred embodiment, a parameter indicative of engine-surrounding environment is monitored. Closing timing of the outlet control device is adjusted in response to the monitored parameter, thereby to vary an exhaust gas retaining duration when there is a change in the monitored parameter.

Abstract: A compressor 5 which adjusts the pressure of an oxygen-containing gas supplied to a fuel cell system, a throttle valve 4 which controls the flowpath surface area of part of the oxygen-containing gas, and shutoff valves 7, 8 which divide the oxygen-containing gas downstream of the compressor 5 between a fuel cell 1 and reformer 12, are provided. When fuel vapor absorbed by the canister 11 is purged, the opening of the throttle valve 4 is reduced, and the canister 11 is made to communicate with the upstream side of the compressor 5. Due to the negative pressure upstream of the compressor 5, fuel vapor absorbed by the canister 11 is divided between the reformer 12 or a burner 13, and processed.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has a fuel injection system capable of performing a multiple injection wherein a main injection event and a trigger injection event take place in this order in one cycle. With main injection, fuel is widely dispersed within a combustion chamber to create a main mixture for main combustion. With trigger injection, fuel is dispersed locally within the combustion chamber to create an ignitable mixture for auto-ignition. Auto-ignition of the ignitable mixture creates condition under which auto-ignition of the main mixture takes place. Fuel quantity and timing for each of main and trigger injections are varied corresponding to engine speed and load request to cause the main mixture to burn at a target crank angle after TDC of compression stroke.

Abstract: A self-ignition combustion engine has a control unit that controls the temperature of the intake air such that the operating load range of compression self-ignition combustion is expanded. In operating regions where cooling the intake air results in an intake air temperature that is too low and an inability to conduct self-ignition operation, the temperature of the intake air is raised by directing intake air that has been supercharged by a supercharger to a bypass passage so that it does not pass through an inter-cooler.

Abstract: A system and method controls auto-ignition of gasoline fuel within a cylinder of an internal combustion engine by varying an exhaust gas retaining duration. A generator provides a parameter indicative of combustion event within the cylinder. An engine controller adjusts an inlet control device and an outlet control device to retain exhaust gas for subjecting the retained exhaust gas to compression. In order to vary duration of the exhaust gas retaining phase, closing timing of the outlet control device is varied based on the parameter.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine is operated on auto-ignition combustion of fuel with low cetane number like gasoline. The engine has at least one cylinder and a reciprocating piston in the cylinder to define a combustion chamber. Combustion event in the cylinder is expressed in terms of two variables. They are main combustion timing (&thgr;50) and a main combustion period (&thgr;20-50). The main combustion timing (&thgr;50) represents a crank position when mass burnt rate is 50 percent. The main combustion period (&thgr;20-50) represents a period from a crank position when mass burnt is 20 percent to a crank position when mass burnt is 50 percent. Controlled parameters governing main combustion are varied to adjust the main combustion timing on an advance side of a retard limit (&thgr;50 max) and to adjust the main combustion period within a range between an upper limit (&thgr;20-50 max) and a lower limit (&thgr;20-50 min).

Abstract: A self-ignition combustion engine has a control unit that controls the temperature of the intake air such that the operating load range of compression self-ignition combustion is expanded. In operating regions where cooling the intake air results in an intake air temperature that is too low and an inability to conduct self-ignition operation, the temperature of the intake air is raised by directing intake air that has been supercharged by a supercharger to a bypass passage so that it does not pass through an inter-cooler.

Abstract: A compression self-ignition gasoline engine includes a stratifying device stratifying gas in a combustion chamber of the engine, a fuel injector directly injecting fuel in the combustion chamber and a controller connected to the stratifying device and the fuel injector. The controller controlling the stratifying device to produce a high temperature gas layer of a high temperature gas and a low temperature gas layer of a low temperature gas in the combustion chamber. The controller further controls the fuel injector to inject the fuel to both the high temperature gas layer and the low temperature gas layer.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method and a system for operating an internal combustion engine capable of performing auto-ignition combustion as well as spark-ignition combustion. In auto-ignition combustion mode, inlet and outlet control devices are adjusted to retain a portion of exhaust gas for subjecting the retained exhaust gas to compression. In one preferred embodiment, a parameter indicative of engine-surrounding environment is monitored. Closing timing of the outlet control device is adjusted in response to the monitored parameter, thereby to vary an exhaust gas retaining duration when there is a change in the monitored parameter.

Abstract: A gasoline engine has an actuating system including an in-cylinder fuel injection system and an ignition system, capable of changing over combustion between spark ignition combustion and compression autoignition combustion, and a controlling system for controlling the combustion changeover. In a transition from one combustion to the other, the actuating system is controlled to perform transient combustion such as stratified charge combustion with fuel injection on the compression stroke, or combustion with fuel injection during a valve shutoff period during which intake and exhaust valves are both closed.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has a fuel injection system capable of performing a multiple injection wherein a main injection event and a trigger injection event take place in this order in one cycle. With main injection, fuel is widely dispersed within a combustion chamber to create a main mixture for main combustion. With trigger injection, fuel is dispersed locally within the combustion chamber to create an ignitable mixture for auto-ignition. Auto-ignition of the ignitable mixture creates condition under which auto-ignition of the main mixture takes place. Fuel quantity and timing for each of main and trigger injections are varied corresponding to engine speed and load request to cause the main mixture to burn at a target crank angle after TDC of compression stroke.