Abstract: There are provided a pump of a noise suppression and vibration proof structure and a fuel cell system using the same. The fuel cell system includes at least one electricity generator including an electrolyte membrane and an anode and a cathode attached to the both surfaces of the electrolyte membrane to generate electricity energy by the electrochemical reaction between fuel containing hydrogen and oxidant supplied to the anode and the cathode, a fuel supplying unit including a pump for supplying the oxidant to the electricity generator, and a fixed frame that is provided on a lower frame and to which the pump is fixed. The pump is separated from the lower frame and is fixed to and combined with the fixed frame by the belt-shaped fixing member on the side surface of the fixing frame with a buffering member interposed. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the noise and vibration of the pump.

Abstract: A fuel cartridge coupler to couple a cartridge body storing fuel to a fuel cell system, the fuel cartridge coupler including: a first coupling member arranged in the cartridge body; a second coupling member assembled with the first coupling member in the fuel cell system; a first nozzle assembly including a first fluid path to discharge fuel stored in the cartridge body, the fuel cartridge being elastically supported by the first coupling member and biased by the second coupling member to open and close the first fluid path; and a second nozzle assembly including a second fluid path to inject the fuel passing through the first fluid path into the fuel cell system, the second nozzle assembly being elastically supported by the second coupling member and biased by the first nozzle assembly to open and close the second fluid path.

Abstract: A membrane-electrode assembly for a mixed reactant fuel cell system is provided. The membrane-electrode assembly does not require a separator that physically separates the membrane-electrode assemblies from each other in a stack. The membrane-electrode assembly of the present invention instead includes an electrode substrate that is disposed on a surface of an anode or a cathode of the membrane-electrode assembly. The electrode substrate has a flow path, through which a fuel and an oxidant are supplied. The fuel and oxidant are absorbed into the electrode substrate and further into the anode and the cathode. The fuel and the oxidant are selectively oxidized and reduced in the anode and the cathode, respectively, to produce electricity.

Abstract: A method of controlling a flow rate of fuel in a fuel supply unit of a fuel cell system is provided. The fuel cell system includes a fuel pump, a revolution per minute (RPM) measuring unit, a microcomputer, and a power converter. The method of controlling the flow rate controls the fuel supply unit so as to supply the fuel to a reformer reforming the fuel to generate hydrogen or a stack generating electric energy through a reaction of the fuel and oxygen. The method of controlling the flow rate includes measuring an actual RPM of the fuel pump; comparing the actual RPM to a reference RPM of the fuel pump; and adjusting a driving voltage of the fuel pump on the basis of the comparison result.

Abstract: A stack for a fuel cell includes a first collecting plate having a first electric polarity, a second collecting plate having a second electric polarity different from the first electric polarity, and at least one electricity generator located between the collecting plates. The at least one electricity generator is for generating electric energy due to electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to be collected by the collecting plates. Coupling members press the at least one electricity generator in an airtight connection between the collecting plates. A terminal member protrudes from the second collecting plate and is electrically connected to the first collecting plate and insulated from the second collecting plate, such that the terminal member is used as a first terminal having the first polarity. The second collecting plate or a second terminal member may also be used as a second terminal having the second polarity.

Abstract: A virtual measuring device and a method for measuring the deposition thickness of amorphous silicon being deposited on a substrate is disclosed, where the method of measuring the deposition thickness of amorphous silicon includes predicting and adapting operations. In the predicting operation, during a process of depositing the amorphous silicon to a substrate, the deposition thickness is predicted by multiplying a predicted deposition speed to a deposition time by using a prediction model expressing a relationship between a deposition speed and a plurality of process factors that are correlated with the deposition speed obtained from the deposition thickness and the deposition time, and the predicted deposition thickness is compared with the measured deposition thickness, so that the relationship between the plurality of process factors and the deposition speed in the prediction model is compensated according to the comparison difference.

Abstract: A fuel cell system possessing a mixing tank for recovering an unreacted fuel, the mixing tank being capable of effectively condensing a stack emission product without increasing its volume. The mixing tank includes a fuel supply port for supplying a concentrated fuel; a fluid inlet port for supplying a fluid discharged from an external fuel cell stack; a chamber for mixing the concentrated fuel with the fluid discharged from the fuel cell stack; a stack supply port for supplying a mixed fuel in the chamber to the fuel cell stack; and a chamber cooling member for cooling the chamber.

Abstract: A hydrogen generator using a chemical hydride includes a reactor which stores an aqueous solution of chemical hydride, a catalyst which catalyzes the reaction of the aqueous solution of chemical hydride and water to generate hydrogen, a transferring device for transferring the catalyst into the aqueous solution of chemical hydride and after bring the catalyst into contact with the aqueous solution of chemical hydride within a predetermined time, separating them, and a temperature controller to maintain temperature of the aqueous solution of chemical hydride at a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A fuel recycling device comprises: a mixing tank, the mixing tank comprising: a fuel supplying port configured to supply into the mixing tank a concentrated fuel; a cathode inlet configured to supply into the mixing tank a cathode effluent of an external fuel cell stack; an anode inlet configured to supply into the mixing tank an anode effluent of the fuel cell stack; a stack supplying port configured to supply a mixed fuel comprising the concentrated fuel, the cathode effluent, and the anode effluent to the fuel cell stack; and a gas outlet configured to discharge gas therein; and a condenser coupled with the gas outlet, configured to condense the gas discharged from the mixing tank into a liquid.

Abstract: The disclosed is a density sensing device of a fuel cell system and a fuel cell system having the density sensing device. The density sensing device includes a density sensor that includes a collision sensor and a variable resistor coupled to the collision sensor. The collision sensor is dipped into a fuel solution, and the collisions of molecules of the fuel solution are detected in the collision sensor. The resistance of the variable resistor caries depending on an amount of the collision detected by the collision sensor. The resistance further is converted to a density by the use of a table that includes a relationship between resistance and density. The density sensing device can further include a sensor driver. The sensor driver can be a piezoelectric member that is attached to the collision sensor. The collision sensor vibrates together with the piezoelectric member when a driving signal is applied to the piezoelectric member, which improves the accuracy of the measurement of the density.

Abstract: A flow rate sensor includes a collision sensing plate and a variable resistance unit. The collision sensing plate is positioned in a flow path of the fluid and is bent with a different degree depending on a flow rate of the fluid. The variable resistance unit is connected to the collision sensing plate, and varies resistance depending on the degree of the bend of the collision sensing plate. A fuel cell system with the flow rate sensor is capable of measuring the flow rate of fluid such as fuel with an inexpensive cost and in a manner of not substantially interrupting the flow of the fluid.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for controlling the operation of a fuel cell system. The method can include, actively controlling the fuel cell system without a fuel concentration sensor by: measuring an output voltage, an output current, and a temperature of a fuel cell stack; obtaining a first fuel feeding amount corresponding to the measured output values; comparing a reference temperature corresponding to the measured output values with the measured temperature; and obtaining a second fuel feeding amount by compensating the first fuel feeding amount with a value corresponding to difference between the reference temperature and the measured temperature.

Abstract: A fuel cartridge coupler to couple a cartridge body storing fuel to a fuel cell system, the fuel cartridge coupler including: a first coupling member arranged in the cartridge body; a second coupling member assembled with the first coupling member in the fuel cell system; a first nozzle assembly including a first fluid path to discharge fuel stored in the cartridge body, the fuel cartridge being elastically supported by the first coupling member and biased by the second coupling member to open and close the first fluid path; and a second nozzle assembly including a second fluid path to inject the fuel passing through the first fluid path into the fuel cell system, the second nozzle assembly being elastically supported by the second coupling member and biased by the first nozzle assembly to open and close the second fluid path.

Abstract: A membrane-electrode assembly for a mixed reactant fuel cell system is provided. The membrane-electrode assembly does not require a separator that physically separates the membrane-electrode assemblies from each other in a stack. The membrane-electrode assembly of the present invention instead includes an electrode substrate that is disposed on a surface of an anode or a cathode of the membrane-electrode assembly. The electrode substrate has a flow path, through which a fuel and an oxidant are supplied. The fuel and oxidant are absorbed into the electrode substrate and further into the anode and the cathode. The fuel and the oxidant are selectively oxidized and reduced in the anode and the cathode, respectively, to produce electricity.

Abstract: An air and liquid separator used in a fuel cell, the air and liquid separator including: a fuel guidance pipe having one or more opening portions on a surface thereof; and an air and liquid separating film provided on the opening portions of the fuel guidance pipe and transmitting only gas. Accordingly, an air and liquid separator according to aspects of the present invention remove gas included in non-reactive fuel by using an air and liquid separating film, without any separate power sources, and supplies the non-reactive fuel to a fuel cell, enabling a more compact and high efficient fuel cell system.

Abstract: A liquid tank capable of detecting liquid level when the tank is rotated. The liquid tank includes an airtight vessel to store the liquid; and at least two electrodes installed inside the airtight vessel. The distal ends of the electrodes are positioned at a central volume of the airtight vessel. A fuel cell adopting the liquid tank maintains the liquid level in the tank near 50% of the full level even when the fuel cell is rotated.

Abstract: A method of controlling a flow rate of fuel in a fuel supply unit of a fuel cell system is provided. The fuel cell system includes a fuel pump, a revolution per minute (RPM) measuring unit, a microcomputer, and a power converter. The method of controlling the flow rate controls the fuel supply unit so as to supply the fuel to a reformer reforming the fuel to generate hydrogen or a stack generating electric energy through a reaction of the fuel and oxygen. The method of controlling the flow rate includes measuring an actual RPM of the fuel pump; comparing the actual RPM to a reference RPM of the fuel pump; and adjusting a driving voltage of the fuel pump on the basis of the comparison result.

Abstract: A fuel cell system for supplying electricity to a load system, the fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell unit generating electricity from air and fuel, a power supply unit supplying the load system with electricity, the power supply unit being charged with the electricity generated from the fuel cell unit in a selective manner, a control unit monitoring a charge condition of the power supply unit and operating the fuel cell unit in order to charge the power supply unit when the power supply unit is discharged to a predetermined level or lower and an output unit supplying the electricity output from the power supply unit to the load system.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a first separator and a second separator, each separator having raised portions and channel portions on a first side and a second side, the channel portions on the first side being opposite the raised portions on the second side and the channel portions on the second side being opposite the raised portions on the first side. The stack also includes a membrane-electrode assembly located between the first separator and the second separator, and closely contacting the raised portions of the first side of the first separator and the raised portions of the second side of the second separator.