Patents by Inventor Jun Akikusa

Jun Akikusa has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7273673
    Abstract: A solid electrolyte type fuel cell which incorporates a metal separator comprising a base material of a metal other than silver or a silver alloy which is plated with silver or a silver alloy. The fuel cell can achieve improved efficiency for electricity generation with no increase of the resistance of the metal separator, even when it is operated at a low temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Akikusa, Koji Hoshino
  • Publication number: 20070166593
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell provided with a power cell (1) in which a fuel electrode layer (4) is arranged on one surface of a solid electrolyte layer (3) and an air electrode layer (2) is arranged on the other surface thereof, wherein the solid electrolyte layer (3) has a two layer structure including a first electrolyte layer (3a) made of a ceria based oxide material and a second electrolyte layer (3b) made of a lanthanum gallate based oxide material, and the second electrolyte layer is formed on the side of the air electrode layer. It is preferable that the first electrolyte layer is formed thinner than the second electrolyte layer. According to such a configuration, there can be provided a solid oxide fuel cell comprising an inexpensive solid electrolyte layer which reduces the contact resistances in the interfaces between the solid electrolyte layer and the respective electrode layers, and thereby improves the generation efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Inventors: Koji Hoshino, Kei Hosoi, Takashi Yamada, Jun Akikusa
  • Patent number: 7235322
    Abstract: A mixture of a fuel gas obtained by vaporizing hydrocarbon and air is burned in an engine 11 to generate mechanical power. The fuel gas obtained by reforming the hydrocarbon is supplied to a fuel electrode layer of a fuel cell module 13 in which plural electric power generating cells each including a solid electrolyte layer, and a fuel electrode layer and an air electrode layer disposed on both sides thereof are laminated, and the air or oxygen is supplied to the air electrode layer, so that the fuel cell module 13 is constructed to be capable of generating electric power at 930° C. or lower. One of or both of mechanical power generated by the engine 11 and electric power generated by the fuel cell module 13 are outputted. As a raw material of the fuel gas supplied to the fuel cell module, gasoline, light oil or the like which can be supplied in a normal gasoline station can be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Akikusa, Hoshino Koji
  • Publication number: 20070092775
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell is formed by arranging a fuel electrode layer and an air electrode layer on both surfaces of a solid electrolyte, respectively, a fuel electrode current collector and an air electrode current collector outside the fuel electrode layer and the air electrode layer, respectively, and separators outside the fuel electrode current collector and the air electrode current collector. In a first embodiment, a fuel gas and an oxidant gas are supplied from the separators to the fuel electrode layer and the oxidant electrode layer, respectively, through the fuel electrode current collector and the air electrode current collector, respectively. Each separator is formed by laminating a plurality of thin metal plates at least including a thin metal plate in which a first gas discharge opening is arranged in a central part and second gas discharge openings are circularly arranged in a peripheral part, and a thin metal plate with an indented surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Publication date: April 26, 2007
    Inventors: Norikazu Komada, Koji Hoshino, Jun Akikusa, Kei Hosoi
  • Patent number: 7201991
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell is formed by arranging a fuel electrode layer and an air electrode layer on both surfaces of a solid electrolyte, respectively, a fuel electrode current collector and an air electrode current collector outside the fuel electrode layer and the air electrode layer, respectively, and separators outside the fuel electrode current collector and the air electrode current collector. In a first embodiment, a fuel gas and an oxidant gas are supplied from the separators to the fuel electrode layer and the oxidant electrode layer, respectively, through the fuel electrode current collector and the air electrode current collector, respectively. Each separator is formed by laminating a plurality of thin metal plates at least including a thin metal plate in which a first gas discharge opening is arranged in a central part and second gas discharge openings are circularly arranged in a peripheral part, and a thin metal plate with an indented surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, The Kansai Electric Power Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norikazu Komada, Koji Hoshino, Jun Akikusa, Kei Hosoi
  • Patent number: 7033690
    Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a solid oxide fuel cell which has an improved efficiency with a solid electrolyte layer having an improved ionic conductivity, while maintaining the partition wall function; In order to attain this object, the present invention provides a solid oxide fuel cell comprising an air electrode layer, a fuel electrode layer, and a solid electrolyte layer interposed between said air electrode layer and said fuel electrode layer, wherein said solid electrolyte layer comprises a first electrolyte layer which is made of a lanthanide-gallate oxide and has a first ionic transference number and a first total electric conductivity, and a second electrolyte layer which is made of a lanthanide-gallate oxide and has a second ionic transference number smaller than said first ionic transference number and a second total electric conductivity larger than said first total electric conductivity; said air electrode layer is laminated onto one side of said solid electrolyte layer;
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Akikusa, Yoshitaka Tamou
  • Publication number: 20050221161
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell is formed by arranging a fuel electrode layer and an air electrode layer on both surfaces of a solid electrolyte, respectively, a fuel electrode current collector and an air electrode current collector outside the fuel electrode layer and the air electrode layer, respectively, and separators (8) outside the fuel electrode current collector and the air electrode current collector. In the first embodiment, a fuel gas and an oxidant gas are supplied from the separators (8) to the fuel electrode layers and the oxidant electrode layers, respectively, through the fuel electrode current collectors and the air electrode current collectors, respectively. Each separator (8) is formed by laminating a plurality of thin metal plates at least including a thin metal plate (21) in which a first gas discharge opening (25) is arranged in the central part and second gas discharge openings (24) are circularly arranged in the peripheral part, and a thin metal plate (22) with an indented surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Publication date: October 6, 2005
    Inventors: Norikazu Komada, Koji Hoshino, Jun Akikusa, Kei Hosoi
  • Publication number: 20050221140
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell provided with a power cell (1) in which a fuel electrode layer (4) is arranged on one surface of a solid electrolyte layer (3) and an air electrode layer (2) is arranged on the other surface thereof, wherein the solid electrolyte layer (3) has a two layer structure including a first electrolyte layer (3a) made of a ceria based oxide material and a second electrolyte layer (3b) made of a lanthanum gallate based oxide material, and the second electrolyte layer is formed on the side of the air electrode layer. It is preferable that the first electrolyte layer is formed thinner than the second electrolyte layer. According to such a configuration, there can be provided a solid oxide fuel cell comprising an inexpensive solid electrolyte layer which reduces the contact resistances in the interfaces between the solid electrolyte layer and the respective electrode layers, and thereby improves the generation efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Publication date: October 6, 2005
    Inventors: Koji Hoshino, Kei Hosoi, Takashi Yamada, Jun Akikusa
  • Publication number: 20040053087
    Abstract: A mixture of a fuel gas obtained by vaporizing hydrocarbon and air is burned in an engine 11 to generate mechanical power. The fuel gas obtained by reforming the hydrocarbon is supplied to a fuel electrode layer of a fuel cell module 13 in which plural electric power generating cells each including a solid electrolyte layer, and a fuel electrode layer and an air electrode layer disposed on both sides thereof are laminated, and the air or oxygen is supplied to the air electrode layer, so that the fuel cell module 13 is constructed to be capable of generating electric power at 930° C. or lower. One of or both of mechanical power generated by the engine 11 and electric power generated by the fuel cell module 13 are outputted. As a raw material of the fuel gas supplied to the fuel cell module, gasoline, light oil or the like which can be supplied in a normal gasoline station can be used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventors: Jun Akikusa, Hoshino Koji
  • Publication number: 20040028994
    Abstract: A solid electrolyte type fuel cell which incorporates a metal separator comprising a base material of a metal other than silver or a silver alloy which is plated with silver or a silver alloy. The fuel cell can achieve improved efficiency for electricity generation with no increase of the resistance of the metal separator, even when it is operated at a low temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Jun Akikusa, Hoshino Koji
  • Publication number: 20030134174
    Abstract: A conductive and tabular separator is inserted into the gap between the fuel electrode layer of an i-th power generating cell and the oxidizer electrode layer of an (i+1)-th power generating cell adjacent to the fuel electrode layer. A fuel supply passage is so formed on one face of each of these separators that a fuel gas flows radially from almost the center of the fuel electrode layer to its edge. An oxidizer supply passage is so formed on the other face that an oxidizer gas outgoes almost uniformly in a shower toward the oxidizer polar layer. Thus, all of the surfaces of the power generating cells contribute to power generation to increase the frequency of collision between the fuel gas and the fuel electrode layer and that between the oxidizer gas and the oxidizer electrode layer, and to improve the generation efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2002
    Publication date: July 17, 2003
    Inventors: Jun Akikusa, Koji Hoshino