Abstract: Provided is a fluororesin coating composition for forming a topcoat having improved non-tackiness and water and oil repellency. The fluororesin is crystalline tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoro(ethyl vinyl ether) copolymer having a perfluoro(ethyl vinyl ether) content of 8 to 20 mass % based on the total mass of the copolymer.

Abstract: A fixing unit or device that can be used in an image forming apparatus includes a first heater element that is formed of a material that increases in electrical resistance with increases in temperature. A controller of the fixing unit is configured to vary a duty ratio of electric power applied to the first heater element during a start-up operation in which the temperature of the first heater element is raised to a target operating temperature. By varying the duty ratio during the start-up operation, changes in the resistance of the first heater element with the heating can be compensated. For example, the duty ratio can be increased during the course of the start-up to achieve the target operating temperature faster.

Abstract: A fuel cell assembly (1) is disclosed. The fuel cell assembly (1) has a fuel cell stack (2) formed by laminating a plurality of cells; plus and minus current extraction sections (4), the current extraction sections (4) extracting current generated by the fuel cell stack and sandwiching the fuel cell stack with respect to the direction of lamination; and a passage (4a) allowing flow of a fluid provided in at least one of the current extraction sections. Further a fuel cell system, which has the above fuel cell stack and a heating device (24, 26, 32, 90) for heating the passage for the fluid, is disclosed.

Abstract: A fuel cell assembly (1) is disclosed. The fuel cell assembly (1) has a fuel cell stack (2) formed by laminating a plurality of cells; plus and minus current extraction sections (4), the current extraction sections (4) extracting current generated by the fuel cell stack and sandwiching the fuel cell stack with respect to the direction of lamination; and a passage (4a) allowing flow of a fluid provided in at least one of the current extraction sections. Further a fuel cell system, which has the above fuel cell stack and a heating device (24, 26, 32, 90) for heating the passage for the fluid, is disclosed.

Abstract: There is provided a method for controlling the quality of a product, characterized in that a product and an oxygen detecting agent having a predetermined sensitivity corresponding to the kind of the product and quality control conditions for the product are provided in combination and the quality of the product is controlled by taking advantage of such a phenomenon that, when a predetermined period of time corresponding to the kind of the product and the quality control conditions for the product has elapsed, the oxygen detecting agent undergoes a change in color as a result of the detection of the concentration of oxygen, which has infiltrated the oxygen detecting agent, by the oxygen detecting agent.

Abstract: A gas diffusion layer (6) is sandwiched between catalyst electrode layers (5) and separators (1, 2), and side faces (6A, 6B) of the gas diffusion layer (6) are arranged so as to face a gas inlet manifold (7) and outlet manifold (8), and partition the inlet manifold (7) and outlet manifold (8). In the gas diffusion layer (6), gas flows from the side face (6A) facing the inlet manifold (7), flows through the interior, and flows out from the side face (6B) facing the outlet manifold (8).

Abstract: A fuel vapor treatment or recovery system for an automotive internal combustion engine. The system comprises a canister containing a fuel vapor adsorbing material. A membrane separation module is provided to be connected to the canister and including a separation membrane for separating a mixture gas into an air-rich component and a fuel vapor-rich component. The separation membrane has an air-selective permeability so that the air-rich component is be able to pass through the separation membrane, the mixture gas containing air and fuel vapor. Additionally, a gas transporting device is provided to be connected to the canister, for causing purge gas to be introduced into the canister to purge fuel vapor from the fuel vapor adsorbing material and causing fuel vapor purged from the canister to be fed to the membrane separation module.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion module having a large capacity and a curved surface which can be secured to a corresponding curved surface of a base member is manufactured by inserting N type and P type semiconductor strips into through holes formed in a honeycomb structural body, filling spaces between walls defining the through holes and the semiconductor strips with an electrically insulating filler members made of an easily deformable material such as polyimide resin and silicone resin, cutting the honeycomb structural body into a plurality of thermoelectric conversion module main bodies each having a desired surface configuration, and providing metal electrodes on both surfaces of a thermoelectric conversion module main body such that alternate N type and P type semiconductor elements are connected in cascade.

Abstract: A fuel vapor treatment or recovery system for an automotive internal combustion engine. The system comprises a canister containing a fuel vapor adsorbing material. A membrane separation module is provided to be connected to the canister and including a separation membrane for separating a mixture gas into an air-rich component and a fuel vapor-rich component. The separation membrane has an air-selective permeability so that the air-rich component is be able to pass through the separation membrane, the mixture gas containing air and fuel vapor. Additionally, a gas transporting device is provided to be connected to the canister, for causing purge gas to be introduced into the canister to purge fuel vapor from the fuel vapor adsorbing material and causing fuel vapor purged from the canister to be fed to the membrane separation module.

Abstract: A p-type thermoelectric converting substance used as a p-type semiconductor in a thermoelectric converting module consisting essentially of a substance expressed by a chemical formula CoSbxSny or CoSbxGey (2.7<x<3.4, 0<y<0.4, x+y>3), and containing a small amount of oxygen z defined by 2(x+y−3)≧z. The amount of oxygen z is preferably limited such that it is not higher than 0.1 molecules per 1 molecule of Co. An alloy ingot consisting essentially of CoSbxSny or CoSbxGey (2.7<x<3.4, 0<y<0.4, x+y>3) is ground to obtain a raw material powder. Then, the powder is cast into a mold, and the mold is sintered under a non-oxidizing or reducing atmosphere. The thus obtained substance reveals p-conductivity in a stable manner over a wide temperature range, and has excellent thermoelectric converting properties.

Abstract: An electric energy supply system for a vehicle includes a power output shaft electric power generation unit and an exhaust gas electric power generation unit for generating electric power by utilizing a power energy and an exhaust gas energy. A storage battery, a driving condition judgment unit for judging a driving condition of the vehicle, an electricity storage condition judgment unit for judging an electricity storage condition of the storage battery, and an electric power control unit for controlling a supply amount of electric energy to be used in the vehicle are provided. Under the control of the electricity power control unit, the amount of electric power generated by each of the power output shaft electric power generation unit and the exhaust gas electric power generation unit is controlled in accordance with information obtained from the driving condition judgement unit and the electricity storage condition judgement unit.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating a thermoelectric power and method for driving the same.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion module including a honeycomb structural body 3 made of an electrically insulating material, N type and P type semiconductor elements 1 and 2 inserted into through holes formed in the honeycomb structural body 3, electrically insulating filler members 4 filled in spaces between the semiconductor elements and inner walls of the through holes such that the semiconductor elements are fixed in position within respective through holes, and electrodes 7 connecting end surfaces of the semiconductor elements on polished end surfaces of the honeycomb structural body such that N type and P type semiconductor elements are alternately connected in series. According to the invention, the electrically insulating filler members are made of an inorganic adhesive of alkali metal silicate or sol-gel glass.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion module having a large capacity and a curved surface is manufactured by immersing a honeycomb structural body having a number of through holes, openings of every other through holes being closed by clogging members, into a semiconductor material melt of one conductivity type to suck the semiconductor material melt into through holes whose openings are not closed, cooling the thus sucked semiconductor material melt to form semiconductor elements of one conductivity type, immersing again the honeycomb structural body after removing said clogging members into a semiconductor material melt of the other conductivity type to suck the semiconductor material melt into the through holes, cooling the thus sucked semiconductor material melt to form semiconductor elements of the other conductivity type, cutting the honeycomb structural body into a plurality of thermoelectric conversion module main bodies, and providing metal electrodes of both surfaces of a thermoelectric conversion module main

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion material includes a sintered body composed mainly of cobalt and antimony, wherein cobalt and antimony as main components form a compound of cubic CoSb.sub.3, a phase composed mainly of an Sb phase is contained as a secondary phase, and a volumetric rate of the phase closed mainly of the Sb phase is less than 10 vol % with respect to 100 vol % of the thermoelectric conversion material.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion module having a large capacity and a curved surface which can be secured to a corresponding curved surface of a base member is manufactured by inserting N type and P type semiconductor strips into through holes formed in a honeycomb structural body, filling spaces between walls defining the through holes and the semiconductor strips with an electrically insulating filler members made of an easily deformable material such as polyimide resin and silicone resin, cutting the honeycomb structural body into a plurality of thermoelectric conversion module main bodies each having a desired surface configuration, and providing metal electrodes on both surfaces of a thermoelectric conversion module main body such that alternate N type and P type semiconductor elements are connected in cascade.

Abstract: Thermoelectric material for high temperature use made of a sintered body of a relative density of at least 75% consisting mainly of cobalt antimony compounds having an elemental ratio Sb/(Co+additives)=x of 2.7<x<3 is produced by a method of firing a shaped body of powders consisting mainly of cobalt and antimony in a non-oxidizing atmosphere under an environmental pressure, wherein the shaped body before the firing is constituted from crystal phases composed of a cubic crystal system compound CoSb.sub.3 (A phase), a monoclinic crystal system compound CoSb.sub.2 (B phase) and a hexagonal crystal system compound CoSb (C phase), and constitutional ratio of these crystal phases is (I.sub.B +I.sub.C)/(I.sub.A +I.sub.B +I.sub.C)<0.15 (wherein, I.sub.X (X is A, B or C) is a relative intensity by X-ray diffraction).

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion module having a large capacity and a curved surface is manufactured by immersing a honeycomb structural body having a number of through holes, openings of every other through holes being closed by clogging members, into a semiconductor material melt of one conductivity type to suck the semiconductor material melt into through holes whose openings are not closed, cooling the thus sucked semiconductor material melt to form semiconductor elements of one conductivity type, immersing again the honeycomb structural body after removing the clogging members into a semiconductor material melt of the other conductivity type to suck the semiconductor material melt into the through holes, cooling the thus sucked semiconductor material melt to form semiconductor elements of the other conductivity type, cutting the honeycomb structural body into a plurality of thermoelectric conversion module main bodies, and providing metal electrodes of both surfaces of a thermoelectric conversion module main

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion module having a large capacity and a curved surface which can be secured to a corresponding curved surface of a base member is manufactured by inserting N type and P type semiconductor strips into through holes formed in a honeycomb structural body, filling spaces between walls defining the through holes and the semiconductor strips with filler members, cutting the honeycomb structural body into a plurality of thermoelectric conversion module main bodies each having a desired surface configuration, providing metal electrodes on both surfaces of a thermoelectric conversion module main body such that alternate N type and P type semiconductor elements are connected in cascade, and removing the filler members or the honeycomb structural body and filler members.

Abstract: An n-type thermoelectric material composed mainly of an iron-silicite compound represented by a chemical formula of FeSi.sub.2+z in which -0.1<z<0.1. The thermoelectric material further comprising Co as an n-type dopant and Ge as an additive. The iron-silicon compound is composed substantially of a low temperature phase (.beta.-phase).