Abstract: A fuel cell is provided that includes a cell structure, a pair of separators and a plurality of at least partially porous ribs. The cell structure includes an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte membrane, the anode and the cathode being laminated on opposite sides of the electrolyte membrane, respectively. The separators are disposed on both surfaces of the cell structure with gas passages being defined by the separators and the cell structure for circulating two types of gas for power generation. The porous ribs porous ribs are disposed successively on an entire cross-section of the gas passage in a transverse direction with a flow direction of the gas for power generation.

Abstract: A fuel cell is provided that includes a cell structure, a pair of separators and a plurality of at least partially porous ribs. The cell structure includes an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte membrane, the anode and the cathode being laminated on opposite sides of the electrolyte membrane, respectively. The separators are disposed on both surfaces of the cell structure with gas passages being defined by the separators and the cell structure for circulating two types of gas for power generation. The porous ribs porous ribs are disposed successively on an entire cross-section of the gas passage in a transverse direction with a flow direction of the gas for power generation.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly (101); a first gas diffusion layer (104) having a first raised portion (104a); an anode side separator (102); a second gas diffusion layer (105) having a second raised portion (105a); and a cathode side separator (103). A fuel gas passage (102b) formed by a first groove (102a) and the first raised portion (104a) has a first cross section (A1), while an oxidation gas passage (103b) formed by a second groove (103a) and the second raised portion (105a) has a second cross section (A2). The first raised portion (104a) and the second raised portion (105a) are different from each other in scale, forming the first cross section (A1) and the second cross section (A2) different from each other.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly 21 and a bipolar plate 24 disposed outside the membrane electrode assembly 21. The bipolar plate 24 is porous, and has first gas passages 33 formed on the top surface through which gas is passed, second gas passages 35 formed on the undersurface through which gas is passed, communicating passages 34 which allow the first gas passages 33 and second gas passages 35 to communicate, a gas inlet 31 connected to one of the first gas passages 33 and second gas passages 35 for supplying gas, and a gas outlet 37 connected to the other of the first gas passages 33 and second gas passages 35 for discharging gas.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly (101); a first gas diffusion layer (104) having a first raised portion (104a); an anode side separator (102); a second gas diffusion layer (105) having a second raised portion (105a); and a cathode side separator (103). A fuel gas passage (102b) formed by a first groove (102a) and the first raised portion (104a) has a first cross section (A1), while an oxidation gas passage (103b) formed by a second groove (103a) and the second raised portion (105a) has a second cross section (A2). The first raised portion (104a) and the second raised portion (105a) are different from each other in scale, forming the first cross section (A1) and the second cross section (A2) different from each other.

Abstract: A fuel cell system is provided with a fuel cell body, a hydrogen supply system supplying hydrogen containing gas to the fuel cell body, an oxygen supply system supplying oxygen containing gas to the fuel cell body, a cooling system adjusting the temperature of the fuel cell body, a water circulation system supplying water to humidify the fuel cell body and collecting water discharged from the fuel cell body, a generated heat amount calculating section calculating a generated heat amount of the fuel cell body, a cooling performance calculating section calculating a cooling performance of the cooling system, a temperature calculating section calculating a fuel cell temperature of the fuel cell body on the basis of the generated heat amount and the cooling performance, a collected water amount calculating section calculating an amount of water collected from the water circulation system on the basis of the fuel cell temperature, and a collected water amount controlling section controlling the amount of collected

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: Before warmup of a fuel cell stack (1) is complete, a cooling water pressure of the fuel cell stack (1) is suppressed lower than the pressure used when the fuel cell system is run in the steady state. In this way, when the system is started from a low temperature state, water in a cathode (2) and anode (3) flows efficiently into the cooling water passage (9), and water clogging is prevented while maintaining a proper water balance in the fuel cell system.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly 21 and a bipolar plate 24 disposed outside the membrane electrode assembly 21. The bipolar plate 24 is porous, and has first gas passages 33 formed on the top surface through which gas is passed, second gas passages 35 formed on the undersurface through which gas is passed, communicating passages 34 which allow the first gas passages 33 and second gas passages 35 to communicate, a gas inlet 31 connected to one of the first gas passages 33 and second gas passages 35 for supplying gas, and a gas outlet 37 connected to the other of the first gas passages 33 and second gas passages 35 for discharging gas.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell (1) having a water passage and passage for gas required for power generation, a first protection device (5, 10) which prevents freezing of water in the fuel cell by maintaining the temperature of the fuel cell (1), and a second protection device (11, 12) which prevents freezing of water in the fuel cell by discharging the water in the fuel cell (1). A controller (50) selects one of the first protection device (5, 10) and the second protection device (11, 12) as the protection device to be used when the fuel cell (1) has stopped, and the fuel cell (1) is protected from freezing of water by operating the selected protection device.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a cylinder including at least one intake valve which is selectively open to allow at least air to enter the cylinder and at least one exhaust valve which is selectively open to allow residual gas escape from the cylinder after a firing event. An auto-ignition system for such an engine comprises a device communicably coupled with the cylinder. The device is, effective to allow an amount of high temperature and pressure residual gas to enter the cylinder in the compression stroke of an engine cycle after valve closure of the intake valve.

Abstract: A split injection of gasoline produces stratified charge in at least one cylinder. A sensor measures cylinder pressure or knock and generates a sensor signal indicative of combustion event timing of stratified charge. From the sensor signal, a controller determines an actual value of a characteristic parameter representing combustion event timing in the cylinder. The controller modifies at least one of operating variables governing a split injection for the subsequent cycle in such a direction as to decrease a deviation between the actual value of the characteristic parameter and a target value thereof toward zero.

Abstract: Controlling of an engine provided with a catalytic converter in an exhaust passage is executed during an idling operation of the engine to heat catalyst in the catalytic converter while permitting the self-ignition combustion mode to be performed in the engine when the catalyst is in a non-active condition, and when the temperature Te of the engine cooling water is higher than a predetermined threshold value Te1, and to allow execution of the self-ignition combustion mode as well as the idling-stop function when the catalyst is in an active condition, and when the temperature Te of the engine cooling water is higher than a predetermined threshold value Te2 that is larger than the predetermined threshold value Te1.

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: Before warmup of a fuel cell stack (1) is complete, a cooling water pressure of the fuel cell stack (1) is suppressed lower than the pressure used when the fuel cell system is run in the steady state. In this way, when the system is started from a low temperature state, water in a cathode (2) and anode (3) flows efficiently into the cooling water passage (9), and water clogging is prevented while maintaining a proper water balance in the fuel cell system.

Abstract: A humidifier (12) humidifies hydrogen and air which are to be supplied to a fuel cell stack (11) of a fuel cell power plant by using water from a water tank (14). When starting the fuel cell power plant, the temperature of the fuel cell stack (11) is detected by a temperature sensor (22) in order to determine whether or not the fuel cell stack (11) is in a frozen state. When the fuel cell stack (11) is in the frozen state, it is warmed without warming up the water tank (14). When the fuel cell stack (11) is warmed up, the fuel cell stack (11) starts power generation with the gas that is not humidified. After thawing of the water tank (14) using heat produced by power generation by the fuel cell stack (11) is performed, the humidifier (12) starts humidification of hydrogen and air.

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 for controlling an internal combustion engine employs a split injection to create stratified air/fuel mixture charge. The stratified charge includes an ignitable air/fuel mixture portion around a spark plug within the surrounding lean air/fuel mixture and experiences a two-stage combustion. The first stage is combustion of the ignitable air/fuel mixture portion initiated by a spark produced by the spark plug, providing an additional increase of cylinder pressure. The second stage is auto-ignited combustion of the surrounding lean air/fuel mixture induced by such additional cylinder pressure increase. The system and method also employ generating a combustion event indicative (CEI) parameter related with combustion speed or ignition timing point of auto-ignition of auto-ignited combustion of the surrounding mixture, and determining control parameters of a spark timing controller and a fuel supply controller in response to the CEI parameter.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell (1) having a water passage and passage for gas required for power generation, a first protection device (5, 10) which prevents freezing of water in the fuel cell by maintaining the temperature of the fuel cell (1), and a second protection device (11, 12) which prevents freezing of water in the fuel cell by discharging the water in the fuel cell (1). A controller (50) selects one of the first protection device (5, 10) and the second protection device (11, 12) as the protection device to be used when the fuel cell (1) has stopped, and the fuel cell (1) is protected from freezing of water by operating the selected protection device.

Abstract: A fuel supply system has a fuel injector positioned to directly inject fuel into a combustion chamber, and it is capable of performing a split injection wherein a first fuel injection in each engine cycle precedes a second fuel injection that occurs during compression stroke in the same engine cycle. A spark plug produces a spark to ignite a first air/fuel mixture portion created due to the second fuel injection, initiating a first stage combustion. The first stage combustion raises temperature and pressure high enough to cause auto-ignition of a second air/fuel mixture portion surrounding the first air-fuel mixture portion, initiating a second stage combustion.