Patents by Inventor Makoto Ohmori

Makoto Ohmori 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).

  • FUEL CELL
    Publication number: 20140011113
    Abstract: The fuel cell includes a porous body including Ni particles, ceramic particles and pores; a power-generating section having an anode active layer formed on the porous body; and a dense interconnector formed on the porous body, and electrically connected with the anode active layer. When the porous body is exposed to a reducing atmosphere, the ceramic particles and the pores is greater than or equal to 14 volume % and less than or equal to 55 volume % in the contacting region, a volume ratio of the Ni particles to the total volume is greater than or equal to 15 volume % and less than or equal to 50 volume % in the contacting region, and a volume ratio of the Ni particles to a sum volume of a volume of the ceramic particles and a volume of the Ni particles is less than or equal to 82.5 volume % in the contacting region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto OHMORI, Takashi RYU, Taku OKAMOTO
  • JOINING MATERIAL AND STACK STRUCTURE OF FUEL CELL USING THE JOINING MATERIAL
    Publication number: 20140004439
    Abstract: A plurality of insertion holes for inserting one end of each of a plurality of cells is formed on the surface of a support substrate. One end of each of the cells is loosely fitted in the corresponding insertion hole. A joining material is provided so as to fill at least a gap present between the inner wall of the insertion hole and the outer wall of the one end of the cell in each joining portion between each of the insertion holes and one end of the corresponding cell. As the joining material, crystallized glass which includes a plurality of kinds of crystal phases generated when the crystallization of amorphous glass heated up to a crystallization temperature proceeds is used, and a volume reduction ratio (crystallization shrinkage ratio) of the joining material caused by the crystallization at the crystallization temperature is 0.78% or more and 12% or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventors: Makoto OHMORI, Tomohiro USUI, Koichi KOGA, Masayuki SHINKAI, Genta TERAZAWA
  • Coating body
    Patent number: 8617769
    Abstract: Powders of respective metal elements (Mn, Co) constituting a transition metal oxide (MnCo2O4) having a spinel type crystal structure are used as a starting material of the coating film. A film of a paste containing the mixture of the powders is formed on the surface of the interconnector, and with this state, the paste is sintered to form the coating film. In the coating body, a chromia layer including Cr2O3, a first layer including elements of Mn, Co, Fe, Cr, and O, and a second layer including elements of Mn, Co, Fe, and O are provided in this order from the side close to the interconnector at the boundary between the coating film and the interconnector. With this structure, the coating film is difficult to be peeled even if the coating body is placed in a severe temperature change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Ohmori, Takashi Ryu, Toshiyuki Nakamura
  • Reactor
    Patent number: 8603696
    Abstract: In a fuel cell, perimetric portions of each sheet body, an upper support member, and a lower support member are sealed against one another by a seal that includes first and second seal portions. The first seal portion is of glass having a softening point lower than a working temperature of the reactor and seals against the upper surface of the perimetric portion of the sheet body and the lower surface of the perimetric portion of the upper support member as well as against the lower surface of the perimetric portion of the sheet body and the upper surface of the perimetric portion of the lower support member. The second seal portion is of glass having a softening point higher than the working temperature and seals against the lower side end and upper side end of the perimetric portions of the upper and lower support members, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Ohmori, Natsumi Shimogawa, Tsutomu Nanataki, Masayuki Shinkai
  • Solid oxide fuel cell including electrode containing dense bonding portions and porous non-bonding portions
    Patent number: 8574784
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell having a fuel electrode, a solid electrolyte film, an air electrode, and a conductive current-collecting mesh bonded to an upper surface, opposite to a lower bonding surface with the solid electrolyte film, of the air electrode. Plural bonding portions that are bonded to the current-collecting mesh and plural non-bonding portions that are not bonded to the current-collecting mesh are present on the upper surface of the air electrode. In the air electrode, regions having a porosity smaller than a porosity of the other region are respectively formed on the position in the middle of the thickness of the air electrode from each bonding portion. The average of the porosity of the dense portion is 20% or more and less than 35%, while the average of the porosity of the porous portion is 35% or more and less than 55%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayano Kobayashi, Makoto Ohmori
  • SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL
    Publication number: 20130266889
    Abstract: An interconnector made of a lanthanum chromite is provided on a fuel electrode of an SOFC, and a P-type semiconductor film which is a conductive ceramics film is formed on a surface of the interconnector. When a maximum value (maximum joining width) of the “lengths of a plurality of portions at which the interconnector and the P-type semiconductor film are brought into contact with each other” on a “line (boundary line) corresponding to an interface between the interconnector and the P-type semiconductor film in a cross section including the interconnector and the P-type semiconductor film” is 40 ?m or less, peeling becomes less liable to occur in a portion corresponding to the maximum joining width at the interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi KOGA, Makoto OHMORI
  • CATHODE MATERIAL, INTERCONNECTOR MATERIAL AND SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL
    Publication number: 20130244132
    Abstract: A cathode material for a solid oxide fuel cell comprising a complex oxide having a perovskite structure expressed by the general formula ABO3 with a standard deviation value of no more than 10.3 for the atomic percentage of respective elements in the A site measured using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy at 10 spots in a single field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto OHMORI, Ayano KOBAYASHI, Shinji FUJISAKI
  • FUEL CELL
    Publication number: 20130236811
    Abstract: A fuel cell (10) includes an anode (11), a solid electrolyte layer (12), a barrier layer (13), and a cathode (14). The anode (11) includes a transition metal and an oxygen ion conductive material. In the interface region (R) within 3 micrometers from the interface with the solid electrolyte layer (12) of the anode (11) after reduction, the content rate of silicon is less than or equal to 200 ppm, the content rate of phosphorous is less than or equal to 50 ppm, the content rate of chrome is less than or equal to 100 ppm, the content rate of boron is less than or equal to 100 ppm, and the content rate of sulfur is less than or equal to 100 ppm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yohei MIURA, Makoto OHMORI, Ayano KOBAYASHI, Takafumi TERAHAI
  • Bonding agent comprising spherical sintered metal oxide powder
    Patent number: 8486328
    Abstract: Powders of respective metal elements (Mn,Co) constituting a transition metal oxide (MnCo2O4) having a spinel type crystal structure are used as a starting material. A paste containing the mixture of the powders is interposed between an air electrode and an interconnector, and with this state, a sintering is performed, whereby a bonding agent according to the present invention can be obtained. This bonding agent has a “co-continuous structure”. In the “co-continuous structure”, a thickness of an arm portion that links many base portions to one another is 0.3 to 2.5 ?m. The bonding agent includes a spherical particle in which plural crystal faces are exposed to the surface, the particle having a side with a length of 1 ?m or more, among the plural sides constituting the outline of the crystal face. The diameter of the particle is 5 to 80 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Ohmori, Toshiyuki Nakamura, Takashi Ryu
  • Sheet body of solid oxide fuel cell, and solid oxide fuel cell
    Patent number: 8481226
    Abstract: A sheet body includes an electrolyte layer, a fuel electrode layer formed on the upper surface of the electrolyte layer, and an air electrode layer formed on the lower surface of the electrolyte layer, wherein these layers are stacked and fired in such a manner that the electrolyte layer is sandwiched between the fuel electrode layer and the air electrode layer. The fuel electrode layer is a porous layer including a first layer on a side close to the electrolyte layer made of fine particles of Ni and YSZ, and a second layer on a side apart from the electrolyte layer made of fine particles of Ni, YSZ, and ZrSiO4. The zircon particles are uniformly distributed in the second layer in the plane direction and in the stacking direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Ohmori, Natsumi Shimogawa, Shigeki Okada, Tsutomu Nanataki
  • FUEL CELL
    Publication number: 20130095410
    Abstract: A fuel cell includes an anode, a cathode and a solid electrolyte layer. The cathode has a main phase and a sub phase. The main phase is composed of a perovskite type oxide including cobalt. The sub phase is composed of tricobalt tetroxide. The solid electrolyte layer is disposed between the anode and the cathode. An area occupancy of the sub phase in a sectional surface of the cathode is equal to or less than 9.8%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto OHMORI, Ayano KOBAYASHI
  • Method of manufacturing transition metal oxide having spinel structure
    Patent number: 8419866
    Abstract: A novel method of manufacturing a transition metal oxide having a spinel structure is provided. A mixture of powdery metals of metal elements constituting the transition metal oxide is heated in an oxidizing atmosphere to generate the transition metal oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Ryu, Toshiyuki Nakamura, Makoto Ohmori
  • Assembling method of solid oxide fuel cell
    Patent number: 8377611
    Abstract: An assembling method of a solid oxide fuel cell, having a stack structure in which sheet bodies and separators are stacked in alternating layers, includes a stacking step, a sealing step, and a reduction process step. In the sealing step, a laminate in which a crystallized glass material is interposed between the perimetric portions adjacent to each other is heated, so that the crystallization rate of the crystallized glass is increased to 0 to 50%. Accordingly, the perimetric portions adjacent to each other are integrated and sealed, and a room for glass softening is left. In the reduction process step, the laminate is heated, and a reduction gas is supplied into a fuel channel, whereby the reduction process is performed to the fuel electrode layer, and the crystallization rate is increased to 70 to 100%. Thus, the assembly of the fuel cell is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Ohmori, Natsumi Shimogawa, Masayuki Shinkai, Toshiyuki Nakamura
  • Electrochemical device including a binding layer having a spinel-type crystal structure
    Patent number: 8354198
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electrochemical device including electrodes of an electrochemical cell and conductive connection members, wherein sufficient bonding strength is achieved between each of the electrodes and the corresponding conductive connection member through thermal treatment carried out at a temperature lower than 1,000° C. The electrochemical cell includes a solid electrolyte membrane and a pair of electrodes provided on the electrolyte membrane. The conductive connection members are electrically connected to the respective electrodes by means of a bonding layer. The bonding layer contains a transition metal oxide having a spinel-type crystal structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Ohmori, Toshiyuki Nakamura, Takashi Ryu
  • Fuel cell
    Patent number: 8349522
    Abstract: A fuel cell (1) includes an anode (11), a cathode (14), an electrolyte layer (13) containing ceria and provided between the anode (11) and the cathode (14), and at least two intermediate layers containing zirconia and provided between the electrolyte layer (13) and the anode (11). The at least two intermediate layers include a first intermediate layer (18) that contains ceria and a second intermediate layer (19) that has a higher zirconia concentration than the first intermediate layer and is provided between the first intermediate layer and the anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayano Kobayashi, Makoto Ohmori
  • Fuel cell
    Patent number: 8349511
    Abstract: A fuel cell is provided that includes an anode, a cathode, a solid electrolyte layer, a barrier layer, and an intermediate layer. The solid electrolyte layer includes zirconium and is provided between the anode and the cathode. The barrier layer includes cerium and is provided between the solid electrolyte layer and the cathode. The intermediate layer includes zirconium and cerium, and has a first surface facing the solid electrolyte layer, a second surface facing the barrier layer, and pores. The pore ratio of the intermediate layer is higher than the pore ratio of the barrier layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayano Kobayashi, Shinji Fujisaki, Makoto Ohmori
  • FUEL CELL
    Publication number: 20120264035
    Abstract: A fuel cell (1) includes an anode (11), a cathode (14), an electrolyte layer (13) containing ceria and provided between the anode (11) and the cathode (14), and at least two intermediate layers containing zirconia and provided between the electrolyte layer (13) and the anode (11). The at least two intermediate layers include a first intermediate layer (18) that contains ceria and a second intermediate layer (19) that has a higher zirconia concentration than the first intermediate layer and is provided between the first intermediate layer and the anode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Ayano KOBAYASHI, Makoto OHMORI
  • SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL
    Publication number: 20120237849
    Abstract: The present invention provides a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) including a “porous fuel electrode which allows reaction of a fuel gas to proceed and which is formed of Ni and YSZ”; a “porous air electrode which allows reaction of an oxygen-containing gas to proceed”; and a “dense solid electrolyte membrane which is provided between the fuel electrode and the air electrode and which has an interface with the fuel electrode.” In the fuel electrode, Ni grains present in a region located within 3 ?m from the interface (i.e., a “near-interface region”) have a mean size of 0.28 to 0.80 ?m; YSZ grains present in the “near-interface region” have a mean size of 0.28 to 0.80 ?m; and pores present in the “near-interface region” have a mean size of 0.10 to 0.87 ?m. Thus, the fuel electrode of the SOFC exhibits low reaction resistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayano KOBAYASHI, Makoto Ohmori
  • SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL
    Publication number: 20120225369
    Abstract: Provided is a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), including: a fuel electrode for allowing a fuel gas to be reacted; an air electrode for allowing a gas containing oxygen to be reacted; an electrolyte film provided between the fuel electrode and the air electrode; and a reaction prevention film provided between the air electrode and the electrolyte film. The porosity of the reaction prevention film is less than 10%, particularly preferably “closed pore-ratio” is 50% or more. The diameter of closed pores in the reaction prevention film is 0.1 to 3 ?m. The reaction prevention film includes closed pores each containing a component (e.g., Sr) for the air electrode. This can provide an SOFC in which a decrease in output due to an increase in electric resistance between an air electrode and a solid electrolyte film hardly occurs even after long-term use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventor: Makoto OHMORI
  • SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL
    Publication number: 20120225368
    Abstract: Provided is a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), including: a fuel electrode for allowing a fuel gas to be reacted; an air electrode for allowing a gas containing oxygen to be reacted; an electrolyte film provided between the fuel electrode and the air electrode; and a reaction prevention film provided between the air electrode and the electrolyte film. The reaction prevention film includes two layers including one layer of a porous layer having an interface with the electrolyte film; and one layer of a dense layer having an interface with the air electrode. The dense layer has a porosity of 5% or less and the porous layer has a porosity of 5.1 to 60%. The porous layer includes closed pores each having a diameter of 0.1 to 3 ?m. The porous layer includes closed pores each including a component (such as Sr) for the air electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventor: Makoto OHMORI