Abstract: In a case where each of the temperature, the impedance, and the output current of a fuel cell stack falls within a predetermined range, the output voltage of the fuel cell stack is measured, and the measured output voltage is compared with a reference value to thereby determine the degree of degradation of the fuel cell stack.

Abstract: A control unit estimates a discharged fuel gas amount, i.e., an amount of fuel gas discharged from the outlet of a cathode flow field, of a fuel exhaust gas introduced from a communication flow path to the inlet of the cathode flow field and then flowing through a cathode. The control unit calculates an oxygen-containing gas amount necessary for dilution at the time of discharge into the atmosphere, from the estimated discharged fuel gas amount, and sets a discharge amount of the air pump, based on the calculated oxygen-containing gas amount.

Abstract: In a case where each of the temperature, the impedance, and the output current of a fuel cell stack falls within a predetermined range, the output voltage of the fuel cell stack is measured, and the measured output voltage is compared with a reference value to thereby determine the degree of degradation of the fuel cell stack.

Abstract: A control unit estimates a discharged fuel gas amount, i.e., an amount of fuel gas discharged from the outlet of a cathode flow field, of a fuel exhaust gas introduced from a communication flow path to the inlet of the cathode flow field and then flowing through a cathode. The control unit calculates an oxygen-containing gas amount necessary for dilution at the time of discharge into the atmosphere, from the estimated discharged fuel gas amount, and sets a discharge amount of the air pump, based on the calculated oxygen-containing gas amount.

Abstract: The present invention provides a three-piece rectangular can which can overcome drawbacks (joint defect) of a can body joint portion of a three-piece can, and is of a new type which overcomes shortage of a can body strength which a two-piece can possesses, and exhibits excellent liquid leakage resistance, excellent can body strength and excellent heat radiation property or the like even when the can is used as a casing of a battery or electric equipment.

Abstract: A method is provided for optimizing the physical characteristics of a coating solution for a polarizable electrode layer formed on a collector. A first step is carried out to prepare a coating solution that includes porous particles, a fluorine-based binder, a good solvent that dissolves said fluorine-based binder, and a poor solvent that does not dissolve said fluorine-based binder. A second step is carried out to coat a collector with said coating solution to form the polarizable electrode layer on the collector. The viscosity of said coating solution for the polarizable electrode layer is set to between 0.5 to 3.5 Pa·s and a weight ratio (GS/PS) of said good solvent (GS) and said poor solvent (PS) is set to between 60/40 to 80/20. The occurrence of cracks in the polarizable electrode layer and large nonuniformities in the thickness of the polarizable electrode layer can thus be prevented.

Abstract: A method is provided for optimizing the physical characteristics of a coating solution for an undercoat layer formed between a polarizable electrode layer and surface-roughened collector. A first step is carried out to form an undercoat layer on a collector whose surface has been roughened, and a second step is carried out to form a polarizable electrode layer on the undercoat layer. The first step is performed by coating the collector with a coating solution for the undercoat layer that includes electroconductive particles, a binder, and a solvent; the viscosity of the coating solution for the undercoat layer is set to from 0.15 to 0.75 Pa·s, and the weight ratio (P/B) of the electroconductive particles (P) and binder (B) is set to from 20/80 to 40/60. The coating area of the undercoat layer can thereby be adjusted with high precision, and the resistance of the undercoat layer can be reduced.

Abstract: A sheet electrode with a predetermined thickness for an electric double layer capacitor is made by carrying out a roller rolling step in which a long sheet intermediate is made from a material containing a carbonaceous powder, a conductive assistant and a binder and thereafter. The sheet intermediate is passed between a pair of rolling rollers to be wound up by a winding section while being drawn out of a drawing section. The roller rolling step includes drawing the sheet intermediate out of the drawing section under a predetermined tension applied to the sheet intermediate, and controlling a widthwise position of the sheet intermediate immediately before the rolling rollers by an edge position controller, and winding the sheet intermediate rolled by the rollers onto a winding section while the winding section is applying a predetermined pressure to a rolling side drive roller located adjacent to the winding section and rotated at a predetermined speed.

Abstract: A method of making a polarizable electrode for an electric double layer capacitor, includes adding a binder assistant to a binder so that the binder is swollen and mixing a carbonaceous powder, a conductive assistant and thereafter the swollen binder, thereby obtaining a material mixture, kneading the material mixture into a primary forming material, forming the primary forming material into a secondary forming material, and rolling the secondary forming material into a sheet shape.

Abstract: In an electrode for an electric double layer capacitor of the present invention, the peak value of particle size distribution of graphite particles added to a conductive adhesive is in a range of 2.6 to 3.2 ?m, not less than 100,000 dimples having a largest outer diameter in a range of 4 to 10 ?m and a depth in a range of 4 to 15 ?m are formed on the surface of the collector sheet per 1 cm2, and the occupied area of the dimples to the entire surface area of the collector sheet is not more than 50%. By determining the saponification value of polyvinylalcohol which is used as a binder component of the conductive adhesive in a range of 90.0 to 98.5, adhesiveness of the collector sheet and the electrode forming sheet is improved. Furthermore, by substituting H atoms contained in the polyvinylalcohol with Si atoms, adhesiveness of the collector sheet and the electrode forming sheet can be further improved.

Abstract: A method is provided for enhancing the bond between the polarizable electrode layer and the undercoat layer. The method includes a first step for forming an undercoat layer on a collector and a second step for forming a polarizable electrode layer on said undercoat layer. The first step is performed by coating said collector with a coating solution for the undercoat layer that includes electroconductive particles, a first binder, and a first solvent. The second step is performed by coating said undercoat layer with a coating solution for the polarizable electrode layer that includes porous particles, a second binder, and a second solvent. The first solvent can dissolve or disperse said first and second binders. The second solvent can dissolve or disperse said first and second binders. The fusion of the interface between the undercoat layer and the polarizable electrode layer enhances the bond therebetween.

Abstract: A method is provided for optimizing the physical characteristics of a coating solution for an undercoat layer formed between a polarizable electrode layer and surface-roughened collector. A first step is carried out to form an undercoat layer on a collector whose surface has been roughened, and a second step is carried out to form a polarizable electrode layer on the undercoat layer. The first step is performed by coating the collector with a coating solution for the undercoat layer that includes electroconductive particles, a binder, and a solvent; the viscosity of the coating solution for the undercoat layer is set to from 0.15 to 0.75 Pa·s, and the weight ratio (P/B) of the electroconductive particles (P) and binder (B) is set to from 20/80 to 40/60. The coating area of the undercoat layer can thereby be adjusted with high precision, and the resistance of the undercoat layer can be reduced.

Abstract: A method is provided for optimizing the physical characteristics of a coating solution for a polarizable electrode layer formed on a collector. A first step is carried out to prepare a coating solution that includes porous particles, a fluorine-based binder, a good solvent that dissolves said fluorine-based binder, and a poor solvent that does not dissolve said fluorine-based binder. A second step is carried out to coat a collector with said coating solution to form the polarizable electrode layer on the collector. The viscosity of said coating solution for the polarizable electrode layer is set to between 0.5 to 3.5 Pa·s and a weight ratio (GS/PS) of said good solvent (GS) and said poor solvent (PS) is set to between 60/40 to 80/20. The occurrence of cracks in the polarizable electrode layer and large nonuniformities in the thickness of the polarizable electrode layer can thus be prevented.

Abstract: A container for a long electrode sheet for electric double layer capacitor includes a cover closing the opening of the container body, a sealing member sealing a gap between the container body and the cover, a stem fixed to either the container body or the cover so that a bobbin is mounted thereon and formed with a male thread, a bobbin fixing unit including a fastening member having a female thread hole, and a holding unit including two presser plates, the female thread hole of the fastening member being threadedly engage with the male thread of the stem so that the presser plates are fastened thereby to be fixed, the holding unit holding the electrode sheet so as to prevent the electrode sheet from being detached from the bobbin by pressing two ends of electrode sheet.

Abstract: An electrode sheet of an electric double layer capacitor is produced by using granules for formation of an electrode of an electric double layer capacitor which are obtained by kneading and then crushing materials including an activated material, a conductive filler, and a binder at 50 to 97 mass-%, 1 to 30 mass-%, and 2 to 20 mass-%, respectively, and which are essentially granules whose diameter is in a range of 47 to 840 ?m. A method for manufacturing a sheet-like electrode by mixing and kneading materials including an activated carbon, carbon black, and PTFE into a kneaded material, producing a forming material by converting the kneaded material into granules, and forming and rolling the forming material.

Abstract: A polarizing electrode for an electric double layer capacitor has good moldability and is capable of achieving higher density of electrode and higher capacity. An electric double layer capacitor employs the same. The polarizing electrode for an electric double layer capacitor is made of an activated carbon obtained by activating a hard-to-graphitize material (for example, phenol resin) with water vapor, and the activated carbon has a median particle size within a range from 4 ?m to 8 ?m in the particle size distribution as measured by a laser diffraction method and a benzene adsorption ratio of not less than 47.0% and not more than 60% by weight of activated carbon.

Abstract: In an electric double-layer capacitor, a solution of a quaternary ammonium borofluoride compound in propylene carbonate is used as an electrolyte. The electrode includes alkali-activated carbon made using meso-phase pitch as a starting material, and a conductive filler having a rest potential smaller than that of the alkali-activated carbon in the electrolyte. The amount Fc of conductive filler incorporated in the electrode is set in a range of 10% by weight?Fc?40% by weight. Such electric double-layer capacitor has a large electrostatic capacity and excellent durability.

Abstract: A process for producing an electrode for an electric double layer capacitor in which an alcohol based solvent which is a forming aid agent added during preparation of an electrode forming sheet is contained in the electrode forming sheet, and the electrode forming sheet and the collector sheet are joined without removing the solvent. Furthermore, a process for producing an electrode for an electric double layer capacitor in which an alcohol based solvent is added to the electrode forming sheet just before the joining process of the electrode forming sheet and the collector sheet.

Abstract: A sheet electrode with a predetermined thickness for an electric double layer capacitor is made by carrying out a roller rolling step in which a long sheet intermediate is made from a material containing a carbonaceous powder, a conductive assistant and a binder and thereafter. The sheet intermediate is passed between a pair of rolling rollers to be wound up by a winding section while being drawn out of a drawing section. The roller rolling step includes drawing the sheet intermediate out of the drawing section under a predetermined tension applied to the sheet intermediate, and controlling a widthwise position of the sheet intermediate immediately before the rolling rollers by an edge position controller, and winding the sheet intermediate rolled by the rollers onto a winding section while the winding section is applying a predetermined pressure to a rolling side drive roller located adjacent to the winding section and rotated at a predetermined speed.

Abstract: In an electrode drying process in which the electrode is molded in a sheet shape by kneading activated carbon powder, a binding material and an organic solvent for lubrication and a polarizing property electrode is formed by heating and removing the organic solvent for lubrication in the molded electrode, the organic solvent for lubrication included in the electrode is removed in a state in which the above electrode is widened in the sheet shape. In a manufacturing method of an electrode sheet for the electrical double layer capacitor, continuous drying and vacuum drying are performed in a drying process.