Abstract: The present invention provides a polymer electrolyte fuel cell in which neither cross leakage nor outward leakage occurs with the application of low clamping pressures. The polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprises a unit cell, the unit cell comprising: a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) comprising a polymer electrolyte membrane, a gasket covering the periphery of the electrolyte membrane, an anode and a cathode attached to the electrolyte membrane; and conductive separator plates sandwiching the MEA therebetween. The gasket and the separator plates have a pair of manifold apertures for each of fuel gas, oxidant gas and cooling water. The gasket comprises dummy ribs surrounding each of the manifold apertures, and the separator plates have grooves into which each of the dummy ribs is fitted loosely such that there is a clearance therebetween.

Abstract: A purification catalyst and a gas-purifying apparatus are provided which are capable of sufficiently purifying a gas subject to treatment at low temperatures. The purification catalyst includes ZrO2 having a specific surface area of 50 m2/g or less and a monoclinic crystal system. The gas-purifying apparatus includes the aforementioned purification catalyst as a first purification catalyst, and a second purification catalyst containing Mn as a major component and disposed upstream of the first purification catalyst.

Abstract: A method for producing an electrolyte membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell according to this invention comprises the steps of: laminating a hydrogen-ion conductive polymer membrane on one face of a first shape-retaining film; forming a first catalyst layer on the hydrogen-ion conductive polymer membrane; joining a shape-retaining member to the first catalyst layer side of the hydrogen-ion conductive polymer membrane; removing the first shape-retaining film from the hydrogen-ion conductive polymer membrane; and forming a second catalyst layer on a face of the hydrogen-ion conductive polymer membrane exposed by the removal, so that the hydrogen-ion conductive polymer membrane and the catalyst layers are not damaged even when a thin hydrogen-ion conductive polymer membrane is used.

Abstract: For the purpose of efficiently producing an electrolyte membrane electrode assembly which is excellent in the bond strength between layers and the like, a method for producing an electrolyte membrane electrode assembly is provided which conducts either sequentially or simultaneously the step of injecting an electrolyte ink to form an electrolyte layer and the step of injecting a catalyst layer ink to form a catalyst layer on the electrolyte layer.

Abstract: A polymer electrolyte fuel cell of the present invention includes a hydrogen ion-conductive polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode and a cathode sandwiching the hydrogen ion-conductive polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode-side conductive separator plate having a gas flow channel for supplying a fuel gas to the anode, and a cathode-side conductive separator plate having a gas flow channel for supplying an oxidant gas to the cathode.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an improved gas diffusion layer for use in porous electrodes of polymer electrolyte fuel cells. The gas diffusion layer comprises a gas flow path having a bottom face facing an electrolyte membrane, and the properties of a carbon fiber that forms the bottom face of the gas flow path are different from the properties of a carbon fiber that forms the side wall of the gas flow path and/or the top face of the gas flow path. It is preferable that there is a difference in the graphitization degree, graphite orientation degree or fiber microstructure, and the hydrophilic group density of the carbon fiber forming the bottom face of the gas flow path is particularly small. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain a gas diffusion layer imparted with water retention property, without sacrificing the gas permeability.

Abstract: A simple and inexpensive production method is devised to provide a current collector for a fuel cell having excellent gas permeability and mechanical strength, small electrical resistance and improved surface water-repellency. The current collector is produced by causing a sheet comprising a carbon fiber and a pulp to carry fluorocarbon resin particles and carbon particles partially or wholly or by making a sheet from a carbon fiber and a pulp that are caused to carry fluorocarbon resin particles and carbon particles partially or wholly.

Abstract: A method for producing a membrane electrode assembly 1 for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, the membrane electrode assembly 1 including a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 2 comprising an ion exchange membrane, a first electrode 3 having a first catalyst layer 31, and a second electrode 4 having a second catalyst layer 41,the first electrode 3 and the second electrode 4 being disposed so as to be opposed to each other via the ion exchange membrane, the method including: applying a coating solution containing a catalyst onto a base film 101 to form a first catalyst layer 31; applying a coating solution containing an ion exchange resin dissolved or dispersed in a liquid onto the first catalyst layer 31 to form an ion exchange membrane; then applying a coating solution containing a catalyst onto the ion exchange membrane to form a second catalyst layer 41; and finally, peeling off the base film 101 from a resulting laminate.

Abstract: In order to realize a catalytic combustion apparatus capable of effectively utilizing radiation from a surface of a catalytic element, providing a higher efficiency of heat exchange, and characterized in superior characteristics of an exhaust gas, a catalytic combustion apparatus according to the invention comprises a catalytic element 7 in the shape of a plate consisting of multiple through-holes for combusting a mixed gas of a fuel gas and air and a combustion chamber 6 accommodating the catalytic element 7, and incorporating a radiated heat receiving plate 11 that is positioned in opposition to either one of two surfaces of the catalytic element 7 as a part of its side walls.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus includes a head unit and an anvil unit movably disposed in a direction traversing the sheet discharge direction to provide staples into a sheet bundle. A feed path is disposed between the head unit and the anvil unit for allowing the sheet bundle to pass therethrough. The sheet bundle is moved from a stacking device to the feed path, wherein the head unit and anvil unit stitch the sheet bundle fed for a specified distance into the feed path.

Abstract: In a sheet storage apparatus having a plurality of bin trays for stacking sheets fed sequentially from an image forming device into sheaves of sheets, sheet accommodating spaces formed on the respective bin trays for receiving the sheets fed from the image forming device are made wide at a sheet intake position so as to successfully introduce the sheets thereinto and narrow at the positions above and below the sheet intake position so as to effectively store the sheets. When the sheets introduced into the sheet accommodating space at the sheet intake position comes to a prescribed number or height, the bin trays are moved upward or downward to narrow the sheet accommodating spaces, thus to compress a bulky stack of sheets. When taking out the finished sheaves of sheets from the apparatus, the sheet accommodating spaces formed between the bin trays are made relatively wide.

Abstract: A catalytic combustor utilizes radioactive heat with a high efficiency, has a radiation wavelength distribution rich in visible ray components, and is excellent in complete combustibility and visual confirmability even in a standby combustion condition. The present invention forms a thin film coat of metal or metal oxide which transmits rays having short wavelengths and reflects rays having long wavelengths on a surface of a transmission window disposed opposite to an upstream surface of a catalyst body. The catalyst body is composed of a metal wire structure having a high aperture ratio and is disposed in a combustion chamber. Furthermore, an auxiliary catalyst body which has a high aperture ratio and a small capacity is disposed in the vicinity of a mixed gas injection port at a location in contact with the mixed gas when the flow rate of the mixed gas is less than a predetermined value.

Abstract: According to a combustion apparatus comprising a mixing unit 3 for preparing a fuel-air mixture by mixing a fuel with combustion air, a first catalytic combustion chamber 4 incorporating a first catalyzer 7 for catalytically burning the mixture and a fin 5 for collecting a thermal energy generated by the catalytic combustion and a second catalytic combustion chamber 12 incorporating a second catalyzer 14 for catalytically burning the mixture that is not catalytically burnt by the first catalyzer 7, an operation of catalytic combustion at a high load can be achieved. An operation for improving characteristics of an exhaust discharged at the time of ignition can be also obtained, as a result, a combustion apparatus reduced in emission of NOx is provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a catalytic combustion iron capable of further enhancing the stability of catalyst combustion.

Abstract: An exothermic apparatus uses heat generated by the combustion of gas fuel or liquid fuel. The exothermic apparatus comprises a mixing section in which fuel gas and air are mixed with each other; and a casing disposed downstream of the mixing section and accommodating a combustion chamber. A fin provided in the combustion chamber is substantially parallel with the flow direction of mixed gas. A catalyst layer is in close contact with an inner surface of the combustion chamber and an outer surface of the fin. In this manner, fuel gas is efficiently brought in contact with the surface of the catalyst layer and the temperature of the catalyst is prevented from fluctuating even though heating quantity in an exothermic section changes. Thus, catalytic combustion can be reliably accomplished in the compact combustion chamber.

Abstract: There are arranged a mixing room (4) for mixing fuel with air, flame ports (5) disposed downstream of the mixing room, an ignition plug and a flame rod disposed near the flame ports, and a catalyst layer (8) disposed downstream of the flame ports and bored with a plurality of communicating holes (8a). The operation includes steps of activating the igniting means (6) for forming a flame at the flame ports (5), extinguishing the flame after a predetermined time length by once stopping the fuel supply, and starting a catalytic burning reaction on the surface of the catalyst layer (8) by supplying fuel again without activating the igniting means (6).

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic incinerating apparatus for incinerating organic matter such as garbage having a high rate of water content. This apparatus is composed of a primary combustion chamber (4) into which garbage to be burned is put and a secondary combustion chamber (18) in which decomposition gas of garbage (2) is burned; and the garbage (2) is decomposed or carbonized by microwave in the primary combustion chamber (4), and the decomposition gas is burned by an igniting apparatus in the secondary combustion chamber (18) where no microwave is irradiated. This constitution is characterized in that garbage is dried by microwave to become a good quality fuel, and is thereafter decomposed and burned perfectly, and therefore the exhaust gas is clean and the garbage can be burned perfectly to ashes at high temperatures, so that the treatment is extremely sanitary.

Abstract: A controlled atmosphere storage system which is so arranged that a refrigerator and a carbon dioxide generator are connected to each other, and a purifying catalyst, an air preheater, a cooler, a circulating blower and a scrubber are disposed at the downstream side in that order, with the scrubber and the refrigerator being connected, whereby time required for stabilization of combustion may be reduced as compared with conventional systems, and combustion under a low oxygen concentration can be maintained, while flow-out of controlled atmosphere gas outside the refrigerator or entry of atmosphere into the refrigerator can be prevented. Moreover, by forming the carbon dioxide generator in a double wall construction to fill a space with air containing carbon dioxide, heat insulating property is improved for facilitation of combustion under a lower oxygen concentration than in the conventional systems.

Abstract: A burner has a combustion body supporting a platinum-group catalyst. An air-fuel mixture is supplied to the combustion body and combusted primarily on the upstream surface of the combustion body. A heat-transmissive body is disposed for discharging heat radiation from the upstream surface of the combustion body. The burner has a greater heat radiation efficiency and a wider range in which the amount of combustion is variable than conventional catalytic combustion burners.