Abstract: A method of manufacturing a reinforcement layer comprises a preparatory step of preparing to-be-wound fiber, and a formation step of forming an uncured sheet layer including multiple layers of the to-be-wound fiber stacked on an outer circumferential surface. In the formation step, the to-be-wound fiber is wound on the outer circumferential surface in such a manner that, regarding an outer layer of the uncured sheet layer and an inner layer of the uncured sheet layer closer to the outer circumferential surface than the outer layer and adjacent to the outer layer in a stacking direction of the to-be-wound fiber, two end portions of the outer layer are located between two end portions of the inner layer in an axis direction extending along a center axis of a winding target member.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a reinforcement layer comprises a preparatory step of preparing to-be-wound fiber, and a formation step of forming an uncured sheet layer including multiple layers of the to-be-wound fiber stacked on an outer circumferential surface. In the formation step, the to-be-wound fiber is wound on the outer circumferential surface in such a manner that, regarding an outer layer of the uncured sheet layer and an inner layer of the uncured sheet layer closer to the outer circumferential surface than the outer layer and adjacent to the outer layer in a stacking direction of the to-be-wound fiber, two end portions of the outer layer are located between two end portions of the inner layer in an axis direction extending along a center axis of a winding target member.

Abstract: There is provided a manufacturing method of a tank including a liner. The manufacturing method comprises (A) a process of winding fibers in a sheet-like form impregnated with a resin on a mandrel having a higher rigidity than rigidity of the liner and heating and curing the wound fibers in the sheet-like form to form a sheet layer; (B) a process of pulling out the mandrel from the sheet layer; and (C) fitting the liner into the sheet layer, after the process (B).

Abstract: A mouthpiece structure for a pressure vessel includes a liner constituting a vessel body and a cylindrical part, a cylindrical mouthpiece mounted closely to an inner periphery of the cylindrical part, a housing part having a housing recess formed by recessing at least one of the inner periphery of cylindrical part and an outer periphery of mouthpiece, a sealing member housed in the housing recess while adhering closely to the inner periphery of cylindrical part and the outer periphery of mouthpiece, the sealing member defining a sealed space facing an interface between the inner periphery of the cylindrical part and the outer periphery of the mouthpiece in the housing recess, and a retainer located opposite the sealed space with the sealing member being interposed between them and preventing the sealing member from being displaced in a direction such that the sealing member increases a capacity of the sealed space.

Abstract: There is provided a manufacturing method of a tank including a liner, The manufacturing method comprises (A) a process of winding fibers in a sheet-like form impregnated with a resin on a mandrel having a higher rigidity than rigidity of the liner and heating and curing the wound fibers in the sheet-like form to form a sheet layer; (B) a process of pulling out the mandrel from the sheet layer; and (C) fitting the liner into the sheet layer, after the process (B).

Abstract: A mouthpiece structure for a pressure vessel includes a liner made of a synthetic resin, and constituting a vessel body and a cylindrical part communicating between an interior and an exterior of the vessel body, a cylindrical mouthpiece mounted closely to an inner periphery of the cylindrical part, a retainer having a covering portion which covers regions of outer surfaces of the cylindrical part and the mouthpiece respectively and a peripheral wall surrounding the cylindrical part, the cylindrical part and the mouthpiece having an interface between an inner periphery of the cylindrical part and an outer periphery of the mouthpiece, the interface having a distal end facing the regions, a first sealing member disposed between the mouthpiece and the covering portion, and a second sealing member disposed between the cylindrical part and the peripheral wall of the retainer.

Abstract: A mouthpiece structure for a pressure vessel includes a liner made of a synthetic resin, and constituting a vessel body and a cylindrical part communicating between an interior and an exterior of the vessel body, a cylindrical mouthpiece mounted closely to an inner periphery of the cylindrical part, a retainer having a covering portion which covers regions of outer surfaces of the cylindrical part and the mouthpiece respectively and a peripheral wall surrounding the cylindrical part, the cylindrical part and the mouthpiece having an interface between an inner periphery of the cylindrical part and an outer periphery of the mouthpiece, the interface having a distal end facing the regions, a first sealing member disposed between the mouthpiece and the covering portion, and a second sealing member disposed between the cylindrical part and the peripheral wall of the retainer.

Abstract: A mouthpiece structure for a pressure vessel includes a liner constituting a vessel body and a cylindrical part, a cylindrical mouthpiece mounted closely to an inner periphery of the cylindrical part, a housing part having a housing recess formed by recessing at least one of the inner periphery of cylindrical part and an outer periphery of mouthpiece, a sealing member housed in the housing recess while adhering closely to the inner periphery of cylindrical part and the outer periphery of mouthpiece, the sealing member defining a sealed space facing an interface between the inner periphery of the cylindrical part and the outer periphery of the mouthpiece in the housing recess, and a retainer located opposite the sealed space with the sealing member being interposed between them and preventing the sealing member from being displaced in a direction such that the sealing member increases a capacity of the sealed space.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a fuel reformer device that produces a hydrogen rich gas from a hydrocarbon and steam. The steam reforming reaction that produces the hydrogen rich gas from the hydrocarbon and steam is endothermic. A known technique supplies heat required for the steam reforming reaction by an exothermic oxidation reaction proceeding in parallel with the steam reforming reaction. This known technique may, however, cause an excessive temperature rise in an area of the vigorous oxidation reaction in the fuel reformer device. A reformer unit 34 including a Cu—Zn catalyst receives a supply of a crude fuel gas containing the air flown through a second fuel supply conduit 64. The crude fuel gas is subjected to the steam reforming reaction and the oxidation reaction proceeding inside the reformer unit 34. A resulting hydrogen rich gaseous fuel is discharged to a third fuel supply conduit 65. The reformer unit 34 includes an upper stream reaction unit 80 and a lower stream reaction unit 81.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a reformer and a method of controlling the reformer are provided. The reformer gasifies a reformate fuel by a reforming reaction, supplies the obtained reformate gas to an energy converter to convert the reformate gas into energy of another form, and heats the reformate fuel by burning emission containing unreacted flammable gas produced in the energy converter. The control apparatus comprises a reforming amount assessing device for assessing the amount of the reformate fuel to be gasified, and an emission amount assessing device for assessing the amount of emission to be supplied into the reformer on the basis of the assessed amount of reformate fuel. When using the unreacted hydrogen gas generated in a fuel cell for heating the reformate fuel, the unreacted hydrogen gas and combustion aid gas can be controlled so that the reformate fuel is heated properly.

Abstract: A fuel reformer suited for mounting on a vehicle is provided. A raw material gas containing methanol and water is vaporized at a vaporization section 30. The vaporized gas flows horizontally to a reforming section 60 with monolithic catalyst 70. The reforming section is divided into two sides, a front side 62 and a rear side 64, with an interconnecting pipe 66 bent at 180 degrees, for connecting the front and rear sides. By making the material gas flow horizontally, even when the reformer is mounted to a vehicle which has a larger space in its horizontal direction than in its vertical direction, especially a small passenger car, the contact time period between gas and catalyst can be extended. By bending the reforming section by 180 degrees, the size of the reformer can be reduced so that the reformer is suited for mounting on a vehicle having limited space.

Abstract: A carbon monoxide reducing device supplies oxygen to a reformate gas obtained through a reforming reaction so as to oxidize carbon monoxide contained in the reformate gas by means of the oxygen and thereby reduces a concentration of carbon monoxide contained in the reformate gas. This carbon monoxide reducing device is equipped with an oxygen supply amount controller designed to oxidize CO. The oxygen supply amount controller controls an amount of oxygen supplied to oxidize carbon monoxide contained in the reformate gas based on an amount of supply of fuel contributing to the reforming reaction. Thereby, the amount of oxygen for oxidizing carbon monoxide contained in the reformate gas is adjusted appropriately, and a high-quality reformate gas can be obtained.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a reformer and a method of controlling the reformer are provided. The reformer gasifies a reformate fuel by a reforming reaction, supplies the obtained reformate gas to an energy converter to convert the reformate gas into energy of another form, and heats the reformate fuel by burning emission containing unreacted flammable gas produced in the energy converter. The control apparatus comprises a reforming amount assessing device for assessing the amount of the reformate fuel to be gasified, and an emission amount assessing device for assessing the amount of emission to be supplied into the reformer on the basis of the assessed amount of reformate fuel. When using the unreacted hydrogen gas generated in a fuel cell for heating the reformate fuel, the unreacted hydrogen gas and combustion aid gas can be controlled so that the reformate fuel is heated properly.

Abstract: The structure of the present invention enables all catalysts packed in a cooling layer to be kept in an active temperature range, thereby sufficiently reducing the concentration of carbon monoxide included in a hydrogen-rich gas. A supply of water is fed through a water inlet pipe 40 to a selective CO oxidizing unit 34 of a reformer 30. The heat of vaporization of the supplied water directly cools down selective CO oxidizing catalysts 50 stored in the selective CO oxidizing unit 34. This enhances the cooling efficiency and enables all the selective CO oxidizing catalysts 50 stored in the selective CO oxidizing unit 34 to be maintained in the active temperature range, thus sufficiently reducing the concentration of carbon monoxide included in a resulting gaseous fuel.

Abstract: A fuel-cells system 20 is equipped with an oxygen enrichment unit 34 and supplies air whose oxygen partial pressure has been increased by the oxygen enrichment unit 34 to fuel cells 40 as oxidizing gas. The oxygen enrichment unit 34 is a magnetic oxygen enrichment device that effects oxygen enrichment utilizing the fact that the oxygen molecule is paramagnetic and when magnetized migrates toward a magnetic pole side. Specifically, a magnetic field is generated inside the oxygen enrichment unit 34 by an electromagnet, air compressed by a compressor unit 32 is supplied to the oxygen enrichment unit 34, and compressed oxygen-enriched air is discharged from the vicinity of the magnetic poles in the oxygen enrichment unit 34 and supplied to the fuel cells 40.