Abstract: The present invention provides a regenerative heat pump system including a heat pump cycle, first storage vessel for storing a heat storage material, heat exchange device between first refrigerant and heat storage material for heating and decomposing the heat storage material by heat from a refrigerant, and heat exchange device between second refrigerant and an other heat storage material for transferring heat from the separated heat storage material to the refrigerant. The system also includes second storage vessel for storing the decomposed heat storage material, and heat generating device for generating heat by recombining the heat storage material stored in the second storage vessel and for heating a heating medium.

Abstract: Disclosed is a humidifier for humidifying dry gas by transferring moisture from moist gas. A humidifier comprising: a housing having a first area for passing a first gas and a second area for passing a second gas having higher water content than that of said first gas; a moisture permeable means for transferring moisture from said second gas to said first gas to humidify the first gas; and a communicating path formed on the housing through which the first area and the second area communicate with each other, to transfer condensed water formed in the first area to the second area.

Abstract: A humidifier for fuel cell of the present invention comprises a hollow fiber membrane module in which a hollow fiber membrane bundle, comprising hollow fiber membranes bundled together, is accommodated inside a housing. The module comprises an entrance head which supplies off-gas inside the hollow fiber membranes, an exit head which converges off-gas, which has passed through the hollow fiber membranes, at another end of the hollow fiber membrane module, and an exhaust exit which exhausts liquid, accumulated in the entrance head. According to this humidifier, it is possible to prevent the hollow fiber membranes from becoming blocked by water.

Abstract: A humidifying system for a fuel cell includes: a fuel cell having an anode and a cathode, the anode being supplied with a fuel gas and the cathode being supplied with an oxidant gas so that the fuel gas and the oxidant gas chemically react within the fuel cell to generate electricity; a first humidifier transferring moisture of cathode exhaust gas discharged from the cathode of the fuel cell to the fuel gas through hollow fiber membranes; a second humidifier transferring moisture of cathode exhaust gas discharged from the first humidifier to the oxidant gas through hollow fiber membranes; and a reduced pressure generating device arranged downstream of the first humidifier and between the first humidifier and the fuel cell to mix part of anode exhaust gas discharged from the anode of the fuel cell with the fuel gas using negative pressure resulting from a flow of the fuel gas.

Abstract: The present invention provides a regenerative heat pump system including a heat pump cycle, first storage vessel for storing a heat storage material, heat exchange device between first refrigerant and heat storage material for heating and decomposing the heat storage material by heat from a refrigerant, and heat exchange device between second refrigerant and an other heat storage material for transferring heat from the separated heat storage material to the refrigerant. The system also includes second storage vessel for storing the decomposed heat storage material, and heat generating device for generating heat by recombining the heat storage material stored in the second storage vessel and for heating a heating medium.

Abstract: A video signal recording and playback apparatus includes: a unit for checking at least one external video device connected to a main unit via a predetermined interface to determine a video device which is recording, the main unit having a control section for transmitting and receiving video signals to/from at least one video device and controlling the device; a unit for checking at least one video device connected via the predetermined interface to determine a video device capable of performing playback while recording; a unit for determining a video device, which is recording and is capable of performing playback while recording, at least one video device as a control target connected via the predetermined interface and determining playback with respect to the control target device in recording; and a unit for allowing the control target device in recording to perform the determined playback when an operation section is operated.

Abstract: A conventional service providing method involves such disadvantages that provision of efficient services cannot be assured in respect of a client, who was connected with a front-end, and that a cost for developing a server is very expensive, besides a cost for administering the service is expensive.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes an anode and a cathode, and a fuel gas supplied to the anode and an oxidant gas supplied to the cathode chemically react with each other to generate electricity. Moisture contained in a cathode exhaust gas discharged from the cathode is transferred to the fuel gas in a first humidifier and then to the oxidant gas in a second humidifier. The cathode exhaust gas flows through a cathode exhaust gas passage from the cathode via the first humidifier to the second humidifier. A bypass is provided to the cathode exhaust gas passage to allow part of the cathode exhaust gas to detour round the first humidifier and flow to the second humidifier. Accordingly, the balance between humidification levels of fuel gas and oxidant gas each supplied to the fuel cell may be kept and adjusted properly even when the output of the fuel cell gets higher.

Abstract: A hydrogen generator comprises therein a reformer, a Shifter, a material flow passage with first evaporator through which a material is supplied to the reformer, a reformed gas flow passage for leading the reformed gas derived from the reformer to the Shifter, a shifted gas flow passage through which a shifted gas derived from the Shifter is taken out, and second steam flow passage formed adjacent to the reformed gas flow passage to be located at upstream side of the Shifter. The second evaporator is provided within the second steam flow passage. Apart of heat of the reformed gas is recovered as latent heat by the second evaporator. Thereby, temperature of the Shifter is controlled.

Abstract: It is not possible to store heat of a domestic hot water supply level at a high density. If thermal storage temperature is T, variation in enthalpy in a chemical reaction is &Dgr;H, variation in entropy is &Dgr;S, and variation in free energy is &Dgr;G, a thermal storage material satisfying a relationship of T&Dgr;S≧&Dgr;G is used under a condition of &Dgr;H>0 so as to promote a reaction for putting the thermal storage material in a thermal storage reaction portion in an energy storing state by having supplemental energy added by an electrode portion when putting the thermal storage material in the energy storing state by decomposing or separating it.

Abstract: The fuel cell humidifying system is to prevent freezing and clogging of a water permeable type humidifier by providing a gas passage switching device for changing the gas flow paths communicating with the humidifier. To direct the flow of dry air exiting from the supercharger to the exhaust passage in the humidifier, the gas passage switching device includes a first three-way valve, a second three-way valve, a flow adjusting valve and a sweep piping. In this system, water vapor in the humidifier which causes freezing can be swept off by flowing dry air through the exhaust gas passage in the humidifier, and therefore, clogging caused by ice particles which plug up the pores of the hollow thread membrane in the humidifier can be prevented.

Abstract: A catalyst combustion apparatus, includes: a fuel feed course for feeding liquid fuel; an air feed course for feeding air; a mixing unit for mixing fuel to be fed from the fuel feed course with air to be fed from the air feed course; a vaporizing unit for heating mixture obtained by mixing in the mixing unit to vaporize the liquid fuel; a catalyst heating unit disposed on the downstream side of the vaporizing unit in contact with or in close proximity to the vaporizing unit in terms of conduction of heat, for carrying an oxidation catalyst component; and a catalyst combustion unit provided on the downstream of the catalyst heating unit, having a multiplicity of conductive holes, and the vaporizing unit is capable of utilizing heat from the catalyst heating unit.

Abstract: A humidifier for humidifying a fuel cell composed of an anode side humidifier and a cathode side humidifier each possessing a plurality of hollow fiber membrane modules for migrating moisture between a supply gas, which is supplied to a fuel cell, and an exhaust gas, which is exhausted from the fuel cell to thereby humidify the supply gas, the humidifier comprising: a pair of heads which hold both ends of the hollow fiber membrane modules, a connecting member which connects each of heads, and a device for warming the supply gas composed of conduits through which a cooling medium exhausted from the fuel cell is passed. The device for warming the supply gas is configured so that first warms a humidifier at an outlet side of the supply gas, and then warms a humidifier at an inlet side of the supply gas.

Abstract: A humidifier having a plurality of water-permeable hollow fiber membranes placed along the lengthwise direction of a housing accommodated within the housing in which gases each having a different moisture content flow inside and outside the hollow fiber membranes to carry out moisture exchange whereby the dry air having a low moisture content is humidified is disclosed. The humidifier comprises a bypass channel having a larger diameter than that of the hollow fiber membrane, in which the gas flowing outside the hollow fiber membrane, formed on an approximately central portion of the cross-lengthwise direction of the housing along the lengthwise direction of the housing, and an inlet which introduces the gas flowing outside the hollow fiber membrane into the housing and an outlet which discharges the gas flowing outside the hollow fiber membrane formed on the bypass channel.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hydrogen generator capable of preventing emission of CO and hydrogen, generating hydrogen in a clean and safe manner with high reforming efficiency and accelerating water vaporization immediately after the start-up to reduce the start-up time, the hydrogen generator including: a raw material supply part for supplying a raw material containing a compound formed of at least carbon and hydrogen; a water supply part for supplying water; a water vaporization part for vaporizing water supplied from the water supply part; a reforming part including a reforming catalyst for generating reformed gas from the raw material and the water by steam reforming; a burner for heating the reforming part; a fuel supply part for supplying fuel to the burner; a first air supply part for supplying air for combustion to the burner; and a combustion catalyst arranged in a combustion gas flow path for passing combustion gas discharged from the burner.

Abstract: The present invention provides the fuel cell system, in which the decrease in the power generation and the degradation of the durability of the fuel cell can be prevented even if the temperature of fuel cell is low at starting or the ambient temperature is low. On the fuel cell starting electric power generation, the air supplied to the cathode inlet is humidified by the hollow fiber membrane humidifier and the hydrogen gas supplied to be anode inlet is humidified by another hollow fiber membrane humidifier. The cooling fluid of the cooling line, which absorbs the heat from the fuel cell and flows into the heat exchanger, heats the hollow fiber membrane humidifiers. Thus the humidification is promoted by heating the humidified air and hydrogen gas to raise their dew-point temperatures.

Abstract: There is provided a catalytic combustion apparatus that allows power consumption of a carburetor heater to be significantly reduced, and allows a fuel consumption amount to be reduced. A catalytic combustion apparatus including: a fuel tank 1 for feeding fuel and others, an air feeding fan 5 for feeding air and others, a carburetor 8 for evaporating the above described fuel, a gas mixture space 15 that holds the above described evaporated fuel and the above described air, a catalytic combustion unit 17 adjacent to the above described gas mixture space, and a catalyst heating element 10 provided in the gas mixture space 15, characterized in that the catalyst heating element 10 has a first heating compartment 11 and a second heating element compartment 12 provided from upstream to downstream of a flow of the above described gas mixture, and that the compartments carry catalysts on all or part thereof and are provided with a first gas mixture vent 13 and a second gas mixture vent 14.

Abstract: A low-cost, high-mass-productivity catalytic combustion apparatus having a construction that permits easy maintenance is realized. There is provided a catalytic combustion apparatus in which, by means of a combustion chamber having a fuel supply portion 1 and a combustion air supply portion on the upstream side thereof and a combustion gas exhaust port on the downstream side thereof and a catalytic combustion portion with an upstream surface and a downstream surface provided in the combustion chamber, the upstream surface and the downstream surface being substantially parallel to each other, a fuel-air mixture supplied to the interior of the combustion chamber is caused to react to liberate heat.

Abstract: A humidifying module that includes a plurality of hollow fiber membranes grouped together to form a hollow fiber membrane bundle. A moisture exchange is performed through a thickness of each hollow fiber membrane between fluid streaming within an interior of each hollow fiber membrane and along an exterior of each hollow fiber membrane. An inner flow passage is inserted within the hollow fiber membrane bundle and along a longitudinal axis thereof, wherein a total longitudinal length which the inner flow passage is inserted within the hollow fiber membrane bundle is shorter than a longitudinal length of the hollow fiber membrane bundle. The inner flow passage includes an inlet and an outlet through which the fluid passes. An end wall is located proximate the outlet. A protrusion is disposed at the end wall and opposite a flow direction of the fluid streaming within the inner flow passage.

Abstract: The humidification system for humidifying a fuel cell of the present invention comprises: a water-permeable-type humidifier for humidifying reaction gas used in reaction with moisture in exhaust gas exhausted after the reaction; and an adjuster for adjusting an amount of humidification to the humidification amount required by the fuel cell.