Abstract: A fuel cell has a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), a supply member for supplying an anode fluid to the MEA, and a gas diffusion layer provide between the supply member and the MEA. The MEA has an electrolyte membrane and an anode catalyst. The supply member has at least one anode fluid flow path for supplying the anode fluid toward the MEA. The anode fluid flow path has an opening provided on a discharge side thereof for the anode fluid. A space for storing a gas pushed by the supply of the anode fluid is disposed between the opening of the anode fluid flow path and the gas diffusion layer so that the opening of the anode fluid flow path and the gas diffusion layer are not in direct contact with one another.

Abstract: A fuel cell has a membrane electrode assembly and a supply member for supplying an anode fluid to the membrane electrode assembly. The membrane electrode assembly has an electrolyte membrane and an anode catalyst. The supply member has at least one anode fluid flow path for supplying the anode fluid toward the membrane electrode assembly. A gas diffusion layer is provided between the supply member and the membrane electrode assembly. An opening of the at least one anode fluid flow path on a discharge side thereof for the anode fluid is disposed in contact with a side of the gas diffusion layer facing the supply member. The side of the gas diffusion layer includes a region that stores a gas pushed by the supply of the anode fluid.

Abstract: A power supply apparatus has a combined power source with power cells configured electrically independently. A switch arbitrarily changes connection paths of the power cells by selectively connecting terminals of the power cells through switching elements. A detector detects differences in electrical potentials between power cell terminals. An output detector detects a power consumption in a load and/or an output power of the power source. ON-OFF states of the switching elements are controlled by a control signal generated based on voltage signals representing detected differences in electrical potentials, power consumption, and output power. A connection status of each power cell is controlled so as to halt outputting of the power cell having the lowest output voltage if it is detected that a detected power value is equal to or lower than an output power preset based on a power generating capacity of the power source.

Abstract: A power supply apparatus has a combined power source with power cells configured electrically independently. A switch arbitrarily changes connection paths of the power cells by selectively connecting power cell terminals through switching elements. A voltage detector detects differences in electrical potentials between the power cell terminals. A controller controls ON-OFF states of the switching elements by controlling the switch by a control signal generated based on voltage signals representing the differences in electrical potentials detected by the voltage detector so as to isolate one of the power cells to stop a supply of electric power therefrom when a voltage generated in the power cell has dropped to a specified voltage or lower. The controller restarts the supply of electric power from the power cell whose power supply has been stopped when the duration of a down time of the power cell has reached a predetermined time or longer.

Abstract: A pressure regulating valve has a first pressure deformation portion connected to and receiving a pressure on a fuel demand side, a second pressure deformation portion opposed to the first pressure deformation portion and receiving a predetermined pressure, first and second flow passages, and a communication passage communicating the first and second flow passages to each other. A valve member has a connecting portion connecting the first and second pressure deformation portions together, and has a valve element provided at the connecting portion and configured to close the communication passage when moved toward the second pressure deformation portion. When the pressure on the fuel demand side is lower than a predetermined value, the valve element does not close the communication passage, but when the pressure on the fuel demand side is equal to or higher than the predetermined value, the valve element closes the communication passage.

Abstract: A fuel cell has cell units and a manifold for uniformly supplying an anode fluid to the cell units. The manifold has a fluid supply plate with a flow conduit for feeding an anode fluid, and a plate structure having a flow space and openings arranged in a preselected direction. The flow space receives an anode fluid fed from an opening part of the flow conduit, reduces a flow rate of the anode fluid, and disperses the anode fluid at the reduced flow rate along a plane direction orthogonal to the preselected direction. The block group is arranged between the openings and the opening part so that the flow space is disposed between the block group and the opening part. The block group comprises blocks spaced apart from one another to form paths for dispersing into the openings the anode fluid dispersed by the flow space at the reduced rate.

Abstract: A pressure regulating valve has a first pressure deformation portion which receives a pressure on a fuel demand side, a second pressure deformation portion opposed to the first pressure deformation portion and which receives a predetermined pressure, first and second flow passages, and a communication passage communicating the first and second flow passages with each other. A valve member connects the first and second pressure deformation portions together and has a valve element that closes the communication passage when moved toward the second pressure deformation portion. When the pressure on the fuel demand side is lower than a predetermined value, the valve element does not close the communication passage, but when the pressure on the fuel demand side is equal to or higher than the predetermined value, the valve element closes the communication passage.

Abstract: A fuel cell has cell units and a manifold for uniformly supplying an anode fluid to each of the cell units. The manifold has a feed port through which an anode fluid is supplied, a first buffer section in fluid communication with the feed port for receiving the anode fluid and for reducing a flow rate of the anode fluid, a second buffer section in fluid communication with the first buffer section for receiving the anode fluid from the first buffer section at the reduced flow rate and for further reducing the flow rate of the anode fluid, and a block group formed of blocks spaced apart from one another to form flow channels in fluid communication with the second buffer section and through which the anode fluid at the further reduced flow rate flows. An array of fine openings is disposed in fluid communication with the cell units for receiving the anode fluid at the further reduced flow rate flowing through the flow channels so that the anode fluid is uniformly supplied to each of the cell units.

Abstract: A pressure regulating valve comprises a first pressure deformation portion which receives a pressure on a fuel demand side, a second pressure deformation portion opposed to the first pressure deformation portion and which receives a predetermined pressure, first and second flow passages, and a communication passage for allowing the first and second flow passages to communicate with each other. The first and second flow passages and the communication passage are provided in a space between the first and second pressure deformation portions. A valve member has a connecting portion which extends through the communication passage and connects the first and second pressure deformation portions together, and has a valve element which is provided at the connecting portion and closes the communication passage when moved toward the second pressure deformation portion.

Abstract: A hydrogen production apparatus 1 is constructed in which when work 3 is close to a supply hole 7, a strut 22 is pushed to open the supply hole 7, and when erosion of the work 3 progresses to cause the strut 22 to protrude, the supply hole 7 is closed with a seal member 24, so that products do not stay on the work 3, a reaction solution 12 is not fed to portions other than the work 3, and even if the attitude of the apparatus is changed, a hydrogen production reaction can be controlled appropriately.

Abstract: In a fuel cell 200, comprising: a membrane electrode assembly 204 equipped with an electrolyte membrane 201 and an anode catalyst 202; a supply member 240 for supplying an anode fluid to the membrane electrode assembly 204; and a gas diffusion layer 230 provided between the supply member 240 and the membrane electrode assembly 204, the supply member 240 is provided with an anode fluid flow path 241 for supplying the anode fluid toward the membrane electrode assembly 204, an opening of the anode fluid flow path 241 on a discharge side thereof for the anode fluid is provided in contact with the gas diffusion layer 230, and a region A for storing a gas pushed away by supply of the anode fluid is provided on a side of the gas diffusion layer 230 facing the supply member 240.

Abstract: In a fuel cell 200, comprising: a membrane electrode assembly 204 equipped with an electrolyte membrane 201 and an anode catalyst 202; and a supply member 240 for supplying an anode fluid to the membrane electrode assembly 204, the supply member 240 is provided with an anode fluid flow path 241 for supplying the anode fluid toward the membrane electrode assembly 204, and an opening of the anode fluid flow path 241 on a discharge side thereof for the anode fluid is provided in proximity to the membrane electrode assembly 204, with a predetermined space 250 being disposed between the supply member 240 and the membrane electrode assembly 204, the predetermined space 250 being adapted to store a gas pushed away by supply of the anode fluid.

Abstract: A power supply apparatus, which can detect an abnormal voltage drop in a power cell and, if recovery from this voltage drop is made, resume power generation, thereby realizing reasonable and stable power supply, is provided.

Abstract: A pressure regulating valve comprises a first pressure deformation part (120) receiving the pressure on the fuel demand side and deformable and a second pressure deformation part (130) so installed as to face the first pressure deformation part (120), receiving a predetermined pressure, and deformable. A first flow passage (140), a second flow passage (150), and a communication passage (160) allowing the first and second flow passages (140, 150) to communicate with each other are formed in the space between the first and second pressure deformation parts (120, 130). The pressure regulating valve further comprises a valve member (170) having a valve element (172) which has a connection part (171) extending through the communication passage (160) and connecting the first pressure deformation part (120) to the second pressure deformation part (130), installed in the connection part (171), and closing the communication passage (160) when moved to the second pressure deformation part (130) side.

Abstract: A power supply apparatus comprises a combined power source composed of a plurality of power cells configured electrically independently, a switch for arbitrarily connecting each of the power cells by selectively connecting terminals of the power cells through switching elements, a voltage detector for respectively detecting differences in potentials between the terminals of the power cells, a voltage regulator for stabilizing a voltage supplied to a load, a current detector for detecting a load current supplied to the load, and a controller for controlling ON-OFF states of the switching elements by controlling the switch by a control signal generated based on voltage signals on the voltages detected by the voltage detector, a power consumption of the load, and an output power of the combined power source.

Abstract: After hydrogen fed from the side part of the bottom plate 13 along the face direction through the fluid supply plate 15 is dispersed in the flow space 14 and is then dispersed in the paths 26 in the block group 25, hydrogen is transferred into the small openings for uniformly feeding hydrogen to each cell unit.

Abstract: After hydrogen fed from introduction hole 22 is dispersed in a first space 15 as a first buffer part, the hydrogen is further dispersed in a first recess part 28 and a second recess part 30 as a second buffer part, which is then uniformly dispersed in individual paths 26 between block groups 25 to make the volume of hydrogen flowing in the paths 26 uniform, and is then transferred at a sufficient feed pressure into small openings 24 through the second recess part 29 for uniformly feeding hydrogen to each cell unit.

Abstract: Hydrogen supplied from an introduction port (22) is diffused in a first space (15), which is a first buffer section. Thereafter, it is sent to a first space (15), which is a second buffer section, through a communication port (23), and is radially diffused in the first space (15) so that the flow rate is made uniform. Then, it is sent to small-openings (24) formed on a same circumference (S), so that the hydrogen can be supplied to each of the cell units evenly.

Abstract: Hydrogen supplied from an introduction port 22 is diffused in a first space 15, a first buffer section, is then further diffused in a first recessed section 30, a second buffer section, and is uniformly dispersed to channels 26 of a block group 25. Thus, the amounts of the hydrogen flowing through the channels 26 are uniformized, and the hydrogen is sent to fine openings 24, and uniformly supplied to each cell.

Abstract: A hydrogen production apparatus 1 is constructed in which when work 3 is close to a supply hole 7, a strut 22 is pushed to open the supply hole 7, and when erosion of the work 3 progresses to cause the strut 22 to protrude, the supply hole 7 is closed with a seal member 24, so that products do not stay on the work 3, a reaction solution 12 is not fed to portions other than the work 3, and even if the attitude of the apparatus is changed, a hydrogen production reaction can be controlled appropriately.