Abstract: A plurality of distributed power generation systems are connected via the Internet to a managing apparatus in a managing company. A power company communicates with the managing apparatus via another line. At peak times of power consumption in the midsummer and so forth, the power company requests the managing company to supply the power. The managing company controls to remotely set generation capacity of the distributed generation systems at maximum so as to reverse surplus power therefrom to a power system. A normal power rate is discounted for a user of the distributed generation system for his/her cooperation with the power company. The managing company charges the power company based on the surplus electric energy supplied to the power company.

Abstract: A plurality of distributed power generation systems are connected via the Internet to a managing apparatus in a managing company. A power company communicates with the managing apparatus via another line. At peak times of power consumption in the midsummer and so forth, the power company requests the managing company to supply the power. The managing company controls to remotely set generation capacity of the distributed generation systems at maximum so as to reverse surplus power therefrom to a power system. A normal power rate is discounted for a user of the distributed generation system for his/her cooperation with the power company. The managing company charges the power company based on the surplus electric energy supplied to the power company.

Abstract: There is provided a movable fuel cell apparatus comprising a movable housing, a power supply, and a fuel gas cylinder. The housing is divided into a front portion and a rear portion by a partition, and composed of a main housing body, a housing cover and a door. The main housing body has a front opening. The housing cover covers the upper portion of the front opening and the door is openably connected with the main housing body. The power supply included in the rear portion comprises a fuel cell for generating electric power by electrochemical reaction using fuel gas and air supplied. The fuel gas cylinder is placed removably in the front portion of the housing.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a cell structure and a fuel cell that includes at least one cell structure. The cell structure comprises a cell including an electrolyte plate, an anode, and a cathode, the anode being formed on one surface of the electrolyte plate, the cathode being formed on the other surface of the electrolyte plate, an anode terminal electrode connected to the anode electrically, the anode terminal electrode being placed along an edge of the cell structure to be perpendicular with respect to a layered direction in which the cathode, the electrolyte plate, and the anode are layered, a cathode terminal electrode connected to the cathode electrically, the cathode terminal electrode being placed along another edge of the cell structure to be perpendicular with respect to the layered direction, a first gas channel for supplying a reactant gas to the anode in the layered direction, and a second gas channel for supplying the reactant gas to the cathode in the layered direction.

Abstract: A fuel cell comprising a stack including a stack including a plurality of cell units and a plurality of gas separators and at least one cooling plate, one of the gas separator and the cooling plate being interposed between adjacent cell units, the fuel cell being characterized in that; each gas separator and the cooling plate, respectively, have oxidant gas channels on one of surfaces that opposes to have contact with one of electrode surfaces of the cell unit to as to flow an oxidant gas in a direction vertical to a direction of a cooling air flowing through the cooling plate; each gas separator and the cooling plate, respectively, have fuel gas channels, a fuel-gas-supply inner manifold for taking in a fuel gas, and a fuel-gas-exhaust inner manifold for releasing the fuel gas having passed through the fuel gas channels on the other surface that opposes to have contact with the other electrode surface of the cell unit so as to flow the fuel gas in a direction parallel to the direction of the cooling air flow

Abstract: A fuel cell system for directly converting chemical energy of a fuel into electric energy electrochemically. A fuel cell has a cathode and an anode. A main hydrogen absorbing alloy supplies hydrogen gas to the anode of the fuel cell during steady-state operation of the system. An auxiliary hydrogen absorbing alloy originally having a higher hydrogen gas absorbing/desorbing equilibrium pressure than the main hydrogen absorbing alloy at an equal temperature supplies hydrogen gas to the anode until the equilibrium pressure of the main hydrogen absorbing alloy, which is supplied an exhaust gas from the fuel cell is equal to a hydrogen gas absorbing/desorbing equilibrium pressure of the auxiliary hydrogen absorbing alloy, the auxiliary hydrogen absorbing alloy receiving the hydrogen gas from the main hydrogen absorbing alloy during steady-state operation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a portable power source comprising a fuel cell generating electricity using hydrogen as fuel, a hydrogen storage unit filled with hydrogen absorbing alloy for supplying hydrogen to the fuel cell, a case enclosing the fuel cell and hydrogen storage unit, and a lid for sealing a part of the case when the portable power source is not in use, wherein the lid seals a surface of the case on which at least one air inlet for taking in the air necessary for the fuel cell to generate electricity and a reactant gas outlet for exhausting reactant gas produced by the generation of electricity are formed.

Abstract: Disclosed is an operating method of a compact phosphoric acid fuel cell system whose operation is started and stopped repeatedly, comprising a lamination of a plurality of cell units each of which has an electrolyte matrix impregnated with a phosphoric acid electrolyte between a positive electrode and a negative electrode, characterized by being operated so that each of the cell units can have a phosphoric acid electrolyte whose density is partially less than 91.6 wt % during the operation.

Abstract: A fuel cell system for directly converting chemical energy of a fuel into electric energy electrochemically. A fuel cell has a cathode and an anode. A main hydrogen absorbing alloy supplies a hydrogen gas to the anode of the fuel cell during steady-state operation of the system. An auxiliary hydrogen absorbing alloy originally having a higher hydrogen gas absorbing/desorbing equilibrium pressure than the main hydrogen absorbing alloy at an equal temperature supplies a hydrogen gas to the anode until the equilibrium pressure of the main hydrogen absorbing alloy, which is supplied an exhaust gas from the fuel cell is equal to a hydrogen gas absorbing/desorbing equilibrium pressure of the auxiliary hydrogen absorbing alloy, the auxiliary hydrogen absorbing alloy receiving the hydrogen gas from the main hydrogen absorbing alloy during steady-state operation.

Abstract: One or more defective fuel cells in fuel cell stacks are shortcircuited by a process comprising the steps of making plural holes in bipolar plates adjacent to the defective cell from at least one end of their process gas channels, inserting corrosion-resisting conductive wire rods into resultant holes to shortcircuit between the bipolar plates, and then closing the process gas channels of the bipolar plates at both ends with a heat-resisting sealing material to stop the supply the process gases to the defective cells.

Abstract: A temperature control system for a fuel cell powerplant comprising two or more fuel cell stacks to which cooling gas and process gases are separately supplied, that comprises temperature detectors each being arranged in a fuel cell stack; stack dampers each being arranged in each of inlet or outlet branched pipelines of a circulating pipeline for cooling gas; means for calculating the average value of operating temperatures of all the cell stacks detected by said temperature detectors, a difference between the average value and each detected temperature of the cell stacks, and a difference between the average value and a predetermined value of the operating temperature of the fuel cell stacks; a driver for actuating each stack damper in response to the difference between the average value and the detected temperature of each cell stack, and means for controlling the flow rate and/or the temperature of the cooling gas fed to all the cell stacks in response to the difference between the average value and the pr

Abstract: A method for assembling fuel cell stack comprises the steps of alternately stacking the prescribed number of fuel cells and bipolar plates to form a plurality of substacks, arranging the laid substacks on a supporting base so that the central axes of the substacks parallel to the stacking direction of the fuel cell stack are on a horizontal straight line to form a complete fuel cell stack, tying up the fuel cell stack to apply a predetermined compressive load to the fuel cell components, making the fuel cell stack vertical, and then removing said supporting base from the fuel cell stack. The supporting base on which a plurality of fuel cell substacks is provided at its both end with a pair of side plates, and a pressure plate is slidably arranged on the base and connected to driving means.

Abstract: A zinc alkaline secondary battery with improved service life in which a multi-layer separator is interposed between the negative and positive electrodes and the quantity of the alkaline electrolyte in the layer of the separator adjacent to the negative electrode is less than that of the electrolyte in the layer of the separator adjacent to the positive electrode.

Abstract: Corrosion of metals such as silver and copper by sulfur and chlorine containing entities are substantially prevented by surrounding these materials with a suitable polymeric structure. The structure should be a polymer containing a material such as copper or aluminum that reacts readily with corrosive gases. In one advantageous embodiment a polymer bag containing approximately 35 weight percent of dispersed, powdered copper is employed to enclose a metal containing structure such as a printed circuit board. Use of this expedient substantially reduces corrosion of the printed circuit board.