Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment includes, a fixing roller including a heat generation source, supplying heat to a printing object, and fixing toner on the printing object, an opposing roller opposed to the fixing roller to hold the printing object between the opposing roller and the fixing roller, a heat exchange roller containing a heat storage material capable of changing in between a liquid and a solid phase, a sensor capable of sensing a temperature of the fixing roller; and a driving unit causing the heat exchange roller to abut against the fixing roller and separating the heat exchange roller from the fixing roller, in accordance with the temperature of the fixing roller sensed by the sensor.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electrolytic apparatus includes a diaphragm of a porous membrane having a water permeability of 0.0024 to 0.6 mL/min per cm2 at a differential pressure of 20 kPa, a first electrode provided to oppose the diaphragm, and a second electrode opposing the first electrode via the diaphragm, and the difference between the hydraulic pressures applied onto both sides of the porous membrane is within ±20 kPa.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electrode unit of an electrolytic device includes a first electrode including a first surface, a second surface located on an opposite side to the first surface, a plurality of first pores opened in the first surface, a plurality of second pores opened in the second surface and having an opening area greater than that of the first pores, and a plurality of the first pores communicating with a respective one of the second pores, a second electrode opposing the first surface of the first electrode, and a continuous porous membrane arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode, so as to cover the first surface of the first electrode.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electrolytic device includes an electrolytic cell including a first electrode, a second electrode opposing the first electrode and a diaphragm provided between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode is formed of a plate including a first surface opposing the diaphragm, a second surface located on an opposite side to the diaphragm, and first recess portions formed in the first surface with a first pattern. The first recess portions include a bottom surface apart from the first surface and through-holes opening to the second surface of the first electrode and to a part of the bottom surface.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electrode unit of an electrolytic device includes a first electrode including a first surface, a second surface located on a side opposite to the first surface, and a plurality of through-holes opening on the first surface and the second surface, a second electrode opposed to the first surface of the first electrode, and a porous membrane containing an inorganic oxide and provided on the first surface of the first electrode to cover the first surface and the through-holes.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, system includes transmitter, pump, controller, tank and thermal storage. Pump circulates water through the transmitter. Controller drives the pump, circulates the water while the transmitter is operating, and stops the circulation of the water at a time of a stop of the transmitter. Tank stores the water circulated through the transmitter, and supplies the water to the pump. Thermal storage is provided on a surface of the tank, and stores waste heat of the exothermic part of the transmitter, which was taken in the water via the tank. Thermal storage changes in phase if a temperature of the water in the tank lowers to a predetermined temperature or below, and heats the water by latent heat which occurs.

Abstract: In one embodiment, in a fuel cell, a first electrode supplied with an oxidant gas includes a first gas diffusion layer having a first porous base material and a first catalyst layer having a second porous base material. The first catalyst layer is stacked to the first gas diffusion layer. The second porous base material has a pore diameter distribution with a peak in a range of 0.04 ?m to 0.12 ?m, and a volume ratio of pores with diameters of 0.04 ?m to 0.12 ?m to all the pores being 17% or more. A second electrode supplied with a fuel includes a second gas diffusion layer having a third porous base material and a second catalyst layer having a fourth porous base material. The second catalyst layer is stacked to the second gas diffusion layer. An electrolyte film is held between the first and second catalyst layers.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic refrigeration device includes magnetic bodies, a magnetic field application unit, a thermal storage medium, and a heat transfer unit. The magnetic bodies are arrayed at an interval. The application unit applies and removes a magnetic field to and from the magnetic bodies, respectively. The medium is arranged to face at least one of the magnetic bodies. The medium has no Curie point within a range of a temperature change of the magnetic bodies and removal. The heat transfer unit selectively brings the medium into thermal contact with the magnetic bodies or thermally isolates the medium from the magnetic bodies, and transfers heat from the magnetic bodies to the medium or from the medium to the magnetic bodies in synchronism with magnetic field application and removal.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a battery module includes, battery cells including an electrode group including an anode, a cathode, and a separator interposed between the anode and the cathode, a terminal electrically connected to the electrode group, and a packaging member which contains the electrode group and through which the terminal is extracted outside from inside a container portion, a bus bar configured to electrically connect the terminals of the battery cells, a heat storage unit containing a latent heat storage material, and an electric insulating sheet configured to thermally connect the bus bar and the heat storage unit.

Abstract: A composite material for magnetic refrigeration is provided. The composite material for magnetic refrigeration includes a magnetocaloric effect material having a magnetocaloric effect; and a heat conductive material dispersed in the magnetocaloric effect material. The heat conductive material is at least one selected from the group consisting of a carbon nanotube and a carbon nanofiber.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a battery module comprises a secondary battery, a heat storage pack, and a nucleation mechanism. The heat storage pack comprises a heat storage material that exchanges heat with the secondary battery. The heat storage material is able to be set to a supercooled state. The heat storage pack is arranged in contact with the secondary battery. The nucleation mechanism nucleates the heat storage material in the supercooled state.

Abstract: A fuel cell apparatus includes a fuel cell generating electric power, and including a fuel electrode which includes an anode catalyst, which is disposed in one side of an electrolyte membrane, which is supplied with liquid fuel, and which discharges gas generated by a chemical reaction accelerated by the anode catalyst, and an oxidizing agent electrode which includes a cathode catalyst, which is disposed in the other side of the electrolyte membrane, and which is supplied with air, and a control unit controlling a load applied to the fuel cell. The control unit increases the load in at least one of two cases, one case being when electric power generated by the fuel cell lowers below a predetermined reference value and another case being at predetermined time intervals, and stops the increase of the load after elapsing a predetermined time period from the start of the increase of the load.

Abstract: A fuel cell apparatus includes a fuel cell generating electric power, and including a fuel electrode which includes an anode catalyst, which is disposed in one side of an electrolyte membrane, which is supplied with liquid fuel, and which discharges gas generated by a chemical reaction accelerated by the anode catalyst, and an oxidizing agent electrode which includes a cathode catalyst, which is disposed in the other side of the electrolyte membrane, and which is supplied with air, and a control unit controlling a load applied to the fuel cell. The control unit increases the load in at least one of two cases, one case being when electric power generated by the fuel cell lowers below a predetermined reference value and another case being at predetermined time intervals, and stops the increase of the load after elapsing a predetermined time period from the start of the increase of the load.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a battery pack includes a battery module that houses unit cells, a heat storage portion including a heat storage container that houses a heat storage member, cooling passages through which heat of the heat storage portion is spread and discharged, and a cooling source that cools the heat storage portion. The heat storage member absorbs heat when changing from solid to liquid and dissipates heat when changing from liquid to solid. The heat storage container is thermally connected to the battery module. The cooling source is driven to circulate cooling medium to the cooling passages, and heat of the heat storage portion discharged through the passages are discharged to the outside.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic refrigeration device includes magnetic bodies, a magnetic field application unit, a thermal storage medium, and a heat transfer unit. The magnetic bodies are arrayed at an interval. The application unit applies and removes a magnetic field to and from the magnetic bodies, respectively. The medium is arranged to face at least one of the magnetic bodies. The medium has no Curie point within a range of a temperature change of the magnetic bodies and removal. The heat transfer unit selectively brings the medium into thermal contact with the magnetic bodies or thermally isolates the medium from the magnetic bodies, and transfers heat from the magnetic bodies to the medium or from the medium to the magnetic bodies in synchronism with magnetic field application and removal.

Abstract: A solar power generator of an embodiment includes: a solar cell module having a solar cell, and a heat storage material filled unit configured to house a heat storage material disposed so as to thermally contact a back surface side of the solar cell, and a nucleating unit configured to release supercooling of the heat storage material; and a controller configured to control the nucleating unit.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a heat storage apparatus includes a heat storage tank, a heat storage material, an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, and a voltage applying unit. The heat storage material has supercooling and is received in the heat storage tank. The anode electrode includes a nucleation start point portion. The cathode electrode is spaced apart from the anode electrode and is disposed in contact with the heat storage material. The voltage applying unit applies a voltage between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode. The heat storage material, which is supercooled and is in a liquid-phase state, is nucleated due to an application of a voltage by the voltage applying unit.

Abstract: A disclosure describes a heat storage apparatus to store heat generated by a heat generator via a medium includes: a first circuit closed to circulate the medium therethrough in a direction; a heat exchanger to exchange the heat; a heat storage tank including a phase change material to exchange heat with the medium; a first measurement unit to measure a temperature of the medium; a cooling unit to cool the medium when the temperature of the medium is higher than a predetermined target temperature and to set the temperature of the medium to be approximately equal to the target temperature; a count unit to count an elapsed time from when the phase change material exchanges heat with the medium and starts a phase change; and a determination unit to determine whether the phase change material is allowed to be supercooled or not based on the elapsed time.

Abstract: A direct methanol fuel cell includes a cathode catalyst layer; an electrolyte membrane; an anode catalyst layer; a first fuel control layer that is water-repellent and conductive and that has pores; a second fuel control layer that is water-repellent and conductive and that has larger pores than the those of the first fuel control layer; a third fuel control layer that is water-repellent and conductive and that has smaller porous than those of the first fuel control layer and those of the second fuel control layer; and an anode GDL layer that is water-repellent and conductive, wherein the membrane and the layers above are arranged in the above order.

Abstract: In a magnetic refrigeration device, magnetic bodies having a magnetocaloric effect and solid heat accumulation members having heat accumulation effect are arranged alternately with gaps therebetween. Magnetic field apply units start and stop application of magnetic fields to the magnetic bodies. A contact mechanism brings each of the magnetic bodies into contact with one of the solid heat accumulation members adjacent to the each magnetic body. Alternatively, the contact mechanism brings each of the solid heat accumulation members into contact with one of the magnetic bodies adjacent to the each solid heat accumulation members.