Abstract: A fuel cell stack system is configured to uniformly supply a fuel or an electrolytic solution to each of fuel cell elements, and an electronic device using the fuel cell stack system are provided. An electrolytic solution channel allowing an electrolytic solution to flow therethrough is arranged between a fuel electrode and an oxygen electrode, and a fuel channel allowing a fuel to flow therethrough is arranged outside of the fuel electrode. The electrolytic solution channels and the fuel channels of all fuel cell elements are connected in series to one another. That is, the fuel or the electrolytic solution emitted from an outlet of the fuel channel or the electrolytic solution channel of one fuel cell element enters into an inlet of the fuel channel or the electrolytic solution channel of the next fuel cell element through a connection channel.

Abstract: A breaker is provided including a plurality of branch breakers. The plurality of branch breakers each include: a current measuring section configured to measure a current flowing through an internal power line; a radio communicating section configured to transmit a measured value of the current measuring section to an information processing device by radio; and a power supply section configured to supply power to the radio communicating section.

Abstract: A secondary-battery electrically charging method includes: measuring the present time point; setting an electrical-charging end time point at which an operation to electrically charge a secondary battery is to be terminated; computing an electrical-charging resumption time point on the basis of the electrical-charging end time point and the length of time it takes to complete the operation to electrically charge the secondary battery on the assumption that the operation is started from a state in which the amount of electric charge stored in the secondary battery has reached an electric-charge amount determined in advance; and carrying out the operation to electrically charge the secondary battery in a first electrical-charging mode in which the operation is stopped after the secondary battery is electrically charged to the electric-charge amount determined in advance and resumed when the present time point reaches the electrical-charging resumption time point.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a polymer material which is allowed to manufacture ?-phase PVDF easily and stably in a short time is provided. The method of manufacturing a polymer material includes a step of mixing an ionic liquid and a polymer compound including ?-phase polyvinylidene difluoride to form a mixture, and then heating the mixture.

Abstract: In a fuel cell unit, oxygen electrodes are disposed on both face sides of a fuel electrode. The fuel electrode has a diffusion layer and a catalyst layer on both faces of a current collector, and each of the oxygen electrodes has a diffusion layer and a catalyst layer on the faces opposed to the fuel electrode of the current collector. A fuel/electrolyte channel for passing a fluid containing a fuel and an electrolyte is provided between the fuel electrode and each of the oxygen electrodes. The fuel and the electrolyte are supplied to both faces of the one fuel electrode, so that a reaction occurs and power is obtained between the fuel electrode and each of the oxygen electrodes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel cell system that has a fuel cell portion including one or more unit cells, a fuel tank for storing fuel used in the unit cells, and a control portion for controlling the fuel cell portion. The number of unit cells is optimized so that a total amount of energy, which is outputted from the fuel cell system as a function of the number of unit cells or of an electrode area, shows a maximum value or a nearly maximum value. Thus, the amount of energy may be maximized or made to be equal to or more than a predetermined value. Accordingly, target devices to be supplied with power from the fuel cell system may be used for a longer time.

Abstract: An electrochemical energy generating apparatus with which the crossover of a fuel can be suppressed and a method of driving the apparatus are disclosed. The electrochemical energy generating apparatus (e.g., a fuel cell system) includes an electrochemical device (fuel cell) which has an electrolyte membrane 6 clamped between opposed electrodes and which generates electrochemical energy by a reaction of an alcohol with water at one (fuel electrode) of the electrodes and a fuel evaporating section by which a fuel including said alcohol and substantially not containing water is supplied in a gaseous state to the side of the one of the electrodes of the electrochemical device. The method of driving the electrochemical energy generating apparatus 1 includes supplying the fuel in the gaseous state to the one of the electrodes by the fuel evaporating section.

Abstract: An ion conductor that has high ion conductivity, is hardly affected by environmental change, and thus can improve the safety is provided. As a first fluid F1 containing an electrolyte, the ion conductor containing an ionic solid having ion conductivity and a dispersion medium for dispersing the ionic solid is flown through an electrolyte flow path between a fuel electrode and an oxygen electrode. Despite the solid dispersion solution, the ion conductivity is high. In addition, in the case where the dispersion medium is evaporated according to the environmental change, only the ionic solid remains. Accordingly, there is no possibility to corrode surrounding members and thus the safety is high. As the ionic solid, an ion-exchange resin such as a styrene-based cation-exchange resin and a polyperfluoroalkyl sulfonic acid-based resin is preferable. The ion conductor is prepared by mixing 15 wt % of the ion-exchange resin with water as the dispersion medium, and pulverizing the mixture by a ball mill.

Abstract: A fuel cell system capable of suppressing influence of fuel crossover and achieving long-time power generation and an electronic device using it are provided. The fuel cell system includes a power generation section having an electrolytic solution between a fuel electrode and an oxygen electrode, a fuel supply section supplying a fuel to the fuel electrode, and a control section making the fuel supply section stop supplying the fuel to the fuel electrode and thereby performing electrolytic solution cleaning to remove a fuel contained in the electrolytic solution.

Abstract: A battery remaining capacity calculating method, a battery remaining capacity calculating device, and a battery remaining capacity calculating program that make it possible to estimate the remaining capacity of a secondary battery with high accuracy using a relatively simple circuit configuration are provided.

Abstract: An electrochemical energy generating apparatus with which the crossover of a fuel can be suppressed and a method of driving the apparatus are disclosed. The electrochemical energy generating apparatus (e.g., a fuel cell system) 1 includes an electrochemical device (fuel cell) 2 which has an electrolyte membrane 6 clamped between opposed electrodes 5 and 7 and which generates electrochemical energy by a reaction of an alcohol with water at one (fuel electrode) 5 of the electrodes 5, 7, and a fuel evaporating section 11 by which a fuel including said alcohol and substantially not containing water is supplied in a gaseous state to the side of the one 5 of the electrodes 5, 7 of the electrochemical device 5. The method of driving the electrochemical energy generating apparatus 1 includes supplying the fuel in the gaseous state to the one 5 of the electrodes 5, 7 by the fuel evaporating section 11.

Abstract: Provided is a fuel cell capable of eliminating influence of gravity with a simple configuration and capable of obtaining a high energy density while suppressing crossover. The fuel cell in which a fuel electrode and an oxygen electrode are oppositely disposed include an electrolyte channel provided between the fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode and flowing a first fluid including an electrolyte, and a fuel channel provided on the opposite side of the oxygen electrode from the fuel electrode and flowing a second fluid including a fuel.

Abstract: To provide an electrochemical energy generating apparatus which can regulate the operating conditions of an electrochemical device such as a fuel cell, according to a change of the internal properties of the device, achieving high energy density, and a method for driving the apparatus.

Abstract: A battery remaining capacity calculating method, a battery remaining capacity calculating device, and a battery remaining capacity calculating program that make it possible to estimate the remaining capacity of a secondary battery with high accuracy using a relatively simple circuit configuration. An output voltage value of the secondary battery is measured, a use mode of the secondary battery is divided into a high consumption mode in which the output voltage value is not lower than a threshold value and a low consumption mode in which the output voltage value is lower than the threshold value, a remaining capacity in the low consumption mode is calculated on a basis of a predetermined reference voltage curve as a discharge characteristic of the secondary battery and the output voltage value, and a remaining capacity in the high consumption mode is calculated supposing that there is little change in the remaining capacity at a time of change from the low consumption mode to the high consumption mode.

Abstract: A battery calculating method, apparatus, and program are provided. The battery capacity calculating method and apparatus can very accurately calculate a residual capacity of a secondary battery especially in the last stage of discharging independently of environmental conditions such as a temperature or a deteriorated state. the battery capacity calculating apparatus is equipped with a voltage measuring circuit which measures the terminal voltage (Vmea) of a battery at the time of discharging, a current measuring circuit which measures the current value (I) of the battery at the time of discharging, and a control circuit which calculates a residual capacity and/or residual power.

Abstract: A battery calculating method, apparatus, and program are provided. The battery capacity calculating method and apparatus can very accurately calculate a residual capacity of a secondary battery especially in the last stage of discharging independently of environmental conditions such as a temperature or a deteriorated state. the battery capacity calculating apparatus is equipped with a voltage measuring circuit which measures the terminal voltage (Vmea) of a battery at the time of discharging, a current measuring circuit which measures the current value (I) of the battery at the time of discharging, and a control circuit which calculates a residual capacity and/or residual power.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel cell system that has a fuel cell portion including one or more unit cells, a fuel tank for storing fuel used in the unit cells, and a control portion for controlling the fuel cell portion. The number of unit cells is optimized so that a total amount of energy, which is outputted from the fuel cell system as a function of the number of unit cells or of an electrode area, shows a maximum value or a nearly maximum value. Thus, the amount of energy may be maximized or made to be equal to or more than a predetermined value. Accordingly, target devices to be supplied with power from the fuel cell system may be used for a longer time.