Abstract: A fuel cell system including a fuel cell, an air compressor that supplies oxidant gas to the fuel cell, an upstream supply pipe provided with the air compressor, a downstream supply pipe connected to the upstream supply pipe and the fuel cell, an upstream discharge pipe connected to the fuel cell, a downstream discharge pipe connected to the upstream discharge pipe, a bypass pipe, a valve mechanism configured to be switchable between a supply state and a bypass state, and a controller configured to control the air compressor, the valve mechanism, and a power generation state of the fuel cell.

Abstract: Provided is a fuel cell system that can effectively suppress clogging of a pipe due to freezing of water in a fuel gas supply system thereof without the need for halting the operation of the fuel cells, and thus is highly reliable. When possible freezing of water is detected or presumed to be present downstream of an injector, the amount of a fuel gas to be supplied from a circulation pump that is disposed in a circulation channel is relatively increased compared to the amount of the fuel gas to be supplied from the injector.

Abstract: A fuel cell system including a fuel cell, an air compressor that supplies oxidant gas to the fuel cell, an upstream supply pipe provided with the air compressor, a downstream supply pipe connected to the upstream supply pipe and the fuel cell, an upstream discharge pipe connected to the fuel cell, a downstream discharge pipe connected to the upstream discharge pipe, a bypass pipe, a valve mechanism configured to be switchable between a supply state and a bypass state, and a controller configured to control the air compressor, the valve mechanism, and a power generation state of the fuel cell.

Abstract: A fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell; a reactive gas supply mechanism configured to supply a reactive gas to the fuel cell; a discharge flow path configured to discharge an off-gas and water discharged from the fuel cell; a valve provided in the discharge flow path; a remaining water purging controller configured to control a remaining water purging process of the fuel cell by using the reactive gas supply mechanism and the valve; a heating portion configured to heat the valve; and a failure detector configured to detect a failure of the heating portion. When a failure of the heating portion is detected, the remaining water purging controller performs the remaining water purging process and increases a water discharge power in the remaining water purging process than a water discharge power in the remaining water purging process performed when no failure of the heating portion is detected.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack having a plurality of cells each having hydrogen channels, a hydrogen channel inlet, and a hydrogen channel outlet, a load supplied with power from the fuel cell stack, a circulation passage connecting the channel inlet with the channel outlet, a hydrogen pump provided in the circulation passage, and a controller. The controller rotates the hydrogen pump in a positive direction so as to feed the hydrogen gas in a first amount into each cell through the channel inlet, at a flow rate larger than a minimum flow rate required for power generation, and then rotate the hydrogen pump in a negative direction so as to feed the hydrogen gas into each cell through the channel outlet, during a period from stop of power supply to the load, to the next start of power supply.

Abstract: Provided is a fuel cell system that can effectively suppress clogging of a pipe due to freezing of water in a fuel gas supply system thereof without the need for halting the operation of the fuel cells, and thus is highly reliable. When possible freezing of water is detected or presumed to be present downstream of an injector, the amount of a fuel gas to be supplied from a circulation pump that is disposed in a circulation channel is relatively increased compared to the amount of the fuel gas to be supplied from the injector.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack having a plurality of cells each having hydrogen channels, a hydrogen channel inlet, and a hydrogen channel outlet, a load supplied with power from the fuel cell stack, a circulation passage connecting the channel inlet with the channel outlet, a hydrogen pump provided in the circulation passage, and a controller. The controller rotates the hydrogen pump in a positive direction so as to feed the hydrogen gas in a first amount into each cell through the channel inlet, at a flow rate larger than a minimum flow rate required for power generation, and then rotate the hydrogen pump in a negative direction so as to feed the hydrogen gas into each cell through the channel outlet, during a period from stop of power supply to the load, to the next start of power supply.

Abstract: A fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell; a reactive gas supply mechanism configured to supply a reactive gas to the fuel cell; a discharge flow path configured to discharge an off-gas and water discharged from the fuel cell; a valve provided in the discharge flow path; a remaining water purging controller configured to control a remaining water purging process of the fuel cell by using the reactive gas supply mechanism and the valve; a heating portion configured to heat the valve; and a failure detector configured to detect a failure of the heating portion. When a failure of the heating portion is detected, the remaining water purging controller performs the remaining water purging process and increases a water discharge power in the remaining water purging process than a water discharge power in the remaining water purging process performed when no failure of the heating portion is detected.

Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium stores a driving support program that causes a computer to execute a process including: collecting vital sign information on a user from a vital sign measuring device; generating a drowsiness occurrence time pattern with respect to the user based on the collected vital sign information; and in response to a request in which a driver is specified from a source of the request, providing the drowsiness occurrence time pattern that is generated with respect to the user corresponding to the driver to the source of the request to the source of request or providing alerting information to the driver that is determined according to the drowsiness occurrence time pattern generated with respect to the user corresponding to the driver to the source of request.

Abstract: A method of forming a perpendicular magnetic recording medium. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium comprises a substrate, an underlayer on the substrate, an intermediate layer on the underlayer and a recording layer on the intermediate layer. The underlayer comprises a first soft underlayer, an antiferromagnetically coupled Ru layer on the first soft underlayer, a second soft underlayer on the antiferromagnetically coupled Ru layer, and an orientation control layer on the second soft underlayer, the method comprises applying a negative bias voltage to the substrate during formation of the underlayer.

Abstract: A method of forming a perpendicular magnetic recording medium. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium comprises a substrate, an underlayer on the substrate, an intermediate layer on the underlayer and a recording layer on the intermediate layer. The underlayer comprises a first soft underlayer, an antiferromagnetically coupled Ru layer on the first soft underlayer, a second soft underlayer on the antiferromagnetically coupled Ru layer, and an orientation control layer on the second soft underlayer, the method comprises applying a negative bias voltage to the substrate during formation of the underlayer.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium includes an orientation adjusting layer, a nonmagnetic under layer, a nonmagnetic intermediate layer, a magnetic layer and a protective layer sequentially stacked on a nonmagnetic substrate provided on a first surface thereof with a texture streak and used for a magnetic disc. The nonmagnetic under layer contains at least a layer formed of a Cr—Mn-based alloy and possesses magnetic anisotropy having an axis of easy magnetization in a circumferential direction thereof. A magnetic recording and reproducing device includes the magnetic recording medium and a magnetic head for enabling information to be recorded in and reproduced from the magnetic recording medium.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium includes an orientation adjusting layer, a nonmagnetic under layer, a nonmagnetic intermediate layer, a magnetic layer and a protective layer sequentially stacked on a nonmagnetic substrate provided on a first surface thereof with a texture streak and used for a magnetic disc. The nonmagnetic under layer contains at least a layer formed of a Cr—Mn-based alloy and possesses magnetic anisotropy having an axis of easy magnetization in a circumferential direction thereof. A magnetic recording and reproducing device includes the magnetic recording medium and a magnetic head for enabling information to be recorded in and reproduced from the magnetic recording medium.