Abstract: A connecting material can form a detachable connecting structure. According to the connecting material, a connecting portion between a certain object and another object can be more readily formed, and the certain object can be more readily detached from the another object after formation of the connecting portion. The connecting material comprises a solder material and a hydrogen storage metal material which is able to occlude hydrogen, and which is in the form of particles dispersed in the connecting material.

Abstract: There is provided a connecting material which can form a detachable connecting structure. According to the connecting material, the connecting portion between a certain object and other object can be more readily formed, and said certain object can be more readily detached from said other object after the formation of the connecting portion.

Abstract: A fuel cell system has a fuel cell of solid polymer type, a rectangular parallelepiped sealing container for accommodating hydrogen occlusion alloy for occluding hydrogen to be supplied to said fuel cell, a connection portion provided in a hydrogen passage between said sealing container and said fuel cell for connecting said sealing container and said fuel cell detachably, a valve mechanism provided in said hydrogen passage for opening and shutting hydrogen gas, and a hydrogen flow rate control mechanism provided in said hydrogen passage for controlling the flow rate of hydrogen gas, and/or hydrogen pressure control mechanism for controlling the pressure of hydrogen gas.

Abstract: In the method of the present invention for producing a hydrogen-storing alloy, part or whole of single substance of Zr as a starting material is replaced with a ferrozirconium or a zircalloy. This method enables production of a hydrogen-storing alloy at reduced material and production costs and with high efficiency and safety of work. The alloy produced by this method has high homogeneity with no segregation. It is thus possible to obtain a hydrogen-storing alloy superior in hydrogen-storing characteristics such as hydrogen storage capacity, reaction speed, and electrode reaction efficiency in an electrolyte. It is also possible to obtain, by using this alloy, a nickel-hydrogen storage battery having a large storage capacity and capable of performing quick charging and discharging, while exhibiting longer life and higher economy.

Abstract: A fuel cell comprises a reformer interposed between a fuel electrode and an oxidant electrode and having a preheating zone and a reforming zone in which a reforming catalyst is laid. Fuel gas introduced into the fuel is at first introduced into the preheating zone where it is preheated by heat generated during power generation.

Abstract: A hydrogen absorbing alloy comprising Laves phases with a C14-type crystal structure is provided. The alloy can absorb or release different hydrogen isotopes one after another in accordance with changes In pressure, by utilizing the differences in equilibrium absorption or desorption pressures of the respective hydrogen isotopes. This alloy can be used to effectively separate hydrogen isotopes by utilizing the differences in equilibrium absorption or desorption pressures between the respective hydrogen isotopes, or by utilizing the differences in desorption rates between the hydrogen isotopes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a mixing ion conductive material for use in an electrochemical device such as a fuel cell or a sensor and more particularly to the super ion conductive material based on protons or oxide cations and also to a synthesizing method of the mixing ion conductive material.A mixing ion conductive oxide which has a proton conductivity and/or oxide cation conductivity and has a composition comprising 1 mol of barium oxide, 1-x mol of cerium oxide and x mol of gadolinium oxide; wherein 1>x>0.1. When x=0.2, the mixing ion conductive material shows a conductivity shown in FIG. 2. The oxide sintered body mentioned above has a density higher than 96.5% of the theoretical density and a grain size of 0.1 to 10 micron. The synthesizing method of the oxide sintered body is characterized by that the powders for use in the final heat treatment is crushed into a particle size less than 3 micron and is subjected to a vacuum drying process.

Abstract: A molten carbonate fuel cell includes unit cells and separator plates stacked alternately, with each unit cell having an anode of porous nickel-base alloy, a cathode of porous nickel-oxide doped with lithium, and an electrolyte plate including a eutectic mixture of a carbonate of alkaline metals disposed between the anode and cathode. The separator plate is a heat-resistant metal plate. The anode of porous nickel-base alloy contains 1 to 10 weight % of at least one of molybdenum and tungsten, resulting in less deterioration after a long operation.

Abstract: There is provided an internal reforming type molten carbonate fuel cell comprising unit cells, bipolar plates and plate-like reformer each having the same peripheral shape and being stacked to form a cell stack which is penetrated by an inside manifold for supplying the raw fuel, exhausting the reacted gas, etc., wherein the plate-like reformer is provided with props and reforming catalyst so arranged that uniform temperature distribution in the cell, reduced IR loss in operation, and long life were obtained.

Abstract: This invention provides a solid electrolyte fuel cell operable with high efficiency even in the temperature range of about 850.degree. to 650.degree. C., The invention is characterized by the use of a novel perovskite double oxide of the composition A.sub.X B.sub.Y O.sub.3-.alpha.. The fabrication of the electrolyte, air electrode and fuel electrode layers by tape casting has contributed to marked improvement in processability and productivity.

Abstract: A solid electrolyte fuel cell having a multi-layer structure of flat unit cells composed of a solid electrolyte, a first electrode and a second electrode with metal bipolar plates as gas barriers and collectors preferably made of foam metal or a foam alloy interposed between the adjacent unit cells. A fuel gas and an oxidizing gas are supplied to the fuel cell so that they flow in the directions crossing each other with the solid electrolyte interposed therebetween. The metal bipolar plate is preferably provided with grooves so that the fuel gas and the oxidizing gas can be uniformly distributed over the plate.

Abstract: In the method of the present invention for producing a hydrogen-storing alloy, part or whole of single substance of Zr as a starting material is replaced with a ferrozirconium or a zircalloy. This method enables production of a hydrogen-storing alloy at reduced material and production costs and with high efficiency and safety of work. The alloy produced by this method has high homogeneity with no segregation. It is thus possible to obtain a hydrogen-storing alloy superior in hydrogen-storing characteristics such as hydrogen storage capacity, reaction speed, and electrode reaction efficiency in an electrolyte. It is also possible to obtain, by using this alloy, a nickel-hydrogen storage battery having a large storage capacity and capable of performing quick charging and discharging, while exhibiting longer life and higher economy.

Abstract: In the method of the present invention for producing a hydrogen-storing alloy, part or whole of single substance of Zr as a starting material is replaced with a ferrozirconium or a zircalloy. This method enables production of a hydrogen-storing alloy at reduced material and production costs and with high efficiency and safety of work. The alloy produced by this method has high homogeneity with no segregation. It is thus possible to obtain a hydrogen-storing alloy superior in hydrogen-storing characteristics such as hydrogen storage capacity, reaction speed, and electrode reaction efficiency in an electrolyte. It is also possible to obtain, by using this alloy, a nickel-hydrogen storage battery having a large storage capacity and capable of performing quick charging and discharging, while exhibiting longer life and higher economy.

Abstract: This invention provides a solid electrolyte fuel cell operable with high efficiency even in the temperature range of about 850.degree. to 650.degree. C., The invention is characterized by the use of a novel perovskite double oxide of the composition A.sub.X B.sub.Y O.sub.3-.alpha.. The fabrication of the electrolyte, air electrode and fuel electrode layers by tape casting has contributed to marked improvement in processability and productivity.

Abstract: An anode for high temperature fuel cell containing metal hydrides or hydrogen absorbing alloys at least in part of the anode material of high temperature fuel cell operating while consuming a gas containing hydrogen, or a gas substantially containing hydrogen, as the fuel. In particular, at least in part of the anode for molten carbonate fuel cell, either metal hydrides or hydrogen absorbing alloys is used, and the performance of the anode is enhanced, and it contributes to extension of the life of the anode.

Abstract: A hydrogen storage electrode comprising a body of an alloy of the general formula, AB.sub.a, or a hydride thereof, in which A represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of Zr, Ti, Hf, Ta, Y, Ca, Mg, La, Ce, Pr, Mm, Nb, Nd, Mo, Al and Si, B represents at least one element selected from Ni, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Al, Si, Nb, Mo, W, Mg, Ca, Y, Ta, Pd, Ag, Au, Cd, In, Sn, Bi, La, Ce, Mm where Mm is a mixture of rare earth elements, Pr, Nd, Th and Sm provided that A and B are different from each other, and a is a value of from 1.0 to 2.5. The alloy has an alloy phase which is substantially a Laves phase of an intermetallic compound of A and B, and has a crystal structure of a hexegonally symmetric C14 type having crystal lattice constants, a and c, of from 4.8 to 5.2 angstroms and from 7.9 to 8.3 angstroms, respectively, and/or a cubically symmetric C15 type having a crystal lattice constant of from 6.92 to 7.70 angstroms.

Abstract: A combined intermittently operated heat pump device which comprises n combinations (n being an integer equal to or greater than 2) of intermittently operated heat cycles, each combination comprising of vessels accommodating therein different kinds of absorbent material having different temperature and pressure characteristics and coupled with each other by means of a piping through which a common working medium can flow. The 2n batches of the absorbent materials in the respective vessels include at least n+1 kinds of the absorbent material having different temperature and equilibrium pressure characteristics, at least one temperature of heat of absorption in one of the cycles being selected to be higher than the temperature of heat of desorption in at least one of the remaining cycles.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to an improved hot water supply unit of a heat pump type which employs metal hydrides for less movable parts, simple construction, quiet operation and reduction in cost.

Abstract: An economical metallic material for absorption and desorption of hydrogen comprising an alloy having the general formula represented by AB.sub.x, wherein A is Ca or a metallic material which is an alloy including Ca, B is Ni or a metallic material which is an alloy including Ni, and x is in the range of 3.8-6.3, and exhibiting a hydrogen dissociation equilibrium pressure (or plateau pressure, pressure of the plateau region of hydrogen dissociation pressure-hydride composition isotherm) below 1 atm at normal temperatures.The material of the invention very easily absorbs large amounts of hydrogen and efficiently releases it at other predetermined temperatures, pressure and electrochemical conditions, whereby it is able to store hydrogen safely, usefully and economically.

Abstract: A hydrogen gas purification apparatus which includes at least one set of two hydrogen purification containers coupled to each other for heat exchanging therebetween, each of the hydrogen purification containers containing a hydrogen absorbing alloy. The hydrogen gas purification apparatus is so arranged as to cause hydrogen gas to be selectively desorbed from and absorbed into the hydrogen absorbing alloy by the amount of heat produced when the hydrogen gas is selectively absorbed into and desorbed from the hydrogen absorbing alloy.