Abstract: A method for controlling a power generation system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes, in a power generation system including a plurality of power generation units, each of the plurality of power generation units including fuel cell: dividing the plurality of power generation units into a plurality of groups; and controlling the power generation units such that the power generation units deteriorate in a different degree for each group.

Abstract: A membrane-electrode assembly includes an electrolyte membrane, a pair of catalyst layers stacked on surfaces of the electrolyte membrane, and a pair of gas diffusion layers stacked on a side opposite to the electrolyte membrane of one of the pair of catalyst layers and on a side opposite to the electrolyte membrane of the other one of the catalyst layers. One of the pair of catalyst layers contains catalyst particles and a first conductive material. One of the pair of gas diffusion layers in contact with the one of the catalyst layers contains a second conductive material. The first conductive material includes a first particulate conductive member and a first fibrous conductive member, and the second conductive material includes a second fibrous conductive member. The content K2 by mass of the second fibrous conductive member is larger than the content K1 by mass of the first fibrous conductive member.

Abstract: A fuel cell module that suppress deterioration of an electrolyte membrane is provided. The fuel cell module includes a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) including a polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode catalyst layer disposed on a surface of the membrane, a cathode catalyst layer disposed on the other surface of the membrane, and a pair of gas diffusion layers laminated on the anode catalyst layer and the cathode catalyst layer respectively, a pair of separators sandwiching the MEA; and a sealing member sealing the MEA and each of the pair of separators together. One gas diffusion layer and the sealing member overlaps in a thickness direction within a region including a center-side edge of the sealing member, and the one gas diffusion layer is notched through in the thickness direction at a part of a portion corresponding to the region.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes: an electrolyte membrane; a cathode positioned on a first surface of the electrolyte membrane; an anode positioned on a second surface of the electrolyte membrane; a cathode-side sealant positioned on a surface of the cathode different from the electrolyte membrane side of the cathode; an anode-side sealant positioned on a surface of the anode different from the electrolyte membrane side of the anode; a cathode-side separator positioned on a surface of the cathode-side sealant different from the cathode side of the cathode-side sealant; and an anode-side separator positioned on a surface of the anode-side sealant different from the anode side of the anode-side sealant. The anode-side separator has a projection on a surface stacked on the anode-side sealant, or the cathode-side separator has a projection on a surface stacked on the cathode-side sealant.

Abstract: A gas diffusion layer for a fuel battery is used, which is configured by a porous member containing conductive particles, conductive fibers and a polymer resin as main components. An aggregate of the conductive fibers is formed inside the porous member, and an area ratio of the aggregate in any cross-section of the porous member is 0.5% or more and 8% or less. Further, a membrane electrode assembly including the gas diffusion layer for the fuel battery is used. Further, a fuel battery including the gas diffusion layer for the fuel battery is used.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes: an electrolyte membrane; a fuel-side catalyst layer placed on one surface of the electrolyte membrane; an oxidant-side catalyst layer placed on another surface of the electrolyte membrane; a fuel-side gas-diffusion layer placed on a main surface of the fuel-side catalyst layer; an oxidant-side gas-diffusion layer placed on a main surface of the oxidant-side catalyst layer; a pair of separators that hold the fuel-side gas-diffusion layer and the oxidant-side gas-diffusion layer therebetween; a frame that surrounds outer peripheries of the fuel-side gas-diffusion layer and the oxidant-side gas diffusion layer; a fuel-side seal member placed on a main surface of the fuel-side gas-diffusion layer; and an oxidant-side seal member placed on a main surface of the oxidant-side gas-diffusion layer. In the fuel cell, no spaces are provided between the fuel-side gas-diffusion layer and the fuel-side catalyst layer and between the oxidant-side gas-diffusion layer and the oxidant-side catalyst layer.

Abstract: A gas diffusion layer for a fuel battery is used, which is configured by a porous member containing conductive particles, conductive fibers and a polymer resin as main components. An aggregate of the conductive fibers is formed inside the porous member, and an area ratio of the aggregate in any cross-section of the porous member is 0.5% or more and 8% or less. Further, a membrane electrode assembly including the gas diffusion layer for the fuel battery is used. Further, a fuel battery including the gas diffusion layer for the fuel battery is used.

Abstract: A method for producing a fuel cell module including the steps of: forming, in an annular shape, a plurality of resin sheets in a solid state which at least partially contains fibers and overlapping the plurality of resin sheets with respective both surfaces of an electrode membrane assembly; and integrally joining the electrode membrane assembly, with which the plurality of resin sheets are overlapped, and a pair of separators to each other by adhesion by heating the electrode membrane assembly in a state where the electrode membrane assembly is sandwiched by the pair of separators.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes: a cell stack including separator plates, and cells each placed between the separator plates; a pair of current collectors that hold external lateral surface of the cell stack in a cell-stacking direction; and a pair of end plates that hold the pair of current collectors from outsides of said current collectors in the cell-stacking direction, wherein the cell stack possesses (i) at least one first opening formed on one external lateral surface of said cell stack, said one external lateral surface located along a direction perpendicular to the cell-stacking direction, (ii) a second opening formed on an external lateral surface of the cell stack opposite to the one external lateral surface, and (ii) at least one passage that extends through an inside of the cell stack from the at least one first opening or the at least one second opening.

Abstract: A fuel cell module includes an electrode membrane assembly and a pair of separators. The electrode membrane assembly includes an electrode portion and a pair of gas diffusion layers. The electrode portion includes a polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode electrode formed on a first surface of the polymer electrolyte membrane, and a cathode electrode formed on a second surface of the polymer electrolyte membrane. One of the pair of gas diffusion layers is in contact with an anode surface of the electrode portion at which the anode electrode is disposed, and the other is in contact with a cathode surface of the electrode portion at which the cathode electrode is disposed. The separators sandwich the electrode membrane assembly from respective the anode surface and the cathode surface. The electrode membrane assembly and each separator are adhered to each other by a plurality of resin portions.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes: an electrolyte membrane; a cathode positioned on a first surface of the electrolyte membrane; an anode positioned on a second surface of the electrolyte membrane; a cathode-side sealant positioned on a surface of the cathode different from the electrolyte membrane side of the cathode; an anode-side sealant positioned on a surface of the anode different from the electrolyte membrane side of the anode; a cathode-side separator positioned on a surface of the cathode-side sealant different from the cathode side of the cathode-side sealant; and an anode-side separator positioned on a surface of the anode-side sealant different from the anode side of the anode-side sealant. The anode-side separator has a projection on a surface stacked on the anode-side sealant, or the cathode-side separator has a projection on a surface stacked on the cathode-side sealant.

Abstract: A fuel cell, including: a polymer electrolyte membrane; a pair of catalyst layers; a pair of gas-diffusion layers; a pair of separators including first and second separators; and at least one frame, wherein the catalyst layers, the gas-diffusion layers, and the separators are placed respectively on both sides of the polymer electrolyte membrane in this order, the at least one frame is placed between the pair of the separators, and surrounds outer peripheries of the gas-diffusion layers and the catalyst layers, and the frame has a rigidity of about 1 GPa or higher in terms of the Young's modulus.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes: an electrolyte membrane; a fuel-side catalyst layer placed on one surface of the electrolyte membrane; an oxidant-side catalyst layer placed on another surface of the electrolyte membrane; a fuel-side gas-diffusion layer placed on a main surface of the fuel-side catalyst layer; an oxidant-side gas-diffusion layer placed on a main surface of the oxidant-side catalyst layer; a pair of separators that hold the fuel-side gas-diffusion layer and the oxidant-side gas-diffusion layer therebetween; a frame that surrounds outer peripheries of the fuel-side gas-diffusion layer and the oxidant-side gas diffusion layer; a fuel-side seal member placed on a main surface of the fuel-side gas-diffusion layer; and an oxidant-side seal member placed on a main surface of the oxidant-side gas-diffusion layer. In the fuel cell, no spaces are provided between the fuel-side gas-diffusion layer and the fuel-side catalyst layer and between the oxidant-side gas-diffusion layer and the oxidant-side catalyst layer.

Abstract: A fuel cell module includes an electrode membrane assembly and a pair of separators. The electrode membrane assembly includes an electrode portion and a pair of gas diffusion layers. The electrode portion includes a polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode electrode formed on a first surface of the polymer electrolyte membrane, and a cathode electrode formed on a second surface of the polymer electrolyte membrane. One of the pair of gas diffusion layers is in contact with an anode surface of the electrode portion at which the anode electrode is disposed, and the other is in contact with a cathode surface of the electrode portion at which the cathode electrode is disposed. The separators sandwich the electrode membrane assembly from respective the anode surface and the cathode surface. The electrode membrane assembly and each separator are adhered to each other by a plurality of resin portions made of a resin which at least partially contains fibers.

Abstract: A fuel-cell stack includes a cell stack having first and second flow channels, all of which extend in a direction of stack of single cells so as to open on an end surface in the direction of stack, and also includes a manifold piping structure connected to openings of the first and second flow channels. The manifold piping structure includes first and second connecting pipes respectively connected to the openings of the first and second flow channels, and a plate-like member disposed on an end surface of the cell stack to connect the first and second connecting pipes. A groove or an opening is formed in a first or second surface of the plate-like member at a location between a seal contact surface around one of the first connecting pipe and a seal contact surface around the second connecting pipe.

Abstract: At a filling rate at which sterilizing time becomes constant without depending on an amount of head space gas in a graph showing relationship between the sterilizing time and the amount of head space gas in which the vertical axis represents the sterilizing time and the horizontal axis represents the amount of the head space gas, a liquid food is filled in a flexible pouch and, after the pouch is sealed, the pouch in unrestrained condition is subjected to reciprocating sterilization.

Abstract: A laser beam 21 outputted by a laser oscillator 3 is collected by a machining head 4, so that the surface of a roller 2 is irradiated with the laser beam. An encoder 5c outputs a signal in accordance with a rotational position of the roller 2. A control portion 24 controls the laser oscillator 3 to irradiate the roller 2 at the same spots on the surface with the laser beam 21 per rotation of the roller 2, the irradiation being repeated a plurality of times, thereby forming recesses in the surface of the roller.

Abstract: In a laser processing mask, apertures formed thereon as laser light passing apertures are shaped so that a plurality of protrusions extend radially from the center of each of the apertures to the peripheral portion thereof. By using this laser processing mask, a recess pattern with dimensions of several micrometers to several tens of micrometers and high dimensional precision and shape precision can be formed on the surface of a workpiece made of, for example, a metal material by laser processing.