Abstract: Systems and methods for simulating gas flow dynamics of a real hydrogen fuel cell system using a computer, wherein the real hydrogen fuel cell system includes a gas container volume network having gas container volumes interconnected by gas transport lines. The method includes defining volume element and flow channel classes, defining a plurality of volume instances and a plurality of flow channel instances, for each flow channel instance, creating a first interconnection representation that defines a source container volume and a destination container volume for the flow channel instance, wherein the first interconnection representation mimics a portion of the gas container volume network of the real hydrogen fuel cell system, and simulating, using the first interconnection representation, a thermodynamic state for each of the volume instances, the thermodynamic state representing thermodynamic parameter(s) in each container volume of the gas container volume network of the real hydrogen fuel cell system.

Abstract: Output voltage of a fuel cell 2 is decreased by a converter 51 to conduct an activation treatment to catalyst of the fuel cell 2, while measuring reduction current by a current sensor 2a while scanning output voltage of the fuel cell 2 over a certain range by the converter 51 as measurement of cyclic voltammetry under the condition that supply of oxidation gas to the fuel cell 2 is stopped from a compressor 31, and this measurement value is integrated by a control device 6. The control device 6 finds a charge amount of electrode catalyst of the fuel cell 2 based on this integration value, decides whether this charge amount is smaller or not than a degradation decision value, and displays this decision result on a display 55. A decision can be made precisely as to whether the electrode catalyst of the fuel cell is degraded or not.

Abstract: An improved anode material for a lithium ion battery is disclosed. The improved anode material can improve both electric conductivity and the mechanical resilience of the anode, thus drastically increasing the lifetime of lithium ion batteries.

Abstract: A method for activating a direct oxidation fuel cell including an anode, a cathode, and a proton-conductive electrolyte membrane interposed between the anode and the cathode is provided. The anode and the cathode each have a catalyst layer on a face in contact with the proton-conductive electrolyte membrane. This method activates the fuel cell by passing a current through the fuel cell from an external power source, with the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the external power source connected to the anode and the cathode of the fuel cell, respectively, while supplying an organic fuel and an inert gas to the anode and the cathode, respectively.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a device, and method of operation, for a fuel cell which uses bubble-based pumping to self-pump the fuel to the anode, and a single, common channel separating the anode from the cathode through which a mixed fuel and electrolyte flow. The fuel cell includes a single channel having two of its sides formed by the anode and the cathode, each having a suitable catalyst. A bubble generating region is formed in the anode and cathode reaction area of the channel. A one-way valve is located upstream of the bubble generating region. A vent for venting bubbles is disposed over a portion of the channel downstream of the bubble generating region. The fuel cell may be advantageously used to build miniature fuel cells for miniature electronic devices, or scaled to build larger fuel cells for larger electronic devices.

Abstract: A fuel cell is disclosed. The fuel cell in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: a membrane-electrode assembly, which has an electrolyte membrane, an anode being formed on one surface of the electrolyte membrane and a cathode being formed on the other surface of the electrolyte membrane; and an auxiliary electric power supply having a flow path formed on the surface thereof and being laminated on the membrane-electrode assembly such that the flow path faces the membrane-electrode assembly.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack include a first group of cells, provided in the vicinity of the overall negative end of a fuel cell stack, and second group of cells, provided throughout the remainder of the fuel cell stack. The first cells have a higher resistance to flooding than the second cells, and the overall polarity of the fuel cell stack is reversed, the end of the stack where the water content is largest is made overall positive.

Abstract: An electronic device having a battery compartment sized to receive one or more fluid consuming batteries is provided. The device includes one or more fluid entry ports, which can be in the cover of the battery compartment. A fluid flow restrictor is compressed between the fluid entry ports in the device and the fluid entry ports in the fluid consuming battery such that a rate of flow of fluid from outside the device to the battery's fluid consuming electrode is controlled by a compressed portion of the fluid flow restrictor. The fluid flow restrictor can include a foam material. A seal can also be provided at or near the periphery of the fluid flow restrictor; the seal can be a more highly compressed portion of the fluid flow restrictor or a separate component such as an O-ring seal.

Abstract: An object is to provide a fuel cell system capable of suitably avoiding damage to the equipment caused by abnormally high pressure of fuel gas and appropriately discharge fuel gas at a safe concentration to the outside. The fuel cell system (1) includes a fuel gas passage (38) that feeds fuel gas to a fuel cell (2), a relief valve (57) that is provided in the fuel gas passage (38) and discharges fuel gas to the outside when fuel gas in the fuel gas passage (38) is pressurized to a predetermined pressure or higher, an external discharge passage (59) that is provided on the gas discharge side of the relief valve (57), and a gas processing device (19) that is provided in the external discharge passage (59) and reduces the concentration of fuel gas discharged from the relief valve (57).

Abstract: A cell unit voltage is controlled such that a hydrogen production reaction is caused to occur in an oxidizer electrode, thereby allowing a current corresponding to a moving amount of protons, which is larger than a diffusion limiting current, to pass through a fuel cell. As a result, regardless of a supply amount of an oxidizer, a current larger than a limiting current of a fuel cell reaction is allowed to flow.

Abstract: A device and method to regulate humidification in a cascaded fuel cell stack. The cascaded fuel cell stack includes individual fuel cells placed together in multiple groups. A recirculation loop is fluidly coupled to an anode flowpath to permit the recirculation of hydrogen or a related fuel. A controller and one or more sensors and flow manipulation devices cooperate with one another to selectively increase or decrease the flow of reactant in the recirculation loop in order to manage water levels in one or more of the anode, cathode or electrolyte layer disposed between the anode and cathode.

Abstract: An activation method and system to selectively activate defective cells in a laminated fuel cell stack. The system includes a tank to store a polar solvent used to activate the cells; a body including a transfer unit to transfer the polar solvent to the fuel cell stack and a control unit to control the transfer unit; and a nozzle coupled to the body, to be inserted into an inlet manifold of the fuel cell stack. The nozzle has an opening positioned opposite to a channel inlet of at least one non-activated cell of the plurality of cells, to jet the polar solvent into only a channel of the non-activated cell, through the opening.