Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080233444 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system includes: a mixing tank storing a fuel solution; a power generator comprising a membrane electrode assembly having an electrolyte membrane, an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, generating power by reaction of the fuel solution with air; a fuel circulation unit circulating the fuel solution to the anode electrode; an air supply unit supplying air to the cathode electrode; and an air supply mechanism supply air to the anode electrode so as to discharge the fuel solution from the inside of the anode electrode to the mixing tank. | 09-25-2008 |
20080233450 | FUEL CELL - A fuel cell includes: a membrane electrode assembly having: an electrolyte membrane, anode and cathode catalyst layers, and anode and cathode gas diffusion layers; a cathode porous body provided at an outer side of the cathode gas diffusion layer; and a cathode member provided at an outer side of the cathode porous body, an inner side of the cathode member having a protruded portion facing to the outer side of the cathode porous body, wherein a pressure is applied to the cathode porous body through the protruded portion of the cathode member so as to compress the cathode porous body. | 09-25-2008 |
20080241619 | FUEL CELL APPARATUS - A fuel cell apparatus includes a fuel cell generating electric power, and including a fuel electrode which includes an anode catalyst, which is disposed in one side of an electrolyte membrane, which is supplied with liquid fuel, and which discharges gas generated by a chemical reaction accelerated by the anode catalyst, and an oxidizing agent electrode which includes a cathode catalyst, which is disposed in the other side of the electrolyte membrane, and which is supplied with air, and a control unit controlling a load applied to the fuel cell. The control unit increases the load in at least one of two cases, one case being when electric power generated by the fuel cell lowers below a predetermined reference value and another case being at predetermined time intervals, and stops the increase of the load after elapsing a predetermined time period from the start of the increase of the load. | 10-02-2008 |
20080241635 | FUEL CELL - A fuel cell include a membrane electrode assembly including an anode, a cathode opposed to the anode, and an electrolyte membrane interposed between the anode and the cathode; a lyophobic porous body in contact with the anode; and an anode passage plate in contact with the lyophobic porous body, the anode passage plate including a gas collection passage and a fuel supplying passage, the gas collection passage collects a gas generated in the anode via the lyophobic porous body, the fuel supplying passage supplies a fuel to the anode via the lyophobic porous body. | 10-02-2008 |
20080248359 | FUEL CELL - A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly including an electrolyte membrane, and anode and cathode electrodes sandwiching the electrolyte membrane therebetween; a gas/liquid separation layer provided at an opposite side of the anode electrode with the electrolyte membrane; an auxiliary porous layer provided on the gas/liquid separation layer; and an anode passage plate provided on the auxiliary porous layer, including a fuel passage, wherein the auxiliary porous layer is softer than the gas/liquid separation layer and the anode passage plate, and including lyophobic, electric conductive and gas permeability properties. | 10-09-2008 |
20090148739 | DIRECT METHANOL FUEL CELL - A direct methanol fuel cell includes a cathode catalyst layer; an electrolyte membrane; an anode catalyst layer; a first fuel control layer that is water-repellent and conductive and that has pores; a second fuel control layer that is water-repellent and conductive and that has larger pores than the those of the first fuel control layer; a third fuel control layer that is water-repellent and conductive and that has smaller porous than those of the first fuel control layer and those of the second fuel control layer; and an anode GDL layer that is water-repellent and conductive, wherein the membrane and the layers above are arranged in the above order. | 06-11-2009 |
20100255395 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - There are provided a power generation unit, a fuel tank, a line, a mixing tank, a fuel circulation unit which circulates a mixture fuel from the mixing tank to the mixing tank via the power generation unit and the line, a fuel supplier which supplies the fuel from the fuel tank to the mixing tank, an air supplier which supplies air to a cathode, a power adjustment unit which adjusts the current applied to the load in accordance with a generated power output, a fan which adjusts the temperature of the power generator, and a control unit which detects the concentration and volume of the mixture fuel and manipulates, on the basis of a detection result, the fuel circulation unit, the fuel supplier, the load of the power adjustment unit, the air supplier and the fan to control the concentration and volume of the mixture fuel. | 10-07-2010 |
20140234741 | FUEL CELL APPARATUS - A fuel cell apparatus includes a fuel cell generating electric power, and including a fuel electrode which includes an anode catalyst, which is disposed in one side of an electrolyte membrane, which is supplied with liquid fuel, and which discharges gas generated by a chemical reaction accelerated by the anode catalyst, and an oxidizing agent electrode which includes a cathode catalyst, which is disposed in the other side of the electrolyte membrane, and which is supplied with air, and a control unit controlling a load applied to the fuel cell. The control unit increases the load in at least one of two cases, one case being when electric power generated by the fuel cell lowers below a predetermined reference value and another case being at predetermined time intervals, and stops the increase of the load after elapsing a predetermined time period from the start of the increase of the load. | 08-21-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090011300 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - In a fuel cell system, mixture fuel having a certain fuel concentration is supplied to an anode, electric power is output from between the anode and the cathode due to electrochemical reaction when the cathode makes contact with air, and unreacted fuel containing unreacted fuel is discharged from the anode. A fuel circulating path for circulating the unreacted fuel to the anode is connected to the power generating unit and fuel is supplied from the fuel supplying unit to the fuel circulating path depending on a reduction in pressure of the mixture fuel. The temperature of the power generating unit is controlled according to the concentration of the mixture fuel supplied to the anode. Consequently, a fuel cell system, which can achieve reduction of the size thereof without dropping fuel usage efficiency, can be provided. | 01-08-2009 |
20090104499 | FUEL CELL POWER GENERATING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME - A fuel cell system has a membrane electrode composite including an anode, cathode and an electrolyte membrane sandwiched between the anode and the cathode. A lyophobic porous member is located adjacent to the anode, and an anode channel plate is also located adjacent to the porous member. A gas recovery channel and a fuel supply channel are formed in the anode channel plate, gas generated at the anode side is recovered in the gas recovery channel and a liquid fuel is supplied to the anode through the fuel supply channel. The generating system also includes a circulating system along which the fuel circulates, and a fuel supply section that supplies fuel to the circulating system. | 04-23-2009 |
20090162712 | FUEL CELL - According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fuel cell including: a membrane electrode assembly including: an electrolyte membrane; anode and cathode catalyst layers respectively disposed on the electrolyte membrane; and anode and cathode gas diffusion layers respectively disposed on the anode and cathode catalyst layers; a cathode porous body including a front face portion and a rear face portion and being disposed on the cathode gas diffusion layer at the front face portion, the front face portion having an electric conductivity higher than that of air and having a hydrophilicity higher than that of the rear face portion; an anode passage plate disposed on the anode gas diffusion layer; and an air supply apparatus that supplies air toward an end of the cathode porous body. | 06-25-2009 |
20090325006 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system is provided with a power generation unit including stacked cells. Cell voltage signals are output from predetermined ones of the cells. A load change is applied to the generation unit, wherein first connection in which the first load is connected to the generation unit is switched to a second connection in which a second load is connected to the generation unit. The cell voltage changes are detected from the cell voltage signals. Each of the voltage changes has an inherent voltage difference between a minimum voltage generated immediately after the load change and an output response voltage generated after a predetermined elapse of time from the generation of the minimum voltage. Control parameters falling within a predetermined voltage range, are selected from the inherent voltage differences, and an amount of fuel supplied to the generation unit is determined based on the control parameters. | 12-31-2009 |
20130255279 | MAGNETIC REFRIGERATION DEVICE AND MAGNETIC REFRIGERATION SYSTEM - In a magnetic refrigeration device, magnetic bodies having a magnetocaloric effect and solid heat accumulation members having heat accumulation effect are arranged alternately with gaps therebetween. Magnetic field apply units start and stop application of magnetic fields to the magnetic bodies. A contact mechanism brings each of the magnetic bodies into contact with one of the solid heat accumulation members adjacent to the each magnetic body. Alternatively, the contact mechanism brings each of the solid heat accumulation members into contact with one of the magnetic bodies adjacent to the each solid heat accumulation members. | 10-03-2013 |
20140130515 | MAGNETIC REFRIGERATION DEVICE AND MAGNETIC REFRIGERATION SYSTEM - According to one embodiment, a magnetic refrigeration device includes magnetic bodies, a magnetic field application unit, a thermal storage medium, and a heat transfer unit. The magnetic bodies are arrayed at an interval. The application unit applies and removes a magnetic field to and from the magnetic bodies, respectively. The medium is arranged to face at least one of the magnetic bodies. The medium has no Curie point within a range of a temperature change of the magnetic bodies and removal. The heat transfer unit selectively brings the medium into thermal contact with the magnetic bodies or thermally isolates the medium from the magnetic bodies, and transfers heat from the magnetic bodies to the medium or from the medium to the magnetic bodies in synchronism with magnetic field application and removal. | 05-15-2014 |
20140131012 | HEAT STORAGE APPARATUS - According to one embodiment, a heat storage apparatus includes a heat storage tank, a heat storage material, an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, and a voltage applying unit. The heat storage material has supercooling and is received in the heat storage tank. The anode electrode includes a nucleation start point portion. The cathode electrode is spaced apart from the anode electrode and is disposed in contact with the heat storage material. The voltage applying unit applies a voltage between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode. The heat storage material, which is supercooled and is in a liquid-phase state, is nucleated due to an application of a voltage by the voltage applying unit. | 05-15-2014 |
20140138042 | BATTERY PACK AND VEHICLE HEATING APPARATUS - According to one embodiment, a battery pack includes a battery module that houses unit cells, a heat storage portion including a heat storage container that houses a heat storage member, cooling passages through which heat of the heat storage portion is spread and discharged, and a cooling source that cools the heat storage portion. The heat storage member absorbs heat when changing from solid to liquid and dissipates heat when changing from liquid to solid. The heat storage container is thermally connected to the battery module. The cooling source is driven to circulate cooling medium to the cooling passages, and heat of the heat storage portion discharged through the passages are discharged to the outside. | 05-22-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090023046 | Porous Transport Structures for Direct-Oxidation Fuel Cell System Operating with Concentrated Fuel - One embodiment provides a direct oxidation fuel cell, comprising, in the following order, a catalyst layer; an optional microporous layer; an optional backing layer; and an electrically conductive porous transport structure, comprising, in the following order, a porous body, and an impermeable layer in contact with the porous body. Another embodiment provides a direct oxidation fuel cell, comprising an electrically conductive porous transport structure, comprising a porous body, and an impermeable layer in contact with the porous body; wherein the direct oxidation fuel cell achieves a net water transport coefficient, α, of less than about 0.6 at an operation temperature ranging from about 60 to about 80° C. | 01-22-2009 |
20120156587 | FUEL CELL - In one embodiment, in a fuel cell, a first electrode supplied with an oxidant gas includes a first gas diffusion layer having a first porous base material and a first catalyst layer having a second porous base material. The first catalyst layer is stacked to the first gas diffusion layer. The second porous base material has a pore diameter distribution with a peak in a range of 0.04 μm to 0.12 μm, and a volume ratio of pores with diameters of 0.04 μm to 0.12 μm to all the pores being 17% or more. A second electrode supplied with a fuel includes a second gas diffusion layer having a third porous base material and a second catalyst layer having a fourth porous base material. The second catalyst layer is stacked to the second gas diffusion layer. An electrolyte film is held between the first and second catalyst layers. | 06-21-2012 |
20130074533 | AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM - According to one embodiment, an air conditioning system includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, a switching valve, an evaporator, a pump, a radiator, and a heat storage unit. The switching valve performs switching so that a first heat medium flows through either a first flow path or a second flow path. The pump supplies a second heat medium to the heat source. The heat storage unit has a heat storage material. The heat storage unit has a first heat exchange region in which heat is exchanged between the first heat medium flowing through the first flow path and the heat storage material. The heat storage unit has a second heat exchange region which is provided upstream of the radiator and in which heat is exchanged between the second heat medium supplied to the heat source and the heat storage material. | 03-28-2013 |
20130227965 | MAGNETIC REFRIGERATION SYSTEM - According to one embodiment, a magnetic refrigeration system includes a first heat exchange section, a magnetic field changing section, a first heat transport medium, a second heat transport medium, and a transport section. The first heat exchange section includes a magnetocaloric effect material. The magnetic field changing section is configured to change magnetic field to the first heat exchange section. The second heat transport medium is separated from the first heat transport medium. The second heat transport medium is different from the first heat transport medium in specific heat per unit volume. The transport section is configured to sequentially feed the first heat exchange section with the first heat transport medium and the second heat transport medium. | 09-05-2013 |
20140060794 | HEAT STORAGE APPARATUS, AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS, AND HEAT STORAGE METHOD - A disclosure describes a heat storage apparatus to store heat generated by a heat generator via a medium includes: a first circuit closed to circulate the medium therethrough in a direction; a heat exchanger to exchange the heat; a heat storage tank including a phase change material to exchange heat with the medium; a first measurement unit to measure a temperature of the medium; a cooling unit to cool the medium when the temperature of the medium is higher than a predetermined target temperature and to set the temperature of the medium to be approximately equal to the target temperature; a count unit to count an elapsed time from when the phase change material exchanges heat with the medium and starts a phase change; and a determination unit to determine whether the phase change material is allowed to be supercooled or not based on the elapsed time. | 03-06-2014 |