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 |