Ngk Insulators, Inc.

Masayuki Shinkai

Masahiro Kida

Takahiro Ishikawa

Makoto Ohmori

Natsumi Shimogawa

Toshiyuki Nakamura

Hirofumi Kan

Yuki Tanaka

Takuma Makino

Tsutomu Nanataki

Makoto Miyahara

Shuhei Ishikawa

Noriyuki Ogasawara

Nobuaki Nakayama

Genta Terazawa

Toshimasa Ochiai

Osamu Sakai

Seiji Yasui

Takenori Ichigi

Risako Ito

Mitsuru Ohta

Koichi Koga

Toshiaki Kuno

Kazuyoshi Inoue

Keiichi Kanno

Tomohiro Usui

Takatoshi Ikematsu

Genta Terazaea

A manifold includes a first manifold main body and a second manifold main body. The first manifold main body includes a first gas chamber configured to communicate with a first gas channel. The second manifold main body includes a second gas chamber configured to communicate with a second gas channel. The second manifold main body is disposed in the first manifold main body.

Manifold, cell stack device, and electrochemical cell

A cell stack device includes a manifold and a fuel cell. The manifold includes a gas supply chamber and a gas collection chamber. The fuel cell includes a support substrate and a power generation element portion. The support substrate includes first and second gas channels. The first gas channel is connected to the gas supply chamber, and the second gas channel is connected to the gas collection chamber. The first gas channel is open in the gas supply chamber at a proximal end portion. The second gas channel is open in the gas collection chamber at a proximal end portion. The first and second gas channels are connected to each other on the distal end portion side. The first and second gas channels are configured such that a pressure loss of gas in the first gas channel is smaller than a pressure loss of gas in the second gas channel.

Fuel cell and cell stack device

A manifold includes first and second manifold main bodies. The first manifold main body includes a gas supply chamber that is connected to a first gas channel and the second manifold main body includes a gas collection chamber that is connected to a second gas channel. The first manifold main body includes a top plate, a first bottom plate, and a first side plate. The top plate includes a first through hole for connecting the first gas channel and the gas supply chamber. The second manifold main body includes the top plate, a second bottom plate, and a second side plate. The top plate also includes a second through hole for connecting the second gas channel and the gas collection chamber. The first bottom plate and the second bottom plate are constituted by members that are separate from each other.

Manifold and cell stack device

A plurality of insertion holes for inserting one end of each of a plurality of cells is formed on the surface of a support substrate. One end of each of the cells is loosely fitted in the corresponding insertion hole. A joining material is provided so as to fill at least a gap present between the inner wall of the insertion hole and the outer wall of the one end of the cell in each joining portion between each of the insertion holes and one end of the corresponding cell. As the joining material, crystallized glass which includes a plurality of kinds of crystal phases generated when the crystallization of amorphous glass heated up to a crystallization temperature proceeds is used, and a volume reduction ratio (crystallization shrinkage ratio) of the joining material caused by the crystallization at the crystallization temperature is 0.78% or more and 12% or less.

Joining material and stack structure of fuel cell using the joining material

A reduction process is performed to each fuel electrode layer by supplying a reduction gas into each fuel channelin the state in which a perimetric portion of a sheet bodyis held to be sealed by perimetric portions of an upper support memberand a lower support member. In the case of a small-sized fuel cell in which the thickness of the sheet bodyis 20&#x2dc;500 &#x3bc;m, the fuel electrode layer is greater in thickness than the solid electrolyte layer and the air electrode layer, and the area of the orthogonal projection of the plane portionof each support memberis 1&#x2dc;100 cm, a ratio of a warpage of not more than 0.05 cmon the sheet body with respect to the area of the orthogonal projection can be achieved at room temperature after the reduction process.

Solid oxide fuel cell, and assembling method of the same

The solid oxide fuel cell has a stack structure formed by stacking sheet bodies each of which comprises three layers of the electrolyte layer, a fuel electrode layer, an air electrode layer, and separators in alternating layers. In an air channel defined between the air electrode and the separator facing the air electrode layer, a SUS mesh made of stainless steel for electrically connecting both of them is confined. On the surface of the SUS mesh, previously by itself before the assembly of the stack structure, an Ag-plating treatment is performed and further a vacuum heat-treatment (heat-treatment under a negative pressure) is performed.

Reactor and producing method of the same

In a fuel cell, perimetric portions of each sheet body, an upper support member, and a lower support member are sealed against one another by a seal that includes first and second seal portions. The first seal portion is of glass having a softening point lower than a working temperature of the reactor and seals against the upper surface of the perimetric portion of the sheet body and the lower surface of the perimetric portion of the upper support member as well as against the lower surface of the perimetric portion of the sheet body and the upper surface of the perimetric portion of the lower support member. The second seal portion is of glass having a softening point higher than the working temperature and seals against the lower side end and upper side end of the perimetric portions of the upper and lower support members, respectively.

Reactor

An assembling method of a solid oxide fuel cell, having a stack structure in which sheet bodies and separators are stacked in alternating layers, includes a stacking step, a sealing step, and a reduction process step. In the sealing step, a laminate in which a crystallized glass material is interposed between the perimetric portions adjacent to each other is heated, so that the crystallization rate of the crystallized glass is increased to 0 to 50%. Accordingly, the perimetric portions adjacent to each other are integrated and sealed, and a room for glass softening is left. In the reduction process step, the laminate is heated, and a reduction gas is supplied into a fuel channel, whereby the reduction process is performed to the fuel electrode layer, and the crystallization rate is increased to 70 to 100%. Thus, the assembly of the fuel cell is completed.

Assembling method of solid oxide fuel cell

A stack structure includes plate-like electrochemical cells of ceramic, each having a pair of main surfaces and a side surface, and plate-like retainer pieces. The cell includes a first electrode in contact with first gas, a solid electrolyte, and a second electrode in contact with second gas. The first electrode has a gas flow channel formed therein and adapted to allow flow of the first gas. The cell has gas inflow and outflow ports. The retainer piece includes a body portion having a through-hole formed therein, and a pair of protrusions protruding from the body portion. The retainer piece has a communication hole formed therein and adapted to establish communication between the through-hole and a space formed between the protrusions. The cell is held by the paired protrusions, thereby establishing communication between the gas inflow or outflow port of the cell and the communication hole of the retainer piece.

Stack structure of solid oxide fuel cell apparatus

A different materials bonded member includes a ceramic base material and a metallic member which are bonded together through an Au solder material. The solder material is disposed on a bonding surface of the ceramic base through a given active metal layer or a given metalized layer and the solder material is heated and melted to form a pre-coat layer adhering to the bonding surface, the metallic member is disposed on a surface of the pre-coat layer through a barrier layer having a given function. A bonded part is formed by solidifying the pre-coat layer after it has been heated and melted under given temperature conditions to bond the ceramic base and the metallic member to one another.

Different materials bonded member and production method thereof

A hydrogen gas separator fixing structure includes a gas separator having a support and a membrane provided on at least one surface of the support, which membrane contains a first metal capable of separating hydrogen gas from a hydrogen-containing gas, a metal flange connected to at least one open end of the gas separator, a bonding layer containing a second metal, provided at the portion at which the gas separator and the metal flange are connected to each other and on the surface of the gas separation membrane side of the portion, a packing provided on the bonding layer, and a ring-shaped metal member capable of fixing the packing by pressing, provided so that at least part thereof is in contact with the bonding layer, wherein the bonding layer is provided by a heat treatment conducted at a temperature lower than the melting point of the second metal.

Hydrogen gas separator fixing structure and hydrogen gas separating device using the same

A heat spreader module has a pedestal, a heat spreader member joined to the pedestal by a first active hard brazing material, an intermediate layer joined to the heat spreader member by a second active hard brazing material, an insulating board joined to the intermediate layer by a third active hard brazing material, and a circuit board joined to the insulating board by a fourth active hard brazing material. The first through fourth active hard brazing materials are supplied such that the active hard brazing materials have a thickness ranging from 3 to 20 &#x3bc;m when the components of the heat spreader module are joined together under pressure, and contain an active element in an amount ranging from 400 to 1000 &#x3bc;g/cm.

Heat spreader module

A porous composite material includes a metal material for forming a matrix, and at least two kinds of fine particle materials having different wettabilities with respect to the metal material. The porous composite material is provided by melting and impregnating the metal material for forming a matrix with the mixture of at least two kinds of fine particle materials. The porous composite material has excellent characteristics in shock absorbency, acoustics, non-combustibility, lightness, rigidity, and so forth.

Porous metal based composite material

A heat spreader module includes a base, a heat spreader member arranged on the base, a thermal conductive layer arranged on the heat spreader member, a first joining member interposed between the base and the heat spreader member, and a second joining member interposed between the heat spreader member and the thermal conductive layer. The base comprises a copper alloy which has a proof stress of not less than 45 MPa and a coefficient of thermal conductivity of not less than 270 W/mK after performing a heat treatment between 600&#xb0; and 900&#xb0; C. for 10 minutes.

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Ama-gun, Japan

Masayuki Shinkai