Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Sumitomo Electric Industries, Limited

Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho

Toyo Kohan Co., Ltd.

Satoshi Aoyama

Satoshi Iguchi

Naoki Ito

Hiromichi Sato

Toshihide Nakata

Takashi Shimazu

Shigeru Ogino

Masahiko Iijima

Yasuhiro Izawa

Hiroshi Aoki

Hiroyuki Mitsui

Koichi Numata

Satoshi Shiokawa

Kenji Kimura

Yasushi Araki

Osamu Mizuno

Kazuhisa Kunitake

Makoto Taniguchi

Masaaki Yamaoka

Kentaro Yoshida

Takatoshi Masui

Kazuo Yoshida

Iwao Maeda

Takashi Uemura

Satoshi Yamazaki

Tomohiko Ihara

Kiyomi Nagamiya

Masashi Yamashita

Shinji Ohsawa

Kouji Nanbu

Masayoshi Taki

Jin-Joo Park

Keisuke Nagasaka

Shuichi Kubo

Ryoko Kanda

Takeshi Nishikawa

Hiroyuki Usami

Maiko Ikuno

Hiromichi Satou

Takashi c/o KK Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho Shimazu

Satoshi c/o KK Inter Project Shiokawa

Hiroyuki c/o KK Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho Mitsui

Hiroshi c/o KK Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho Aoki

A method of manufacturing a hydrogen separation membrane with a carrier is characterized by including a first step of providing, between the hydrogen separation membrane and the carrier that supports the hydrogen separation membrane, a low-hardness metal membrane having a hardness that is lower than the hardness of the hydrogen separation membrane, and a second step of joining the hydrogen separation membrane, the low-hardness metal membrane, and the carrier by a cold joining method. In this case, it is possible to suppress the deformation of the hydrogen separation membrane, the low-hardness metal membrane, and the carrier and, as a result, it is possible to prevent damaging of the hydrogen separation membrane. The adhesion of the contact between the hydrogen separation membrane and the carrier is also improved. The result is that it is not necessary to increase the severity of the cold joining conditions.

Hydrogen separation membrane with a carrier, fuel cell and hydrogen separation apparatus having same, and method of manufacturing same

The present invention provides a hydrogen-generating apparatus in which the reduction in reforming efficiency associated with an increase in switching frequency to the regeneration reaction can be suppressed, and generation of hydrogen by reforming can stably be performed. In the reforming reaction, a cathode offgas discharged from a hydrogen-separation-membrane fuel cellhaving a hydrogen-permeating film is supplied to PSR reformersand, in which the reforming reaction and the regeneration reaction are performed alternately.

Hydrogen-generating apparatus and fuel cell system

A hydrogen-permeable structure is disclosed, which includes a hydrogen-permeable base in which a fluctuation range of a d value by X-ray analysis measurement is at most 0.05% in a region within 2 &#x3bc;m deep from a surface, and an oxide proton conductive film formed on a surface thereof. The disclosure also relates to a method of manufacturing the hydrogen-permeable structure and a fuel cell using the hydrogen-permeable structure.

Hydrogen-permeable structure, method of manufacturing thereof and fuel cell using the same

A control deviceobtains a reformed carbon quantity C supplied to a reform reaction flow channelfrom a supplied fuel quantity Qf and also obtains a reformed water quantity S supplied to the reform reaction flow channelfrom a generated power quantity W. Further, it obtains a oxygen consumed quantity consumed through power generation in a fuel cellfrom the generated power quantity W, a supplied oxygen quantity to be supplied to a cathode flow channelfrom a supplied cathode gas quantity Qc, and a reformed oxygen quantity O to be supplied to the reform reaction flow channelbased on a difference between the supplied oxygen quantity and the consumed oxygen quantity. By correcting a reformed carbon quantity C (delivery of a fuel pump) in accordance with the reformed oxygen quantity O, each of O/C and S/C is kept in a target value range.

Fuel cell system and method for controlling the same

Fuel cellsof the invention are operable at a temperature of about 500&#xb0; C. The unit cell has a solid oxide electrolyte layer formed on a hydrogen separable metal layer. An anode has a catalyst supported thereon to accelerate a reforming reaction of methane. A fuel gas is produced by reforming a hydrocarbon-containing material in a reformer. Setting a lower reaction temperature enables production of the fuel gas containing both methane and hydrogen. In the fuel cellsreceiving a supply of the fuel gas, the reforming reaction of methane contained in the fuel gas proceeds simultaneously with consumption of hydrogen contained in the fuel gas. This methane reforming reaction is endothermic to absorb heat produced in the process of power generation and thereby equalizes the operation temperature of the fuel cells

Fuel cell system

A fuel cell includes a joint portion A in which a first conductive separator, an electrolyte-strengthening substrate and a second conductive separator are jointed in order with a brazing material. The electrolyte-strengthening substrate is formed so as to be larger than a joint area of the first conductive separator and a joint area of the second conductive separator in the joint portion. The electrolyte-strengthening substrate has an insulating property at least at an area where the electrolyte-strengthening substrate contacts with the brazing material.

Fuel cell

A method of manufacturing a fuel cell includes thermally treating a hydrogen permeable membrane in a given temperature higher than an actual operating temperature of the fuel cell, and forming an electrolyte layer on the hydrogen permeable membrane subjected to the thermal treatment. The hydrogen permeable membrane is composed of a polycrystalline metal.

Method of manufacturing fuel cell

A method of manufacturing a hydrogen separation membrane comprises the steps of forming an intermediate layer suitable for controlling oxidation of a hydrogen permeable metal layer on the surface of the hydrogen permeable metal layer on the surface of the hydrogen permeable metal used as a substrate; and attaching a catalytic metal in a granular form on the surface of the intermediate layer. This method can be used to manufacture a hydrogen separation membrane in which the quantity of catalytic metal used is controlled.

Hydrogen separation membrane and fuel cell, and manufacturing method therefor

An electrolyte layer () and a hydrogen-permeable metal layer () are fitted in a fitting portion () of a low thermal expansion member (), and a cathode electrode () is provided on the electrolyte layer (). Gas separators () are provided such that a low thermal expansion member () is held between the gas separators (). Since the low thermal expansion member () is made of metal which has a thermal expansion coefficient lower than that of the hydrogen-permeable metal layer (), thermal expansion of the hydrogen-permeable metal layer () can be suppressed. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce shear stress applied to an interface between the electrolyte layer () and the hydrogen-permeable metal layer () due to the thermal expansion. It is possible to suppress separation of the electrolyte layer () from the hydrogen-permeable metal layer () and occurrence of a crack in the electrolyte layer ().

Membrane-electrode assembly and fuel cell

A hydrogen permeable membrane () for selectively allowing hydrogen to permeate therethrough includes a metal base layer () containing vanadium (V), a metal coating layer () containing palladium (Pd), and an intermediate layer () that is formed between the metal base layer () and the metal coating layer () and made of a metal having a higher melting point than the metal base layer () and the metal coating layer () and possessing hydrogen permeability.

Hydrogen permeable membrane, fuel cell and hydrogen extracting apparatus equipped with the hydrogen permeable membrane, and method of manufacturing the hydrogen permeable membrane

A technology for preventing degradation of a hydrogen permeable metal layer in a fuel cellis provided. A fuel cell systemincluding a fuel cellwith an anode which has the hydrogen permeable metal layer comprises a fuel cell controllerfor controlling the operation status of the fuel cell system, a temperature parameter acquisition section for acquiring a temperature parameter of the hydrogen permeable metal layer, and a hydrogen permeable metal layer degradation prevention section which reduces the hydrogen partial pressure in an anode channelfor supplying fuel gas to the anode. If a temperature of the hydrogen permeable metal layer represented by the temperature parameter deviates from a specified temperature range, the fuel cell controllercause the hydrogen permeable metal layer degradation prevention section to operate for preventing degradation of the hydrogen permeable metal layer.

Fuel cell system for preventing hydrogen permeable metal layer degradation

A fuel cell of the invention has a hydrogen permeable metal layer, which is formed on a plane of an electrolyte layer that has proton conductivity and includes a hydrogen permeable metal. The fuel cell includes a higher temperature zone and a lower temperature zone that has a lower temperature than the higher temperature zone. The hydrogen permeable metal layer includes a lower temperature area A corresponding to the lower temperature zone and a higher temperature area B corresponding to the higher temperature zone. The lower temperature area A and the higher temperature area B have different settings of composition and/or layout of components. This arrangement effectively prevents potential deterioration of cell performance due to an uneven distribution of internal temperature of the fuel cell including the hydrogen permeable metal layer.

The manufacturing method of the invention is applied to manufacture a unit fuel cellwhich has a hydrogen-permeable metal layerof a hydrogen-permeable metal and an electrolyte layerthat is located on the hydrogen-permeable metal layerand has proton conductivity. The method first forms the electrolyte layeron the hydrogen-permeable metal layerand subsequently forms an electrically conductive cathodeon the electrolyte layerto block off an electrical connection between the cathodeand the hydrogen-permeable metal layerThe method releases Pd toward the electrolyte layerin a direction substantially perpendicular to the electrolyte layerto form a Pd layer as the cathodethat is thinner than the electrolyte layerThis arrangement of the invention effective prevents a potential short circuit, for example, between the cathode and the hydrogen-permeable metal layer, in the fuel cell, due to pores present in the electrolyte layer.

Fuel cell manufacturing method and fuel cell

A power system of the invention includes fuel cells and a fuel gas generation system that generates a fuel gas to be supplied to the fuel cells. At the time of stopping supply of hydrogen, the fuel gas generation system selectively uses a stop process that replaces hydrogen in a hydrogen separator unit with the air for removal of hydrogen and a pause process that allows hydrogen to remain in the hydrogen separator unit. The stop process is selected when the fuel gas generation system stops the supply of hydrogen for a long time period. The pause process is selected when the fuel gas generation system temporarily stops the supply of hydrogen. The arrangement of the invention desirably shortens a restart time of the fuel gas generation system and reduces a potential energy loss.

Drive control of power system including fuel cells

The invention provides an electrolyte membrane that allows an operating temperature of a solid polymer membrane fuel cell to be raised and an operating temperature of a solid oxide fuel cell to be lowered. This electrolyte membrane can be used in a fuel cell that is operable in an intermediate temperature range. The invention also provides a fuel cell using such an electrolyte membrane. The electrolyte membrane has a hydrated electrolyte layer, and dense layers made of a hydrogen permeable material that are formed on both sides of this electrolyte layer. Both sides of the electrolyte membrane are coated with dense layers. Consequently, evaporation of moisture contained in the electrolyte layer is suppressed, and increase in the resistance of the membrane is inhibited. As a result, the range of the operating temperature of the fuel cell can be enlarged.

Electrolyte membrane for fuel cell operable in medium temperature range, fuel cell using the same, and manufacturing methods therefor

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Susono, Japan

Satoshi Aoyama