Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Kyocera Corporation

Toyo Kohan Co., Ltd.

Yasuhiro Izawa

Satoshi Aoyama

Shigeru Ogino

Satoshi Shiokawa

Kenji Kimura

Satoshi Iguchi

Takashi Ono

Mitsuhiro Nakamura

Takashi Shimazu

Naoki Ito

Hiroshi Aoki

Takatoshi Masui

Kazuo Yoshida

Hiromichi Sato

Hiroyuki Mitsui

Shinji Ohsawa

Kouji Nanbu

Masahiko Iijima

Hiromichi Satou

Maiko Ikuno

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 fuel cell module includes: in a casing, a fuel cell stack that is formed by stacking a plurality of unit cells; and an oxidant gas distributing member that is disposed at a side surface, that extends in a stack direction, of the fuel cell stack, that extends in a direction from one end to another end of each of the unit cells, and that supplies the oxidant gas along the oxidant gas distributing member from the one end to the another end to supply the oxidant gas to the another end of each unit cell. The oxidant gas distributing member includes a heat exchange restraint portion that restrains heat exchange between the unit cells and the oxidant gas in at least one of end portions of the fuel cell stack in the stack direction, in comparison with the heat exchange thereof in other portion in the fuel cell stack.

Fuel cell module

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

A fuel cell module includes in a casing: a fuel cell stack that is formed by stacking a plurality of unit cell; an oxidant gas distributing member that is disposed at a side surface, that extends in a stack direction of the unit cells, of the fuel cell stack that extends in a direction from one end to another end of each of the unit cells, and that supplies the oxidant gas to the another end of each unit cell after supplying the oxidant gas through the oxidant gas distributing member from the one end to the another end; a reformer disposed at the one end; and a combustion portion that is disposed between the one end and the reformer. The oxidant gas distributing member has a higher thermal conductivity at the one end side of the unit cells than at the another end side of the unit cells.

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 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.

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

Growing community of inventors

Mishima, Japan

Yasuhiro Izawa