Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba

Nok Corporation

Toshiba Fuel Cell Power Systems Corporation

Utc Fuel Cells, LLC

Utc Power Corporation

Yasuji Ogami

Kazuo Saito

Michio Hori

Soichiro Shimotori

Hiroshi Chizawa

Atsushi Ooma

Michael L Perry

Tomohiro Inoue

Yoshihiro Kurano

Yuichi Kuroki

Mitsushi Ueno

Atsushi Oma

Atsushi Ohma

Atsuo Sonai

Noboru Segawa

Makoto Harada

You Ootani

Masanori Kobayashi

Hiroshi 319 Toshiba-Hiyoshi-Ryo-D Chizawa

Tomohiro c/o Nok Corporation Inoue

Yuichi c/o Nok Corporation Kuroki

Yoshihiro c/o Nok Corporation Kurano

A fuel cell power system includes a fuel cell stack prepared by stacking a plurality of electric cells, each having an anode and a cathode with an electrolyte therebetween, a fuel supply line and an oxidant supply line that respectively supply a fuel and an oxidant to the fuel cell stack, and a fuel exhaust line and an oxidant exhaust line that respectively exhaust the fuel and oxidant supplied to the fuel cell stack. A method for retaining a power generation-suspended state of the fuel cell power system in a process of bringing the fuel cell power system into the power generation-suspended state and retaining the suspended state includes the steps of: closing the oxidant supply line in the course of bringing the fuel cell power system into the power generation-suspended state; applying a direct current from the cathode to the anode through an external circuit with the oxidant supply line closed by the step of closing the oxidant supply line until the electric cell voltage with reference to the anode comes to a level of more than &#x2212;1.2 V to less than 0.1 V; closing the oxidant exhaust line after the start point of the step of applying a direct current; and closing the fuel exhaust line and the fuel supply line after the termination point of the step of applying a direct current.

Fuel cell power generation system, its stopping/safekeeping method and program

In order to prevent an electrolyte membrane from being broken, and make an assembling steps of a cell easy, in a fuel cell provided with a membrane electrode complex in which catalyst layers are respectively arranged on both surfaces of a electrolyte membrane, first and second gas diffusion layers which are arranged on both surfaces of the electrode complex, separators for respectively supplying reaction gas to the first and second gas diffusion layers, and a gasket for sealing the reaction gas, the gasket is formed on a surface of the gas diffusion layer so as to oppose to the separator, at least the gasket forming portion of the gas diffusion layer has a lower void content than the portion in contact with the catalyst layer, and the gasket arranged in the first and second gas diffusion layers is integrally formed at least via a through hole passing through the first and second gas diffusion layers.

Fuel cell having a gasket integrally formed through gas diffusion layer

A method for operating a fuel cell power plant. The fuel cell can include a reactant passage () with an upstream portion and a downstream portion for providing reactant to an electrode (), at least one liquid passage (), and a plate () made from a porous material that is liquid permeable and conductive. The porous material separates the reactant passage and the liquid passage. A pressure profile is controlled to provide a positive pressure difference in the upstream portion and a negative pressure difference in the downstream portion. A positive pressure difference is one where the liquid pressure is higher than that of the reactant. A negative pressure difference is one where the liquid pressure is less than that of the reactant. The pressure profile can be used to provide enhanced humidification of the reactant in the upstream portion and effective liquid water removal in the downstream portion to maximize both the performance and the life of the fuel cell.

Fuel cell system with improved humidification system

Fuel cell and method of manufacturing the fuel cell

A fuel cell stack comprises membrane electrode assemblies () in which gas diffusion electrodes () are arranged on both sides of an ion exchange membrane () and a reactant gas supply separators () interposed between the membrane electrode assemblies (). The reactant gas supply separators () each has a first surface having first reactant gas supply grooves () for supplying first reactant gas, a second surface having second reactant gas supply grooves () for supplying an second reactant gas, and water supply means for supplying water to the first reactant gas supply grooves (). The water supply means has a water supply grooves () for introducing water from a water supply manifold () disposed on the second surface, communication holes () for communication of the second surface with the first surface, and a buffer section () having a porous body () for uniformly distributing water from the water supply grooves () to the communication holes (). The porous body () extends along the second surface. The water flows in the porous body () along the second surface. Thus, water can be supplied uniformly to the first reactant gas supply grooves () of each of the reactant gas supply separators ().

Polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack and method for operating the same and gas vent valve

In a polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack using a latent heat cooling system, a plurality of first reactant gas flow paths formed in one plate surface of each separator are made substantially linear in the vertical direction, and an arrangement capable of supplying water to the first reactant gas flow paths includes a water manifold formed to extend through the separator, a water supply path branched from the water manifold and horizontally formed in a surface in which second reactant gas flow paths are formed, and communication holes horizontally formed in a first reactant gas flow path introducing portion to allow the water supply path to communicate with the first reactant gas flow paths, and present above the lowermost portion in the vertical direction of the water manifold. With this arrangement, stable power generation can be performed regardless of, e.g., the stack installation angle or vibrations.

Polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack

A solid polymer fuel cell having a structure in which a film electrode composite having gas diffusion electrodes disposed on both surfaces of a solid polymer film and separators having gas channels to feed at least either a fuel gas or an oxidant gas to the electrodes are laminated repeatedly in such a manner that they contact each other, wherein the separators each comprise a carbon resin composite material and an expansion graphite layer, on at least one surface of the material, pits and projections to form the gas channels are formed, and the layer is formed on the surfaces of the material including the pits and the projections.

Separator for fuel cell, production process thereof, and solid polymer fuel cell using the separator

A polymer electrolyte fuel cells system wherein a reacted gas that has been passed through a cell stack is enabled to be contacted with an unreacted gas to be passed through the cell stack, thereby carrying out a temperature/humidity exchange for the purpose of preventing the drying of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane. The temperature of the unreacted gas is made lower than the temperature of the reacted gas.

Polymer electrolyte fuel cells system

A fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell stack and a fuel reformer for reforming a fuel and supplying a reformed fuel to the fuel cell stack, further comprising a total enthalpy heat exchanger for exchanging heat and moisture between a reacted gas and an unreacted gas from the fuel cell stack, a separator for separating moisture from the fuel gas fed from the fuel cell stack or from an oxidant gas, and a mixer for mixing part of the moisture separated by the separator with a medium having a freezing point of 0&deg; C. or less.

Polymer electrolyte fuel cell system

A method of manufacturing a fuel cell assembly, said assembly comprising at least one unit cell, said unit cell comprising at least two planar electrodes, said electrodes being ribbed on one side thereof and having a catalyst layer on the second side thereof, and a matrix impregnated with an electrolyte, comprising the steps of:

Method of manufacturing a fuel cell assembly

Growing community of inventors

Yokohama, Japan

Yasuji Ogami