1. A fuel cell, comprising an electrolyte body and, embedded within it, at least two separate electrodes capable of conducting electrons; said electrodes being sufficiently porous to allow gas flow through them; one electrode being an electrically negative anode and the other electrode being an electrically positive cathode, and said electrolyte body being capable of carrying charged particles between said anode and cathode; said anode and cathode being electrically connected to form an electrical circuit.
2. Fuel cell of claim 1, wherein said electrodes have porous regions, and including one of the following:
a) catalyst particles embedded within said regions, andor
b) a catalyst layer attached to said regions to facilitate electrode-electrolyte surface reactions, at said regions.
3. Fuel cell of claim 1, wherein said electrodes and electrolyte form interfaces, and said electrodes are sufficiently porous to allow reactant gasses to flow through said electrodes, and flow to said electrode-electrolyte interfaces.
4. Fuel cell of claim 1, wherein fuel gas and oxidant gas carrying porous electrodes form alternating layers within said electrolyte; all electrodes being separated, from one another by electrolyte.
5. Fuel cell of claim 4, wherein fuel gas carrying porous electrodes are interconnected and form one continuous electrode; and oxidant carrying porous electrodes are also interconnected and form another continuous electrode.
6. Fuel cell of claim 1, wherein said electrolyte contains pores to facilitate transport of charged particles.
7. Fuel cell of claim 1, wherein said electrolyte is selected from one of the following:
a) among solid polymers, solid oxides, solid chlorides, and solid fluorides, and
b) liquid electrolyte materials including liquid salts and liquid acids, and other materials capable of ionic conductivity, but with negligible electronic conductivity, said liquid electrolyte materials being suspended within a rigid porous body.
8. A method of manufacturing a fuel cell, comprising an electrolyte body and, embedded within it, at least two separate electrodes consisting of material for conducting electrons; the electrodes being sufficiently porous to allow gas flow through them; one electrode being an electrically negative anode and the other electrode being an electrically positive cathode, and said electrolyte capable of carrying charged particles between said anode and cathode; said anode and cathode capable of being electrically connected to form an electrical circuit; said method consisting of steps:
a) distributing in two separate predetermined patterns, powder particles of said electrode material and a high vapor pressure material within a solid electrolyte matrix material, to create a composite,
b) heating said composite to a pore formation temperature to evaporate said high vapor pressure material to cause it to form interconnecting pores within said electrodes.
9. Method of claim 8, wherein said distributing step (a) involves the steps of:
i) layer-by-layer application of electrolyte material; said electrolyte material being applied in the form of solid particles, film, vapor, liquid or molten droplets,
ii) depositing, in a predetermined pattern, on at least some of said electrolyte layers, particles of said electrode material, catalyst, and said high vapor pressure material, to form a green composite body, said depositing of catalyst being optional,
iii) consolidating said composite body; said consolidation including the steps: pressing, sintering, pressure sintering, cold compacting said body followed by sintering, molten or liquid droplet spraying, plastic forming, thermal setting of resins, and other similar methods.
10. Method of claim 8, wherein said electrodes contain an appropriate catalyst for facilitating a selected electrochemical reaction of fuel and oxidant.
11. Method of claim 8, wherein said high vapor pressure material is selected from elements and compounds; said high vapor pressure material characterized as developing vapor pressure sufficient to form interconnecting porosity within electrodes at a pore forming temperature.
12. Method of claims 8 and 11, wherein some of said interconnecting porosity forms a channel or channels within said electrodes, allowing passage through and delivery of reactant gases to electrolyte-electrode interfaces.
13. Method of claim 11, wherein said pore forming temperature is below solidus of said electrolyte material.
14. Method of claim 8, wherein said composite is placed inside a shaped mold before heating in step (b), said shaped mold having space between its interior and said composite body allowing growth of said composite upon said heating, and said shaped mold defining, at least in part, the exterior shape of said matrix material after step (b).
15. Method of claim 8, wherein at least some of said high vapor pressure material evaporates and deposits on electrode material and on matrix channel walls; deposited material enhancing function of either electrode or electrolyte or both.
16. Method of claim 8, wherein said high vapor pressure material upon evaporating, causes said electrode to become porous and make intimate contact with the electrolyte; said porosity providing increased electrochemical reaction surface area on said electrodes.
17. Method of claim 8, wherein said electrolyte body consists of a rigid porous support body with channels, and the liquid electrolyte infiltrated into pores of said rigid support body after said rigid support body has been formed; said porous support body having been formed by vapor pressure of evaporating high vapor pressure material particles.
18. A method of manufacturing fuel cells, comprising an electrolyte body and, embedded within it, at least two separate electrodes capable of conducting electrons; the electrodes being sufficiently porous to allow gas flow through them; one electrode being a negative electrical anode and the other electrode being a positive electrical cathode, and said electrolyte capable of carrying charged particles between said anode and cathode; said anode and cathode capable of being electrically connected to form an electrical circuit; said method consisting of steps:
a) distributing high vapor pressure material and electrode material powders on a layer of electrolyte, in a predetermined first pattern; followed by laying another electrolyte layer, and again distributing high vapor pressure and electrode forming powders in a predetermined second pattern, followed by laying of yet another layer of electrolyte; repeating this process as many times as it is sufficient to produce a composite powder body that can produce desired stack of fuel cell device,
b) consolidating said composite body to near full density using a consolidation method including pressing, hot pressing, cold compacting followed by sintering, bonding, slip casting and sintering; thereby causing said electrode and electrolyte materials to consolidate as a near full density composite body,
c) heating said composite body to a pore formation temperature, to evaporate said high volatility material; resulting vapor pressure forming interconnecting pores allowing gas flow within said electrode material, in said first and second patterns.
19. Method of claim 18, wherein said layers of electrolyte material are initially in the form of powder, or liquid, molten droplet or film.
20. Method of claim 18, wherein said consolidation is performed in a protective environment, including partial vacuum, reducing gas, and inert gas.
21. Method of claim 18, wherein said distributing in a predetermined pattern involves the use of printers or printer like devices to spray or deposit materials, including mechanical positioners, spray printers, dot matrix printers, ink-jet printers, and material transfer printers.
22. Method of claim 18, wherein said electrode powder contains an appropriate catalyst powder material suitable for facilitating the desired electrochemical reaction of the fuel and oxidant.
23. Method of claim 18, wherein said composite body is placed inside a shaped mold before step (c), said shaped mold having space between its interior and said composite body for allowing growth of said composite body for the purpose of enlarging nearby electrodes, and said shaped mold defining, at least in part, the exterior shape of said composite body after step (c).
24. Fuel cells of claims 1, 8 and 18, wherein said electrolyte body is selected from the group including plastics, glasses and ceramics, sulfides, fluorides, salts and other compounds that allow transport of charged particles, while substantially not allowing electron conduction.
25. Methods of one or both of claims 8 and 18, wherein, during said heating said consolidated composite body to pore formation temperature a pressure is applied to said composite body, to counter the internal vapor pressure arising from the evaporation of high vapor pressure material; and said applied pressure is released when the internal vapor pressure within the electrolyte body has reached uniformity, and the composite body is allowed to grow.
26. Methods of one or both of claims 8 and 18, wherein said electrolyte contains high vapor pressure material particles for the purpose of creating pores within said electrolyte to improve its rate of ionic transport.
27. Methods of one or both of claims 8 and 18, wherein size of said pores formed within said electrodes and their interconnection are controlled by parameters including one or more of channel formation temperature, time at channel formation temperature, high vapor pressure material type, high vapor pressure material amount and particle size, die cavity dimensions, applied pressure during and after heating to channel formation temperature, matrix powder particle size and shape, and direction of heating to and cooling from channel forming temperature.
28. Method of one or both of claims 9 and 18, wherein said steps of consolidation and heating said composite take place simultaneously in one manufacturing step.
29. Methods of one or both of claims 8 and 18, wherein said high vapor pressure material is selected from the group of elements and compounds including hydrides, hydrates, carbonates, oxides, fluorides, chlorides, bromides, frozen gases, frozen liquids; said high vapor pressure material developing vapor pressure sufficient to form porous electrodes in said electrolyte matrix at a pore forming temperature.
30. A method of manufacturing solid oxide fuel cells; said fuel cells comprising a rigid solid oxide electrolyte body; said solid oxide body containing embedded within it at least two separate continuous electricity conducting electrodes; the electrodes being sufficiently porous to allow gas flow through them; one electrode being negative anode and the other electrode being an electrically positive cathode; said method of solid oxide fuel cell manufacturing comprising the steps:
a) distributing in a predetermined pattern, high vapor pressure material particles mixed with electrode material particles within a solid metal matrix material; all materials forming a composite solid body; said metal being the metal component of said solid oxide fuel cell electrolyte material,
b) heating said composite to a pore formation temperature to cause said high vapor pressure material to evaporate and to develop a vapor pressure; said vapor pressure forming said pores in electrodes; said porous electrodes allowing gas flow through them,
c) allowing oxidation of said solid metal matrix to form a fuel cell electrolyte capable of conducting charged particles while conducting insignificant amount or no conduction of electrons.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein said oxidation occurs due to said high vapor pressure material releasing oxidizing vapors upon vaporization.
32. The method of claim 30, wherein said oxidation of said metal component of said solid oxide fuel cell electrolyte occurs due to oxidizing gas flowing through electrodechannels.
33. The method of claim 30, wherein said distributing step (a) involves the steps of:
a) layer-by-layer application of electrolyte material; said electrolyte material being applied in the form of solid particles, film, vapor, or solid particles in a liquid carrier, or molten droplets;
b) depositing, in a predetermined pattern, on at least some of said electrolyte layers, particles of electrode, catalyst, and high vapor pressure material to form a green composite body; the depositing of catalyst being optional,
c) consolidating said composite body; said consolidation including one or more of the steps: pressing, sintering, pressure sintering, cold compacting followed by sintering, molten or liquid droplet spraying, plastic forming, thermal setting of resins, and other similar methods.
34. Method of one or both claims 30 and 33, wherein said high vapor pressure material is selected from the group of elements and compounds including hydrides, hydrates, carbonates, oxides, fluorides, chlorides and bromides; said high vapor pressure material developing vapor pressure sufficient to form porous electrodes within said electrolyte matrix at a pore forming temperature.
35. Method of claim 30, wherein said high vapor pressure material upon evaporating, causes said electrode to become porous and make intimate contact with electrolyte; said porosity increasing the reaction surface area on said electrodes.
36. A fuel cell electrolyte membrane containing pores sized to facilitate transport of charged particles across said membrane.
37. Method of claim 30, wherein in step (c) said oxidizing takes place in a controlled manner to affect oxide defect structure in order to impart desirable ionic conductivity characteristics to said membrane.
38. Products produced by methods of one or more of claims 8, 18, and 30.
39. A layer-by-layer manufacturing process for complex devices, consisting of the steps:
a) applying a layer of matrix material on a selected solid surface,
b) depositing a first material mixed with a second material in pre-determined pattern(s) on said layer of said matrix material; said second material selected to vaporize at a temperature below liquidus temperature of said matrix material,
c) repeating steps (a) and (b) as many times as required to produce a green composite body,
d) consolidating said green composite body until the density of at least said matrix material is near its theoretical density to produce a consolidated composite body,
e) heating said consolidated composite body to a temperature, at which said second material particles vaporize to create sufficient vapor pressure to form pores; said body containing pores upon cooling, constituting a useful device.
40. Method of claim 39, wherein there are two or more said pre-determined patter designs; said material patterns having one or more chemical compositions; at least some of said material patterns, on at least some said matrix layers being electronically capable of communicating.
41. Method of claim 39, wherein during said depositing, said first and second materials are in one of the following physical states: solid particles, particles in a carrier liquid, vapor, liquid, liquid or molten droplets.
42. Method of claim 40, wherein said pre-determined patterns of materials form one or more continuously consolidated electrode systems; said porosity being interconnecting porosity that transmits gaseous reactants to electrode-matrix material interfaces.
43. Method of claim 39, wherein said matrix material is an electrolyte material suitable for transmitting selected charged particles.
44. Method of claim 39, wherein said useful device is an electrochemical device such as a fuel cell, a battery, an electrolysis cell, or other similar device or devices.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An image pickup apparatus having an image pickup device including a plurality of two-dimensionally arranged pixel sections, each of which has a photoelectric conversion part for generating electric charge by photoelectric conversion and has a floating diffusion part for storing the generated electric charge, comprising:
a collective reset unit adapted to perform collective resetting of the photoelectric conversion parts and the floating diffusion parts of the plurality of two-dimensionally arranged pixel sections;
a collective transfer unit adapted to collectively transfer electric charges stored in the photoelectric conversion parts to the floating diffusion parts after elapse of a predetermined time period from the collective resetting;
a sequential reset unit adapted to perform, on a predetermined-number-of-pixel-sections basis, sequential resetting of the photoelectric conversion parts and the floating diffusion parts of the plurality of two-dimensionally arranged pixel sections;
a sequential transfer unit adapted to perform, on the predetermined-number-of-pixel-sections basis, sequential transfer of the electric charges stored in the photoelectric conversion parts to the floating diffusion parts after elapse of a predetermined time period from the sequential resetting; and
a detection unit adapted to calculate differential information based on pixel signals obtained by said collective transfer unit and said sequential transfer unit, and detect a flicker based on the calculated differential information.
2. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said collective reset unit performs the collective resetting of the photoelectric conversion parts and the floating diffusion parts of all of pixel sections in a photography screen, which are the plurality of pixel sections, and
said sequence reset unit performs the sequential resetting of the photoelectric conversion parts and the floating diffusion parts of all the pixel sections in the photography screen.
3. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said detection unit calculates the differential information based on pixel signals obtained by said collective transfer unit and said sequential transfer unit with respect to pixel sections which are the same in position on the photography screen.
4. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said collective reset unit performs the collective resetting of the photoelectric conversion parts and the floating diffusion parts of pixel sections in a predetermined region that includes at least one row or at least one line of the plurality of two-dimensionally arranged pixel sections, and
said sequence reset unit performs, on the predetermined-number-of-pixel-sections basis, the sequential resetting of the photoelectric conversion parts and the floating diffusion parts of pixel sections other than the pixel sections in the predetermined region among the plurality of two-dimensionally arranged pixel sections.
5. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the pixel sections in the predetermined region are located outside an effective pixel region of said image pickup device.
6. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 4, wherein in a case where an image is photographed by performing an operation of thinning at least one row or at least one line of the plurality of two-dimensionally arranged pixel sections, the pixel sections in the predetermined region are pixel sections in the at least one row or the at least one line thinned by the operation of thinning.
7. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detection unit detects a flicker in a case where the differential information has a value equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value and has a periodicity in a direction perpendicular to lines or rows of the plurality of two-dimensionally arranged pixel sections.
8. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said detection unit calculates the differential information based on a pixel signal obtained by said collective transfer unit with respect to a first pixel section and a pixel signal obtained by said sequential transfer unit with respect to a second pixel section located close to the first pixel section.
9. A flicker detection method for an image pickup apparatus having an image pickup device including a plurality of two-dimensionally arranged pixel sections, each of which has a photoelectric conversion part for generating electric charge by photoelectric conversion and has a floating diffusion part for storing the generated electric charge, comprising:
a collective reset step of performing collective resetting of the photoelectric conversion parts and the floating diffusion parts of the plurality of two-dimensionally arranged pixel sections;
a collective transfer step of collectively transferring electric charges stored in the photoelectric conversion parts to the floating diffusion parts after elapse of a predetermined time period from the collective resetting;
a sequential reset step of performing, on a predetermined-number-of-pixel-sections basis, sequential resetting of the photoelectric conversion parts and the floating diffusion parts of the plurality of two-dimensionally arranged pixel sections;
a sequential transfer step of performing, on the predetermined-number-of-pixel-sections basis, sequential transfer of the electric charges stored in the photoelectric conversion parts to the floating diffusion parts after elapse of a predetermined time period from the sequential resetting; and
a detection step of calculating differential information based on pixel signals obtained in said collective transfer step and said sequential transfer step and detecting a flicker based on the calculated differential information.
10. The flicker detection method according to claim 9, wherein said collective reset step performs the collective resetting of the photoelectric conversion parts and the floating diffusion parts of pixel sections in a predetermined region that includes at least one row or at least one line of the plurality of two-dimensionally arranged pixel sections, and
said sequence reset step performs, on the predetermined-number-of-pixel-sections basis, the sequential resetting of the photoelectric conversion parts and the floating diffusion parts of pixels section other than the pixel sections in the predetermined region among the plurality of two-dimensionally arranged pixel sections.