Solid oxide fuel cell having a monolithic core

Patent · Tue Oct 09 04:00:00 EDT 1984

OSTI ID:5816523

Ackerman, J P; Young, J E

A solid oxide fuel cell for electrochemically combining fuel and oxidant for generating galvanic output, wherein the cell core has an array of electrolyte and interconnect walls that are substantially devoid of any composite inert materials for support. Instead, the core is monolithic, where each electrolyte wall consists of thin layers of cathode and anode materials sandwiching a thin layer of electrolyte material therebetween, and each interconnect wall consists of thin layers of the cathode and anode materials sandwiching a thin layer of interconnect material therebetween. The electrolyte walls are arranged and backfolded between adjacent interconnect walls operable to define a plurality of core passageways alternately arranged where the inside faces thereof have only the anode material or only the cathode material exposed. Means direct the fuel to the anode-exposed core passageways and means direct the oxidant to the cathode-exposed core passageway; and means also direct the galvanic output to an exterior circuit. Each layer of the electrolyte and interconnect materials is of the order of 0.002-0.01 cm thick; and each layer of the cathode and anode materials is of the order of 0.002-0.05 cm thick.

• Assignee: Dept. of Energy
• Patent Number(s): US 4476198
• OSTI ID: 5816523
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
300501* -- Fuel Cells-- Design & Development
300503 -- Fuel Cells-- Materials
Components
& Auxiliaries
ANODES
CATHODES
DESIGN
DIMENSIONS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTRODES
ELECTROLYTES
FLUIDS
FUEL CELLS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
HYDROCARBON FUEL CELLS
OXIDIZERS
SOLID ELECTROLYTES
THICKNESS
WALLS