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Title: Molten carbonate fuel cell separator

Abstract

In a stacked array of molten carbonate fuel cells, a fuel cell separator is positioned between adjacent fuel cells to provide isolation as well as a conductive path therebetween. The center portion of the fuel cell separator includes a generally rectangular, flat, electrical conductor. Around the periphery of the flat portion of the separator are positioned a plurality of elongated resilient flanges which form a gas-tight seal around the edges of the fuel cell. With one elongated flange resiliently engaging a respective edge of the center portion of the separator, the sealing flanges, which are preferably comprised of a noncorrosive material such as an alloy of yttrium, iron, aluminum or chromium, form a tight-fitting wet seal for confining the corrosive elements of the fuel cell therein. This arrangement permits a good conductive material which may be highly subject to corrosion and dissolution to be used in combination with a corrosion-resistant material in the fuel cell separator of a molten carbonate fuel cell for improved fuel cell conductivity and a gas-tight wet seal.

Inventors:
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
United Technologies Corp., South Windsor, CT (USA)
OSTI Identifier:
5841850
Application Number:
ON: DE85011615
Assignee:
Dept. of Energy
DOE Contract Number:  
AC21-79ET15440
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION; MOLTEN CARBONATE FUEL CELLS; SEALS; ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY; SEPARATION PROCESSES; DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS; ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES; ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS; FUEL CELLS; HIGH-TEMPERATURE FUEL CELLS; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; 300503* - Fuel Cells- Materials, Components, & Auxiliaries

Citation Formats

Nickols, R C. Molten carbonate fuel cell separator. United States: N. p., 1984. Web.
Nickols, R C. Molten carbonate fuel cell separator. United States.
Nickols, R C. Wed . "Molten carbonate fuel cell separator". United States.
@article{osti_5841850,
title = {Molten carbonate fuel cell separator},
author = {Nickols, R C},
abstractNote = {In a stacked array of molten carbonate fuel cells, a fuel cell separator is positioned between adjacent fuel cells to provide isolation as well as a conductive path therebetween. The center portion of the fuel cell separator includes a generally rectangular, flat, electrical conductor. Around the periphery of the flat portion of the separator are positioned a plurality of elongated resilient flanges which form a gas-tight seal around the edges of the fuel cell. With one elongated flange resiliently engaging a respective edge of the center portion of the separator, the sealing flanges, which are preferably comprised of a noncorrosive material such as an alloy of yttrium, iron, aluminum or chromium, form a tight-fitting wet seal for confining the corrosive elements of the fuel cell therein. This arrangement permits a good conductive material which may be highly subject to corrosion and dissolution to be used in combination with a corrosion-resistant material in the fuel cell separator of a molten carbonate fuel cell for improved fuel cell conductivity and a gas-tight wet seal.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1984},
month = {10}
}

Patent:
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