DOE Patents title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

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:
 [1]
  1. East Hartford, CT
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
INTERNATIONAL FUEL CELLS CORP
OSTI Identifier:
865973
Patent Number(s):
4609595
Application Number:
06/661,850
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01M - PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
DOE Contract Number:  
AC01-79ET15440
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
molten; carbonate; fuel; cell; separator; stacked; array; cells; positioned; adjacent; provide; isolation; conductive; path; therebetween; center; portion; rectangular; flat; electrical; conductor; periphery; plurality; elongated; resilient; flanges; form; gas-tight; seal; edges; flange; resiliently; engaging; respective; edge; sealing; preferably; comprised; noncorrosive; material; alloy; yttrium; iron; aluminum; chromium; tight-fitting; wet; confining; corrosive; elements; therein; arrangement; permits; highly; subject; corrosion; dissolution; combination; corrosion-resistant; improved; conductivity; center portion; resistant material; preferably comprised; fuel cell; cell separator; adjacent fuel; conductive material; fuel cells; carbonate fuel; molten carbonate; electrical conductor; conductive path; wet seal; sealing flanges; improved fuel; tight seal; stacked array; flat portion; corrosion-resistant material; gas-tight seal; arrangement permits; sealing flange; resiliently engaging; path therebetween; preferably comprise; corrosive material; /429/

Citation Formats

Nickols, Richard C. Molten carbonate fuel cell separator. United States: N. p., 1986. Web.
Nickols, Richard C. Molten carbonate fuel cell separator. United States.
Nickols, Richard C. Tue . "Molten carbonate fuel cell separator". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/865973.
@article{osti_865973,
title = {Molten carbonate fuel cell separator},
author = {Nickols, Richard 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 = {Tue Sep 02 00:00:00 EDT 1986},
month = {Tue Sep 02 00:00:00 EDT 1986}
}