Method and apparatus for assembling solid oxide fuel cells
Abstract
A plurality of jet air tubes are supported and maintained in a spaced matrix array by a positioning/insertion assembly for insertion in respective tubes of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) in the assembly of an SOFC module. The positioning/insertion assembly includes a plurality of generally planar, elongated, linear vanes which are pivotally mounted at each end thereof to a support frame. The vanes, which each include a plurality of spaced slots along the facing edges thereof, may be pivotally displaced from a generally vertical orientation, wherein each jet air tube is positioned within and engaged by the aligned slots of a plurality of paired upper and lower vanes to facilitate their insertion in respective aligned SOFC tubes arranged in a matrix array, to an inclined orientation, wherein the jet air tubes may be removed from the positioning/insertion assembly after being inserted in the SOFC tubes. A rectangular compression assembly of adjustable size is adapted to receive and squeeze a matrix of SOFC tubes so as to compress the inter-tube nickel felt conductive pads which provide series/parallel electrical connection between adjacent SOFCs, with a series of increasingly larger retainer frames used to maintain larger matrices of SOFC tubes in position.more »
- Inventors:
-
- Oakdale, CT
- O'Fallon, MO
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 866944
- Patent Number(s):
- 4827606
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B23 - MACHINE TOOLS B23P - OTHER WORKING OF METAL
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01M - PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- method; apparatus; assembling; solid; oxide; fuel; cells; plurality; jet; air; tubes; supported; maintained; spaced; matrix; array; positioning; insertion; assembly; respective; cell; sofc; module; planar; elongated; linear; vanes; pivotally; mounted; support; frame; slots; facing; edges; displaced; vertical; orientation; tube; positioned; engaged; aligned; paired; upper; facilitate; arranged; inclined; removed; inserted; rectangular; compression; adjustable; size; adapted; receive; squeeze; compress; inter-tube; nickel; conductive; pads; provide; series; parallel; electrical; connection; adjacent; sofcs; increasingly; larger; retainer; frames; maintain; matrices; position; expansion; housing; operating; temperatures; accommodated; flexible; resilient; connector; bars; coupling; top; bottom; pivotally mounted; module housing; fuel cell; air tubes; matrix array; support frame; fuel cells; oxide fuel; solid oxide; operating temperature; operating temperatures; electrical connection; respective tubes; spaced slots; vertical orientation; air tube; /29/429/
Citation Formats
Szreders, Bernard E, and Campanella, Nicholas. Method and apparatus for assembling solid oxide fuel cells. United States: N. p., 1989.
Web.
Szreders, Bernard E, & Campanella, Nicholas. Method and apparatus for assembling solid oxide fuel cells. United States.
Szreders, Bernard E, and Campanella, Nicholas. Sun .
"Method and apparatus for assembling solid oxide fuel cells". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/866944.
@article{osti_866944,
title = {Method and apparatus for assembling solid oxide fuel cells},
author = {Szreders, Bernard E and Campanella, Nicholas},
abstractNote = {A plurality of jet air tubes are supported and maintained in a spaced matrix array by a positioning/insertion assembly for insertion in respective tubes of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) in the assembly of an SOFC module. The positioning/insertion assembly includes a plurality of generally planar, elongated, linear vanes which are pivotally mounted at each end thereof to a support frame. The vanes, which each include a plurality of spaced slots along the facing edges thereof, may be pivotally displaced from a generally vertical orientation, wherein each jet air tube is positioned within and engaged by the aligned slots of a plurality of paired upper and lower vanes to facilitate their insertion in respective aligned SOFC tubes arranged in a matrix array, to an inclined orientation, wherein the jet air tubes may be removed from the positioning/insertion assembly after being inserted in the SOFC tubes. A rectangular compression assembly of adjustable size is adapted to receive and squeeze a matrix of SOFC tubes so as to compress the inter-tube nickel felt conductive pads which provide series/parallel electrical connection between adjacent SOFCs, with a series of increasingly larger retainer frames used to maintain larger matrices of SOFC tubes in position. Expansion of the SOFC module housing at the high operating temperatures of the SOFC is accommodated by conductive, flexible, resilient expansion, connector bars which provide support and electrical coupling at the top and bottom of the SOFC module housing.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989},
month = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989}
}