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Title: Electrolyte paste for molten carbonate fuel cells

Abstract

The electrolyte matrix and electrolyte reservoir plates in a molten carbonate fuel cell power plant stack are filled with electrolyte by applying a paste of dry electrolyte powder entrained in a dissipatable carrier to the reactant flow channels in the current collector plate. The stack plates are preformed and solidified to final operating condition so that they are self sustaining and can be disposed one atop the other to form the power plant stack. Packing the reactant flow channels with the electrolyte paste allows the use of thinner electrode plates, particularly on the anode side of the cells. The use of the packed electrolyte paste provides sufficient electrolyte to fill the matrix and to entrain excess electrolyte in the electrode plates, which also serve as excess electrolyte reservoirs. When the stack is heated up to operating temperatures, the electrolyte in the paste melts, the carrier vaporizes, or chemically decomposes, and the melted electrolyte is absorbed into the matrix and electrode plates.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. Southwick, MA
  2. New London, CT
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
General Electric Co., Boston, MA (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
870167
Patent Number(s):
5468573
Assignee:
International Fuel Cells Corporation (South Windsor, CT)
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:  
AC21-87MC23170
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
electrolyte; paste; molten; carbonate; fuel; cells; matrix; reservoir; plates; cell; power; plant; stack; filled; applying; dry; powder; entrained; dissipatable; carrier; reactant; flow; channels; current; collector; plate; preformed; solidified; final; operating; condition; sustaining; disposed; atop; form; packing; allows; thinner; electrode; particularly; anode; packed; provides; sufficient; fill; entrain; excess; serve; reservoirs; heated; temperatures; melts; vaporizes; chemically; decomposes; melted; absorbed; electrolyte reservoir; electrode plates; fuel cell; provides sufficient; inner electrode; cell power; flow channels; flow channel; current collector; fuel cells; carbonate fuel; power plant; operating temperature; molten carbonate; operating temperatures; operating condition; collector plate; electrolyte matrix; plant stack; reactant flow; electrolyte reservoirs; reservoir plate; electrode plate; /429/

Citation Formats

Bregoli, Lawrance J, and Pearson, Mark L. Electrolyte paste for molten carbonate fuel cells. United States: N. p., 1995. Web.
Bregoli, Lawrance J, & Pearson, Mark L. Electrolyte paste for molten carbonate fuel cells. United States.
Bregoli, Lawrance J, and Pearson, Mark L. Sun . "Electrolyte paste for molten carbonate fuel cells". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/870167.
@article{osti_870167,
title = {Electrolyte paste for molten carbonate fuel cells},
author = {Bregoli, Lawrance J and Pearson, Mark L},
abstractNote = {The electrolyte matrix and electrolyte reservoir plates in a molten carbonate fuel cell power plant stack are filled with electrolyte by applying a paste of dry electrolyte powder entrained in a dissipatable carrier to the reactant flow channels in the current collector plate. The stack plates are preformed and solidified to final operating condition so that they are self sustaining and can be disposed one atop the other to form the power plant stack. Packing the reactant flow channels with the electrolyte paste allows the use of thinner electrode plates, particularly on the anode side of the cells. The use of the packed electrolyte paste provides sufficient electrolyte to fill the matrix and to entrain excess electrolyte in the electrode plates, which also serve as excess electrolyte reservoirs. When the stack is heated up to operating temperatures, the electrolyte in the paste melts, the carrier vaporizes, or chemically decomposes, and the melted electrolyte is absorbed into the matrix and electrode plates.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1995},
month = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1995}
}