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US 10,480,082 B2Granted
High-temperature, low-temperature—gradient methods for (CO-)electrolysis of water (SOEC) or for producing electricity within a reactor or fuel-cell stack (SOFC) respectively
AssigneeCommissariat A L'energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives
InventorsMagali Reytier, Nicolas Bardi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention essentially consists in supplying fuel (either steam or a mixture of steam with CO2 or H2 or CH4) to distinct zones of a cell or a group of stacked cells and of an adjacent cell or group of adjacent stacked cells within a given (co-)electrolysis reactor or a SOFC fuel-cell stack.
Claims21
A method for high-temperature electrolysis of steam, or for co-electrolysis of steam and of carbon dioxide, implemented in a reactor comprising:
- a stack of individual electrolysis cells of a solid oxide type, each comprising a cathode, an anode and an electrolyte inserted between the cathode and the anode, and
- a plurality of electrical and fluid interconnectors, each arranged between two adjacent individual electrolysis cells with one face thereof in electrical contact with the anode of one of the two adjacent individual electrolysis cells and the other face thereof in electrical contact with the cathode of the other of the two adjacent individual electrolysis cells, the method comprising:
- supplying a first zone of each electrical and fluid interconnector of a first group with steam or with a mixture of steam and of carbon dioxide, and distributing it to a cathode of each individual electrolysis cell of the first group, then recovering hydrogen produced or a synthesis gas, which is a mixture of carbon monoxide and of hydrogen in a second zone of the each electrical and fluid interconnector of the first group, and
- supplying a first zone of each electrical and fluid interconnector of a second group, at least one of which is adjacent to the electrical and fluid interconnector of the first group, with steam or with a mixture of steam and of carbon dioxide, and distributing it to a cathode of each individual electrolysis cell of the second group, at least one of which is adjacent to the electrolysis cell of the first group, then recovering hydrogen produced or a synthesis gas, which is a mixture of carbon monoxide and of hydrogen in a second zone of the each electrical and fluid interconnector of the second group, the first and second zones of the electrical and fluid interconnectors of the second group not being located vertically in line respectively with the first and second zones of the electrical and fluid interconnectors of the first, group,
- wherein, within the stack, the supplying and a circulation respectively to the electrical and fluid interconnectors and to the electrolysis cells of the first group are carried out independently relative to the supplying and a circulation respectively to the electrical and fluid interconnectors and to the electrolysis cells of the second group.
2 more elements
A method for producing electricity a high temperature, implemented in a solid oxide fuel cell comprising:
- a stack of individual electrochemical cells of an SOFC type, each comprising a cathode, an anode and an electrolyte inserted between the cathode and the anode, and
- a plurality of electrical and fluid interconnectors, each arranged between two adjacent individual electrochemical cells with one face thereof in electrical contact with the anode of one of the two adjacent individual electrochemical cells and the other face thereof in electrical contact with the cathode of the other of the two adjacent individual electrochemical cells, the method comprising:
- supplying a first zone of each electrical and fluid interconnector of a first group with fuel, and distributing it to an anode of each individual electrochemical cell of the first group, then recovering surplus fuel and water produced in a second zone of the each electrical and fluid interconnector of the first group, and
- supplying a first zone of each electrical and fluid interconnector of a second group, at least one of which is adjacent to the each electrical and fluid interconnector of the first group, with fuel, and distributing it to an anode of each individual electrochemical cell of the second group, at least one of which is adjacent to the electrochemical cell of the first group, then recovering surplus fuel and ater produced in a second zone of the each electrical and fluid interconnector of the second group, the first and second zones of the electrical and fluid interconnectors of the second group not being located vertically in line respectively with the first and second zones of the electrical and fluid interconnectors of the first group,
- wherein, within the stack, the supplying and a circulation respectively to the electrical and fluid interconnectors and to the electrochemical cells of the first group are carried out independently relative to the supplying and circulation respectively to the electrical and fluid interconnectors and to the electrochemical cells of the second group.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.