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US 11,962,041 B2Granted
Methods for manufacturing fuel cell interconnects using 3D printing
AssigneeBloom Energy Corporation
InventorsAvinash Verma, Chockkalingam Karuppaiah, Harald Herchen, Cheng-Yu Lin, Martin Perry
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Abstract
A method of forming a fuel cell interconnect includes depositing a Cr alloy powder, sintering the Cr alloy powder, and repeating the depositing and the sintering to form the fuel cell interconnect. The Cr alloy powder may include a pre-alloyed powder containing from about 4 wt. % to about 6 wt. % Fe, and from about 94 wt. % to about 96 wt. % Cr.
Claims18
A method of forming a fuel cell interconnect, comprising:
- depositing a Cr alloy powder;
- sintering the Cr alloy powder;
- repeating the depositing and the sintering to form the fuel cell interconnect comprising fuel-side ribs that at least partially define fuel channels;
- depositing a Fe-rich powder on a fuel side of the interconnect;
- and
- selectively sintering the Fe-rich powder to selectively form Fe-rich regions only on tops of fuel-side ribs, wherein:
- the Cr alloy powder comprises pre-alloyed chromium iron alloy particles containing:
- from about 4 wt. % to about 6 wt. % Fe;
- and
- from about 94 wt. % to about 96 wt. % Cr, and
- the Fe-rich powder has a higher Fe content than the Cr alloy powder and comprises pre-alloyed Cr—Fe alloy particles containing 25 wt. % to 75 wt. % Fe and balance Cr.
8 more elements
A method of forming a fuel cell interconnect, comprising:
- depositing a pre-alloyed Cr—Fe alloy powder comprising from about 4 wt. % to about 6 wt. % Fe;
- sintering the Cr—Fe alloy powder;
- repeating the depositing and the sintering to form the fuel cell interconnect comprising fuel-side ribs that at least partially define fuel channels;
- depositing a Fe-rich pre-alloyed Cr—Fe powder comprising 25 wt. % to 75 wt. % Fe on a fuel side of the interconnect;
- and
- using at least one laser source to selectively sinter the Fe-rich pre-alloyed Cr—Fe powder to selectively form Fe-rich regions only on tops of the fuel-side ribs.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.