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US 2004/0166398 A1Published application
Carbon-oxygen fuel cell
OwnerTao T. Taoinventor
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a unit that use carbon and oxygen as fuel sources. In particular, the unit comprises a carbon-containing anode, an electrolyte and a solid state cathode. Heating the unit to temperatures of 400° C.-2000° C. provides an electrical output of at least 1 mWcm−2. The present invention also discloses a method for generating electricity with a unit comprising a carbon-containing anode, an electrolyte and a solid state cathode.
Claims74
An electricity producing fuel cell comprising:
- a carbon-containing anode;
- an electrolyte in contact with said anode at a first contact surface area, allowing passage of oxygen anions to said anode;
- and
- a solid state cathode in contact with said electrolyte at a second contact surface area, for ionizing oxygen to the oxygen anions, said fuel cell being operable at a temperature of between about 400° C. and about 2000° C.
1 more element
A method for generating electricity in a fuel cell, said method comprising:
- providing a carbon-containing anode;
- providing an electrolyte in contact with said carbon-containing anode at a first contact surface area;
- providing a solid state cathode in contact with said electrolyte at a second contact surface area;
- directing an oxygen-containing gas flow to said cathode;
- and
- heating said fuel cell to a temperature of between about 400° C. and about 2000° C. to produce an electrical output of at least about 1 mWcm−2 of said second contact surface area.
3 more elements
A fuel cell apparatus for generating electricity, comprising:
- a carbon-containing anode;
- an electrolyte in contact with said anode at a first contact surface area;
- a solid state cathode in contact with said electrolyte at a second contact surface area;
- a heater for heating said anode to a temperature of between about 400° C. and about 2000° C.
- means for directing an oxygen-containing gas stream to said cathode to produce an electrical output of at least about 1 mWcm−2 of said second contact surface area.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.