US 2006/0051644 A1 · Gas flow panels integrated with solid oxide fuel cell stacks

Abstract

A generally planar, rectangular solid oxide fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cell units, each of the fuel cell units having an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte disposed there between, at least one bipolar separator plate disposed between the anode electrode of one fuel cell unit and the cathode electrode of an adjacent fuel cell unit, an oxidant manifold for delivering oxidant to the cathode electrode, a fuel manifold for delivering fuel to the anode electrode, an anode exhaust gas removal manifold for removing anode exhaust gases from the solid oxide fuel cell stack, and a cathode exhaust gas removal manifold for removing cathode exhaust gases from the solid oxide fuel cell stack. At least one ducted gas flow panel is disposed proximate the fuel cell stack and configured in combination with the fuel cell stack to preheat oxidant gas flowing therethrough and, thus, maintain the fuel cell stack in an operational condition without supplemental heating of the oxidant after entering the at least one ducted gas flow panel.

Claims30

Dependent claims

An apparatus for generating electricity comprising:

a generally planar, rectangular solid oxide fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cell units, each said fuel cell unit comprising an anode electrode, a cathode electrode and an electrolyte disposed there between, at least one bipolar separator plate disposed between said anode electrode of one said fuel cell unit and said cathode electrode of an adjacent said fuel cell unit, oxidant delivery means for delivering oxidant to said cathode electrode, fuel delivery means for delivering fuel to said anode electrode, anode exhaust gas removal means for removing anode exhaust gases from said solid oxide fuel cell stack, and cathode exhaust gas removal means for removing cathode exhaust gases from said solid oxide fuel cell stack;
and
said oxidant delivery means comprising at least one ducted gas flow panel disposed proximate said fuel cell stack and configured in combination with said fuel cell stack to maintain said fuel cell stack in an operational condition without supplemental heating of the oxidant after entering said at least one ducted gas flow panel.

In a solid oxide fuel cell system comprising at least one solid oxide fuel cell stack having a plurality of solid oxide fuel cell units having an anode electrode, a cathode electrode and an electrolyte disposed there between, said at least one solid oxide fuel cell stack having a fuel gas inlet side, an oxidant gas inlet side, a reaction products outlet side disposed opposite said fuel gas inlet side, and an excess oxidant outlet side disposed opposite said oxidant gas inlet side, a method for thermal management of said system comprising the steps of:

positioning at least one substantially planar ducted gas flow panel proximate said fuel gas inlet side, said at least one substantially planar ducted gas flow panel having dimensions and orientation with respect to said fuel gas inlet side whereby oxidant flowing through said gas flow panel is heated to a temperature suitable for maintaining said at least one solid oxide fuel cell stack in an operational condition without supplemental heating of said oxidant after entering said at least one ducted gas flow panel;
introducing said fuel gas into said at least one fuel cell stack;
introducing said oxidant into at least one duct of said ducted gas flow panel, heating said oxidant to form heated oxidant;
and
directing said heated oxidant from said at least one ducted gas flow panel through said oxidant gas inlet side to said cathode electrode without supplemental heating of said oxidant between said at least one ducted gas flow panel and said oxidant gas inlet side.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Gas flow panels integrated with solid oxide fuel cell stacks

Life of this patent

Gas flow panels integrated with solid oxide fuel cell stacks

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims30