# US 2014/0154598 A1 · Non-Propulsive Miniature Power Device Based on Solid Oxide Fuel Cell and Combustion-Driven Thermal Transpiration Pump

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- Number: US 2014/0154598 A1
- Document ID: US20140154598A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/097,115
- Filed: 2013-12-04
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-12-04
- Assignees: Syracuse University
- Applicants: Syracuse University
- Inventors: Jeongmin Ahn; Paul D. Ronney
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140154598A1

## CPC

- H01M 8/0618: {Reforming processes, e.g. autothermal, partial oxidation or steam reforming}
- H01M 8/04022: {Heating by combustion}
- H01M 8/04089: of gaseous reactants
- H01M 8/04201: {Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes}
- H01M 8/0631: {Reactor construction specially adapted for combination reactor/fuel cell (hydrogen C01B3/00; reactors for physicochemical processes B01J19/00)}
- H01M 8/12: operating at high temperature, e.g. with stabilised ZrO2 electrolyte
- H01M 8/1213: characterised by the electrode/electrolyte combination or the supporting material
- H01M 2008/1293: {Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes}
- H01M 2300/0074: Ion conductive at high temperature
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a power device and, more particularly, to a non-propulsive thermal transpiration based micro single-chamber solid oxide fuel cell (SCSOFC) power device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A thermal transpiration-based single chamber solid oxide fuel cell power generation device comprising:
a thermal transpiration membrane chamber made from a porous material comprising a Knudsen number of between 0.01 and 10;
a solid oxide fuel cell housed within said thermal transpiration membrane chamber; and
a hydrocarbon fuel source;
wherein said device is configured to self sustain combustion of hydrocarbon fuel within said thermal transpiration membrane chamber from the hydrocarbon fuel source after ignition of said fuel thereby creating a temperature gradient between the inside and outside of said thermal transpiration membrane chamber, wherein the temperature within the inside of said thermal transpiration membrane chamber is higher than the temperature on the outside of said thermal transpiration membrane chamber, and whereby the hydrocarbon fuel from the hydrocarbon fuel source and ambient air comprising oxygen outside of said thermal transpiration membrane chamber flows through said thermal transpiration membrane chamber to the inside of said thermal transpiration membrane chamber.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The thermal transpiration-based single chamber solid oxide fuel cell power generation device of claim 1, further comprising a thermally-conductive thermal guard wherein said thermal guard surrounds said thermal transpiration membrane chamber.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The thermal transpiration-based single chamber solid oxide fuel cell power generation device of claim 2, wherein said thermal guard is made from iron.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The thermal transpiration-based single chamber solid oxide fuel cell power generation device of claim 3, wherein said thermal guard is cube-shaped and formed from six substantially equally sized plate-shaped portions.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The thermal transpiration-based single chamber solid oxide fuel cell power generation device of claim 4, wherein at least one of said plate-shaped portion of said thermal guard comprises an array of holes.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The thermal transpiration-based single chamber solid oxide fuel cell power generation device of claim 5, wherein each of said holes in said array of holes has an approximate diameter larger than the average diameter of the pores in said thermal transpiration membrane chamber.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The thermal transpiration-based single chamber solid oxide fuel cell power generation device of claim 6, wherein each of said holes in said array of holes has an approximate diameter of 250 μm.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The thermal transpiration-based single chamber solid oxide fuel cell power generation device of claim 7, wherein each of said holes in said array of holes is spaced approximately 500 μm apart.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The thermal transpiration-based single chamber solid oxide fuel cell power generation device of claim 1, wherein:
said porous material comprises glass microfibers; and
said thermal transpiration membrane chamber is cube-shaped and formed from six substantially equally sized glass microfiber transpiration membranes.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The thermal transpiration-based single chamber solid oxide fuel cell power generation device of claim 1, wherein the pores in the porous thermal transpiration membrane chamber comprise an average diameter of between about 1 μm and 3.1 μm.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The thermal transpiration-based single chamber solid oxide fuel cell power generation device of claim 1, wherein said solid oxide fuel cell comprises an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The thermal transpiration-based single chamber solid oxide fuel cell power generation device of claim 11, wherein said electrolyte is made from Sm0.2Ce0.8O1.9.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The thermal transpiration-based single chamber solid oxide fuel cell power generation device of claim 11, wherein said anode is made from NiO+Sm0.2Ce0.8O1.9.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The thermal transpiration-based single chamber solid oxide fuel cell power generation device of claim 11, wherein said cathode is made from Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-δ+Sm0.2Ce0.8O1.9.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The thermal transpiration-based single chamber solid oxide fuel cell power generation device of claim 1, further comprising a catalyst within said thermal transpiration membrane chamber.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The thermal transpiration-based single chamber solid oxide fuel cell power generation device of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon fuel source comprises a flow rate of between 5 and 70 mL/min when in use.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The thermal transpiration-based single chamber solid oxide fuel cell power generation device of claim 16, wherein the flow rate is about 15 mL/min.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The thermal transpiration-based single chamber solid oxide fuel cell power generation device of claim 1, wherein the Knudsen number is about 1.

### Claim 19 (depends on 2)

The thermal transpiration-based single chamber solid oxide fuel cell power generation device of claim 2, wherein the thermal conductive thermal guard has a volume of about 3×3×3 cm.

### Claim 20 (depends on 2)

The thermal transpiration-based single chamber solid oxide fuel cell power generation device of claim 2, wherein the thermal conductive thermal guard has a volume of about 2×2×2 cm.