Solid oxide fuel cell power plant having a fixed contact oxidation catalyzed section of a multi-section cathode air heat exchanger

A solid oxide fuel cell power plant for generating an electrical current, the power plant comprising:

• a. a solid oxide fuel cell having a cathode inlet line and an anode exhaust line;
• b. a multi-section cathode air heat exchanger secured in fluid communication with the cathode inlet line and the anode exhaust line, the heat exchanger including:
• i. a first heat-exchange section including opposed top and bottom walls and that defines a plurality of cold air channels between the walls and that are secured in fluid communication with the cathode inlet line for directing the oxidant reactant from the cathode inlet line through the plurality of cold air channels, the first heat-exchange section also defining a plurality of hot air channels between the walls and secured in direct heat-exchange relationship with and in fluid isolation from the first heat-exchange section cold air channels;
• ii. a second heat-exchange section including opposed top and bottom walls and that defines a plurality of cold air channels between the walls that are secured in fluid communication with the cold air channels of the first heat-exchange section, the second heat-exchange section also defining a plurality of hot air channels secured in direct heat-exchange relationship with and in fluid isolation from the second heat-exchange section cold air channels, the bottom wall of the second heat-exchange section being secured adjacent the top wall of the first heat-exchange section;
• and,
• iii. an oxidation catalyzed section including opposed top and bottom walls and that defines a plurality of cold air channels between the walls and that are secured in fluid communication with the cold air channels of the second section, the oxidation catalyzed section also defining a plurality of hot air channels secured in direct heat-exchange relationship with and in fluid isolation from the oxidation catalyzed section cold air channels, the oxidation catalyzed section hot air channels secured in fluid communication with the anode exhaust line, with the second section hot air channels and with the first section hot air channels for directing the anode exhaust through the hot air channels of the multi-section cathode air heat exchanger, and the oxidation catalyzed section hot air channels including an oxidation catalyst secured to interior walls of the oxidation catalyzed section hot air channels for burning the anode exhaust within the oxidation catalyzed hot air channels, the bottom wall of the oxidation catalyzed section being secured adjacent the top wall of the second heat-exchange section;
• and,
• iv. wherein, the hot air channels of the oxidation catalyzed section define a surface area A and a void volume B, defined by the surface area A, and are configured so that a fixed contact ratio of A/B of the hot air channels is between about 900 m2/m3 and about 7,500 m2/m3, and wherein the cold air channels of the oxidation catalyzed section defines a surface area C and a void volume D, defined by the void volume C, and are configured so that a fixed contact ratio of the cold air channels is between about 900 m2/m3 and about 7,500 m2/m3.