# US 2020/0403261 A1 · Assembly comprising a soec/sofc-type solid oxide stack, a clamping system, and a heat exchange system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0403261 A1 - Document ID: US20200403261A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/954,888 - Filed: 2018-12-18 - Published: 2020-12-24 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-19 - Assignees: Commissariat A L'energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives - Applicants: Commissariat A L'energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives - Inventors: Charlotte BERNARD; Michel PLANQUE; Guilhem ROUX - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200403261A1 ## CPC - H01M 8/1213: characterised by the electrode/electrolyte combination or the supporting material - C25B 1/04: by electrolysis of water - C25B 1/042: by electrolysis of steam - C25B 9/23: comprising ion-exchange membranes in or on which electrode material is embedded - C25B 9/70: Assemblies comprising two or more cells - C25B 9/75: having bipolar electrodes - C25B 9/77: having diaphragms - C25B 15/08: Supplying or removing reactants or electrolytes; Regeneration of electrolytes - H01M 8/0247: characterised by the form (characterised by a channel configuration H01M8/0258) - H01M 8/0278: {O-rings} - H01M 8/0282: Inorganic material - H01M 8/04014: Heat exchange using gaseous fluids; Heat exchange by combustion of reactants - H01M 8/12: operating at high temperature, e.g. with stabilised ZrO2 electrolyte - H01M 8/2432: Grouping of unit cells of planar configuration - H01M 8/247: Arrangements for tightening a stack, for accommodation of a stack in a tank or for assembling different tanks - H01M 8/2475: Enclosures, casings or containers of fuel cell stacks - H01M 8/248: Means for compression of the fuel cell stacks - H01M 8/249: comprising two or more groupings of fuel cells, e.g. modular assemblies - H01M 2008/1293: {Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes} - Y02E 60/36: Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis - Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - C25B: ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR (anodic or cathodic protection C23F13/00; single-crystal growth C30B) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract An assembly includes an SOEC/SOFC-type solid oxide stack, a clamping system for clamping the stack, including at least two clamping rods that can be used to assemble upper and lower clamping plates, and a coupling system for high-temperature fluid-tight coupling of the stack to a heating system for supplying and discharging gas. The coupling system includes a collector with collection ducts for supplying and discharging gas, each provided with a collecting port positioned facing a corresponding communication port of at least one of the upper and lower clamping plates, and seals each placed between a collecting port and a corresponding communication port. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-14. (canceled) ### Claim 15 An assembly, comprising: an SOEC/SOFC-type solid oxide stack operating at a high temperature, including a plurality of electrochemical cells each formed by a cathode, an anode and an electrolyte interposed between the cathode and the anode, and a plurality of intermediate interconnectors each arranged between two adjacent electrochemical cells; a clamping system for the SOEC/SOFC-type solid oxide stack, including an upper clamping plate and a lower clamping plate, between which the SOEC/SOFC-type solid oxide stack is sandwiched, each clamping plate including at least two clamping holes, the clamping system further including: at least two clamping rods each for extending through a clamping hole of the upper clamping plate and through a corresponding clamping hole of the lower clamping plate for assembling the upper and lower clamping plates to each other, and clamping means at each clamping hole of the upper and lower clamping plates for cooperating with said at least two clamping rods for assembling the upper and lower clamping plates therebetween; and a high temperature sealed coupling system for coupling said SOEC/SOFC-type solid oxide stack to a heating system for gas feed and outlet, the coupling system being detachable and enabling said SOEC/SOFC-type solid oxide stack to be electrically insulated, wherein the coupling system includes: a collector comprising at least two collecting ducts for gas feed and outlet each provided with a collecting hole positioned facing a corresponding communication hole of at least one of the upper and lower clamping plates, and at least two seals each placed between a collecting hole and a corresponding communication hole. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The assembly according to claim 15, wherein said at least two seals are made of mica. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The assembly according to claim 16, wherein the thickness of said at least two mica seals is lower than or equal to 0.3 mm. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The assembly according to claim 15, wherein said at least two seals are made of metal. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The assembly according to claim 18, wherein said at least two seals are bi-delta type O-ring seals, having a rectangle shaped cross-section both opposite longer sides of which each include a triangular-shaped projecting annular portion, both projecting portions being superimposed on each other. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The assembly according to claim 18, wherein said at least two seals are C-ring type seals, having a C-shaped cross-section. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The assembly according to claim 15, wherein the collecting holes of said at least two collecting ducts of the collector are positioned facing corresponding communication holes of the lower clamping plate such that the stress applied to said at least two seals for coupling sealing is only exerted by the weight of the stack equipped with the clamping system. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The assembly according to claim 15, wherein the collector includes at least one securing through hole through which a clamping rod of the clamping system can completely pass, and wherein the coupling system includes a securing means for securing the collector to said at least one of the upper and lower clamping plates cooperating with the portion of the clamping rod having passed through said at least one securing hole. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The assembly according to claim 22, wherein the clamping rod is threaded and wherein the securing means is a securing nut. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The assembly according to claim 23, wherein the threaded clamping rod and/or the securing nut are coated with a high temperature anti-seize paste. ### Claim 25 (depends on 15) The assembly according to claim 15, wherein said at least two collecting ducts of the collector are each coupled with said at least one of the upper and lower clamping plates through a sealed detachable connector. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The assembly according to claim 25, wherein the sealed detachable connector is formed by a high temperature sealed coupling system, including: a hollow base at least partially threaded on an external surface called a threaded base, made integral with said at least one of the upper and lower clamping plates and secured to an inner communication duct of the stack, the threaded base including a communication hole, a hollow base having an at least partially smooth external surface called a smooth base, made integral with the collector and secured to a collecting duct of the collector, the smooth base including a collecting hole, the smooth base and the threaded base being positioned facing each other for being fluidly communicated with each other, and a threaded nut configured to cooperate with the threaded base to form a screw/nut system and able to slide with respect to the smooth base, the threaded nut including, on an internal surface, a first threaded portion cooperating with the thread of the threaded base and a second smooth portion in slidable contact on the smooth external surface of the smooth base. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The assembly according to claim 26, wherein the smooth base, the threaded nut and the threaded base are made of a nickel-based superalloy and/or austenitic stainless steel ### Claim 28 (depends on 15) A system, including: the assembly according to claim 15; and a heating system coupled with said SOEC/SOFC-type solid oxide stack of the assembly through the coupling system of the assembly for gas feed and outlet.