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US 2026/0302269 A1Published application
Methods and systems for commercially producing tubular solid oxide fuel cells
AssigneeWATT Fuel Cell Corp.
InventorsCaine Finnerty, Mathew Isenberg, Anthony Dugan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present teachings relate to methods and systems for making tubular ceramic green bodies that are convertible to tubular solid oxide fuel cells.
Claims30
A method for producing tubular ceramic green bodies comprising:
- providing a cartridge comprising a plurality of mandrel-spindle assemblies, the lengths of the plurality of mandrel-spindle assemblies being parallel to each other and in the same horizontal plane along the cartridge, wherein the cartridge is adapted to rotate each of the plurality of mandrel-spindle assemblies and wherein each of the mandrel-spindle assemblies comprises a mandrel component and a spindle component, the mandrel component being a heat shrinkable tube, a fugitive tube or a coating on the spindle component, the external surface of which corresponds to the internal surface of the tubular ceramic green body to be produced and the internal surface of which defines a bore, the spindle component being in close fitting but removable contact therewith;
- rotating the plurality of mandrel-spindle assemblies and applying an anode-forming layer to each of the respective mandrels of the plurality of rotating mandrel-spindle assemblies of the cartridge to form a plurality of anode-forming green bodies about each respective spindle;
- inspecting each of the plurality of anode-forming green bodies for defects;
- rotating the plurality of anode-forming green bodies and applying an interface-forming layer to each of the respective anode-forming green bodies of the plurality of rotating anode-forming green bodies of the cartridge to form a plurality of multiple layered green bodies about each respective spindle;
- inspecting each of the plurality of multiple layered green bodies for defects;
- rotating the plurality of multiple layered green bodies and applying an electrolyte-forming layer to each of the respective multiple layered green bodies of the plurality of rotating multiple layered green bodies of the cartridge to form a plurality of tubular ceramic green bodies about each respective spindle;
- inspecting each of the plurality of tubular ceramic green bodies for defects;
- and
- removing any spindle comprising a tubular ceramic green body which was identified as having a defect during the inspections, prior to firing the tubular ceramic green body.
6 more elements
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A method of forming multiple tubular ceramic green bodies comprising:
- providing a cartridge comprising a plurality of mandrel-spindle assemblies, the lengths of the plurality of mandrel-spindle assemblies being parallel to each other and in the same horizontal plane along the cartridge, wherein the cartridge is adapted to rotate each of the plurality of mandrel-spindle assemblies and wherein each of the mandrel-spindle assemblies comprises a mandrel component and a spindle component, the mandrel component being a heat shrinkable tube, a fugitive tube or a coating on the spindle component, the external surface of which corresponds to the internal surface of the tubular ceramic green bodies thereon and the internal surface of which defines a bore, the spindle component being in close fitting but removable contact therewith, and a tubular ceramic green body about each mandrel-spindle assembly;
- and
- cutting with a laser the tubular ceramic green bodies into multiple, smaller tubular ceramic green bodies along each mandrel-spindle assembly.
-32. (canceled).
A system for producing tubular ceramic green bodies comprising:
- a cartridge comprising a plurality of mandrel-spindle assemblies, the lengths of the plurality of mandrel-spindle assemblies being parallel to each other and in the same plane along the cartridge, wherein the cartridge is adapted to rotate each of the plurality of mandrel-spindle assemblies and wherein each of the mandrel-spindle assemblies comprises a mandrel component and a spindle component, the mandrel component being a heat shrinkable tube, a fugitive tube or a coating on the spindle component, the external surface of which corresponds to the internal surface of the tubular ceramic green body to be produced and the internal surface of which defines a bore, the spindle component being in close fitting but removable contact therewith;
- a first printer station, wherein an anode-forming layer is applied to each of the respective mandrels of a plurality of rotating mandrel-spindle assemblies of the cartridge to form a plurality of anode-forming green bodies about each respective mandrel;
- a second printer station, wherein an interface-forming layer is applied to each of the respective anode-forming green bodies of a plurality of rotating anode-forming green bodies of the cartridge to form a plurality of multiple layered green bodies about each respective mandrel;
- a third printer station, wherein the electrolyte-forming layer is applied to each of the respective multiple layered green bodies of a plurality of rotating multiple layered green bodies of the cartridge to form a tubular ceramic green body;
- an inspection station, wherein the anode-forming layer, the interface-forming layer, and the electrolyte-forming layer are inspected for defects after their formation and the identity of any mandrel-spindle assembly of the cartridge having any defects is identified;
- and
- a controller to automate the movement of the cartridge from the first print station to the inspection station, to the second printer station and the inspection station, and to the third printer station and the inspection station.
4 more elements
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.