Solid-oxide fuel cell hot assembly

An electrochemical apparatus comprising:

• an enclosure having a base, a top, and an outer wall extending therebetween;
• a vaporizer positioned generally centrally of said base, said vaporizer including a mixing orifice;
• at least one feed tube extending through said base into said vaporizer;
• a steam reformer positioned on top of said vaporizer and communicating with said mixing orifice, said steam reformer having a conductive end plate having a fuel orifice;
• a cell stack located above said steam reformer, said cell stack having at least one air passage and a fuel passage, wherein said fuel passage is registerable with said fuel orifice;
• a stack end plate closing said cell stack, said stack end plate having at least one air orifice in communication with said air passage;
• an electrically insulated sealing ring extending upwardly from said stack end plate outside said air orifice;
• an annular cap mounted on top of said sealing ring and having a hot air inlet;
• a can extending downwardly from said annular cap and defining an exhaust passage between the cell stack and said can, which communicates with an annular exhaust where within said base;
• porous thermal insulation surrounding and spaced from said can defining a hot air plenum therebetween;
• and
• a pin hole sheet surrounding said can and spaced inwardly from said enclosure to define a cold air plenum therebetween, wherein said cold air plenum receives coolant from a coolant supply via a coolant inlet, and said pin hole sheet is provided with a pattern of perforations adapted to channel said coolant toward said cell stack;
• and
• wherein the stack end plate is electrically connected to an electrical conductor that extends outside the enclosure.

An electrochemical apparatus comprising:

• a steam reformer having a mixing orifice, said mixing orifice being adapted to receive and mix vaporized water and fuel;
• a first end plate adjacent to the steam reformer, said first end plate having a fuel inlet communicating with the steam reformer, and at least one air inlet conduit in communication with an air supply;
• a solid oxide fuel cell stack positioned adjacent to said first end plate and having an air passage in communication with the air conduit and a fuel passage communicating with the fuel orifice;
• an electrically conductive second end plate located adjacent to the fuel cell stack opposite the first end plate;
• a first cylindrical wall extending upwardly from the first end plate spaced from said cell stack defining an annular passage therebetween;
• a second cylindrical wall extending from the first end plate opposite said first cylindrical wall spaced from the steam reformer defining an exhaust passage therebetween;
• at least one exhaust port formed within said first end plate, wherein the exhaust port communicates with the annular passage and the exhaust passage;
• an enclosure surrounding and spaced apart from the first and second cylindrical walls defining an open space therebetween, wherein the open space is at least partially filled with insulation and wherein the enclosure defines an annular exhaust exit in communication with the exhaust passage;
• and
• a sleeve extending outwardly from the enclosure defining a cold air plenum;
• wherein, the cold air plenum is in communication with the open space and a coolant supply.

An electrochemical apparatus comprising:

• a steam reformer having a mixing orifice, said mixing orifice being adapted to receive and mix vaporized water and fuel;
• a first end plate adjacent to the steam reformer, said first end plate having a fuel inlet communicating with the steam reformer, and at least one air inlet conduit in communication with an air supply;
• a solid oxide fuel cell stack positioned adjacent to said first end plate and having an air passage in communication with the air conduit and a fuel passage in communication with the fuel orifice;
• an electrically conductive second end plate located adjacent to the fuel cell stack opposite the first end plate;
• a first cylindrical wall extending upwardly from the first end plate spaced from said cell stack defining an annular passage therebetween;
• a second cylindrical wall extending from the first end plate opposite said first cylindrical wall spaced from the steam reformer defining an exhaust passage therebetween;
• at least one exhaust port formed within said first end plate, wherein the exhaust port communicates with the annular passage and the exhaust passage;
• an enclosure surrounding and spaced apart from the first and second cylindrical walls defining an open space therebetween, wherein the open space is at least partially filled with insulation and wherein the enclosure defines an annular exhaust exit in communication with the exhaust passage;
• a sleeve extending outwardly from the enclosure defining a cold air plenum;
• wherein, the cold air plenum is in communication with the open space and a coolant supply;
• and
• a biasing means extending from the enclosure within the first cylindrical wall;
• a biasing plate attached to a free end of the biasing means;
• a layer of freely moving insulation between the biasing plate and the second end plate;
• wherein the biasing plate includes a hole and
• a conducting element extends upwardly from the second end plate through the layer of freely moving insulation and the hole, wherein the conducting element has one end connected to a wire that extends outside the enclosure.

An electrochemical apparatus comprising:

• a steam reformer having a mixing orifice and a fuel orifice, said mixing orifice being adapted to receive and mix vaporized water and fuel;
• a first end plate adjacent to the steam reformer, said first end plate having a fuel inlet communicating with the fuel orifice, and at least one exhaust conduit;
• a cylindrical wall extending from the first end plate surrounding the steam reformer and spaced therefrom defining an exhaust passage therebetween, wherein the exhaust passage is in communication with the exhaust conduit;
• a solid oxide fuel cell stack sandwiched between the first end plate and a second end plate;
• said solid oxide fuel cell stack defining at least one exhaust passage in communication with the exhaust conduit and a fuel passage communicating with the fuel orifice;
• porous insulation surrounding the solid oxide fuel cell stack and spaced therefrom defining a hot air plenum therebetween;
• an enclosure surrounding said porous insulation wherein said enclosure defines an exhaust exit registerable with the exhaust passage, and wherein the enclosure is in communication with an oxidant gas supply;
• and
• wherein the second end plate is electrically connected to an electrical conductor that extends outside the enclosure.