Low-cost atmospheric SOFC power generation system

A solid oxide fuel cell generator having a top portion containing a lid comprising:

• (1) stacks of hollow, tubular axially elongated fuel cells having a center and having an open top and closed bottom, with interior air electrodes and exterior fuel electrodes with solid electrolyte therebetween, which can operate on feed oxidant and reformed feed fuel to generate electricity;
• (2) a single oxidant inlet plenum formed by enclosing insulation, including a bottom enclosing member having holes therethrough constituting an oxidant feed tube positioning board, located at the top portion of the fuel cell generator;
• (3) a feed fuel inlet plenum connected to a fuel entry board having holes therethrough at the bottom of the fuel cells, through which feed fuel can pass, both located at the bottom portion of the fuel cell generator;
• (4) reacted oxidant/exhaust fuel chamber, located above the fuel cells and below the oxidant inlet plenum;
• (5) power leads electrically connected to the fuel cells transverse to the axis of the fuel cells;
• (6) a plurality of oxidant feed tubes supported by the oxidant feed tube positioning board and passing through the reacted oxidant/exhaust fuel chamber into the center of the fuel cells;
• and
• (7) two spaced fuel cell support positioning boards which provide a fuel recirculation chamber for passing part of exhaust fuel in the form of partly depleted fuel to a pre-reformer associated with the generator;
• all surrounded by insulation;
• and all within an outer generator enclosure;
• where there are at least two fuel cell stacks arranged in a row next to each other, the oxidant feed tube positioning board at the bottom of the oxidant inlet plenum is a composite sandwich of woven ceramic fiber sheets impregnated with ceramic adhesive bonded to a porous core of alumino-silicate ceramic fibers bonded with an inorganic binder, wherein the insulation constitutes, primarily ceramic fibers, and where the top portion of the generator has a lid comprising a metal cover and attached insulation, allowing access to the oxidant feed tubes and the fuel cells.