US 9,958,406 B1Granted

Method of measurement and estimation of the coefficient of thermal expansion in components

AssigneeBloom Energy Corporation

InventorsCheng-Yu Lin, Daniel Darga, Michael Groesch, Harald Herchen, Vijay Srivatsan

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Abstract

Methods and systems for measuring and/or estimating a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of a component of a fuel cell system. A CTE measurement technique includes securing a measurement member over a surface of the component via a seal having a melting point, heating the seal above its melting point of the seal, cooling the component, measurement member and seal to a second temperature below the melting point of the seal, and determining the CTE of the component based on the change in the span of the measurement member after cooling. A fuel cell component characterization technique includes measuring an electrical resistivity (ER), conductivity (EC), resistance or conductance of the component, measuring at least one additional property of the component which, together with ER, EC, resistance or conductance, correlates to the CTE of the component, and sorting the component based on the measurements.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A method for measuring a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of a component of a fuel cell system, comprising:

securing a measurement member over a surface of the component via a seal having a melting point, the measurement member being secured to a first portion of the seal and a second portion of the seal;
heating the component, measurement member and seal to a first temperature above the melting point of the seal;
cooling the component, measurement member and seal to a second temperature below the melting point of the seal;
measuring a length of the measurement member at the second temperature;
measuring a distance between the first portion of the seal and the second portion of the seal;
calculating the difference in temperature between the melting point of the seal and the second temperature;
and
determining the CTE of the component based on the length of the measurement member after cooling, a distance between the first and second portions of the seal and the difference in temperature between the melting point of the seal and the second temperature.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.