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US RE50,583 E1Granted
Solid oxide fuel cell unit
AssigneeCeres Intellectual Property Company Limited
InventorsAndrew Ballard, Tomasz Domanski, Jon Harman, Alan Robertson
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Abstract
The present invention relates to an improved metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit, fuel cell stacks, fuel cell stack assemblies, and methods of manufacture.
Claims23
A metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit comprising:
- a) a metal substrate defining first and second opposed surfaces, wherein at least one solid oxide fuel cell is disposed on said second surface of said metal substrate;
- b) a metal spacer, which defines first and second opposed surfaces, said metal spacer comprising:
- (i) an external perimeter,
- (ii) at least one fuel inlet internal perimeter defining a fuel inlet port,
- (iii) at least one cut-out internal perimeter defining a cut-out, and
- (iv) at least one fuel outlet internal perimeter defining a fuel outlet port,
- wherein said first surface of said metal substrate is attached to said second surface of said metal spacer;
- and
- c) a metal interconnect plate which defines first and second opposed surfaces, said second surface of said metal interconnect plate sealingly attached to said first surface of said metal spacer,
- wherein:
- a fuel inlet port volume is defined between said first surface of said metal substrate,
- each fuel inlet internal perimeter of said metal spacer, and said second surface of said metal interconnect plate,
- a cut-out volume is defined between said first surface of said metal substrate, said at least one cut-out internal perimeter of said metal spacer, and said second surface of said metal interconnect plate, and
- a fuel outlet port volume is defined between said first surface of said metal substrate,
- each fuel outlet internal perimeter of said metal spacer, and said second surface of said metal interconnect plate,
- wherein said metal interconnect plate comprises a plurality of bridge portions defining a fluid flow path from said at least one fuel inlet port volume to said at least one cut-out volume to said at least one fuel outlet port volume.
13 more elements
A method of assembly of a metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit, the metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit comprising:
- a) a metal substrate defining first and second opposed surfaces, wherein at least one solid oxide fuel cell is disposed on said second surface of said metal substrate;
- b) a metal spacer, which defines first and second opposed surfaces, said metal spacer comprising:
- (i) an external perimeter,
- (ii) at least one fuel inlet internal perimeter defining a fuel inlet port,
- (iii) at least one cut-out internal perimeter defining a cut-out, and
- (iv) at least one fuel outlet internal perimeter defining a fuel outlet port;
- and
- c) a metal interconnect plate which defines first and second opposed surfaces,
- said method of assembly comprising the steps of:
- (i) attaching said first surface of said metal substrate to said second surface of said metal spacer;
- and
- (ii) sealingly attaching said second surface of said metal interconnect plate to said first surface of said metal spacer,
- wherein:
- a fuel inlet port volume is defined between said first surface of said metal substrate,
- each fuel inlet internal perimeter of said metal spacer, and said second surface of said metal interconnect plate,
- a cut-out volume is defined between said first surface of said metal substrate, said at least one cut-out internal perimeter of said metal spacer, and said second surface of said metal interconnect plate, and
- a fuel outlet port volume is defined between said first surface of said metal substrate,
- each fuel outlet internal perimeter of said metal spacer, and said second surface of said metal interconnect plate,
- wherein said metal interconnect plate comprises a plurality of bridge portions defining a fluid flow path from said at least one fuel inlet port volume to said at least one cut-out volume to said at least one fuel outlet port volume.
16 more elements
A metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit, comprising:
- a) a metal substrate defining first and second opposed surfaces, wherein at least one solid oxide fuel cell is disposed on said second surface of said metal substrate;
- b) a metal spacer, which defines first and second opposed surfaces, said metal spacer comprising a port internal perimeter defining a port, wherein said first surface of said metal substrate is attached to said second surface of said metal spacer;
- and
- c) a metal interconnect plate which defines first and second opposed surfaces, said second surface of said metal interconnect plate sealingly attached to said first surface of said metal spacer;
- wherein:
- a port volume is defined between said first surface of said metal substrate, said port internal perimeter of said metal spacer, and said second surface of said metal interconnect plate;
- said metal interconnect plate comprises a bridge portion defining a fluid flow path through which said port volume is coupled to an adjacent volume in the solid oxide fuel cell unit;
- and
- said bridge portion defines a volume between said first surface of said metal spacer and said second surface of said metal interconnect plate.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.