Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus – product – and – Having magnetic field feature
Patent
1992-10-14
1994-08-16
Gorgos, Kathryn
Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and
Having magnetic field feature
429 30, 429 40, 429 44, 429 34, H01M 824, H01M 200
Patent
active
053386213
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to an apparatus of the generic type for the conversion of chemical energy of a fuel into electrical energy with a plurality of high-temperature fuel cells layered parallel to one another with a solid electrolyte, an oxygen electrode, a fuel electrode, a separating plate between adjacent fuel cells, with current collectors between a separating plate and the respective opposing adjacent electrode for the electrically conductive connection of adjacent fuel cells, and with members for supplying and carrying off the gaseous media.
Fuel cells with ceramic solid electrolytes have been described many times in numerous publications. Some of the multitude of available publications are indicated as follows only by way of example:
The known fuel cell constructions and arrangements do not yet satisfy modern industrial requirements respecting reliability and management of operation, constancy of temperature, service life and simplicity of maintenance. The object of the present invention is, therefore, to simplify such devices and to improve their operation management, particularly to improve, ensure and simplify the constructional and electrical conditions. It is a particular object of the present invention to ensure a uniform supply of air and combustion gas to the electrochemically active surfaces and a faultless transmission of current from a fuel cell to an adjacent fuel cell while preventing transverse currents in the electrodes, wherein the gaseous media can be guided to and from the electrodes in such a way that the most uniform possible operating temperature can be achieved over the entire electrode surface in an inexpensive manufacture, with low-cost maintenance and quick exchangeability of individual elements and with a long service life.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This object is met according to invention by the providing an apparatus, of the above-described generic type, in which the oxygen electrode comprises Mn oxides doped with SrO and having a Cr surface layer, and wherein the fuel electrode comprises Ni/ZrO.sub.2 cermet with a Ni surface layer, and further wherein the separating plate is constructed as a hollow body for guiding, distributing and collecting gaseous media, and wherein a highly elastic constructional element in the form of a gas-permeable intermediate layer, acting as high-temperature spring, is provided between the separating plate and the current collectors.
In contrast to the solution known from the prior art, the invention has the particular advantages that the supply of gaseous fuel and of the gaseous oxygen carrier to the individual electrodes can be effected simultaneously practically vertically relative to the entire surface. Accordingly, a uniform concentration of these gaseous media, i.e. also a uniform electrochemical conversion and accordingly a uniform temperature of the fuel cell along the entire electrode surface (quasi-isothermal operation), is achieved.
By constructing the separating plate as a hollow body with additional profiling, the problems of maintaining a constant temperature, supplying and carrying off the same gaseous media, and maintaining and exchanging in the event of disturbances are solved optimally in a simple manner.
A uniform mechanical and electrical charging of all contact points on the electrodes is achieved by means of the gas-permeable ceramic intermediate layers supported on the separating plate which act vertically relative to the plane of the plate as a high-temperature spring and press the current collectors against the opposing electrodes of two adjacent fuel cells in a uniform manner and over a large surface area. Local overloading, burning through and additional current heat losses are accordingly prevented.
The magnitude of the electrode surface is not encumbered by the usual narrow limits imposed by contact problems and difficulties in guiding gaseous media. A plurality of ceramic electrolyte plates of smaller dimensions can even be arranged adjacent to one another between two large surf
REFERENCES:
patent: 3400054 (1968-09-01), Ruka et al.
patent: 4416747 (1983-11-01), Menth et al.
Tanabe et al., Cathodic Polarization Characteristics at the Oxygen Electrode/Stabilized Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3 Solid Electrolyte Interface; 2369 Electrochimica Acta, 31(1986) Jul.; No. 7, Oxford, Gr. Britain, pp. 801-809.
Japanese Abstract 63-97657 Oct. 1989.
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