초록 ▼

Molten carbonate fuel cells having anodes, cathodes, and matrices of specific characteristics result in improved cell performance as electrolyte is lost due to evaporation, reaction, etc. The anode has a mean pore diameter less than that of the cathode, a porosity sufficient to contain enough electr

Molten carbonate fuel cells having anodes, cathodes, and matrices of specific characteristics result in improved cell performance as electrolyte is lost due to evaporation, reaction, etc. The anode has a mean pore diameter less than that of the cathode, a porosity sufficient to contain enough electrolyte to provide for the electrolyte lost, and a ratio of maximum pore diameter at 90% electrolyte fill to maximum pore diameter at 10% electrolyte fill of less than about three. The cathode has a larger mean pore size than that of the anode, a thickness greater than about 0.050 cm, a porosity greater than about 78%, and pore-size distribution such that, when the anode electrolyte content changes from 90% to 10% fill, the cathode electrolyte content changes from about 40% to about 25% fill. In addition, the cathode has about 20% of its pore volumes in pores less than about 0.5m2/g. The matrix has a pore size distribution such that greater than 98% of the matrix is filled with electrolyte when the anode is 10% filled with electrolyte.

대표청구항 ▼

A fuel cell including an electrolyte-matrix containing an alkali metal carbonate electrolyte which is molten during operation of the fuel cell, an anode electrode in contact with the electrolyte-matrix and a cathode electrode spaced apart from the anode electrode and in contact with the electrolyte-

A fuel cell including an electrolyte-matrix containing an alkali metal carbonate electrolyte which is molten during operation of the fuel cell, an anode electrode in contact with the electrolyte-matrix and a cathode electrode spaced apart from the anode electrode and in contact with the electrolyte-matrix wherein the improvement comprises: (a) the anode having a mean pore diameter less than that of the cathode; (b) the anode having a porosity sufficient to contain enough electrolyte to provide for the electrolyte lost during normal operation of the cell; and (c) the anode having a ratio of maximum pore diameter at 90% electrolyte fill to maximum pore diameter at 10% electrolyte fill of less than about three.