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Bipolar, tilted embodiments of high temperature, molten electrolyte electrochemical cells capable of directly converting carbon fuel to electrical energy are disclosed herein. The bipolar, tilted configurations minimize the electrical resistance between one cell and others connected in electrical se

Bipolar, tilted embodiments of high temperature, molten electrolyte electrochemical cells capable of directly converting carbon fuel to electrical energy are disclosed herein. The bipolar, tilted configurations minimize the electrical resistance between one cell and others connected in electrical series. The tilted configuration also allows continuous refueling of carbon fuel.

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1. An apparatus comprising:an anode current collector; a cathode current collector; a porous ceramic separator, wherein said separator is sandwiched between said cathode current collector and said anode current collector and said anode current collector is at a higher elevation than said cathode cur

1. An apparatus comprising:an anode current collector; a cathode current collector; a porous ceramic separator, wherein said separator is sandwiched between said cathode current collector and said anode current collector and said anode current collector is at a higher elevation than said cathode current collector; an anode plate and rib assembly comprising a plate and a plurality of ribs, wherein said anode plate and rib assembly is positioned such that said ribs are electrically connected to said anode current collector to form a plurality of anode channels; a cathode plate and rib assembly comprising a plate and a plurality of ribs, wherein said cathode plate and rib assembly is positioned such that said ribs are electrically connected to said cathode current collector to form a plurality of cathode channels; a means for entry to said anode channels of a plurality of particles, wherein said particles consist essentially of carbon, electrolyte, or mixtures thereof; a means for entry of a gas containing both oxygen and carbon-dioxide to said cathode channels; a means for exit of carbon dioxide gas and excess molten electrolyte from said anode channels; and a means for exit of gaseous byproducts and excess molten electrolyte from said cathode channels, wherein said cell assembly is substantially planar and rectangular and tilted at an acute angle to the horizontal in a configuration such that said means of entry are positioned at a higher elevation than said means of exit and that said anode plate and rib assembly is positioned at a higher elevation than said cathode plate and rib assembly. 2. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the acute angle to the horizontal is between about 15 degrees and about 60 degrees.3. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said carbon/electrolyte mixture is entrained in a carrier gas.4. The apparatus recited in claim 3, wherein said carrier gas is an inert gas, an unreactive gas or a sparsely reactive gas.5. The apparatus recited in claim 4, wherein said inert gas is helium, neon or argon.6. The apparatus recited in claim 4, wherein said unreactive gas is nitrogen.7. The apparatus recited in claim 4, wherein said sparsely reactive gas is carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide.8. The apparatus recited in claim 1, further comprising a means for flowing said oxygen-containing gas through said cathode channels.9. The apparatus recited in claim 8, wherein said means for flowing said oxygen-containing gas through said cathode channels is pressure-driven convection or thermally-driven convection.10. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said porous ceramic separator is saturated with molten electrolyte during operation.11. The apparatus recited in claim 1, said porous ceramic separator is a non-reactive metal oxide selected from the group consisting of ZrO2, MgO, LiAlO2, CaO, Al2O3, rare earth oxides, and combinations thereof.12. The apparatus recited in claim 11, wherein the non-reactive metal oxide is constructed in the form of a cloth, felt, fabric, porous planar plate, or porous tubular plate.13. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the anode plate, the cathode plate, and the ribs comprise a metal, metal alloy, metalloid or graphite.14. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein gas containing oxygen and carbon dioxide comprises air mixed with carbon dioxide such that the ratio of carbon-dioxide to oxygen has a ratio ranging from 0.5 to 4.15. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the electrolyte comprises metal carbonates.16. The apparatus recited in claim 15, wherein the metal carbonates comprise a mixture of one or more components selected from the group consisting of Li2CO3, K2CO3, and Na2CO3.17. The apparatus recited in claim 15, wherein the metal carbonates comprise the mole ratio of 38% Li2CO3/62% K2CO3.18. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the anode current collector is a porous metal structure that will not melt at the operating temperature of the cell or a porous metalloid structure that will not melt at the operating temperature of the cell.19. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the anode current collector comprises a grid, felt, screen, foam, mesh, sponge or sintered frit.20. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the cathode current collector comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Ni, Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, Cu, Co, alloys thereof, and Fe alloys thereof.21. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said cathode current collector is a grid, felt, screen, foam, mesh or sintered fit.22. An apparatus comprising:at least two bipolar, high temperature, molten electrolyte cell assemblies, wherein each cell assembly comprises: a porous ceramic separator; a cathode current collector; an anode current collector, wherein said separator is sandwiched between said cathode current collector and said anode current collector and said anode current collector is at a higher elevation than said cathode current collector; a cathode plate and rib assembly comprising a plate and a plurality of ribs, wherein said cathode plate and rib assembly is positioned such that said ribs are in contact with said cathode current collector and form a plurality of cathode channels; an anode plate and rib assembly comprising a plate and a plurality of ribs, wherein said anode plate and rib assembly is positioned such that said ribs are in contact with said anode current collector and form a plurality of anode channels; a means for entry to said anode channels of a plurality of particles, wherein said particles consist essentially of carbon, electrolyte, or mixtures thereof; a means for entry of a gas containing oxygen and carbon-dioxide to said cathode channels; a means for exit of carbon dioxide gas and excess molten electrolyte from said anode channels; and a means for exit of gaseous byproducts and excess molten salt from said cathode channels, wherein said cell assembly is substantially planar and rectangular and tilted at an acute angle to the horizontal in a configuration such that said means of entry are positioned at a higher elevation than said means of exit; and wherein said cell assemblies are connected in electrical series. 23. An apparatus comprising:(1) an anode compartment comprising (a) a plurality of anode plate and rib assemblies each comprising a plate and a plurality of ribs, (b) a plurality of anode channels, (c) a plurality of anode current collectors, wherein each anode plate and rib assembly is positioned such that said ribs are electrically connected to one anode current collector to form anode channels, (d) a means for entry to said anode channels of a plurality of particles, wherein said particles consist essentially of carbon, electrolyte, or mixtures thereof, and (e) a means for exit of carbon dioxide gas and excess molten electrolyte from said anode channels; (2) a cathode compartment comprising (a) a plurality of cathode plate and rib assemblies each comprising a plate and a plurality of ribs, (b) a plurality of cathode channels, (c) a plurality of cathode current collectors, wherein each cathode plate and rib assembly is positioned such that said ribs are electrically connected to one cathode current collector to form cathode channels, (d) a means for entry of a gas containing oxygen and carbon-dioxide to said cathode channels, and (e) a means for exit of gaseous byproducts from said cathode channels; (3) a plurality of porous ceramic separators, wherein each separator is sandwiched between one of said cathode current collectors and one of said anode current collectors to form a bipolar cell assembly, wherein said cell assemblies are connected in series and tilted at an acute angle to the horizontal such that said means of entry are at a higher elevation than said means of exit and said anode compartment is at a higher elevation than said cathode compartment; (4) an anode inlet manifold providing the means for entry of said plurality of particles to said anode channels; (5) an anode exhaust manifold providing the means for exit of said carbon dioxide and excess molten electrolyte from said anode channels, wherein said anode exhaust manifold communicates with a sump; (6) a cathode inlet manifold providing the means for entry of said gas containing oxygen and carbon-dioxide to said cathode channels; (7) a cathode exhaust manifold providing the means for exit of said gaseous byproducts and excess molten electrolyte from said cathode channels; and (8) a sump to collect the excess molten electrolyte. 24. The apparatus recited in claim 23, wherein said mixture of carbon and electrolyte consist essentially of carbon particles ground together with solid electrolyte particles to form an intimate mixture.25. An apparatus comprising:an anode current collector; a cathode current collector; a porous ceramic separator, wherein said separator is sandwiched between said cathode current collector and said anode current collector and said anode current collector is at a higher elevation than said cathode current collector; an anode plate and rib assembly comprising a plate and a plurality of ribs, wherein said anode plate and rib assembly is positioned such that said ribs are electrically connected to said anode current collector to form a plurality of anode channels; and a cathode plate and rib assembly comprising a plate and a plurality of ribs, wherein said cathode plate and rib assembly is positioned such that said ribs are electrically connected to said cathode current collector to form a plurality of cathode channels; wherein said cell assembly is substantially planar and rectangular and tilted at an acute angle to the horizontal in a configuration such that said anode plate and rib assembly is positioned at a higher elevation than said cathode plate and rib assembly. 26. The apparatus recited in claim 25, wherein the acute angle to the horizontal is between about 15 degrees and about 60 degrees.27. The apparatus recited in claim 25, wherein said carbon/electrolyte mixture is entrained in a carrier gas.28. The apparatus recited in claim 27, wherein said carrier gas is an inert gas, an unreactive gas or a sparsely reactive gas.29. The apparatus recited in claim 28, wherein said inert gas is helium, neon or argon.30. The apparatus recited in claim 28, wherein said unreactive gas is nitrogen.31. The apparatus recited in claim 28, wherein said sparsely reactive gas is carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide.