Solid oxide fuel cell stack having an integral gas distribution manifold
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
H01M-002/14
H01M-002/08
H01M-008/12
H01M-008/04
출원번호
UP-0406958
(2006-04-19)
등록번호
US-7771884
(2010-08-30)
발명자
/ 주소
Haltiner, Jr., Karl J.
Vordonis, James S.
O'Brien, John F.
출원인 / 주소
Delphi Technololgies, Inc.
대리인 / 주소
Twomey, Thomas N.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
4
초록▼
An SOFC stack module including an integral individual stack manifold containing all of the gas pathways necessary for supply and exhaust of fuel gas and cathode air to and from the stack chimneys. The stack is mounted and hermetically joined directly to the manifold without an intermediate base plat
An SOFC stack module including an integral individual stack manifold containing all of the gas pathways necessary for supply and exhaust of fuel gas and cathode air to and from the stack chimneys. The stack is mounted and hermetically joined directly to the manifold without an intermediate base plate. Flanges at the inlet and outlet ports couple to system distributary manifolds via high temperature sealing joints. The manifold preferably is fabricated of a ferritic stainless steel, and may be formed in a one-piece casting, a combination of multiple castings and stamped plates metallurgically joined (brazed or welded together), or stamped from sheet metal stock. Preferably, the manifold includes fin structures extending into adjacent fuel gas and cathode air chambers to enhance balancing of temperatures by heat exchange therebetween. Heat exchange may be further improved by configuring the manifold to have a plurality of interleaved anode and cathode gas supply chambers.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. A fuel cell stack module comprising: a) a fuel cell stack including an anode fuel cell stack and a cathode fuel cell stack and a plurality of individual fuel cell units; and b) a manifold for supplying fuel gas fluid and cathode air fluid to said respective anode and cathode
What is claimed is: 1. A fuel cell stack module comprising: a) a fuel cell stack including an anode fuel cell stack and a cathode fuel cell stack and a plurality of individual fuel cell units; and b) a manifold for supplying fuel gas fluid and cathode air fluid to said respective anode and cathode fuel cell stacks in the fuel cell stack and to exhaust fuel gas exhaust fluid and cathode air exhaust fluid from said respective anode and cathode fuel cell stacks in the fuel cell stack, said manifold being attached to and integral with said fuel cell stack, and the manifold including, a partitioned anode fluid distribution element having a first anode surface and a second anode surface opposite the first anode surface, and the anode fluid distribution element including an anode fuel gas inlet chamber being adapted for flow of the supplied fuel gas fluid therethrough, and said anode fluid distribution element configured to route the supplied fuel gas fluid to the said fuel cell stack and to route the fuel gas exhaust fluid from said fuel cell stack; a partitioned cathode fluid distribution element overlying the anode fluid distribution element and having a first cathode surface and a second cathode surface opposite the first cathode surface, and the cathode fluid distribution element including a cathode air inlet chamber being adapted for flow of the supplied cathode air fluid therethrough, and the first cathode surface being in connection to the fuel cell stack, said cathode fluid distribution element configured to provide flow management for the supplied cathode air fluid to the fuel cell stack and for exhausting the cathode air exhaust fluid from the fuel cell stack, and the cathode fluid distribution element including a plurality of openings for fluid communication at the first cathode surface of the fluids between the manifold and the fuel cell stack; and a separator plate overlying the anode fluid distribution element and disposed between the anode and the cathode fluid distribution element, said plate including a first plate surface and a second plate surface opposite the first plate surface, said first plate surface being in connection to the second cathode surface and the second separator surface being in connection to the first anode surface, wherein the plate is configured to enclose the chambers such that the supplied fuel gas fluid flows in the anode gas inlet chamber in the anode fluid distribution element and the supplied cathode air fluid flows in the cathode air inlet chamber in the cathode fluid distribution element. 2. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 1 wherein said attachment of said fuel cell stack to said manifold includes a high temperature bonding seal selected from the group consisting of glass, ceramic adhesive, weld, and braze. 3. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 1 wherein said manifold includes at least one component formed of a material selected to substantially match the CTE of the fuel cell stack. 4. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 1 wherein said manifold includes at least one component formed of ferritic stainless steel. 5. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 1 wherein said manifold is configured for one of co-flow, counter-flow and cross flow of said fuel gas fluid and said cathode air fluid. 6. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 1 wherein said fuel cell stack includes a load mechanism in connection to the fuel cell stack and disposed in an opposed, remotely spaced relationship to the manifold, said load mechanism being configured to exert compressive force on said fuel cell stack. 7. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 6 wherein said load mechanism includes, a) a pressure plate overlying the fuel cell units at an end of said fuel cell stack in an opposing, remote relationship from said manifold; b) at least one spring plate overlying said pressure plate; and c) a plurality of spring-loaded bolts extending through an outermost spring plate overlying said at least one spring plate, said spring-loaded bolts being anchored into said manifold such that the load mechanism is secured to the fuel cell stack module; wherein the spring-loaded bolts exert pressure applied in a direction away from the load mechanism toward the fuel cell stack. 8. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 7 wherein said load mechanism further comprises an insulating element disposed adjacent said pressure plate and said fuel cell stack to electrically isolate the fuel cell units from the load mechanism. 9. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 8 wherein said insulating element is applied as a coating to said pressure plate. 10. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 8 wherein said insulating element includes a material selected from the group consisting of glass, ceramic, and mica. 11. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 1 wherein the manifold further includes an internal heat exchanger comprising at least a portion of the cathode air inlet chamber in the cathode fluid distribution element overlying at least a portion of the anode fuel gas inlet chamber in the anode fluid distribution element, wherein heat transfers from the supplied fuel gas fluid flowing in the anode fuel gas inlet chamber adjacent the second plate surface to warm the supplied cathode air gas flowing adjacent the first plate surface in the cathode air inlet chamber. 12. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 11 wherein said heat exchanger comprises at least one convective fin extending into at least one of said cathode air inlet chamber and said anode fuel gas inlet chamber. 13. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 11 wherein said manifold comprises a plurality of anode fuel gas inlet chambers disposed in a plurality of anode fluid distribution elements being interleaved with a plurality of cathode air inlet chambers disposed in a plurality of cathode fuel distribution elements in a direction perpendicular to the respective surfaces of the respective elements, and each anode fluid distribution element being separated from each cathode fluid distribution element by a separator plate therebetween. 14. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 1 wherein said manifold further includes, a) first entrance ports in said manifold for supplying said fuel gas fluid and said cathode air fluid from respective sources thereof; b) first exit ports for supplying said fuel gas fluid and said cathode air fluid from said manifold to said fuel cell stack; c) second entrance ports for exhausting spent fuel gas and cathode air from said fuel cell stack to said manifold; d) second exit ports for exhaust of spent fuel gas and cathode air from said manifold; and e) a plurality of passageways and chambers extending between said various entrance and exit ports for selectively providing passage of the fuel gas fluid and the cathode air fluid thereamong. 15. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 14 wherein said first exit ports and said second entrance ports in said manifold are configured to mate to respective supply and exhaust chimneys in said fuel cell stack at the first cathode surface. 16. A fuel cell power plant including a fuel cell stack module, said fuel cell stack module comprising: a) a fuel cell stack including an anode fuel cell stack and a cathode fuel cell stack and a plurality of individual fuel cell units; and b) a manifold for supplying fuel gas fluid and cathode air fluid to said respective anode and cathode fuel cell stacks in the fuel cell stack and to exhaust fuel gas exhaust fluid and cathode air exhaust fluid from said respective anode and cathode fuel cell stacks in the fuel cell stack, said manifold being attached to and integral with said fuel cell stack, and the manifold including, a partitioned anode fluid distribution element having a first anode surface and a second anode surface opposite the first anode surface, and the anode fluid distribution element including an anode fuel gas inlet chamber being adapted for flow of the supplied fuel gas fluid therethrough, and said anode fluid distribution element configured to route the supplied fuel gas fluid to the said fuel cell stack and to route the fuel gas exhaust fluid from said fuel cell stack; a partitioned cathode fluid distribution element overlying the anode fluid distribution element and having a first cathode surface and a second cathode surface opposite the first cathode surface, and the cathode fluid distribution element including a cathode air inlet chamber being adapted for flow of the supplied cathode air fluid therethrough, and the first cathode surface being in connection to the fuel cell stack, said cathode fluid distribution element configured to provide flow management for the supplied cathode air fluid to the fuel cell stack and for exhausting the cathode air exhaust fluid from the fuel cell stack, and the cathode fluid distribution element including a plurality of openings for fluid communication at the first cathode surface of the fluids between the manifold and the fuel cell stack; and a separator plate overlying the anode fluid distribution element and disposed between the anode and the cathode fluid distribution element, said plate including a first plate surface and a second plate surface opposite the first plate surface, said first plate surface being in connection to the second cathode surface and the second separator surface being in connection to the first anode surface, wherein the plate is configured to enclose the chambers such that the supplied fuel gas fluid flows in the anode gas inlet chamber in the anode fluid distribution element and the supplied cathode air fluid flows in the cathode air inlet chamber in the cathode fluid distribution element. 17. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 1 further including an attachment flange adapted for attachment to the second anode surface of the anode fluid distribution element and configured to transfer the fluids in and out of the manifold. 18. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 12 wherein the at least one convective fin is integral to the separator plate. 19. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 12 wherein the at least one convective fin is integral to at least one of the cathode fuel distribution element and the anode fuel distribution element. 20. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 13 wherein each cathode fuel distribution element has a first thickness and each anode fuel distribution element has a second thickness, said first thickness and said second thickness being about equal. 21. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 13 wherein each cathode fuel distribution element has a first thickness and each anode fuel distribution element has a second thickness, said first thickness being greater than said second thickness. 22. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 13 wherein each cathode fuel distribution element has a first thickness and each anode fuel distribution element has a second thickness, said first thickness being less than the second thickness. 23. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 13 wherein each cathode and anode fuel distribution element has a thickness, and the thickness comprises a varied thickness from element to element. 24. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 11 wherein a majority portion of the cathode air inlet chamber overlies a majority portion of the anode fuel gas inlet chamber. 25. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 11 wherein the cathode air inlet chamber overlies the anode fuel gas inlet chamber. 26. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 13 wherein the interleaved plurality of anode and cathode flow distribution elements are bounded by a first end plate and a second end plate in an opposed, spaced relationship to the first end plate, said first end plate overlying a cathode fluid distribution element. 27. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 17 wherein the attachment flange is formed of a high temperature alloy material. 28. The fuel cell stack module in accordance with claim 17 wherein the attachment flange further comprises supply inlet fluid ports and exhaust outlet fluid ports, and the supply inlet fluid ports have fluids flowing into the manifold from a supply external to the manifold and include at least a supplied fuel gas fluid and a supplied cathode air fluid, and the exhaust outlet fluid ports have fluids flowing from the manifold to an environment external to the manifold and include at least a fuel gas exhaust fluid and a cathode air exhaust fluid. 29. The fuel cell power plant in accordance with claim 16 wherein said fuel cell power plant is selected from the group consisting of an auxiliary power unit, a stationary power unit, and a combined heat and power unit.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (4)
Haltiner, Jr., Karl J.; Kelly, Sean M., Co-flow anode/cathode supply heat exchanger for a solid-oxide fuel cell assembly.
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