The invention provides a fuel cell device including an elongate substrate the length of which is the greatest dimension such that the elongate substrate exhibits thermal expansion along a dominant axis coextensive with the length. A reaction zone is provided along a first portion of the length for h
The invention provides a fuel cell device including an elongate substrate the length of which is the greatest dimension such that the elongate substrate exhibits thermal expansion along a dominant axis coextensive with the length. A reaction zone is provided along a first portion of the length for heating to an operating reaction temperature, and at least one cold zone is provided along a second portion of the length that remains at a low temperature below the operating reaction temperature when the reaction zone is heated. A plurality of fuel passages and oxidizer passages extend within an interior solid ceramic support structure of the elongate substrate from the cold zone to the reaction zone, each fuel and oxidizer passage having an associated anode or cathode, respectively, in the reaction zone in opposing relation with an electrolyte disposed therebetween that is monolithic with the ceramic support structure.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. A solid oxide fuel cell device comprising: an elongate ceramic substrate having an exterior surface, an interior solid ceramic support structure and a length that is the greatest dimension whereby the elongate ceramic substrate exhibits thermal expansion along a dominant axis
What is claimed is: 1. A solid oxide fuel cell device comprising: an elongate ceramic substrate having an exterior surface, an interior solid ceramic support structure and a length that is the greatest dimension whereby the elongate ceramic substrate exhibits thermal expansion along a dominant axis that is coextensive with the length, a reaction zone along a first portion of the length configured to be exposed to a heat source to heat the reaction zone to an operating reaction temperature, and at least one cold zone along a second portion of the length configured to be shielded from the heat source to remain at a low temperature below the operating reaction temperature when the reaction zone is heated; a plurality of fuel passages extending within the interior solid ceramic support structure of the elongate ceramic substrate from the at least one cold zone to the reaction zone, and each having an associated anode in the reaction zone; a plurality of oxidizer passages extending within the interior solid ceramic support structure of the elongate ceramic substrate from the at least one cold zone to the reaction zone, each having an associated cathode in the reaction zone positioned in opposing relation to a respective one of the associated anodes; and an electrolyte disposed between each of the opposing anodes and cathodes within the interior solid ceramic support structure in the reaction zone, the electrolyte being monolithic with the interior solid ceramic support structure. 2. The fuel cell device of claim 1 wherein at least one anode includes an exposed anode portion at the exterior surface of the elongate ceramic substrate in the at least one cold zone, and at least one cathode includes an exposed cathode portion at the exterior surface of the elongate ceramic substrate in the at least one cold zone, the device further comprising: a first metallic contact pad applied to the exterior surface in the at least one cold zone in electrical contact with the exposed anode portion, and a electrical voltage connection between the first metallic contact pad and a negative voltage node; and a second metallic contact pad applied to the exterior surface in the at least one cold zone in electrical contact with the exposed cathode portion, and a second voltage connection between the second metallic contact pad and a positive voltage node. 3. The fuel cell device of claim 1 wherein each anode includes an exposed anode portion at the exterior surface of the elongate ceramic substrate, and each cathode includes an exposed cathode portion at the exterior surface of the elongate ceramic substrate, the device further comprising: a plurality of metallization areas applied to the exterior surface in electrical contact with one or more exposed anode portions and/or exposed cathode portions to form parallel and/or series electrical connections. 4. The fuel cell device of claim 1, wherein the anodes each include a non-opposed anode section not in opposing relation to a respective cathode, and the cathodes each include a non-opposed cathode section not in opposing relation to a respective anode; wherein the non-opposed anode sections are electrically interconnected within the interior solid ceramic support structure of the elongate ceramic substrate by electrically conductive anode via connections, and the non-opposed cathode sections are electrically interconnected within the interior solid ceramic support structure of the elongate ceramic substrate by electrically conductive cathode via connections; and wherein one of the anodes includes an exposed anode portion at-the exterior surface of the elongate ceramic substrate in the at least one cold zone, and one of the cathodes includes an exposed cathode portion at-the exterior surface of the elongate ceramic substrate in the at least one cold zone, the device further comprising: a first metallic contact pad applied to the exterior surface in the at least one cold zone in electrical contact with the exposed anode portion, and a first voltage connection between the first metallic contact pad and a negative voltage node; and a second metallic contact pad applied to the exterior surface in the at least one cold zone in electrical contact with the exposed cathode portion, and a second voltage connection between the second metallic contact pad and a positive voltage node. 5. The fuel cell device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of fuel passages includes a first fuel passage and one or more second fuel passages, and the plurality of oxidizer passages includes a first oxidizer passage and one or more second oxidizer passages, and wherein the second fuel passages alternate with the second oxidizer passages between the first fuel passage and the first oxidizer passage. 6. The fuel cell device of claim 5 wherein the associated anode of the first fuel passage is disposed at a surface of the first fuel passage nearest an adjacent second oxidizer passage, the associated anode of the first oxidizer passage is disposed at a surface of the first oxidizer passage nearest an adjacent second fuel passage, the associated anode of each of the second fuel passages includes anodes on each of opposing surfaces of the second fuel passage adjacent first and/or second oxidizer passages, and the associated cathode of each of the second oxidizer passages includes cathodes on each of opposing surfaces of the second oxidizer passage adjacent first and/or second fuel passages. 7. The fuel cell device of claim 1 further comprising a fuel supply coupled to the at least one cold zone in fluid communication with the plurality of fuel passages for supplying a fuel flow into the fuel passages. 8. The fuel cell device of claim 7 wherein the fuel supply is coupled by a flexible rubber or plastic tube secured over an end of the device. 9. The fuel cell device of claim 1 further comprising an air supply coupled to the at least one cold zone in fluid communication with the plurality of oxidizer passages for supplying an air flow into the oxidizer passages. 10. The fuel cell device of claim 9 wherein the air supply is coupled by a flexible rubber or plastic tube secured over an end of the device. 11. The fuel cell device of claim 1 wherein the first portion further comprises a pre-heat zone within the interior solid ceramic support structure between the at least one cold zone and the reaction zone, and wherein the pre-heat zone lacks an anode and a cathode in opposing relation therein. 12. The fuel cell device of claim 11 wherein at least one anode extends from within the interior solid ceramic support structure to an exposed anode portion at the exterior surface in the reaction zone and a first exterior metallization extends from the exposed anode portion at the exterior surface in the reaction zone to the exterior surface in the at least one cold zone, and at least one cathode extends from within the interior solid ceramic support structure to an exposed cathode portion at the exterior surface in the reaction zone and a second exterior metallization extends from the exposed cathode portion at the exterior surface in the reaction zone to the exterior surface in the at least one cold zone. 13. The fuel cell device of claim 11 wherein the fuel passages and the oxidizer passages each further comprise a pre-heat chamber within the interior solid ceramic support structure in the at least one cold zone and extending at least partially into the pre-heat zone wherein each pre-heat chamber has a greater volume than a volume of the respective fuel and oxidizer passage in the reaction zone. 14. The fuel cell device of claim 1 wherein the fuel passages extend within the interior solid ceramic support structure from fuel inlets in the at least one cold zone into the first portion, bend and extend back to fuel outlets in the at least one cold zone, and the oxidizer passages extend within the interior solid ceramic support structure from air inlets in the at least one cold zone into the first portion, bend and extend back to air outlets in the at least one cold zone wherein the anodes and the cathodes are in opposing relation within the interior solid ceramic support structure of the elongate ceramic substrate in the reaction zone between the bends and the respective fuel and air outlets with the electrolyte therebetween, and wherein the fuel and oxidizer passages are free of the respective associated anodes and cathodes between the respective fuel and air inlets and the bends. 15. The fuel cell device of claim 1 wherein the at least one cold zone includes first and second cold zones positioned at respective first and second ends of the elongate ceramic substrate with the reaction zone positioned between the first and second cold zones. 16. The fuel cell device of claim 15 wherein the fuel passages extend within the interior solid ceramic support structure from fuel inlets adjacent the first end in the first cold zone through the reaction zone to respective fuel outlets adjacent the second end in the second cold zone; and the oxidizer passages extend within the interior solid ceramic support structure from air inlets adjacent the second end in the second cold zone to respective air outlets adjacent the first end in the first cold zone. 17. The fuel cell device of claim 16 further comprising: a fuel supply coupled to the fuel inlets for supplying a fuel flow into the fuel passages; and an air supply coupled to the air inlets for supplying an air flow into the oxidizer passages. 18. The fuel cell device of claim 15 wherein the fuel passages extend within the interior solid ceramic support structure from fuel inlets adjacent the first end in the first cold zone through the reaction zone to respective fuel outlets adjacent the second end in the second cold zone, and the oxidizer passages extend within the interior solid ceramic support structure from air inlets in the reaction zone to respective air outlets adjacent the second end in the second cold zone. 19. The fuel cell device of claim 18 further comprising: a fuel supply coupled to the fuel inlets for supplying a fuel flow into the fuel passages; and a heated air source in the reaction zone for supplying a heated air flow into the oxidizer passages. 20. The fuel cell device of claim 1 wherein the at least one cold zone includes a single cold zone positioned at a first end of the elongate ceramic substrate with the reaction zone positioned at a second opposing end of the elongate ceramic substrate. 21. The fuel cell device of claim 20 wherein the fuel passages extend within the interior solid ceramic support structure from fuel inlets adjacent the first end in the single cold zone to fuel outlets adjacent the second end in the reaction zone, and the oxidizer passages extend within the interior solid ceramic support structure from air inlets in the reaction zone to respective air outlets in the reaction zone. 22. The fuel cell device of claim 21 further comprising: a fuel supply connected to the fuel inlets for supplying a fuel flow into the fuel passages; and a heated air source in the reaction zone for supplying a heated air flow into the oxidizer passages. 23. The fuel cell device of claim 20 wherein the fuel passages extend within the interior solid ceramic support structure from fuel inlets adjacent the first end in the single cold zone to fuel outlets adjacent the second end in the reaction zone, and the oxidizer passages extend within the interior solid ceramic support structure from air inlets adjacent the first end in the single cold zone to respective air outlets adjacent the second end in the reaction zone. 24. The fuel cell device of claim 20 further comprising: a plurality of exhaust passages each coupled to a pair of opposing fuel and air passages and each extending within the interior solid ceramic support structure from adjacent the second opposing end within the reaction zone to a respective exhaust outlet in the second portion of the length. 25. The fuel cell device of claim 1 further comprising: a heat source positioned adjacent the first portion to heat the reaction zone to the operating reaction temperature; and an insulating region between the heat source and the at least one cold zone adapted to maintain the at least one cold zone at the low temperature below the operating reaction temperature. 26. A solid oxide fuel cell system comprising: a hot zone chamber; a plurality of the solid oxide fuel cell devices of claim 1, each positioned with the first portion in the hot zone chamber and the at least one cold zone extending outside the hot zone chamber; a heat source coupled to the hot zone chamber and adapted to heat the reaction zones to the operating reaction temperature within the hot zone chamber; and a fuel supply coupled outside the hot zone chamber to the at least one cold zones in fluid communication with the fuel passages for supplying a fuel flow into the fuel passages. 27. The fuel cell system of claim 26 wherein each anode includes an exposed anode portion at the exterior surface of the elongate ceramic substrate in the at least one cold zone, and each cathode includes an exposed cathode portion at the exterior surface of the elongate ceramic substrate in the at least one cold zone, the system further comprising: a negative voltage connection to the exterior surface in the at least one cold zone in electrical contact with at least one of the exposed anode portions; and a positive voltage connection to the exterior surface in the at least one cold zone in electrical contact with at least one of the exposed cathode portions. 28. The fuel cell system of claim 26 wherein the fuel supply is coupled by flexible rubber or plastic tubes secured over ends of the devices. 29. The fuel cell system of claim 26 further comprising an air supply coupled outside the hot zone chamber to the at least one cold zones in fluid communication with the oxidizer passages for supplying an air flow into the oxidizer passages. 30. The fuel cell system of claim 29 wherein the air supply is coupled by flexible rubber or plastic tubes secured over ends of the devices. 31. The fuel cell system of claim 26 wherein the first portions each further comprise: a pre-heat zone in the hot zone chamber between the at least one cold zone and the reaction zone, and wherein the pre-heat zone lacks an anode and a cathode in opposing relation therein. 32. The fuel cell system of claim 31 wherein, in each device, the anodes extend from within the interior solid ceramic support structure to an exposed anode portion at the exterior surface in the reaction zone and a first exterior metallization extends from the exposed anode portion at the exterior surface in the reaction zone in the hot zone chamber to the exterior surface in the at least one cold zone outside the hot zone chamber, and the cathodes extend from within the interior solid ceramic support structure to an exposed cathode portion at the exterior surface in the reaction zone and a second exterior metallization extends from the exposed cathode portion at the exterior surface in the reaction zone in the hot zone chamber to the exterior surface in the at least one cold zone outside the hot zone chamber. 33. The fuel cell system of claim 31 wherein, in each device, the fuel passages and the oxidizer passages each further comprise a pre-heat chamber within the interior solid ceramic support structure in the at least one cold zone and extending at least partially into the pre-heat zone in the hot zone chamber, wherein each pre-heat chamber has a greater volume than a volume of the respective fuel and oxidizer passage in the reaction zone. 34. The fuel cell system of claim 31 wherein, in each device, the fuel passages extend within the interior solid ceramic support structure from fuel inlets in the at least one cold zone into the first portion, bend and extend back to fuel outlets in the at least one cold zone, and the oxidizer passages extend within the interior solid ceramic support structure from air inlets in the at least one cold zone into the first portion, bend and extend back to air outlets in the at least one cold zone wherein the anodes and the cathodes are in opposing relation within the interior solid ceramic support structure of the elongate ceramic substrate in the reaction zone between the bends and the respective fuel and air outlets with the electrolyte therebetween, and wherein the fuel and oxidizer passages are free of the respective associated anodes and cathodes between the respective fuel and air inlets and the bends. 35. The fuel cell system of claim 26 wherein, in each device, the at least one cold zone includes first and second cold zones positioned at respective first and second ends of the elongate ceramic substrate and extending outside opposing sides of the hot zone chamber with the reaction zone positioned between the first and second cold zones inside the hot zone chamber. 36. The fuel cell system of claim 35 wherein the fuel passages extend within the interior solid ceramic support structure from fuel inlets adjacent the first end in the first cold zone through the reaction zone to respective fuel outlets adjacent the second end in the second cold zone; and the oxidizer passages extend within the interior solid ceramic support structure from air inlets adjacent the second end in the second cold zone to respective air outlets adjacent the first end in the first cold zone. 37. The fuel cell system of claim 36 further comprising: a fuel supply coupled outside the hot zone chamber to the fuel inlets for supplying a fuel flow into the fuel passages; and an air supply coupled outside the hot zone chamber to the air inlets for supplying an air flow into the oxidizer passages. 38. The fuel cell system of claim 35 wherein the fuel passages extend within the interior solid ceramic support structure from fuel inlets adjacent the first end in the first cold zone through the reaction zone to respective fuel outlets adjacent the second end in the second cold zone, and the oxidizer passages extend within the interior solid ceramic support structure from air inlets in the reaction zone to respective air outlets adjacent the second end in the second cold zone. 39. The fuel cell system of claim 38 further comprising: a fuel supply coupled outside the hot zone chamber to the fuel inlets for supplying a fuel flow into the fuel passages; and an air source coupled to the heat source in the reaction zone for supplying a heated air flow into the oxidizer passages. 40. The fuel cell system of claim 26 wherein, in each device, the at least one cold zone includes a single cold zone positioned at a first end of the elongate ceramic substrate outside the hot zone chamber with the reaction zone positioned at a second opposing end of the elongate ceramic substrate inside the hot zone chamber. 41. The fuel cell system of claim 40 wherein the fuel passages extend within the interior solid ceramic support structure from fuel inlets adjacent the first end in the single cold zone to fuel outlets adjacent the second end in the reaction zone, and the oxidizer passages extend within the interior solid ceramic support structure from air inlets in the reaction zone to respective air outlets in the reaction zone. 42. The fuel cell system of claim 41 further comprising: a fuel supply coupled outside the hot zone chamber to the fuel inlets for supplying a fuel flow into the fuel passages; and an air source coupled to the heat source in the reaction zone for supplying a heated air flow into the oxidizer passages. 43. The fuel cell system of claim 40 wherein the fuel passages extend within the interior solid ceramic support structure from fuel inlets adjacent the first end in the single cold zone to fuel outlets adjacent the second end in the reaction zone, and the oxidizer passages extend within the interior solid ceramic support structure from air inlets adjacent the first end in the single cold zone to respective air outlets adjacent the second end in the reaction zone. 44. The fuel cell system of claim 40 further comprising, in each device: a plurality of exhaust passages each coupled to a pair of opposing fuel and air passages and each extending within the interior solid ceramic support structure from adjacent the second opposing end within the reaction zone to a respective exhaust outlet in the second portion of the length outside the hot zone chamber. 45. The fuel cell device of claim 1, wherein the at least one cold zone includes first and second cold zones positioned at respective first and second ends of the elongate ceramic substrate with the reaction zone positioned between the first and second cold zones, wherein the elongate ceramic substrate is divided in the length direction into a first side portion, a second side portion, and a middle portion therebetween, each extending between the first and second ends, and wherein the plurality of fuel passages and the plurality of oxidizer passages include a plurality of first fuel passages in alternating relation with a plurality of first oxidizer passages extending within the interior solid ceramic support structure in the first side portion from the first cold zone to the second cold zone, and a plurality of second fuel passages in alternating relation with a plurality of second oxidizer passages extending within the interior solid ceramic support structure in the second side portion from the first cold zone to the second cold zone, the device further comprising: a plurality of first electrodes, each extending within the interior solid ceramic support structure from a first fuel passage in the first side portion through the middle portion to an adjacent second oxidizer passage in the second side portion, wherein each first electrode is the associated anode in the first side portion, the associated cathode in the second side portion, and a first bridging member in the middle portion; and a plurality of second electrodes, each extending within the interior solid ceramic support structure from a first oxidizer passage in the first side portion through the middle portion to an adjacent second fuel passage in the second side portion, wherein each second electrode is the associated cathode in the first side portion, the associated anode in the second side portion, and a second bridging member in the middle portion. 46. The fuel cell device of claim 45 wherein the first and second fuel passages extend within the interior solid ceramic support structure from respective first and second fuel inlets adjacent the first end in the first cold zone through the reaction zone to respective first and second fuel outlets adjacent the second end in the second cold zone; and the first and second oxidizer passages extend within the interior solid ceramic support structure from respective first and second air inlets adjacent the second end in the second cold zone to respective air outlets adjacent the first end in the first cold zone. 47. A method of using the device of claim 1, comprising: positioning the elongate ceramic substrate with the first portion in a hot zone chamber and the second portion outside the hot zone chamber; coupling a fuel supply to the plurality of fuel passages in the at least one cold zone outside the hot zone chamber; coupling an air supply to the plurality of oxidizer passages in the at least one cold zone outside the hot zone chamber; applying heat in the hot zone chamber to heat the reaction zone to an operating temperature above 400° C. while maintaining the at least one cold zone at a low temperature less than 300° C.; supplying fuel and air from the respective fuel and air supplies into the respective fuel and oxidizer passages to the heated reaction zone whereby the fuel and air react. 48. A method of using the system of claim 26, comprising: applying heat in the hot zone chamber to heat the reaction zone to an operating temperature above 400° C. while maintaining the at least one cold zone at a low temperature less than 300° C.; supplying fuel from the fuel supply into the fuel passages to the heated reaction zone to react with air in the oxidizer passages.
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