IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0117622
(2008-05-08)
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등록번호 |
US-8278013
(2012-10-02)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Devoe, Alan
- Devoe, Lambert
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출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Wood, Herron & Evans, LLP
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
17 인용 특허 :
24 |
초록
▼
The present invention relates to fuel cell devices and fuel cell systems, methods of using fuel cell devices and systems, and methods of making fuel cell devices. According to certain embodiments, the fuel cell devices may include an elongate substrate, such as a rectangular or tubular substrate, th
The present invention relates to fuel cell devices and fuel cell systems, methods of using fuel cell devices and systems, and methods of making fuel cell devices. According to certain embodiments, the fuel cell devices may include an elongate substrate, such as a rectangular or tubular substrate, the length of which is the greatest dimension such that the coefficient of thermal expansion has only one dominant axis that is coextensive with the length. In addition, or in accordance with other certain embodiments, a reaction zone is positioned along a first portion of the length for heating to an operating reaction temperature, and at least one cold zone is positioned along a second portion of the length for operating at a temperature below the operating reaction temperature. There are one or more fuel passages in the elongate substrate, each having an associate anode, and one or more oxidizer passages in the elongate substrate, each having an associate cathode. In some embodiments, the passages are formed by sacrificial organic materials that are melted or baked out of the structure and/or by removable structures that are pulled out after lamination. Bake-out paths may also be used to facilitate removal of the sacrificial organic materials, which paths are later sealed. Embodiments of the invention further include methods and devices in which a current collector is recessed into the electrode.
대표청구항
▼
1. A method of making a fuel cell device comprising: providing a first elongate green ceramic layer;applying an anode layer on a first side of the first elongate green ceramic layer and applying a cathode layer on an opposing second side of the first elongate green ceramic layer, the anode layer and
1. A method of making a fuel cell device comprising: providing a first elongate green ceramic layer;applying an anode layer on a first side of the first elongate green ceramic layer and applying a cathode layer on an opposing second side of the first elongate green ceramic layer, the anode layer and cathode layer being in general alignment within a first portion of the first elongate green ceramic layer to provide an active fuel cell portion;applying a sacrificial organic layer over each of the anode layer and the cathode layer;positioning at least one removable structure on each of the first and second sides of a second portion of the first elongate green ceramic layer with a first end of each removable structure overlapping the respective sacrificial organic layer and a second end extending at least to an edge of the first elongate green ceramic layer;applying a second elongate green ceramic layer over the sacrificial organic layer and removable structure on each of the first and second sides in general alignment with the first elongate green ceramic layer to provide a ceramic support structure surrounding the active fuel cell portion;laminating all the layers and removable structures together to form a laminated structure;removing the removable structures from the laminated structure to form non-active passages along the second portion between the respective edge and the anode and cathode layers and within the ceramic support structure; andheating the laminated structure to a temperature sufficient to burn-out the sacrificial organic layers to form active passages in the active fuel cell portion along the anode and cathode layers and surrounded by the ceramic support structure. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein each removable structure has a cross-sectional area that is less than a cross-sectional area of the respective sacrificial organic layer. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the sacrificial organic layers comprise carbon fibers in a wax matrix, and wherein the heating is to a first temperature sufficient to melt out the wax without burning out the carbon fibers or a polymer binder in the green ceramic layers, and wherein the method further comprises, after heating to bake out the wax of the sacrificial organic layers, raising the temperature to a second temperature sufficient to burn out the polymer binder, and then raising to a sintering temperature sufficient to sinter the green ceramic layers and burn out the carbon fibers. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the positioning at least one removable structure includes providing a plurality of additional removable structures in contact with the sacrificial organic layers and extending to one or more edges of the green ceramic layers; wherein removing the removable structures includes removing the additional removable structures to form a plurality of bake-out ports whereby during the heating to bake out the material of the sacrificial organic layers, the material exits via the plurality of bake-out ports; andthe method further comprising, after the heating, sealing the bake-out ports with a barrier material. 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the removable structures include one or a combination of wires or flat ribbon-like physical structures. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein removing the removable structures forms an inlet and outlet in the second portion coupled to each active passage in the active fuel cell portion, and the material of the sacrificial organic layers exits via the inlets and outlets. 7. The method of claim 4 wherein the sacrificial organic layers further include extensions extending from the active passages to the one or more edges of the stacked structure to provide additional bake-out ports, wherein the sealing includes sealing the additional bake-out ports. 8. The method of claim 4 wherein the barrier material comprises a glass coating. 9. The method of claim 4 wherein the plurality of additional removable structures includes a first plurality in contact with the sacrificial organic layers that are adjacent the anode layers, which first plurality and at least a portion of the anode layers extend to a first edge of the stacked structure and a second plurality in contact with the sacrificial organic layers that are adjacent the cathode layers, which second plurality and at least a portion of the cathode layers extend to a second edge of the stacked structure, and wherein the barrier material includes a first conductive contact pad over the extended portion of the anode layers and the bake-out ports formed from the first plurality and a second conductive contact pad over the extended portion of the cathode layers and the bake-out ports formed from the second plurality. 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the laminated structure, after heating to burn out the sacrificial organic layers and to sinter the green ceramic layers, forms 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, having a reaction zone along a first length-wise portion containing the active fuel cell portion and configured to be exposed to a heat source to heat the reaction zone to an operating reaction temperature and having the anode layers and cathode layers positioned within the interior solid ceramic support structure in opposing relation with the extended portions of the anode layers and cathode layers extending to the respective first and second edges in the reaction zone, and having at least one cold zone along a second length-wise portion containing the second portion and 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 and having the inlets formed therein, and wherein the first and second conductive contact pads extend from the reaction zone to the at least one cold zone, the method further comprising: electrically connecting the first and second contact pads in the at least one cold zone to negative and positive voltage nodes, respectively, to provide for electrical connection at the low temperature below the operating reaction temperature. 11. The method of claim 4 wherein the sacrificial organic layers comprise carbon fibers in a wax matrix, and wherein the removing includes heating to a first temperature sufficient to melt out the wax without burning out the carbon fibers or a polymer binder in the ceramic layers, and then heating to a second temperature sufficient to burn out the polymer binder, and then raising to a sintering temperature sufficient to sinter the ceramic layers and burn out the carbon fibers. 12. The method of making the fuel cell device of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the first elongate green ceramic layer will serve as an active electrolyte in the active fuel cell portion of the fuel cell device and the second portion will serve as a passive supporting portion of the fuel cell device, the method further comprising applying an additional green ceramic layer on the second portion of each of the first and second sides of the first elongate green ceramic layer, wherein a thickness of the additional green ceramic layers is approximately equal to a thickness of the anode layer and the cathode layer; and wherein applying the sacrificial organic layers is further over the additional green ceramic layers; and heating is to a temperature sufficient to sinter all the ceramic layers and burn out the sacrificial organic layers to form the non-active passages with a thick sintered ceramic therebetween in the passive supporting portion and the active passages with an anode, thin electrolyte and cathode therebetween in the active fuel cell portion. 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the sacrificial layers comprise carbon fibers in a wax matrix, and wherein the heating is to a first temperature sufficient to melt out the wax without burning out the carbon fibers or a polymer binder in the green ceramic layers, then to a second temperature sufficient to burn out the polymer binder, and then to a sintering temperature sufficient to sinter the green ceramic layers and burn out the carbon fibers.
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