Fuel cell devices and systems are provided. In certain embodiments, the devices include a ceramic support structure having a length, a width, and a thickness. A reaction zone positioned along a portion of the length is configured to be heated to an operating reaction temperature, and has at least on
Fuel cell devices and systems are provided. In certain embodiments, the devices include a ceramic support structure having a length, a width, and a thickness. A reaction zone positioned along a portion of the length is configured to be heated to an operating reaction temperature, and has at least one active layer therein comprising an electrolyte separating first and second opposing electrodes, and active first and second gas passages adjacent the respective first and second electrodes. At least one cold zone positioned from the first end along another portion of the length is configured to remain below the operating reaction temperature. An artery flow passage extends from the first end along the length through the cold zone and into the reaction zone and is fluidicly coupled to the active first gas passage, which extends from the artery flow passage toward at least one side. The thickness of the artery flow passage is greater than the thickness of the active first gas passage. In other embodiments, fuel cell devices include an electrolyte having at least a portion thereof comprising a ceramic material sintered from a nano-sized powder. In yet other embodiments, cold zones are provided at each end of the device with the reaction zone therebetween having at least two discrete power sections, each having one or more active layers, the power sections fed by discrete fuel passages to provide a device and system capable of operating at more than one power level.
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1. A fuel cell device comprising: a ceramic support structure having a length in an x direction from a first end to a second end, a width in a y direction from a first side to a second side, and a thickness in a z direction from a top surface to a bottom surface perpendicular to the x and y directio
1. A fuel cell device comprising: a ceramic support structure having a length in an x direction from a first end to a second end, a width in a y direction from a first side to a second side, and a thickness in a z direction from a top surface to a bottom surface perpendicular to the x and y directions;a reaction zone positioned along a first portion of the length configured to be heated to an operating reaction temperature, and having at least one active layer therein in the reaction zone comprising a fuel cell comprising an electrolyte separating a first electrode from an opposing second electrode, an active first gas passage adjacent the first electrode, and an active second gas passage adjacent the second electrode, wherein each of the active first gas passage and the active second gas passage have a thickness in the z direction;at least one cold zone positioned from the first end along a second portion of the length and configured to remain at a temperature below the operating reaction temperature when the reaction zone is heated;a first artery flow passage extending within the ceramic support structure from the first end in the x direction through the at least one cold zone and into the reaction zone and having a thickness in the z direction, the first artery flow passage fluidicly coupled to the active first gas passage, wherein the active first gas passage extends from the first artery flow passage in the y direction toward at least one of the first or second sides and wherein the thickness of the first artery flow passage is greater than the thickness of the active first gas passage. 2. The fuel cell device of claim 1, wherein the ceramic support structure is an elongate substrate where the length is the greatest dimension whereby the elongate substrate has a coefficient of thermal expansion having only one dominant axis that is coextensive with the length. 3. The fuel cell device of claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes each have an electrical pathway extending to the at least one cold zone for electrical connection at the low temperature below the operating reaction temperature. 4. The fuel cell device of claim 1, wherein the first artery flow passage extends along the length adjacent the first side and the active first gas passage extends from the first artery flow passage in the y direction toward the second side to a first gas outlet in the second side. 5. The fuel cell device of claim 4, further comprising a second artery flow passage extending from the first end in the x direction along the length adjacent the second side through the at least one cold zone and into the reaction zone and having a thickness in the z direction, the second artery flow passage fluidicly coupled to the active second gas passage, wherein the active second gas passage extends from the second artery flow passage in the y direction toward the first side to a second gas outlet in the first side, and wherein the thickness of the second artery flow passage is greater than the thickness of the active second gas passage. 6. The fuel cell device of claim 5, wherein the active first gas passage comprises a plurality of first sub-passages spaced apart in the x direction and extending in the y direction to a respective first gas outlet in the second side, and wherein the active second gas passage comprises a plurality of second sub-passages spaced apart in the x direction and extending in the y direction to a respective second gas outlet in the first side. 7. The fuel cell device of claim 1, wherein the first artery flow passage extends along the length adjacent the first side and the active first gas passage extends from the first artery flow passage in the y direction toward the second side. 8. The fuel cell device of claim 7, wherein the at least one cold zone includes a first cold zone positioned from the first end along the second portion of the length and a second cold zone positioned from the second end along a third portion of the length, with the reaction zone positioned therebetween along the first portion of the length, and further comprising a second artery flow passage extending from the second end in the x direction along the length adjacent the second side through the second cold zone and into the reaction zone and having a thickness in the z direction, the second artery flow passage fluidicly coupled to the active second gas passage, wherein the active second gas passage extends from the second artery flow passage in the y direction toward the first side and wherein the thickness of the second artery flow passage is greater than the thickness of the active second gas passage. 9. The fuel cell device of claim 8, wherein the at least one active layer comprises a plurality of active layers, and wherein the first artery flow passage is coupled to each of the active first gas passages and the second artery flow passage is coupled to each of the active second gas passages. 10. The fuel cell device of claim 9, further comprising a first vertical flow channel extending in the z direction from each active first gas passage to one of the top or bottom surface adjacent to but not intersecting the second artery flow passage on the second side, and a second vertical flow channel extending in the z direction from each active second gas passage to one of the top or bottom surface adjacent to but not intersecting the first artery flow passage on the first side. 11. The fuel cell device of claim 10, further comprising a first surface flow channel on the one of the top or bottom surface fluidicly coupled to each of the first vertical flow channels and extending in the x direction toward the first end along the top or bottom surface to a predetermined exit point, and a second surface flow channel on the one of the top or bottom surface fluidicly coupled to each of the second vertical flow channels and extending in the x direction toward the second end along the top or bottom surface to a predetermined exit point. 12. The fuel cell device of claim 8, wherein the at least one active layer comprises a plurality of active layers, and further comprising an equal plurality of the first artery flow passages and the second artery flow passages, wherein each of the plurality of the first artery flow passages is coupled to a respective one of the active first gas passages and each of the plurality of the second artery flow passages is coupled to a respective one of the active second gas passages. 13. The fuel cell device of claim 12, wherein each of the active first gas passages extends from the respective first artery flow passage in the y direction toward the second side to a first gas outlet in the second side, and wherein each of the active second gas passages extends from the respective second artery flow passage in the y direction toward the first side to a second gas outlet in the first side. 14. The fuel cell device of claim 12, further comprising a first vertical flow channel extending in the z direction from each active first gas passage to one of the top or bottom surface adjacent to but not intersecting the second artery flow passages on the second side, and a second vertical flow channel extending in the z direction from each active second gas passage to one of the top or bottom surface adjacent to but not intersecting the first artery flow passages on the first side. 15. The fuel cell device of claim 14, further comprising a first surface flow channel on the one of the top or bottom surface fluidicly coupled to each of the first vertical flow channels and extending in the x direction toward the first end along the top or bottom surface to a predetermined exit point, and a second surface flow channel on the one of the top or bottom surface fluidicly coupled to each of the second vertical flow channels and extending in the x direction toward the second end along the top or bottom surface to a predetermined exit point. 16. The fuel cell device of claim 7, further comprising a first vertical flow channel extending in the z direction from the active first gas passage to one of the top or bottom surface adjacent to the second side. 17. The fuel cell device of claim 16, further comprising a first surface flow channel on the one of the top or bottom surface fluidicly coupled to the first vertical flow channel and extending along the top or bottom surface to a predetermined exit point. 18. The fuel cell device of claim 7, further comprising an exit pathway fluidicly coupled to the active first gas passage and extending therefrom in the x direction toward the first end. 19. The fuel cell device of claim 1, wherein the active first gas passage is fluidicly coupled to a first vertical flow channel extending in the z direction from the active first gas passage to one of the top or bottom surface. 20. The fuel cell device of claim 19, further comprising a first surface flow channel on the one of the top or bottom surface fluidicly coupled to the first vertical flow channel and extending along the top or bottom surface to a predetermined exit point. 21. The fuel cell device of claim 1, wherein the active first gas passage comprises a plurality of first sub-passages extending in the y direction and spaced apart in the x direction. 22. The fuel cell device of claim 1, further comprising a second artery flow passage extending from one of the first or second ends in the x direction along the length through the at least one cold zone and into the reaction zone and having a thickness in the z direction, the second artery flow passage fluidicly coupled to the active second gas passage, wherein the thickness of the second artery flow passage is greater than the thickness of the active second gas passage, wherein the first and second artery flow passages are positioned adjacent the first and second sides, respectively, and wherein the active first and second gas passages extend from the first and second artery flow passages, respectively, in the y direction toward the second and first sides, respectively. 23. The fuel cell device of claim 22, wherein the at least one active layer comprises a plurality of pairs of first electrodes and opposing second electrodes, the pairs spaced apart in the x direction and alternating in polarity, whereby a first side of the electrolyte comprises alternating, spaced apart first electrodes and second electrodes, and a second side of the electrolyte comprises alternating, spaced apart second electrodes and first electrodes, wherein each of the first electrodes has a respective active first gas passage adjacent thereto and fluidicly coupled to the first artery flow passage and each of the second electrodes has a respective active second gas passage adjacent thereto and fluidicly coupled to the second artery flow passage, and further comprising a conductive interconnect electrically coupling adjacent pairs of first electrodes and opposing second electrodes in alternating fashion from the first side of the electrolyte to the second side of the electrolyte. 24. The fuel cell device of claim 23, further comprising a first vertical flow channel extending in the z direction from each active first gas passage to one of the top or bottom surface adjacent to but not intersecting the second artery flow passage on the second side, and a second vertical flow channel extending in the z direction from each active second gas passage to one of the top or bottom surface adjacent to but not intersecting the first artery flow passage on the first side. 25. The fuel cell device of claim 24, wherein the at least one active layer comprises a plurality of active layers, and wherein the first artery flow passage is coupled to each of the active first gas passages in each of the plurality of active layers and the second artery flow passage is coupled to each of the active second gas passages in each of the plurality of active layers. 26. The fuel cell device of claim 25, wherein the plurality of active layers are aligned such that the alternating, spaced apart first and second electrodes in one of the plurality of active layers oppose the respective alternating, spaced apart first and second electrodes in an adjacent one of the plurality of active layers to thereby provide opposed first electrodes between adjacent active layers and opposed second electrodes between adjacent active layers, with shared active first gas passages between the opposed first electrodes and shared active second gas passages between the opposed second electrodes, and further comprising a plurality of conductive balls positioned in each of the shared active first and second gas passages to provide electrical connection between respective opposed first and second electrodes in adjacent active layers. 27. The fuel cell device of claim 26, wherein the conductive balls comprise a solid conductive metal, a solid anode conductor, a solid cathode conductor, a ceramic interior with a conductive metal coating, a ceramic interior with a anode conductor coating, or a ceramic interior with a cathode conductor coating, or any combination thereof. 28. The fuel cell device of claim 24, further comprising a first surface flow channel on the one of the top or bottom surface fluidicly coupled to each of the first vertical flow channels, and a second surface flow channel on the one of the top or bottom surface fluidicly coupled to each of the second vertical flow channels, wherein the first and second surface flow channels extend along the top or bottom surface to a predetermined exit point. 29. The fuel cell device of claim 23, wherein each of the conductive interconnects comprise a plurality of stripes of conductive material spaced apart in the y direction and extending in the x direction between the adjacent pairs of first electrodes and opposing second electrodes. 30. The fuel cell device of claim 1 wherein the width in the y direction from the first side to the second side comprises a first width W1 in the reaction zone along the first portion of the length and a second width W2 in the at least one cold zone along the second portion of the length, where W2 is less than W1, and further comprising a transition zone along an intermediate portion of the length intermediate the first and second portions of decreasing width from W1 to W2 and a gas outlet coupled to the active first gas passage positioned in the transition zone or at the intersection of the reaction zone and the transition zone. 31. A fuel cell system comprising: a hot zone chamber;a plurality of the fuel cell devices of claim 3, 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; anda first voltage connection and a second voltage connection in the at least one cold zone in electrical contact with the electrical pathways of the respective first and second electrodes. 32. The fuel cell system of claim 31 further comprising: a first gas supply coupled outside the hot zone chamber to each of the at least one cold zones in fluid communication with the first artery flow passage for supplying one of fuel or air into the first artery flow passage; anda second gas supply coupled outside the hot zone chamber to each of the at least one cold zones in fluid communication with the second artery flow passage for supplying the other of fuel or air into the second artery flow passage. 33. A fuel cell system comprising: a hot zone chamber;at least one fuel cell device of claim 5 positioned with the first portion in the hot zone chamber and the at least one cold zone extending outside the hot zone chamber, wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes each have an electrical pathway extending to the at least one cold zone to a respective first contact area and second contact area;a heat source coupled to the hot zone chamber and adapted to heat the reaction zone to the operating reaction temperature within the hot zone chamber; andan air-fuel-power (AFP) plug coupled to the first end and having a first gas pathway in fluid communication with the first artery flow passage for supplying one of fuel or air into the first artery flow passage, a second gas pathway in fluid communication with the second artery flow passage for supplying the other of fuel or air into the second artery flow passage, a first conductor element electrically coupled to the first contact area for collecting power output; and a second conductor element electrically coupled to the second contact area for collecting power output. 34. A fuel cell device comprising: a ceramic support structure having a length in an x direction from a first end to a second end, a width in a y direction from a first side to a second side, and a thickness in a z direction from a top surface to a bottom surface perpendicular to the x and y directions,an active zone positioned along a first portion of the length within the ceramic support structure and comprising a fuel cell comprising an active layer having an electrolyte separating a first electrode from an opposing second electrode for undergoing a fuel cell reaction when supplied with heat and first and second gas reactants,a non-active zone lacking the first electrode and second electrode in opposing relation and positioned from the first end along a second portion of the length extending away from the active zone without being heated to dissipate heat and to thereby remain at a lower temperature than the active zone when the active zone is supplied with heat,an active first gas passage in the active zone adjacent the first electrode for conveying the first gas reactant, and an active second gas passage in the active zone adjacent the second electrode for conveying the second gas reactant, wherein each of the active first gas passage and the active second gas passage have a thickness in the z direction,one or more non-active gas passages including a first artery flow passage extending within the ceramic support structure from the first end in the x direction through the non-active zone and into the active zone and having a thickness in the z direction, the first artery flow passage fluidicly coupled to the active first gas passage,wherein the thickness of the first artery flow passage is greater than the thickness of the active first gas passage, and the active first gas passage extends from the first artery flow passage in the y direction toward at least one of the first or second sides. 35. The fuel cell device of claim 34, wherein the ceramic support structure is an elongate substrate where the length is the greatest dimension whereby the elongate substrate exhibits thermal expansion along a dominant axis that is coextensive with the length, and wherein the first and second electrodes each have an electrical pathway extending to the non-active zone for electrical connection at the lower temperature. 36. The fuel cell device of claim 34, wherein the first artery flow passage extends along the length adjacent the first side and the active first gas passage extends from the first artery flow passage in the y direction toward the second side to a first gas outlet in the second side, and wherein the one or more non-active gas passages includes a second artery flow passage extending from the first end in the x direction along the length adjacent the second side through the non-active zone and into the active zone and having a thickness in the z direction, the second artery flow passage fluidicly coupled to the active second gas passage, wherein the active second gas passage extends from the second artery flow passage in the y direction toward the first side to a second gas outlet in the first side, and wherein the thickness of the second artery flow passage is greater than the thickness of the active second gas passage. 37. The fuel cell device of claim 36, wherein the active first gas passage comprises a plurality of first sub-passages spaced apart in the x direction and extending in the y direction to a respective first gas outlet in the second side, and wherein the active second gas passage comprises a plurality of second sub-passages spaced apart in the x direction and extending in the y direction to a respective second gas outlet in the first side. 38. The fuel cell device of claim 34, wherein the first artery flow passage extends along the length adjacent the first side and the active first gas passage extends from the first artery flow passage in the y direction toward the second side, wherein the non-active zone includes a first non-active zone positioned from the first end along the second portion of the length and a second non-active zone positioned from the second end along a third portion of the length, with the active zone positioned therebetween along the first portion of the length, and wherein the one or more non-active gas passages includes a second artery flow passage extending from the second end in the x direction along the length adjacent the second side through the second non-active zone and into the active zone and having a thickness in the z direction, the second artery flow passage fluidicly coupled to the active second gas passage, wherein the active second gas passage extends from the second artery flow passage in the y direction toward the first side and wherein the thickness of the second artery flow passage is greater than the thickness of the active second gas passage. 39. The fuel cell device of claim 38, wherein the active zone comprises a plurality of active layers, and wherein the first artery flow passage is coupled to each of the active first gas passages and the second artery flow passage is coupled to each of the active second gas passages. 40. The fuel cell device of claim 38, wherein the active zone comprises a plurality of active layers, and further comprising an equal plurality of the first artery flow passages and the second artery flow passages, wherein each of the plurality of the first artery flow passages is coupled to a respective one of the active first gas passages and each of the plurality of the second artery flow passages is coupled to a respective one of the active second gas passages. 41. The fuel cell device of claim 34, wherein the active first gas passage is fluidicly coupled to a first vertical flow channel extending in the z direction from the active first gas passage to one of the top or bottom surface. 42. The fuel cell device of claim 41, further comprising a first surface flow channel on the one of the top or bottom surface fluidicly coupled to the first vertical flow channel and extending along the top or bottom surface to a predetermined exit point.
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