Fuel cell system with interconnect

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017062844-A1
Application number	US-201615348403-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 10, 2016
Priority date	Jun 15, 2011
Publication date	Mar 2, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention includes an integrated planar, series connected fuel cell system having electrochemical cells electrically connected via interconnects, wherein the anodes of the electrochemical cells are protected against Ni loss and migration via an engineered porous anode barrier layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fuel cell, comprising:
an anode comprising Ni; a cathode; an electrolyte disposed between said anode and said cathode; a substrate; and a porous anode barrier disposed between said anode said substrate.

2 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein said porous anode barrier comprises Ni.

3 . The fuel cell of claim 2 wherein said porous anode barrier is configured to provide sacrificial Ni during operation of the fuel cell.

4 . The fuel cell of claim 2 wherein said porous anode barrier is configured to prevent Ni migration in said anode during operation of the fuel cell.

5 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein said porous anode barrier is not an active component of the fuel cell.

6 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein said porous anode barrier is configured to prevent reactions between said anode and said substrate.

7 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein said substrate comprises a porous ceramic.

8 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein said porous anode barrier is configured to provide fuel to said anode.

9 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein said porous anode barrier comprises an inert, porous ceramic.

10 . The fuel cell of claim 9 , wherein said porous ceramic comprises at least one material selected from the group comprising YSZ, SrZrO 3 , and SrTiO 3 -doped zirconia.

11 . A fuel cell system, comprising:
a plurality of electrochemical cells, each electrochemical cell including an anode; a plurality of interconnects; a porous substrate tube; and a porous anode barrier, wherein said porous anode barrier is disposed between each anode and the porous substrate tube.

12 . The fuel cell system of claim 11 , wherein said porous anode barrier comprises a cermet material having approximately 10-30% NiO by weight.

13 . The fuel cell system of claim 11 , wherein said porous anode barrier comprises a cermet material having NiO, wherein a concentration of said NiO is configured to render the porous anode barrier electrically insulating.

14 . The fuel cell system of claim 11 , wherein said porous anode barrier is in the form of segments, further comprising an electrically insulating component disposed between each of said segments of said porous anode barrier.

15 . The fuel cell system of claim 14 , wherein said porous anode barrier comprises a cermet material having approximately 10-75% NiO by weight.

16 . The fuel cell system of claim 15 , wherein said porous anode barrier comprises a cermet material having approximately 20-50% NiO by weight.

17 . The fuel cell system of claim 14 , wherein said electrically insulating component is one of a ceramic seal and one of a second porous anode barrier.

18 . A fuel cell system comprising:
a plurality of electrochemical cells, each of said cells comprising an anode, a cathode spaced from said anode in a first direction, and an electrolyte disposed between said anode and said cathode; a plurality of interconnects configured to conduct electrical current between adjacent electrochemical cells; a substrate; a first porous anode barrier; and a second porous anode barrier, wherein each of said anodes is spaced from said substrate in said first direction by at least one of said first porous anode barrier and said second porous anode barrier.

19 . The fuel cell system of claim 18 , where said first porous anode barrier is spaced from said substrate in said first direction by said second porous anode barrier.

20 . The fuel cell system of claim 18 , wherein said first porous anode barrier is configured to prevent or reduce Ni migration from said anodes during operating of said fuel cell system.

Assignees

• Lg Fuel Cell Systems Inc

Inventors

• Liu Zhien
• Goettler Richard

Classifications

• H01M8/0247

  characterised by the form (characterised by a channel configuration H01M8/0258) · CPC title

• H01M8/0206

  Metals or alloys · CPC title

• H01M8/2428

  Grouping by arranging unit cells on a surface of any form, e.g. planar or tubular · CPC title

• H01M8/2404

  Processes or apparatus for grouping fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/1286 Primary

  Fuel cells applied on a support, e.g. miniature fuel cells deposited on silica supports · CPC title