Fuel cell tube with laterally segmented fuel cells

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019190051-A1
Application number	US-201715847456-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 19, 2017
Priority date	Dec 19, 2017
Publication date	Jun 20, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a fuel cell tube including one or more laterally segmented fuel cells each including multiple fuel cell portions that are electrically isolated from one another. When assembled into a fuel cell stack, secondary interconnects electrically connect adjacent fuel cell tubes via their respective laterally segmented fuel cells. The use of laterally segmented fuel cells to effect the fuel cell tube-to-fuel cell tube electrical connection enables more accurate testing of the electrical connection between adjacent fuel cell tubes.

First claim

1 . A segmented-in-series solid-oxide fuel cell system comprising:
a first fuel cell tube comprising:
a substrate having a first end and an opposing second end, a first major surface extending between the first and second ends, and a second opposing major surface extending between the first and second ends; and
a plurality of fuel cells disposed on the first major surface, each fuel cell extending laterally across the first major surface and being positioned between the first and second ends, wherein a first selected one of the plurality of fuel cells is laterally segmented so that a first lateral end of the first selected fuel cell is electrically isolated from a second lateral end of the first selected fuel cell;
a second fuel cell tube comprising:
a substrate having a first end and an opposing second end, a first major surface extending between the first and second ends, and a second opposing major surface extending between the first and second ends; and
a plurality of fuel cells disposed on the first major surface, each fuel cell extending laterally across the first major surface and being positioned between the first and second ends, wherein a first one of the plurality of fuel cells is laterally segmented so that a first lateral end of the first selected fuel cell is electrically isolated from a second lateral end of the first selected fuel cell;
a first secondary interconnect electrically connecting the first lateral end of the first selected fuel cell of the first fuel cell tube to the first lateral end of the first selected fuel cell of the second fuel cell tube; and a second secondary interconnect electrically connecting the second lateral end of the first selected fuel cell of the first fuel cell tube to the second lateral end of the first selected fuel cell of the second fuel cell tube.

2 . The segmented-in-series solid-oxide fuel cell system of claim 1 , wherein a second selected one of the plurality of fuel cells of the first fuel cell tube is laterally segmented so that a first lateral end of the second selected fuel cell is electrically isolated from a second lateral end of the second selected fuel cell.

3 . The segmented-in-series solid-oxide fuel cell system of claim 2 , wherein the first selected fuel cell of the first fuel cell tube is positioned adjacent the first end of the first fuel cell tube, the second selected fuel cell of the first fuel cell tube is positioned adjacent the second end of the first fuel cell tube, and the remaining fuel cells of the first fuel cell tube are positioned between the first and second selected fuel cells.

4 . The segmented-in-series solid-oxide fuel cell system of claim 2 , wherein a second one of the plurality of fuel cells of the second fuel cell tube is laterally segmented so that a first lateral end of the second selected fuel cell is electrically isolated from a second lateral end of the second selected fuel cell.

5 . The segmented-in-series solid-oxide fuel cell system of claim 4 , wherein the first selected fuel cell of the second fuel cell tube is positioned adjacent the first end of the second fuel cell tube, the second selected fuel cell of the second fuel cell tube is positioned adjacent the second end of the first fuel cell tube, and the remaining fuel cells of the second fuel cell tube are positioned between the first and second selected fuel cells.

6 . The segmented-in-series solid-oxide fuel cell system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a third fuel cell tube comprising:
a substrate having a first end and an opposing second end, a first major surface extending between the first and second ends, and a second opposing major surface extending between the first and second ends; and
a plurality of fuel cells disposed on the first major surface, each fuel cell extending laterally across the first major surface and being positioned between the first and second ends, wherein a first one of the plurality of fuel cells is laterally segmented so that a first lateral end of the first selected fuel cell is electrically isolated from a second lateral end of the first selected fuel cell; and
a third secondary interconnect electrically connecting the first lateral end of the second selected fuel cell of the second fuel cell tube to the first lateral end of the first selected fuel cell of the third fuel cell tube.

7 . The segmented-in-series solid-oxide fuel cell system of claim 6 , further comprising a fourth secondary interconnect electrically connecting the second lateral end of the second selected fuel cell of the second fuel cell tube to the second lateral end of the first selected fuel cell of the third fuel cell tube.

8 . The segmented-in-series solid-oxide fuel cell system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second secondary interconnects each comprise a wire.

9 . The segmented-in-series solid-oxide fuel cell system of claim 1 , wherein the second fuel cell tube is above the first fuel cell tube.

10 . A fuel cell tube comprising:
a substrate defining one or more fuel conduits therethrough, the substrate having a first end and an opposing second end, a first major surface extending between the first and second ends, and a second opposing major surface extending between the first and second ends; and a plurality of fuel cells disposed on the first major surface, each fuel cell extending laterally across the first major surface and being positioned between the first and second ends, wherein a first selected one of the plurality of fuel cells is laterally segmented so that a first lateral end of the first selected fuel cell is electrically isolated from a second lateral end of the first selected fuel cell.

11 . The fuel cell tube of claim 10 , wherein a second selected one of the plurality of fuel cells is laterally segmented so that a first lateral end of the second selected fuel cell is electrically isolated from a second lateral end of the second selected fuel cell.

12 . The fuel cell tube of claim 11 , wherein the first selected fuel cell is positioned adjacent the first end, the second selected fuel cell is positioned adjacent the second end, and the remaining fuel cells are positioned between the first and second selected fuel cells.

13 . The fuel cell tube of claim 10 , wherein the first selected fuel cell comprises a first fuel cell portion and a second fuel cell portion that are electrically isolated from one another.

14 . The fuel cell tube of claim 13 , wherein the first and second fuel cell portions are laterally spaced apart to effectuate the electrical isolation.

15 . The fuel cell tube of claim 14 , further comprising an electrically insulating material in the space between the first and second fuel cell portions.

16 . The fuel cell tube of claim 10 , further comprising a second plurality of fuel cells disposed on the second major surface, each fuel cell extending laterally across the second major surface and being positioned between the first and second ends, wherein a first selected one of the second plurality of fuel cells is laterally segmented so that a first lateral end of the first selected fuel cell is electrically isolated from a second lateral end of the first selected fuel cell.

17 . The fuel cell tube of claim 16 , further comprising a first fuel cell connector electrically connecting the first lateral end of the first selected fuel cell of the plurality of fuel cells to the first lateral end of the first selected fuel cell of the second plurality of fuel cells.

18 . The fuel cell tube of claim 17 , further comprising a second fuel cell connector elect

Assignees

• Lg Fuel Cell Systems Inc

Inventors

• Daum Ed
• Goettler Richard
• Liu Zhien
• Osborne Charles

Classifications

• H01M8/2483

  characterised by internal manifolds · CPC title

• H01M8/1226 Primary

  characterised by the supporting layer · CPC title

• H01M8/2432

  Grouping of unit cells of planar configuration · CPC title

• H01M2008/1293

  Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M8/1286 Primary

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