Metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit and its method of manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020365926-A1
Application number	US-201816638458-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 13, 2018
Priority date	Aug 16, 2017
Publication date	Nov 19, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to an improved metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit, fuel cell stacks, fuel cell stack assemblies, and methods of manufacture.

First claim

1 . A metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit comprising:
a) a plurality of metal substrate plates and at least two blanking plates, each metal substrate plate defining first and second opposed surfaces and each blanking plate defining first and second opposed surfaces, wherein at least one solid oxide fuel cell is disposed on said second surface of each metal substrate plate; b) a metal spacer, which defines first and second opposed surfaces, said metal spacer comprising an external perimeter and a plurality of cut-out internal perimeters, each cut-out internal perimeter defining a cut-out, wherein said first surface of each metal substrate plate and said first surface of each blanking plate is attached to said second surface of said metal spacer, each cut-out internal perimeter of said metal spacer being wholly overlapped by a metal substrate plate; and c) a metal interconnect plate which defines first and second opposed surfaces, said second surface of said metal interconnect plate sealingly attached to said first surface of said metal spacer.

2 . A metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit according to claim 1 , wherein said metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit is a metal supported solid oxide fuel cell stack layer.

3 . A metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit according to claim 1 , wherein each metal substrate plate is attached to said metal spacer between a cut-out internal perimeter and said external perimeter.

4 . A metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit according to claim 3 , wherein each metal substrate plate comprises a porous region surrounded by a non-porous region, and said non-porous region of each metal substrate plate is attached to said metal spacer.

5 . A metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit according to claim 1 , wherein said metal interconnect plate is sealingly attached to said first face of said metal spacer between said external perimeter of said metal spacer and said plurality of cut-out internal perimeters of said metal spacer.

6 . A metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit according to claim 1 , wherein each metal substrate plate is attached to said metal spacer by means of welding.

7 . A metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit according to claim 1 , wherein said at least two blanking plates and said plurality of metal substrate plates are attached to said metal spacer.

8 . A metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit according to claim 1 , comprising at least one combined metal substrate plate, each combined metal substrate plate comprising a blanking plate and at least one metal substrate plate.

9 . A solid oxide fuel cell stack comprising a plurality of metal supported solid oxide fuel cell units 1 according to claim 1 .

10 . A solid oxide fuel cell stack assembly comprising: a base plate, an end plate, a solid oxide fuel cell stack according to claim 9 , and a skirt attached to said base plate and said end plate and defining a volume between said skirt, said base plate and said end plate within which is contained said fuel cell stack.

11 . A method of assembly of a metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit, said metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit comprising:
a) a plurality of metal substrate plates and at least two blanking plates, each metal substrate plate defining first and second opposed surfaces and each blanking plate defining first and second opposed surfaces, wherein at least one solid oxide fuel cell is disposed on said second surface of each metal substrate plate; b) a metal spacer, which defines first and second opposed surfaces, said metal spacer comprising an external perimeter and a plurality of cut-out internal perimeters, each cut-out internal perimeter defining a cut-out; and c) a metal interconnect plate which defines first and second opposed surfaces;
said method of assembly comprising the steps of:
(i) attaching said first surface of each metal substrate plate and said first surface of each blanking plate to said second surface 32 of said metal spacer, wherein each cut-out internal perimeter of said metal spacer is wholly overlapped by a metal substrate plate; and
(ii) sealingly attaching said second surface of said metal interconnect plate to said first surface of said metal spacer.

12 . A method of assembly of a metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit according to claim 11 , wherein step (i) comprises clamping said metal spacer to said at least two blanking plates and said plurality of metal substrate plates and attaching said metal spacer to said at least two blanking plates and said plurality of metal substrate plates.

13 . A method of assembly of a metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit according to claim 11 , wherein step (ii) comprises clamping said metal interconnect plate to said metal spacer and attaching said metal interconnect plate to said metal spacer.

14 . A method of assembly of a metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit according to claim 12 , wherein at least step (i) comprises attaching by welding.

15 . A method of assembly of a metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit according to claim 11 , wherein said plurality of metal substrate plates and said plurality of blanking plates is aligned with said metal spacer and aligned with said metal interconnect plate.

16 . A method of assembly of a metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit according to claim 13 , wherein at least step (ii) comprises attaching by welding.

Assignees

• Ceres Ip Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ballard Andrew
• Domanski Tomasz
• Tunbridge Jonathan
• Harman Jon
• Robertson Alan
• Duarte Diana
• Brunton Adam

Classifications

• H01M8/2425 Primary

  High-temperature cells with solid electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M8/2432

  Grouping of unit cells of planar configuration · CPC title

• H01M8/0258

  characterised by the configuration of channels, e.g. by the flow field of the reactant or coolant · CPC title

• H01M8/0271 Primary

  Sealing or supporting means around electrodes, matrices or membranes · CPC title

• H01M8/0206

  Metals or alloys · CPC title