Intermediate temperature metal supported solid oxide electrolyzer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021351418-A1
Application number	US-201817262246-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 25, 2018
Priority date	Jul 25, 2018
Publication date	Nov 11, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A metal-supported electrolyzer includes an electrolysis cell that has, in stacked order, an electrode unit having a first solid oxide electrode layer, a solid oxide electrolyte layer that is proton-conductive in a temperature range of 650° C. or lower, and a second solid oxide electrode layer. A porous metal sheet in contact with the second solid oxide electrode layer supports the electrode unit, a metal separator sheet bonded to the porous metal sheet, and a metal interconnect backing the metal separator sheet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A metal-supported electrolyzer comprising:
an electrolysis cell including, in stacked order,
an electrode unit having
a first solid oxide electrode layer,
a solid oxide electrolyte layer that is proton-conductive in a temperature range of 650° C. or lower, and
a second solid oxide electrode layer,

a porous metal sheet in contact with the second solid oxide electrode layer, the porous metal sheet supporting the electrode unit,
a metal separator sheet bonded to the porous metal sheet, and
a metal interconnect backing the metal separator sheet.

2 . The metal-supported electrolyzer as recited in claim 1 , wherein the solid oxide electrolyte layer includes at least one of yttrium-doped barium zirconate or gadolinium-doped ceria.

3 . The metal-supported electrolyzer as recited in claim 2 , wherein the porous metal sheet includes a pattern of through-holes.

4 . The metal-supported electrolyzer as recited in claim 3 , wherein the porous metal sheet is stainless steel.

5 . The metal-supported electrolyzer as recited in claim 4 , wherein the through-holes have diameters of 50 micrometers to 100 micrometers.

6 . The metal-supported electrolyzer as recited in claim 5 , wherein the porous metal sheet has a porosity of 10% to 30%.

7 . The electrolyzer as recited in claim 6 , wherein the porous metal sheet is metallurgically bonded to the metal separator sheet.

8 . The metal-supported electrolyzer as recited in claim 7 , wherein the first solid oxide electrode layer and the second solid oxide electrode layer each has a thickness of 10 micrometers to 100 micrometers.

9 . The metal-supported electrolyzer as recited in claim 8 , wherein the solid oxide electrolyte layer has a thickness of 1 micrometer to 50 micrometers and is less than each of the thicknesses of the first solid oxide electrode layer and the second solid oxide electrode layer.

10 . The metal-supported electrolyzer as recited in claim 1 , wherein the solid oxide electrolyte layer includes yttrium-doped barium zirconate.

11 . The metal-supported electrolyzer as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first solid oxide electrode layer and the second solid oxide electrode layer each has a thickness of 1 micrometers to 50 micrometers.

12 . The metal-supported electrolyzer as recited in claim 11 , wherein the solid oxide electrolyte layer has a thickness of 1 micrometer to 100 micrometers and is less than each of the thicknesses of the first solid oxide electrode layer and the second solid oxide electrode layer.

13 . The metal-supported electrolyzer as recited in claim 1 , wherein the porous metal sheet is stainless steel.

14 . The metal-supported electrolyzer as recited in claim 1 , wherein the porous metal sheet is ferritic stainless steel.

15 . The metal-supported electrolyzer as recited in claim 1 , wherein the porous metal sheet is metallurgically bonded to the metal separator sheet.

16 . The metal-supported electrolyzer as recited in claim 1 , wherein the porous metal sheet, the metal separator sheet, and the metal interconnect are stainless steel.

17 . The metal-supported electrolyzer as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a power supply inputting electrical energy into the electrolysis cell.

18 . The metal-supported electrolyzer as recited in claim 1 , wherein the porous metal sheet has an average pore size of 1 micrometer to 200 micrometers.

19 . A metal-supported electrolyzer comprising:
an electrolysis cell including, in stacked order,
an electrode unit having
a first solid oxide electrode layer,
a solid oxide electrolyte layer that is ion-conductive, and
a second solid oxide electrode layer,

a porous metal sheet in contact with the second solid oxide electrode layer, the porous metal sheet supporting the electrode unit,
a metal separator sheet bonded to the porous metal sheet, and
a second metal interconnect backing the first metal interconnect.

Assignees

• Raytheon Tech Corp

Inventors

• Zhu Tianli
• Hawkes Justin R
• Rampone Joseph C

Classifications

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• C25B9/23

  comprising ion-exchange membranes in or on which electrode material is embedded · CPC title

• C25B1/04

  by electrolysis of water · CPC title

• C25B15/08 Primary

  Supplying or removing reactants or electrolytes; Regeneration of electrolytes · CPC title

• C25B9/73

  of the filter-press type · CPC title