摘要:
A fuel cell system is disclosed comprising a plurality of fuel cell modules including a sealed planar fuel cell stack, the stack including internal manifold channels for transport of fuel and air to fuel cells within the stack and transport of tail gas and spent air away from fuel cells within the stack. Each of the fuel cell stacks is mounted on a stack footprint area of a top member of a base manifold. The base manifolds are configured to allow for interconnection of a number of fuel cell stack modules to provide a fuel cell system capable of producing power outputs that otherwise would have required large surface area cells or stack with a large number of cells.
摘要:
A fuel cell stack is disclosed including a non-fuel cell cassette having temperature sensing elements disposed therein. The temperature sensing elements are disposed in one or more void spaces in the non-fuel cell cassette, which void spaces are connected to openings in the side of the non-fuel cell cassette for lead wires to communicate information from the temperature sensing elements to components outside of the fuel cell stack.
摘要:
In a solid-oxide fuel cell system, an integrated air supply system provides oxygen for the fuel cell cathode reaction via a first air flow through a heat exchanger and a second air flow bypassing the heat exchanger, at least one of the first and second flows being throttled by a control valve responsive to a fuel cell control system, the flows subsequently being combined to provide air to the cathodes at a desired temperature.
摘要:
In a solid-oxide fuel cell assembly, a sealing gasket is disposed between spaced, parallel components and includes a gas-filled pillow structure formed in the general shape of the manifold opening to be sealed. The gasket acts as a passive gas spring that responds with increased seating force to increased temperature. The gasket comprises first and second elements formed from sheet or foil metal stock having mating concavities and joined along their mutual surfaces to form the gas-filled pillow structure in the shape of each opening to be sealed. The first and second elements are respectively formed of the same material as the components and diffusion bonded on their outer surfaces to their respective component surfaces.
摘要:
In a solid-oxide fuel cell assembly comprising a plurality of components having electrically-conductive mating surfaces therebetween, the surfaces are sealed by gasket elements that include first and second silver braze alloy layers and a dielectric layer, formed preferably of yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), disposed between the alloy layers. The alloy is capable of bonding to many ceramics, including YSZ, and is readily brazed to the oxide layer formed on many metals at elevated temperatures. Because the braze alloy is electrically conductive, a dielectric layer must be included to break conductivity in bonding applications where electrical insulation is required. YSZ functions as a reliable insulator and will not crystallize or fracture as do prior art glass insulators. The assembly is useful as an auxiliary power unit in a vehicle.
摘要:
A solid-oxide fuel cell system having “hot” components, e.g., the fuel cell stacks, the fuel reformer, tail gas combuster, heat exchangers, and fuel/air manifold, contained in a “hot zone” within a thermal enclosure intended specifically for minimizing heat transfer to its exterior and having no significant structural or protective function for its contents. A two-part clamshell arrangement allows all piping and leads which must pass through the enclosure to do so at the join line between the parts, thus eliminating need for ports and fittings in the thermal enclosure. A separate and larger structural enclosure surrounds the thermal enclosure, defining a “cool zone” outside the thermal enclosure for incorporation of “cool” components, e.g., the air supply system and the electronic control system, and providing structural protection for all components of the fuel cell system.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for supplying and containing a flow of reducing gas within a fuel cell is disclosed for a fuel cell having a gas control valve system comprising a fuel cell unit, an inlet and an outlet coupled to the fuel cell unit, an actuator disposed in the gas control valve, and a reducing gas supply for actuating said actuator and for regulating fuel to the fuel cell unit.
摘要:
An integrated induction system for providing fluids to the cylinders in an engine comprises a casing adapted for mounting on the engine. The casing has an air inlet and a plurality of fluid outlets. A plurality of air tubes are disposed within the casing so that air entering the air inlet flows through the air tubes and respective fluid outlets to the cylinders. A fuel injection assembly is mounted within the casing to inject fuel into the air exiting the air tubes adjacent each of the fluid outlets causing a mixture of air and fuel to enter the respective cylinders. Connected to the fuel injection assembly is a carrier upon which are mounted induction system components. The casing is mounted on distribution mountings which are connected to the engine. The distribution mountings have passages to allow communication between air and fuel contained within the casing and the cylinders, and to allow communication between a supplemental fluid source and the cylinders.
摘要:
An improved SOFC repeating fuel cell unit comprising three flat plates and a cell retainer. The three flat plates are metallurgically joined (brazed or laser welded) into a subassembly to which is added the fuel cell and cell retainer (which may also be joined as a second subassembly). Each flat plate performs a specific set of functions and can be optimized for those functions. Since the plates are flat and designed to overlap in loaded areas, the fuel cell unit is not prone to dimensional collapse which eliminates the internal reinforcements of the prior art design. The cell retainer is formed to provide a self-locating and locking feature for the fuel cell and decouples thermal stresses from the thin ceramic fuel cell.
摘要:
An SOFC stack module including an integral individual stack manifold containing all of the gas pathways necessary for supply and exhaust of fuel gas and cathode air to and from the stack chimneys. The stack is mounted and hermetically joined directly to the manifold without an intermediate base plate. Flanges at the inlet and outlet ports couple to system distributary manifolds via high temperature sealing joints. The manifold preferably is fabricated of a ferritic stainless steel, and may be formed in a one-piece casting, a combination of multiple castings and stamped plates metallurgically joined (brazed or welded together), or stamped from sheet metal stock. Preferably, the manifold includes fin structures extending into adjacent fuel gas and cathode air chambers to enhance balancing of temperatures by heat exchange therebetween. Heat exchange may be further improved by configuring the manifold to have a plurality of interleaved anode and cathode gas supply chambers.