Abstract:
The invention provides a solid oxide fuel cell device and a fuel cell system incorporating a plurality of the fuel devices, each device including an elongate substrate the length of which is the greatest dimension such that the elongate substrate has a coefficient of thermal expansion having only one dominant axis that is coextensive with the length. A reaction zone is provided along a first portion of the length for heating to an operating reaction temperature, and at least one cold zone is provided along a second portion of the length that remains at a low temperature below the operating reaction temperature when the reaction zone is heated. A plurality of fuel passages and oxidizer passages are provided in the elongate substrate extending from the at least one cool zone to the reaction zone, each fuel passage having an associated anode in the reaction zone, and each oxidizer passage having an associated cathode in the reaction zone positioned in opposing relation to a respective one of the associated anodes. An electrolyte is disposed between each of the opposing anodes and cathodes in the reaction zone. The system further includes the devices positioned with their first portions in a hot zone chamber and their cold zones extending outside the hot zone chamber. A heat source is coupled to the hot zone chamber to heat the reaction zones to the operating reaction temperature. A fuel supply is coupled outside the hot zone chamber to the at least one cold zones in fluid communication with the fuel passages for supplying a fuel flow into the fuel passages.
Abstract:
An interposer connector for connecting an interdigitated capacitor to a substrate having a first track to be electrically connected to first capacitor terminals and an opposed second track to be electrically connected to second capacitor terminals. The interposer connector supports the interdigitated capacitor and has a first electrical conductor electrically connectable to the first track and the first capacitor terminals and a second electrical conductor electrically connectable to the second track substrate and the second capacitor terminals.
Abstract:
A monolithic or essentially monolithic single layer capacitor with high structural strength and capacitance, a printed circuit board having the capacitor mounted thereon, and a method of making. Sheets of green-state ceramic dielectric material and glass/metal composite material are laminated together, diced into individual chips, and fired to sinter the glass and the ceramic together. The composite material contains an amount of metal sufficient to render the composite conductive whereby the composite may be used for one or both electrodes and for mounting the capacitor to the printed circuit board. Vertically-oriented surface mountable capacitors and hybrid capacitors are provided.
Abstract:
A fully surface mountable vertical multi-layer capacitor having low insertion loss at high frequency and low inductance, and providing sufficiently high capacitance for use in broadband and other applications. The capacitor includes a first section and a second section, each directly mountable to a surface trace on a printed circuit board, and each providing an electron flow path to a respective set of internal electrode plates. By the present invention, the need for wire bonding of vertical multi-layer capacitors is eliminated.
Abstract:
A monolithic or essentially monolithic single layer capacitor with high structural strength and capacitance. Sheets of green-state ceramic dielectric material and ceramic/metal composite material are laminated together, diced into individual chips, and fired to sinter the ceramic together. The composite material contains an amount of metal sufficient to render the composite conductive whereby the composite may be used for one or both electrodes and for mounting the capacitor to the pc board. Vertically-oriented surface mountable capacitors and hybrid capacitors are provided.
Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a furnace setter is disclosed. The method includes placing one or more layers of ceramic tape on a form that has a shape corresponding to a desired shape of the furnace setter. The method further includes applying pressure to the assembly that includes the form and the tape layers. The application of pressure to the assembly compresses the ceramic tape layers together to generate an integrated body having the desired shape of the furnace setter. The method further includes removing the integrated body from the form and applying a heat treatment to the integrated body to generate the furnace setter as a sintered solid body. According to a further embodiment, a furnace setter is disclosed that has a weight to area ratio that is less than 10 g/in2, less than 5 g/in2, less than 3 g/in2, or less than 2 g/in2.
Abstract:
A fuel cell device is provided having an active structure with an anode and cathode in opposing relation with an electrolyte therebetween, a fuel passage adjacent the anode for supplying fuel to the active structure, and an air passage adjacent the cathode for supplying air to the active structure. A porous ceramic layer is positioned between each of the anode and fuel passage and the cathode and air passage, the porous ceramic layers having a porosity configured to permit transport of fuel and air from the respective fuel and air passage to the respective anode and cathode. An inactive surrounding support structure is provided that is monolithic with the electrolyte and the porous ceramic layers, wherein the inactive surrounding support structure lacks the anode and cathode in opposing relation and the active structure resides within the inactive surrounding support structure.
Abstract:
A fuel cell device with a rectangular solid ceramic substrate extending in length between first and second end surfaces where thermal expansion occurs primarily along the length. An active structure internal to the exterior surface extends along only a first portion of the length and has an anode, cathode and electrolyte therebetween. The first portion is heated to generate a fuel cell reaction. A remaining portion of the length is a non-heated, non-active section lacking opposing anode and cathode where heat dissipates along the remaining portion away from the first portion. A second portion of the length in the remaining portion is distanced away from the first portion such that its exterior surface is at low temperature when the first portion is heated. The anode and cathode have electrical pathways extending from the internal active structure to the exterior surface in the second portion for electrical connection at low temperature.
Abstract:
The invention provides solid oxide fuel cell devices and systems, each including an elongate substrate having an active end region for heating to an operating reaction temperature, and a non-active end region that remains at a low temperature below the operating reaction temperature when the active end region is heated. An electrolyte is disposed between anodes and cathodes in the active end region, and the anodes and cathodes each have an electrical pathway extending to an exterior surface in the non-active end region for electrical connection at low temperature. The system further includes the devices positioned with their active end regions in a hot zone chamber and their non-active end regions extending outside the chamber. A heat source is coupled to the chamber to heat the active end regions to the operating reaction temperature, and fuel and air supplies are coupled to the substrates in the non-active end regions.
Abstract:
A fuel cell device is prepared by dispensing and drying electrode and ceramic pastes around two pluralities of removable physical structures to form electrode layers having constant width and a shape that conforms lengthwise to a curvature of the physical structures. An electrolyte ceramic layer is positioned between electrode layers, forming an active cell portion where anode is in opposing relation to cathode with electrolyte therebetween, and passive cell portions where ceramic is adjacent the active cell portion. The layers are laminated, the physical structures pulled out, and the lamination sintered to form an active cell with active passages in anodes and cathodes and passive support structure with passive passages in ceramic. End portions of at least one of the two pluralities of physical structures are curved away from the same end portion of the other of the two pluralities resulting in a split end in the fuel cell device.