Abstract:
Fuel cell devices are provided having improved shrinkage properties between the active and non-active structures by modifying the material composition of the non-active structure, having a non-conductive, insulating barrier layer between the active structure and surface conductors that extend over the inactive surrounding support structure, having the width of one or both electrodes progressively change along the length, or having a porous ceramic layer between the anode and fuel passage and between the cathode and air passage. Another fuel cell device is provided having an internal multilayer active structure with electrodes alternating in polarity from top to bottom and external conductors on the top and/or bottom surface with sympathetic polarity to the respective top and bottom electrodes. A fuel cell system is provided with a fuel cell device having an enlarged attachment surface at one or both ends, which resides outside the system's heat source, insulated therefrom.
Abstract:
An electrode layer is provided by forming first and second sublayers containing input passages and exhaust passages, respectively. Electrode material is positioned around a first portion of first and second pluralities of spaced-apart removable physical structures to at least partially surround the structures thereby forming an active cell portion in each sublayer. Ceramic material is positioned around second portions to form a passive support structure in each sublayer. Another passive support structure is formed opposite the first, with the active cell portion therebetween. The sublayers are laminated, the physical structures are pulled out, and the laminated sublayers are sintered to reveal spaced-apart input passages from one end of the layer through the active cell portion, and spaced-apart exhaust passages from the active cell portion to a side of the layer adjacent the other end, the input and exhaust passages embedded in and supported by the sintered electrode and ceramic materials.
Abstract:
Fuel cell devices and systems are provided. A reaction zone positioned along a portion of the length is configured to be heated to an operating reaction temperature, and has at least one active layer therein comprising an electrolyte separating an anode from an opposing cathode, and fuel and oxidizer gas passages adjacent the respective anode and cathode. At least one cold zone positioned from the first end along another portion of the length is configured to remain below the operating reaction temperature. The anode and cathode each have electrical pathways extending to an exterior surface in the cold zone for electrical connection at the lower temperature. The electrolyte includes at least a portion thereof comprising a ceramic material sintered from a nano-sized powder. In one embodiment, the sintered nano-sized powder provides an uneven surface topography on the electrolyte.
Abstract:
A multilayer ceramic capacitor, having a plurality of electrode layers and a plurality of substantially titanium dioxide dielectric layers, wherein each respective titanium dioxide dielectric layer is substantially free of porosity, wherein each respective substantially titanium dioxide dielectric layer is positioned between two respective electrode layers, wherein each respective substantially titanium dioxide dielectric layer has an average grain size of between about 200 and about 400 nanometers, wherein each respective substantially titanium dioxide dielectric layer has maximum particle size of less than about 500 nanometers. Typically, each respective substantially titanium dioxide dielectric layer further includes at least one dopant selected from the group including P, V, Nb, Ta, Mo, W, and combinations thereof, and the included dopant is typically present in amounts of less than about 0.01 atomic percent.
Abstract:
Fuel cell devices and systems are provided. In certain embodiments, the devices include a ceramic support structure having a length, a width, and a thickness with the length direction being the dominant direction of thermal expansion. A reaction zone having at least one active layer therein is spaced from the first end and includes first and second opposing electrodes, associated active first and second gas passages, and electrolyte. The active first gas passage includes sub-passages extending in the y direction and spaced apart in the x direction. An artery flow passage extends from the first end along the length and into the reaction zone and is fluidicly coupled to the sub-passages of the active first gas passage. The thickness of the artery flow passage is greater than the thickness of the sub-passages. In other embodiments, fuel cell devices include second sub-passages for the active second gas passage and a second artery flow passage coupled thereto, and extending from either the first end or the second end into the reaction zone. In yet other embodiments, one or both electrodes of a fuel cell device are segmented.
Abstract:
Fuel cell devices are provided having improved shrinkage properties between the active and non-active structures by modifying the material composition of the non-active structure, having a non-conductive, insulating barrier layer between the active structure and surface conductors that extend over the inactive surrounding support structure, having the width of one or both electrodes progressively change along the length, or having a porous ceramic layer between the anode and fuel passage and between the cathode and air passage. Another fuel cell device is provided having an internal multilayer active structure with electrodes alternating in polarity from top to bottom and external conductors on the top and/or bottom surface with sympathetic polarity to the respective top and bottom electrodes. A fuel cell system is provided with a fuel cell device having an enlarged attachment surface at one or both ends, which resides outside the system's heat source, insulated therefrom.
Abstract:
A multilayer ceramic capacitor, having a plurality of electrode layers and a plurality of substantially titanium dioxide dielectric layers, wherein each respective titanium dioxide dielectric layer is substantially free of porosity, wherein each respective substantially titanium dioxide dielectric layer is positioned between two respective electrode layers, wherein each respective substantially titanium dioxide dielectric layer has an average grain size of between about 200 and about 400 nanometers, wherein each respective substantially titanium dioxide dielectric layer has maximum particle size of less than about 500 nanometers. Typically, each respective substantially titanium dioxide dielectric layer further includes at least one dopant selected from the group including P, V, Nb, Ta, Mo, W, and combinations thereof, and the included dopant is typically present in amounts of less than about 0.01 atomic percent.
Abstract:
The invention relates to fuel cell devices and systems, and methods of using and making fuel cell devices and systems. The fuel cell devices include an elongate ceramic substrate, such as a rectangular or tubular substrate, the length of which is the greatest dimension such that thermal expansion is exhibited along a dominant axis that is coextensive with the length. A reaction zone is positioned along a first portion of the length for heating to an operating reaction temperature, and at least one cold zone is positioned along a second portion of the length for operating at a temperature below the operating reaction temperature. There are one or more fuel passages and one or more oxidizer passages extending within an interior solid support structure of the elongate substrate, each having an associated anode and cathode, respectively, which are separated by an electrolyte. The passages include a neck-down point.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method of making fuel cell devices. Anode and cathode layers are applied on respective first and opposing second sides of a first portion of a first green ceramic layer, and a second green ceramic layer of thickness approximately equal to that of the anode and cathode layers is applied on a second portion of each of the first and second sides of the first green ceramic layer. A sacrificial layer is applied over each of the anode, cathode and second green ceramic layers, and a third green ceramic layer is applied over the sacrificial layers. The layered structure is heated to sinter all the layers and burn out the sacrificial layers. A pair of gas passages is thus formed with a thick sintered ceramic therebetween as a passive supporting portion and an anode, thin electrolyte and cathode therebetween as an active portion of the device.
Abstract:
A method of making a fuel cell device comprises forming a green stacked structure to provide an internal active section of intervening green layers of ceramic material separating anode layers from cathode layers and sacrificial layers of organic material adjacent each of the anode and cathode layers opposite the intervening green layers, and a non-active section of the green layers substantially surrounding the active section. The sacrificial layers are sized to provide internal gas passages in the active section for feeding gases to the internal anodes and cathodes, and the sacrificial layers are coupled to edges of the structure to couple each of the internal gas passages to an inlet and an outlet of the device. The green stacked structure is heated to bake out the organic material to form the passages and to sinter together the green layers in the active and non-active sections.