THERMOELECTRICALLY ENHANCED FUEL CELLS

• US 20200136156A1
• Filed: 10/30/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2018
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Phillips 66 Company
• Original Assignee: Phillips 66 Company
• Inventors: Liu, Ying, Liu, Mingfei
• Application Number:
  US16/668,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20200136156A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/00 Structural combinations of different types of electrochemical generators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1293 Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/402 Combination of fuel cell with other electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04067 Heat exchange or temperature measuring elements, thermal insulation, e.g. heat pipes, heat pumps, fins
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1231 with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/17 characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/855 comprising compounds containing boron, carbon, oxygen or nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/8556 comprising compounds containing germanium or silicon
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A fuel cell system comprising an anode, an electrolyte supported by the anode; and a cathode supported by the electrolyte. A primary thermoelectric ceramic is in contact with the cathode positioned on the opposing side of the electrolyte. An optional secondary thermoelectric ceramic is in contact with the anode positioned on the opposite side of the electrolyte. In this embodiment air and fuel gas surround the fuel cell at a temperature lower than the operational internal temperature of the fuel cell and both the primary thermoelectric ceramic and the optional secondary thermoelectric ceramic are capable of converting the temperature difference between the fuel cell and both the air and the fuel gas into an additional output voltage.

Claims

1. A fuel cell system comprising:

an anode;

an electrolyte supported by the anode;

a cathode supported by the electrolyte;

a primary thermoelectric ceramic in contact with the cathode positioned on the opposing side of the electrolyte; and

an optional secondary thermoelectric ceramic in contact with the anode positioned on the opposite side of the electrolyte,

wherein air and fuel gas surround the fuel cell at a temperature lower than the operational internal temperature of the fuel cell and both the primary thermoelectric ceramic and the optional secondary thermoelectric ceramic are capable of converting the temperature difference between the fuel cell and both the air and the fuel gas into an additional output voltage.

2. The fuel cell system of claim 1, wherein the fuel cell is a solid oxide fuel cell.

3. The fuel cell system of claim 1, wherein the additional output voltage ranges from about 5 mV to about 150 mV.

4. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the primary thermoelectric ceramic and the optional secondary thermoelectric ceramic are independently selected from the group consisting of:

La_0.9Sr_0.1FeO₃, LaCoO₃, La_0.8Sr_0.2CoO₃, LaCo_0.2Fe_0.8O₃, La_0.8Sr_0.2Co_0.2Fe_0.8, La_0.7Ca_0.3CrO₃, LaFe_0.7Ni_0.3O₃, Ca_2.5Tb_0.5Co₄O₉, Ca₃Co₄O₉, Ca₂Co₂O₅, Ca₃Co₂O₆, Ca₃Co₃O₉, Ca_2.9Nd_0.1Co₄O₉, CaCo_3.9Cu_0.1O₉, CaMnO₃, Ca_2.9Nd_0.1MnO₃, SrTiO₃, Si_0.7Ge_0.22, Ca_0.9Yb_0.1MnO₃, Ca_2.7Bi_0.3Co₄O₉, Na₂Co₂O₄, SrTi_0.9Ta_0.1O₃, Sr_0.925La_0.15TiO₃, Sr_0.9Dy_0.1TiO₃, and combinations thereof.

5. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the temperature difference between operational internal temperature of the solid oxide fuel cell and the both the air and the fuel gas ranges from about 5°

C. to about 250°

C.,

6. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the primary thermoelectric ceramic and the optional secondary thermoelectric ceramic independently range from about 30 μ

m to about 5 mm.

7. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the primary thermoelectric ceramic is a p-type conductor.

8. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the optional secondary thermoelectric ceramic is a n-type conductor.

9. A solid oxide fuel cell system comprising:

an anode;

an electrolyte supported by the anode;

a cathode supported by the electrolyte;

a primary thermoelectric ceramic p-type conductor in contact with the cathode positioned on the opposing side of the electrolyte; and

a secondary thermoelectric ceramic n-type conductor in contact with the anode positioned on the opposite side of the electrolyte,

wherein air and fuel gas surround the solid oxide fuel cell at a temperature lower than the operational internal temperature of the solid oxide fuel cell and both the primary thermoelectric ceramic and the optional secondary thermoelectric ceramic are capable of converting the temperature difference between the solid oxide fuel cell and both the air and the fuel gas into an additional output voltage.