Ceramic composite electrolytic device and method for manufacture thereof

• US 6,074,771 A
• Filed: 02/06/1998
• Issued: 06/13/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGR Enterprises Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IGR Enterprises Incorporated
• Inventors: Dodeja, Ravi, Dahar, Steve, Gordon, Arnold Z., Cubukcu, Esin, Kalynchuk, Daniel, Prince, Troy Shannon, Soltesz, Justin, Waite, Mike, Chawla, Sandeep
• Primary Examiner(s): Nuzzolillo, Maria
• Assistant Examiner(s): O MALLEY, JENNIFER L
• Application Number:
  US09/020,204
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 429/30, 429/33, 429/36
• US Class Current: 429/434
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1293 Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0074 Ion conductive at high temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0263 having meandering or serpentine paths
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04007 related to heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1213 characterised by the electrode/electrolyte combination or the supporting material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1226 characterised by the supporting layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1231 with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1233 with one of the reactants being liquid, solid or liquid-charged
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2432 Grouping of unit cells of planar configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/247 Arrangements for tightening a stack, for accommodation of a stack in a tank or for assembling different tanks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2483 characterised by internal manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2485 Arrangements for sealing external manifolds; Arrangements for mounting external manifolds around a stack
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

An electrical power generating device having a plurality of ceramic composite cells, each cell having a cathode and an anode. A thermal shell in which the ceramic composite cells are stacked or arranged in electrical series and gas parallel surrounded by shock absorbing and insulating materials, respectively, is preferably included. Also provided are an exhaust fan, thermocouple sensors, a fuel supply, a programmable computer controller with user interface, and a container supporting the assembly and having passageways for providing air ingress and egress to the device, and power output terminals for the electrical power from the device. Methods for manufacturing the ceramic composite cells are also provided, including a method for manufacturing stabilized zirconia for use in the ceramic materials used within the ceramic composite cell. The cell utilizes a ceramic composite body electrolyte which contains a metal member having a regular pattern of openings.

Claims

1. A ceramic composite electrolytic device for generating electrical power comprising:

a plurality of electrically connected solid state electrolytic electrical power generating cells, each of said cells including a ceramic composite body with first and second electrically conductive porous gas permeable electrode layers on opposite surfaces of said ceramic composite body, said first layer forming an anode and said second layer forming a cathode, and a bipolar metal member for engagement with said ceramic composite body of said cell on one side, and with said ceramic composite body of another adjacent cell on the other side,

said ceramic composite body further comprising a metal member having a regular pattern of openings formed within a center portion of the metal member for supporting a ceramic material and such pattern and openings have no sharp corners,

said bipolar metal member and said metal member of said ceramic composite body interconnected at a gas tight seal surrounding said ceramic material to form a fuel chamber, and together forming an output for removing exhaust generated in said fuel chamber of said cell,

said device further including a heat unit for heating said plurality of cells to a desired reaction temperature, a power connection connecting the output of said cell, a fan for supplying air to said cathode of said cell, and a fuel supplied to said plurality of cells for reacting with said plurality of interconnected cells to generate electrical power within said fuel chamber.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein a thermal shell having first, second and third concurrent metal layers in part surrounding said ceramic composite cells which are stacked in electrical series and gas parallel surrounded by shock absorbing and insulating materials.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the pattern of openings formed within said center portion of said metal member for supporting said ceramic material is a hexagonal close packed hole pattern.

4. A method for manufacturing a ceramic composite electrical power generating cell comprising the steps of:

providing a layer of ceramic material to a metal member having a pattern of openings with no sharp corners within a center portion of the metal member for intersupporting the ceramic material,

firing said metal member supporting the ceramic material to create a ceramic composite member;

coating said center portion of said metal member forming said ceramic composite member with an electrically conductive material;

firing said electrically conductive material with said metal member forming said ceramic composite member;

welding said metal member surrounding said ceramic composite member with a bipolar metal member having contact portions extending outwardly in two directions from a plane of the bipolar metal member for engagement with said ceramic composite member;

forming an air tight chamber between said ceramic composite member and said bipolar metal member for generating electrical power.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of providing the layer of ceramic material to the hole pattern of the metal member comprises dipping.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the ceramic material is stabilized zirconia.