Commissariat &#xc0; L'&#xc9;nergie Atomique Et Aux &#xc9;nergies Alternatives

Charlotte Bernard

Guilhem Roux

Michel Planque

Magali Reytier

Philippe Szynal

Julie Mougin

Emmanuel Rigal

André Chatroux

Patrice Tochon

Raphael Couturier

Bruno Oresic

Fabien Vidotto

Raphaël Couturier

Jean-Marc Leibold

Pascal Giroud

Nicolas Bardi

Jérôme Aicart

Géraldine Palcoux

Disclosed is a method for the temperature control of an electrochemical system comprising a stack of electrochemical cells and interconnection plates interposed between the electrochemical cells, means for supplying gas to the electrochemical cells and means for collecting gases produced by the electrochemical cells, and means for electrically connecting the system to the outside, wherein the electrochemical device also comprises heating means integrated into the stack, said heating means comprising at least a first and a second heating element, the first heating element being disposed in a first location in the stack and the second heating element being arranged in a second location in the stack, said method comprising steps of: applying a first control command to the first heating element and a second control command to the second heating element, said control commands being configured such that a thermal gradient in the stack in the direction of the stack is maintained substantially at a defined value.

Method for temperature control of a solid oxide electrochemical system having integrated heating means

The invention relates to an electrochemical device that includes an electrochemical unit. The electrochemical unit includes a stack of SOEC/SOFC-type solid oxides operating at high temperatures, a clamping system provided with two clamping plates, referred to as the first clamping plate and second clamping plate, respectively, between which the stack is clamped, one and/or both of the two clamping plates having at least one gas inlet and at least one gas outlet. The unit includes heating means which are designed to ensure the heating of the electrochemical unit and are integrated into said unit. The device includes a containment box, housed in a volume, referred to as internal volume V, the electrochemical unit, the internal volume V being delimited by a surface, referred to as the internal surface S, of the containment box, which follows the shape of the electrochemical assembly.

Electrochemical device comprising an electrochemical unit disposed in a containment enclosure

An electrochemical system includes an electrochemical device having a stack of n solid oxide electrochemical cells, n being an integer greater than or equal to 1. The electrochemical system also includes at least n−1 interconnection plates which are interposed between the electrochemical cells, and means for supplying gas to the electrochemical cells and means for collecting gas produced by the electrochemical cells. The electrochemical system further includes means for electrically connecting the system to the outside. The electrochemical device also includes heating means integrated into the stack, said heating means comprising electrical conductors housed in the clamping plates.

Solid oxide electrochemical system having integrated heating means

An assembly includes an SOEC/SOFC-type solid oxide stack, a clamping system for clamping the stack, including at least two clamping rods that can be used to assemble upper and lower clamping plates, and a coupling system for high-temperature fluid-tight coupling of the stack to a heating system for supplying and discharging gas. The coupling system includes a collector with collection ducts for supplying and discharging gas, each provided with a collecting port positioned facing a corresponding communication port of at least one of the upper and lower clamping plates, and seals each placed between a collecting port and a corresponding communication port.

Assembly comprising a SOEC/SOFC-type solid oxide stack, a clamping system, and a heat exchange system

An assembly comprising a SOEC/SOFC-type solid oxide stack, and a clamping system for the stack. The assembly further comprises a system for superheating the gases at the inlet of the stack, comprising: a heating plate integrated within the thickness of at least one of the upper and lower clamping plates of the clamping system; an upper or lower end plate for superheating the gases, comprising a circuit through which the gases to be heated flow; and an inlet duct for the gases to be heated.

Assembly comprising a SOEC/SOFC-type solid oxide stack and a clamping system with an integrated gas superheating system

Implementation of an interconnector structure for an SOEC or SOFC electrochemical device, the interconnector being formed of a conductive support element having a first face with a rough region, the roughness of which has been modified locally before being brought into contact with a seal.

Interconnector with a rugged surface for better tightness

A coupling system for high-temperature tight coupling of a stack having SOEC/SOFC-type solid oxides is described. The system includes a threaded hollow connector, a smooth hollow connector, and a threaded nut. The threaded hollow connector includes an opening for establishing fluid communication with a gas inlet/outlet pipe and is intended to be attached to the gas inlet/outlet pipe. The smooth hollow connector includes an opening for establishing fluid communication with a gas inlet/outlet pipe of the stack and is intended to be attached to the inlet/outlet pipe. The threaded nut engages with the threaded hollow connector to form a screw/nut system, slides relative to the smooth hollow connector, and includes a first threaded portion and a second smooth portion in sliding contact with the smooth hollow connector.

System for high-temperature tight coupling of a stack having SOEC/SOFC-type solid oxides

A system for overheating gases at the inlet of a SOEC/SOFC-type solid oxide stack, the stack including a main body that has first and second zones separated by a median plane, and inflow and outflow conduits, the zones include gas circulation circuits extending in the form of a spiral and communicating by means of a passage passing through the main body. A gas flow to be heated entering the inflow conduit circulates in the first gas circulation circuit and passes through the passage to then circulate in the second gas circulation circuit and in the conduit for the outflow of the reheated gases in order to reach the inlet of the SOEC/SOFC-type solid oxide stack.

Method for overheating gases at the inlet of a SOEC/SOFC-type solid oxide stack

A clamping chamber in a reactor or fuel cell architecture having a stack of elementary units is above the clamping fittings. The clamping chamber, in which a gas other than the reactive gases will flow, is substantially at the same pressure as the reactive gases in the stack. The pressure of the gas flowing in the clamping chamber above the stack of elementary units will then balance the pressure created by the reactive gases and the gases produced within the stack.

Water electrolysis or co-electrolysis reactor (SOEC) or fuel cell (SOFC) for pressurized operation and with a clamping system suitable for such operation

The application relates to a novel module for electrolysis or co-electrolysis of water or of SOFC fuel cell, within which the forces necessary to compress the seals are decoupled from those necessary for the electrical contact elements that ensure the passage of current in the module.

Reversible individual unit for electrolysis or co-electrolysis of water (SOEC) or for fuel cell (SOFC) with operation under pressure and decoupled compressive force

A system for clamping a high-temperature SOEC/SOFC stack, including: an upper clamping plate and a lower clamping plate between which the stack can be clamped, each plate including at least one clamping orifice; at least one clamping rod configured to extend through clamping orifices in the upper and lower clamping plates to allow them to be assembled; a clamping mechanism level with each clamping orifice, configured to interact with the at least one clamping rod; and at least one electrically insulating plate configured to be located between the stack and at least one of the upper and lower clamping plates.

Stand-alone system for clamping a high-temperature SOEC/SOFC stack

A heat exchanger can be integrated into an interconnector that can be used in both a SOFC fuel cell and an EHT electrolyser, which allows a heat-transfer fluid different from that in the reactive and drainage gas circuits to be circulated from the inlet of the reactor, thereby allowing the best possible management of the exothermic operating modes of the SOFC cell and the exothermic or endothermic operating modes of the EHT electrolyser and the SOFC cell, especially in the absence of current for the latter.

Method for high-temperature electrolysis or co-electrolysis, method for producing electricity by means of an SOFC fuel cell, and associated interconnectors, reactors and operating methods

A method for manufacturing a module with a hollow area by hot isostatic compression, including: making an assembly including superposed elements defining the hollow area, the assembly forming a sealed casing containing the hollow area, including at least one meltable obturation member separating the hollow area from the outside of the assembly; followed by hot isostatic compression of the assembly, to obtain diffusion-welding of its elements, by letting temperature and pressure conditions change over time to cause a rupture of the meltable obturation member allowing pressurization gas to penetrate into the hollow area.

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Contamine sur Arve, France

Charlotte Bernard