Pittsburgh Electric Engines, Inc.

Owen S Taylor

Gregory E Zymboly

A fuel cell assembly of one or more fuel cell bundles, wherein each fuel cell bundle comprises an array of elongated tubular fuel cells, comprising: an oxidant supply system; a fuel supply system; a fuel reformation system; and a support structure for integrating as a bundle said elongated tubular fuel cells, said oxidant supply system, said fuel supply system, and said fuel reformation system; a first row of spaced apart, elongated tubular fuel cells; wherein said support structure comprises: a base plate; a plurality of upper insulation end pieces (UIEPs) surrounding a top of the fuel cell assembly to produce a top assembly, wherein each upper insulation end piece has a top surface, a side portion and a beveled portion disposed between the top surface and the side portion to produce a beveled shoulder around the top assembly; a top clamp having a beveled inner surface complementary to the beveled shoulder that interfaces against a plurality of pivot pads disposed on the beveled shoulder when the top clamp is tensioned against the top assembly.

Solid oxide fuel cell bundle assembly with insulation end pieces and tilt pad tie down clamp

A fuel cell assembly comprising: a plurality of fuel cell bundles, each fuel cell bundle comprising: an array of elongated tubular fuel cells comprising a plurality of rows of spaced apart, elongated tubular fuel cells; a plurality of elongated electrical connectors each having a first contact for coupling with a first fuel cell and a second contact for coupling with a second fuel cell and wherein each of said electrical connectors is disposed between at least two of said elongated tubular fuel cells; an oxidant supply system; a fuel supply system; and a support structure for integrating as a bundle said fuel cells, said oxidant supply system and said fuel supply system, wherein said support structure comprises an elongated tubular fuel cell support/spacer plate and an oxidant feed tube support/spacer plate; wherein the elongated tubular fuel cell support/spacer plate is spaced from and connected to the oxidant feed tube support/spacer plate by one or more first pin-in-sleeve combinations each of which is connected to a first side of the elongated tubular fuel cell support/spacer plate and to a first side of the oxidant feed tube support/spacer plate. The fuel cell assembly may also comprise flexible members defining open slots on electrical connectors. Flexible power leads with cross-over plates and tabs may also be comprised in the fuel cell assembly.

Solid oxide fuel cell bundles with flexible power transmission system

A multi-function bundle having all of the basic support functions integrated therein can be used as a basic building block component, for example, in a fuel cell engine. The multi-function bundle is modular, easy to assemble, and able to withstand the physical and thermal shocks encountered in mobile applications. The multi-function bundle utilizes fully distributed fuel and oxidant supply systems which help to reduce temperature gradients throughout the array of fuel cells. The multi-function bundle may be comprised of a plurality of fuel cells, an oxidant supply system, a fuel supply system and a support structure which integrates the fuel cells, oxidant supply system, and fuel supply system into a single unit. The oxidant and fuel supply systems may be fully distributed. The fuel supply system may include one or more fuel feed tube assemblies which allow distributed internal fuel reformation and reduce temperature gradients throughout the array of fuel cells.

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Acme, PA, United States of America

Owen S Taylor