Exxonmobil Technology and Engineering Company

Fuelcell Energy, Inc.

Exxonmobil Research and Engineering Company

Rodrigo F Blanco Gutierrez

Carla S Pereira

Hossein Ghezel-Ayagh

Lu Han

Keith E Davis

Carl A Willman

Frank Hershkowitz

Everett J O'Neal

Eric B Shen

Timothy C Geary

Timothy M Healy

Frank J Dobek, Jr

Gabor Kiss

Chao-yi Yuh

Timothy Andrew Barckholtz

Abdelkader Hilmi

Brandon J O'Neill

Lawrence J Novacco

Jonathan Rosen

Ethan L Demeter

Yesim Igci

A fuel cell is provided including an anode configured to receive, and allow to pass through, an anode process gas, a cathode configured to receive, and allow to pass through, a cathode process gas, and an electrolyte matrix layer separating the anode and the cathode. One of the anode or the cathode has an extended edge seal chamber, and the fuel cell is configured to receive the anode process gas and the cathode process gas in substantially perpendicular directions relative to each other, and the extended edge seal chamber is configured to allow the anode process gas and the cathode process gas to pass through the anode and the cathode in substantially parallel flow paths.

Fuel cell assembly with external manifold for parallel flow

A reforming element for a molten carbonate fuel cell stack and corresponding methods are provided that can reduce or minimize temperature differences within the fuel cell stack when operating the fuel cell stack with enhanced COutilization. The reforming element can include at least one surface with a reforming catalyst deposited on the surface. A difference between the minimum and maximum reforming catalyst density and/or activity on a first portion of the at least one surface can be 20% to 75%, with the highest catalyst densities and/or activities being in proximity to the side of the fuel cell stack corresponding to at least one of the anode inlet and the cathode inlet.

Reforming catalyst pattern for fuel cell operated with enhanced COutilization

Systems and methods are provided for using fuel cell staging to reduce or minimize variations in current density when operating molten carbonate fuel cells with elevated COutilization. The fuel cell staging can mitigate the amount of alternative ion transport that occurs when operating molten carbonate fuel cells under conditions for elevated COutilization.

Fuel cell staging for molten carbonate fuel cells

A layered cathode structure for a molten carbonate fuel cell is provided, along with methods of forming a layered cathode and operating a fuel cell including a layered cathode. The layered cathode can include at least a first cathode layer and a second cathode layer. The first cathode layer can correspond to a layer that is adjacent to the molten carbonate electrolyte during operation, while the second cathode layer can correspond to a layer that is adjacent to the cathode collector of the fuel cell. The first cathode layer can be formed by sintering a layer that includes a conventional precursor material for forming a cathode, such as nickel particles. The second cathode layer can be formed by sintering a layer that includes a mixture of particles of a conventional precursor material and 1.0 vol % to 30 vol % of particles of a lithium pore-forming compound. The resulting layered cathode structure can have an increased pore size adjacent to the cathode collector to facilitate diffusion of COinto the electrolyte interface, while also having a smaller pore size adjacent to the electrolyte to allow for improved electrical contact and/or reduced polarization at the interface between the electrolyte and the cathode.

Layered cathode for molten carbonate fuel cell

Systems and methods are provided for operating molten carbonate fuel cells to allow for periodic regeneration of the fuel cells while performing elevated COcapture. In some aspects, periodic regeneration can be achieved by shifting the location within the fuel cells where the highest density of alternative ion transport is occurring. Such a shift can result in a new location having a highest density of alternative ion transport, while the previous location can primarily transport carbonate ions. Additionally or alternately, periodic regeneration can be performed by modifying the input flows to the fuel cell and/or relaxing the operating conditions of the fuel cell to reduce or minimize the amount of alternative ion transport.

Regeneration of molten carbonate fuel cells for deep COcapture

Growing community of inventors

Berkeley Heights, NJ, United States of America

Rodrigo F Blanco Gutierrez