Versa Power Systems Ltd

Global Thermoelectric Inc.

Zheng Tang

Anthony Wood

Tahir Joia

Debabrata Ghosh

Xinge Zhang

Robert Brule

Scott Sherman

David Waldbillig

Dennis Prediger

Dhanwant Chahal

Frank Martel

Sofiane Benhaddad

Kyle Marcotte

Steven Couse

Frank Martell

David Waldbilling

A method of manufacturing a proton-conducting fuel cell includes assembling a green anode-electrolyte half-cell by forming an anode substrate layer having an upper surface and a lower surface, forming an anode functional layer on the upper surface of the anode substrate layer, forming an electrolyte layer on an upper surface of the anode functional layer, and forming a stress balancing layer on the lower surface of the anode substrate layer. The method further includes positioning the green anode-electrolyte half-cell on kiln furniture inside a sintering kiln and sintering the green anode-electrolyte half-cell using SSRS to an anode-electrolyte half-cell.

Proton-conducting ceramic fuel cell architecture

A solid oxide fuel cell having a plurality of planar layered fuel cell units, an electrically conductive flow separator plate disposed between each of the fuel cell units, and a cathode contact material element disposed between each cathode electrode of the fuel cell units and each electrically conductive flow separator plate. The cathodes of the individual fuel cell units are modified such that the operating temperatures of the cathodes are matched with the temperatures they experience based upon their locations in the fuel cell stack. The modification involves adding to the cathode contact material and/or cathode at least one alloying agent which modifies the temperature of the cathode electrodes based upon the location of the cathode electrodes within the fuel cell stack. These alloying agents react with a component of the cathode electrode to form alloys.

Cell materials variation in SOFC stacks to address thermal gradients in all planes

A flexible seal for use in a solid oxide fuel cell stack is formed from a fiber matrix with a plurality of solid particles through tape casting method. The fibers and particles are preferably ceramic and may be formed from alumina or zirconia. The seal may be formed by forming a slurry of fibers, particles, a binder and a non-aqueous solvent, tape casting the slurry, drying the tape seal, die-cutting, prior to installation in the fuel cell stack.

High temperature gas seals

A solid oxide fuel cell, and methods for modifying the temperature thereof, the fuel cell having a plurality of planar layered fuel cell units, an electrically conductive flow separator plate disposed between each of the fuel cell units, and a cathode contact material element disposed between each cathode electrode of the fuel cell units and each electrically conductive flow separator plate. The cathodes of the individual fuel cell units are modified such that the operating temperatures of the cathodes are matched with the temperatures they experience based upon their locations in the fuel cell stack. The modification involves adding to the cathode contact material and/or cathode at least one alloying agent which modifies the temperature of the cathode electrodes based upon the location of the cathode electrodes within the fuel cell stack. These alloying agents react with a component of the cathode electrode to form alloys.

In a solid oxide fuel cell having an anode, a cathode, and a dense electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode, the cathode having a ceramic-ionic conducting phase of a plurality of ionic conducting particles and a metallic phase of a plurality of metallic particles. The metallic phase includes a metal alloy having an oxide-to-metal transition temperature in the range of about 600&#xb0; C. to about 800&#xb0; C. With this cathode, solid oxide fuel cell operating temperatures as low as about 600&#xb0; C. may be possible.

High performance cathode with controlled operating temperature range

A solid oxide fuel cell stack includes a fuel cell unit consisting of a fuel cell framed by a cell holder plate and upper and lower cushioning elements. The fuel cell unit is stacked with flow field seals and solid flow separator plates. The fuel cell thus floats without direct contact with rigid stack elements.

Solid oxide fuel cell stack with floating cells

A solid oxide fuel cell stack may include repeating fuel cell units each having a planar fuel cell, an interconnect, a cathode contact layer disposed between sealing strips, and an anode contact layer disposed between sealing strips. The sealing strips have end extensions which overlap with corner extensions on the interconnect. The extensions stack to form vertical columns which enclose the external manifolds, along with a manifold plate.

Solid oxide fuel cell with external manifolds

A solid oxide fuel cell electrode is stable during thermal cycling and includes a plurality of discrete geometric elements lightly packed on the electrolyte surface. Preferably, the geometric elements are regular hexagons, creating a 'Thoneycomb' pattern electrode.

Electrode pattern for solid state ionic devices

A multilayer contact approach for use in a planar solid oxide fuel cell stack includes at least 3 layers of an electrically conductive perovskite which has a coefficient of thermal expansion closely matching the fuel cell material. The perovskite material may comprise LaECoNiOwhere E is a alkaline earth metal and x is greater than or equal to zero. The middle layer is a stress relief layer which may fracture during thermal cycling to relieve stress, but remains conductive and prevents mechanical damage of more critical interfaces.

Electrically conductive fuel cell contact materials

A solid state ionic device includes a dense electrolyte sandwiched between two porous electrodes. In one embodiment, the device is anode supported and the cathode is formed of a porous three-dimensional solid phase structure having an electrocatalytic phase of a plurality of electrocatalytic particles and an ionic conducting phase of a plurality of ionic conductor particles. The mean or median size of the electrocatalytic particles is larger than the mean or median size of the ionic conductor particles. The device may further include a long range electronic conducting layer of lanthanum cobaltate or other electronically conducting material.

Composite electrodes for solid state devices

A solid state ionic device includes a dense electrolyte sandwiched between two porous electrodes. In one embodiment, the device is anode supported and the cathode is formed of a porous three-dimensional solid phase structure having an electrocatalytic phase of a plurality of electrocatalytic particles and an ionic conducting phase of a plurality of ionic conductor particles. The mean or median size of the electrocatalytic particles is larger than the mean or median size of the ionic conductor particles. The device may further include a long range electronic conducting layer of lantham cobaltate or other electronically conducting material.

Growing community of inventors

Calgary, Canada

Zheng Tang