Planar fuel cell assembly

Abstract

A fuel cell assembly ( ) comprising a stack of a plurality of planar fuel cells ( ) each comprising an electrolyte layer ( ) having an anode layer ( ) on one side and a cathode layer ( ) on the other side and a plurality of interconnect members ( ), each fuel cell ( ) being disposed between and in electrical contact with an adjacent pair of interconnect members ( ) with oxygen-containing gas passage means ( ) being formed between the cathode layer ( ) of each fuel cell ( ) and the adjacent interconnect member ( ) and fuel gas passage means ( ) being formed between the anode layer ( ) of each fuel cell ( ) and the adjacent interconnect member ( ), and wherein a chamber ( ) of greater height than the thickness of the respective fuel cell ( ) is defined between the adjacent interconnect members ( ) in each pair within which the fuel cell ( ) is received, and electrically conductive compressible means ( ) also disposed within the chamber ( ) in electrical contact with a first side ( ) of the fuel cell ( ) and the adjacent interconnect member ( ) urges the fuel cell ( ) towards the adjacent interconnect member ( ) on the second side ( ) thereof to maintain the fuel cell ( ) in electrical contact with both adjacent interconnect members ( ). The fuel cell assembly ( ) may comprise a single fuel cell ( ) between two interconnect members ( ). The compressible means ( ) may comprise a corrugated sheet ( ) of Ni or Ni alloy.