Abstract: A device for the through-flow of a fluid may include a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. A porous structure with interconnected pores is arranged between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, and the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet define an overall flow direction. The porous structure is coupled to a wall to provide for heat conduction between the porous structure and the wall. The porous structure has a porosity gradient along a first direction, which is cross to the overall flow direction. The porosity gradient develops along the first direction between a first porosity at a first location proximal to the wall and a second porosity larger than the first porosity at a second location remote from the wall. The difference between the second porosity and the first porosity may be at least 4%.

Abstract: A device for the through-flow of a fluid may include a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. A porous structure with interconnected pores is arranged between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, and the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet define an overall flow direction. The porous structure is coupled to a wall to provide for heat conduction between the porous structure and the wall. The porous structure has a porosity gradient along a first direction, which is cross to the overall flow direction. The porosity gradient develops along the first direction between a first porosity at a first location proximal to the wall and a second porosity larger than the first porosity at a second location remote from the wall. The difference between the second porosity and the first porosity may be at least 4%.

Abstract: A hydrogen-producing cell comprising a cell of a high temperature steam electrolyzer or HTSE comprising a porous cathode (404) and a porous anode (402) on either side of a dense and gases-impervious anion conducting electrolyte (403), wherein said cell of the high temperature steam electrolyzer is directly coupled, in series, with a cell of an electrochemical pump comprising a porous anode (406) and a porous cathode (408) on either side of a dense and gases-impervious proton conducting electrolyte (407), at the cathode (404) of the cell of the high temperature steam electrolyzer and at the anode (406) of the electrochemical pump.

Abstract: A device for high temperature electrolysis of water, including: at least one elementary electrolysis cell including a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte intermediate between the cathode and the anode; a first device forming an electrical and fluid interconnector including a metallic part delimited by at least one plane, the metallic part including an internal chamber and plural holes distributed on the surface, approximately perpendicular to the plane and opening up on the plane and in the chamber, the plane of the first interconnector being in mechanical contact with a plane of the cathode. The device can achieve a uniform current density in each electrolysis cell and can increase steam usage ratio in each electrolysis cell.

Abstract: A hydrogen-producing cell comprising a cell of a high temperature steam electrolyzer or HTSE comprising a porous cathode (404) and a porous anode (402) on either side of a dense and gases-impervious anion conducting electrolyte (403), wherein said cell of the high temperature steam electrolyzer is directly coupled, in series, with a cell of an electrochemical pump comprising a porous anode (406) and a porous cathode (408) on either side of a dense and gases-impervious proton conducting electrolyte (407), at the cathode (404) of the cell of the high temperature steam electrolyzer and at the anode (406) of the electrochemical pump.

Abstract: An electrolyser including a stack of a plurality of elementary electrolysis cells, each cell including a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte provided between the cathode and the anode. An interconnection plate is interposed between each anode of an elementary cell and a cathode of a following elementary cell, the interconnection plate being in electric contact with the anode and the cathode. A pneumatic fluid is to be brought into contact with the cathodes, and the electrolyser further includes a mechanism ensuring circulation of the pneumatic fluid in the electrolyser for heating it up before contacting the same with the cathodes.

Abstract: A device for high temperature electrolysis of water, including: at least one elementary electrolysis cell including a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte intermediate between the cathode and the anode; a first device forming an electrical and fluid interconnector including a metallic part delimited by at least one plane, the metallic part including an internal chamber and plural holes distributed on the surface, approximately perpendicular to the plane and opening up on the plane and in the chamber, the plane of the first interconnector being in mechanical contact with a plane of the cathode. The device can achieve a uniform current density in each electrolysis cell and can increase steam usage ratio in each electrolysis cell.

Abstract: An electrolyser including a stack of a plurality of elementary electrolysis cells, each cell including a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte provided between the cathode and the anode. An interconnection plate is interposed between each anode of an elementary cell and a cathode of a following elementary cell, the interconnection plate being in electric contact with the anode and the cathode. A pneumatic fluid is to be brought into contact with the cathodes, and the electrolyser further includes a mechanism ensuring circulation of the pneumatic fluid in the electrolyser for heating it up before contacting the same with the cathodes.

Abstract: This invention relates to a composite conducting material comprised of a mixture of flake graphite and thermoplastic polymer powder sintered at high pressure that can be used for realizing a fuel cell electrode. The mixture comprises a first type of flake graphite composed of flakes having a granulometry between 10 and 100 ?m and/or a second type of flake graphite comprised of clusters of particles of graphite linked and superimposed upon each other in such a fashion that their principal planes are parallel to each other; said clusters having a planar anisotropy and having between 10 ?m and 1 mm in length and between 5 and 50 ?m in thickness, the mixture also comprising a thermoplastic polymer powder having a granulometry between 10 and 200 ?m, the flakes and/or the clusters having their principal planes parallel to each other.

Abstract: The method enables manufacture of assemblies of several basic elements for a stage of a fuel cell, without making use of expensive machining or difficult mechanical assemblies.

Abstract: This invention relates to a composite conducting material comprised of a mixture of flake graphite and thermoplastic polymer powder sintered at high pressure that can be used for realizing a fuel cell electrode. The mixture comprises a first type of flake graphite composed of flakes having a granulometry between 10 and 100 &mgr;m and/or a second type of flake graphite comprised of clusters of particles of graphite linked and superimposed upon each other in such a fashion that their principal planes are parallel to each other; said clusters having a planar anisotropy and having between 10 &mgr;m and 1 mm in length and between 5 and 50 &mgr;m in thickness, the mixture also comprising a thermoplastic polymer powder having a granulometry between 10 and 200 &mgr;m, the flakes and/or the clusters having their principal planes parallel to each other.