Abstract: A fuel cell generator contains a plurality of fuel cells (6) in a generator chamber (1) and also contains a fuel reactor chamber (2) containing either fuel cells or electrolysis cells as the depleted fuel reactor means, which means preferably has copper fuel electrodes, where oxidant (24,25) and fuel (81) are fed to the generator chamber (1), where both fuel and oxidant react, and where all oxidant and fuel passages are separate and do not communicate with each other, so that fuel and oxidant in whatever form do not mix and where a depleted fuel exit (23) is provided for exiting a product gas which consists essentially of carbon dioxide and water for further treatment so that carbon dioxide can be separated and is not vented to the atmosphere.

Abstract: The electrochemical formation of oxygen ion conducting solid oxide layers is achieved by the cathodic deposition of the oxide layers from a melted salt bath of alkali element halides containing dissolved metal halides which provide the metal cations from which oxide layers are formed and attached to conductive cathodes. Oxygen is supplied at the cathodes to form oxygen ions which diffuse through the cathodically formed oxide layers and react with dissolved metal cations leading to oxide layer growth. The dissolved metal halides are regenerated at the anodes from metals and metal compounds. The process is called cathodic oxide deposition (COD) and represents a new and economic method for the fabrication of oxygen ion conductor layers for solid oxide electrochemical devices.

Abstract: Electrochemical vapor deposition (EVD) of oxygen ion conducting and mixed conducting, oxygen-ionic/electronic, oxide layers is achieved at near atmospheric pressure process conditions by employing metals and metal compounds for removal and/or recovery of the free halogen byproduct of the EVD reaction. The metals and metal compounds are employed as solids, vapors, and as oxides in intimate mixture with carbon directly within the deposition zone together with the substrates to be coated. The process leads to significant cost reduction, for instance, in the fabrication of thin layers of solid oxygen ion conducting electrolytes, for fuel cells, gas separators, and gas sensors, when compared to state-of-the-art EVD processes which are conducted under vacuum conditions.

Abstract: A high temperature gas separation apparatus, integrated with, and enclosed by, a heat exchanger-thermal insulation, providing for counter-flow heat exchange between a cold inlet flow of a gas mixture containing one gas component and the hot return gas being depleted of the one gas component. Two adjacent heat exchanger flow channels surround a heated central gas separation unit in multiple spiral windings and provide the thermal insulation for the gas separation apparatus which operates at ambient or elevated pressure, resulting in significant savings in materials and energy cost, and greatly reduced weight for gas separation systems, such as electrochemical oxygen generators, and for hydrogen and helium separators.

Abstract: An apparatus for and a method of continuously supplying a conditioned fuel, such as CO and H.sub.2, to an electrochemical generator such as a high temperature solid oxide electrolyte, fuel cell generator (SOFC), for electrochemical reactions and continually regenerating a hydrocarbon reformation catalyst by providing at least two iron metal/iron oxide beds. At least one bed, a reformation bed, is mainly in the iron oxide (FeO) condition and incoming hydrocarbon feed fuel gas, such as natural gas, will be reformed or conditioned at a temperature of about 600.degree. C. to 800.degree. C. on the iron oxide to CO and H.sub.2 which represents the fuel to be fed to the fuel cells of the electrochemical generator, thereby reducing iron oxide to iron metal (Fe). While the FeO reformer bed is being reduced to Fe, the at least one other bed, an oxidation bed, which previously served as a reformer bed mainly in the iron metal condition (Fe) is oxidized at a temperature of about 600.degree. C. to 800.degree. C.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for storing electrical energy as chemical energy and recovering electrical energy from stored chemical energy. A solid oxide electrolyte electrochemical cell is operated in two modes. The first, energy storage, mode comprises steps of: (A) supplying electrical energy and steam to a solid oxide electrolyte electrochemical cell operating between 600.degree. C. and 1200.degree. C. as an electrolysis cell, to produce H.sub.2 and O.sub.2 ; (B) passing the H.sub.2 gas so produced into an energy storage reactor containing iron oxide, to produce iron metal and steam; (C) recirculating the steam produced in the energy storage reactor to the cathode of the electrolysis cell; and (D) repeating steps (A) to (C) until the iron oxide is converted to iron metal, for chemical storage of electrical energy. The second, energy recovery, mode comprises steps of: (E) supplying steam to the energy storage reactor containing iron metal, to produce iron oxides and H.sub.2 gas; (F) passing this H.sub.

Abstract: An electrochemical device, containing a solid oxide electrolyte material and an electrically conductive composite layer, has the composite layer attached by: (A) applying a layer of LaCrO.sub.3, YCrO.sub.3 or LaMnO.sub.3 particles (32), on a portion of a porous ceramic substrate (30), (B) heating to sinter bond the particles to the substrate, (C) depositing a dense filler structure (34) between the doped particles (32), (D) shaving off the top of the particles, and (E) applying an electronically conductive layer over the particles (32) as a contact.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell containing an air electrode (16), contacting electrolyte and electronically conductive interconnection layer (26), and a fuel electrode, has the interconnection layer (26) attached by: (A) applying a thin, closely packed, discrete layer of LaCrO.sub.3 particles (30), doped with an element selected from the group consisting of Ca, Sr, Co, Ba, Mg and their mixtures on a portion of the air electrode, and then (B) electrochemical vapor depositing a dense skeletal structure (32) between and around the doped LaCrO.sub.3 particles (30).

Abstract: An electrochemical device (10) capable of generating oxygen from air (23) upon application of an electrical current, is made containing a plurality of adjacent cells (12) and (12') electrically connected in series, where each cell contains optional support (22), inner, porous oxygen electrode (20), dense, solid oxide electrolyte (14) on top of the inner oxygen electrode, and outer, porous air electrode (16) on top of the electrolyte, where dense segments of interconnection material (18) are disposed between cells, the interconnection electrically connecting the outer air electrode from one cell to the inner oxygen electrode from an adjacent cell, where the device contains gas impermeable, dense, contacting segments of electrolyte (14) and interconnection material (18) and can contain two end portions at least one of which provides for oxygen delivery.

Abstract: An electrochemical apparatus is made containing an exterior electorde bonded to the exterior of a tubular, solid, oxygen ion conducting electrolyte where the electrolyte is also in contact with an interior electrode, said exterior electrode comprising particles of an electronic conductor contacting the electrolyte, where a ceramic metal oxide coating partially surrounds the particles and is bonded to the electrolyte, and where a coating of an ionic-electronic conductive material is attached to the ceramic metal oxide coating and to the exposed portions of the particles.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of forming an adherent metal deposit on a conducting layer of a tube sealed at one end. The tube is immersed with the sealed end down into an aqueous solution containing ions of the metal to be deposited. An ionically conducting aqueous fluid is placed inside the tube and a direct current is passed from a cathode inside the tube to an anode outside the tube. Also disclosed is a multi-layered solid oxide fuel cell tube which consists of an inner porous ceramic support tube, a porous air electrode covering the support tube, a non-porous electrolyte covering a portion of the air electrode, a non-porous conducting interconnection covering the remaining portion of the electrode, and a metal deposit on the interconnection.

Abstract: An axially elongated, electrochemical cell assembly is made, containing a plurality of cell elements each made up of an electronically conductive, porous, inner electrode, an annular, solid electrolyte contacting and surrounding said first electrode, and an annular, electronically conductive, porous, outer electrode contacting and surrounding said electrolyte, with annular, electronically conductive, interconnection members disposed between and bonded to cell elements, where the inner electrodes of the cell elements are electronically connected through the interconnection member, and the outer electrodes of the cell elements are physically and electronically segmented from each other; where a plurality of such cell assemblies can be connected by a sleeving means and placed in the generating chamber of an electrochemical cell generator, which also has an associated dual gaseous reactant input, at least one combustion product chamber, and a combustion product gas exhaust.

Abstract: An electrochemical apparatus is made containing an exterior electrode bonded to the exterior of a tubular, solid, oxygen ion conducting electrolyte where the electrolyte is also in contact with an interior electrode, said exterior electrode comprising particles of an electronic conductor contacting the electrolyte, where a ceramic metal oxide coating partially surrounds the particles and is bonded to the electrolyte, and where a coating of an ionic-electronic conductive material is attached to the ceramic metal oxide coating and to the exposed portions of the particles.

Abstract: A high temperature, solid electrolyte electrochemical cell is made, having a first and second electrode with solid electrolyte between them, where the electrolyte is formed by hot chemical vapor deposition, where a solid, interlayer material, which is electrically conductive, oxygen permeable, and protective of electrode material from hot metal halide vapor attack, is placed between the first electrode and the electrolyte, to protect the first electrode from the hot metal halide vapors during vapor deposition.

Abstract: A fuel cell arrangement is provided wherein cylindrical cells of the solid oxide electrolyte type are arranged in planar arrays where the cells within a plane are parallel. Planes of cells are stacked with cells of adjacent planes perpendicular to one another. Air is provided to the interior of the cells through feed tubes which pass through a preheat chamber. Fuel is provided to the fuel cells through a channel in the center of the cell stack; the fuel then passes the exterior of the cells and combines with the oxygen-depleted air in the preheat chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of forming an adherent metal deposit on a conducting layer of a tube sealed at one end. The tube is immersed with the sealed end down into an aqueous solution containing ions of the metal to be deposited. An ionically conducting aqueous fluid is placed inside the tube and a direct current is passed from a cathode inside the tube to an anode outside the tube. Also disclosed is a multi-layered solid oxide fuel cell tube which consists of an inner porous ceramic support tube, a porous air electrode covering the support tube, a non-porous electrolyte covering a portion of the air electrode, a non-porous conducting interconnection covering the remaining portion of the electrode, and a metal deposit on the interconnection.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for forming a chemically vapor deposited coating on a porous substrate where oxygen from a first gaseous reactant containing a source of oxygen permeates through the pores of the substrate to react with a second gaseous reactant that is present on the other side of the substrate. The apparatus includes means for controlling the pressure and flow rate of each gaseous reactant, a manometer for measuring the difference in pressure between the gaseous reactants on each side of the substrate, and means for changing the difference in pressure between the gaseous reactants. Also disclosed is a method of detecting and closing cracks in the coating by reducing the pressure difference between the two gaseous reactants whenever the pressure difference falls suddenly after gradually rising, then again increasing the pressure difference on the two gases.

Abstract: A high temperature, solid electrolyte electrochemical cell is made, having a first and second electrode with solid electrolyte between them, where the electrolyte is formed by hot chemical vapor deposition, where a solid, interlayer material, which is electrically conductive, oxygen permeable, and protective of electrode material from hot metal halide vapor attack, is placed between the first electrode and the electrolyte, to protect the first electrode from the hot metal halide vapors during vapor deposition.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of coating an electrode on a solid oxygen conductive oxide layer. A coating of particles of an electronic conductor is formed on one surface of the oxide layer and a source of oxygen is applied to the opposite surface of the oxide layer. A metal halide vapor is applied over the electronic conductor and the oxide layer is heated to a temperature sufficient to induce oxygen to diffuse through the oxide layer and react with the metal halide vapor. This results in the growing of a metal oxide coating on the particles of electronic conductor, thereby binding them to the oxide layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of increasing the operating cell voltage of a solid oxide electrochemical cell having metal electrode particles in contact with an oxygen-transporting ceramic electrolyte. The metal electrode is heated with the cell, and oxygen is passed through the oxygen-transporting ceramic electrolyte to the surface of the metal electrode particles so that the metal electrode particles are oxidized to form a metal oxide layer between the metal electrode particles and the electrolyte. The metal oxide layer is then reduced to form porous metal between the metal electrode particles and the ceramic electrolyte.