Abstract: A fuel cell (10), having a proton exchange membrane (48), an anode and a cathode, and cathode and anode water transport plates (12, 16), includes a water capillary edge seal to optimize and greatly improve fuel cell operation without the need for additional seals or impregnation of the water transport plates. The water filled porous bodies of the water transport plates (12, 16) use the capillary forces of the water, which is a product of the electrochemical reaction of the fuel cell (10) and the preferred coolant, to prevent gas intrusion into the water system and over board leakage of the gases as well as the resultant hazardous mixture of gaseous fuel and oxidizing gas.

Abstract: The concentration of carbon monoxide in a gaseous medium is reduced by selective catalytic oxidation in the presence of gaseous oxygen by passing the gaseous medium through a catalyst capable of oxidizing carbon monoxide in an exothermic reaction at temperatures within a given temperature range and by controlling the temperatures encountered in the catalyst in such a manner that the exothermic reaction takes place first above a threshold temperature below which the catalyst would be rapidly inactivated at the relatively high carbon monoxide concentrations present in the gaseous medium as it enters the catalyst, and subsequently, after the carbon monoxide concentration has been reduced to an acceptable level, at less than the threshold temperature to further reduce the carbon monoxide concentration to a desired minimum level below that achievable at temperatures above the threshold temperature.

Abstract: The concentration of carbon monoxide in a gaseous medium is reduced by selective catalytic oxidation in the presence of gaseous oxygen by passing the gaseous medium through a catalyst capable of oxidizing carbon monoxide in an exothermic reaction at temperatures within a given temperature range and by controlling the temperatures encountered in the catalyst in such a manner that the exothermic reaction takes place first above a threshold temperature below which the catalyst would be rapidly inactivated at the relatively high carbon monoxide concentrations present in the gaseous medium as it enters the catalyst, and subsequently, after the carbon monoxide concentration has been reduced to an acceptable level, at less than the threshold temperature to further reduce the carbon monoxide concentration to a desired minimum level below that achievable at temperatures above the threshold temperature.

Abstract: The end plates (16) of a fuel cell stack (12) are formed of a thin membrane. Pressure plates (20) exert compressive load through insulation layers (22, 26) to the membrane. Electrical contact between the end plates (16) and electrodes (50, 58) is maintained without deleterious making and breaking of electrical contacts during thermal transients. The thin end plate (16) under compressive load will not distort with a temperature difference across its thickness. Pressure plate (20) experiences a low thermal transient because it is insulated from the cell. The impact on the end plate of any slight deflection created in the pressure plate by temperature difference is minimized by the resilient pressure pad, in the form of insulation, therebetween.

Abstract: A matrix material for a molten carbonate fuel cell is described which is flexible, pliable and has rubber-like compliance at room temperature. The matrix has three components comprising fine inert particulate material, larger crack attenuating ceramic particulate material, and an organic polymeric binder. A process of assembling a molten carbonate fuel cell utilizing the compliant matrix material is also described. The compliant matrix material is inserted into a molten carbonate fuel cell stack utilizing fuel cell anodes with sufficient porosity to contain excess electrolyte. The fuel cell is heated up to a temperature sufficient to remove the polymer binder and cause a portion of the electrolyte material present in the anode to wick into the matrix to substantially fill it completely.

Abstract: Electrical short protection is provided in an electrolytic cell stack by the combination of a thin, nonporous ceramic shield and a noble metal foil disposed on opposite sides of the sealing medium in a gas manifold gasket. The thin ceramic shield, such as alumina, is placed between the porous gasket and the cell stack face at the margins of the negative end plate to the most negative cells to impede ion current flow. The noble metal foil, for instance gold, is electrically coupled to the negative potential of the stack to collect positive ions at a harmless location away from the stack face. Consequently, corrosion products from the stack structure deposit on the foil rather than on the stack face to eliminate electrical shorting of cells at the negative end of the stack.

Abstract: A matrix material for a molten carbonate fuel cell is described which is flexible, pliable and has rubber-like compliance at room temperature. The matrix has three components comprising fine inert particulate material, larger crack attenuating ceramic particulate material, and an organic polymeric binder. A process of assembling a molten carbonate fuel cell utilizing the compliant matrix material is also described. The compliant matrix material is inserted into a molten carbonate fuel cell stack utilizing fuel cell anodes with sufficient porosity to contain excess electrolyte. The fuel cell is heated up to a temperature sufficient to remove the polymer binder and cause a portion of the electrolyte material present in the anode to wick into the matrix to substantially fill it completely.

Abstract: A manifold dielectric barrier for use in a power section of a fuel cell electrical power generation system. The power section comprises a fuel cell stack and two external reactant manifolds for respectively conveying oxygen-rich gas and fuel into the fuel cell stack. The power section also includes discharge manifolds for conveying spent products away from the fuel cell stack. The manifold dielectric barrier dielectrically isolates the fuel cell stack from each of the manifolds. The manifold dielectric barrier includes an impermeable ceramic member, a first ceramic gasket intermediate of and contiguous with the ceramic member and the fuel cell stack, and a second ceramic gasket intermediate of and contiguous with the ceramic member and each of the manifolds.

Abstract: Thru-cracks in the electrolyte retaining matrix of a molten carbonate fuel cell caused by thermal cycling of the cell between operating and room temperature are prevented by an improved matrix comprising a major proportion of submicron support particles and a minor proportion, perhaps only a few percent, of much larger crack attenuator particles. In one embodiment wherein the electrolyte is to be a binary lithium-potassium carbonates composition, the matrix comprises 90 volume percent submicron lithium aluminate support particles and 10 volume percent alumina crack attenuator particles with an average size of 100 microns.

Abstract: A molten carbonate fuel cell electrolyte-matrix material and a molten carbonate fuel cell including such material are described. The electrolyte-matrix material comprises carbonate electrolytes in intimate combination with ceria matrix material. The electrolyte-matrix material shows substantially no phase change or reaction with the electrolyte after at least 2000 hours under molten carbonate fuel cell operating conditions.