Abstract: There is disclose a fuel cell system including at least one fuel cell and a duct to supply oxidant to the cathode of the at least one fuel cell. The duct includes at least one sorbent getter adapted to extract volatile species from the oxidant. The sorbent getter includes at least one member of the group consisting of magnesium oxide, calcium oxide and manganese oxide. The sorbent getter provides the advantage of extracting volatile species from the oxidant stream.

Abstract: This invention relates to fuel cell unit for use in aggregating fuel cells, particularly useful for use when fuel cells are connected in parallel. Improving the management of fuel cell outputs across a plurality of aggregated fuel cells improves efficiency of the fuel cells. The invention relates to a fuel cell unit comprising a fuel cell and a regulating voltage converter, and further relates to a fuel cell module comprising a plurality of fuel cell units connected in parallel.

Abstract: There is disclose a fuel cell system including at least one fuel cell and a duct to supply oxidant to the cathode of the at least one fuel cell. The duct includes at least one sorbent getter adapted to extract volatile species from the oxidant. The sorbent getter includes at least one member of the group consisting of magnesium oxide, calcium oxide and manganese oxide. The sorbent getter provides the advantage of extracting volatile species from the oxidant stream.

Abstract: In some examples, a solid oxide fuel cell system including a solid oxide fuel cell; an ejector, wherein the ejector is configured to receive a fuel recycle stream from a fuel side outlet of the solid oxide fuel cell and also receive a primary fuel stream, wherein the ejector is configured such that the flow of the primary fuel stream draws the fuel recycle stream into the ejector and mix the fuel recycle and primary fuel stream to form a mixed fuel stream including methane and higher hydrocarbons; and a higher hydrocarbon reduction unit configured to receive the mixed fuel stream from the ejector and remove a portion of the higher hydrocarbons via a catalytic conversion process to form a reduced higher hydrocarbon fuel stream, wherein a fuel side inlet of the solid oxide fuel cell is configured to receive the reduced higher hydrocarbon fuel stream from a reduction unit.

Abstract: There is disclosed a high temperature fuel cell system incorporating off-gas anode loop recycling and reforming. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack having an anode inlet for fuel and an anode outlet for off-gas. A recycling device is configured to receive at least a portion of the off-gas from the anode outlet and to mix the portion of the off-gas with hydrocarbon fuel from a primary hydrocarbon fuel stream so as to form a reformable mixture. A reformer is configured to receive the reformable mixture from the recycling device and to generate a reformed fuel stream by reforming the reformable mixture. The fuel cell system is provided with a secondary hydrocarbon fuel stream and the reformed fuel stream and the secondary hydrocarbon fuel stream are supplied to the anode inlet of the fuel cell stack.

Abstract: In some examples, solid oxide fuel cell system including a tubular substrate defining a fuel flow cavity within the tubular substrate; a plurality of solid oxide fuel cells on a surface of the tubular substrate, each cell including an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, and electrolyte, wherein the anode electrode, cathode electrode, and electrolyte are configured to form an electrochemical cell, wherein, during fuel cell during operation, fuel flows within the fuel flow cavity of the tubular substrate along a fuel flow direction from an inlet to an outlet of the fuel flow cavity, and wherein a permeability of the tubular substrate to the fuel varies along the fuel flow direction.

Abstract: A method for inferring temperature in an enclosed volume containing a fuel/oxidant mixture, the method comprises placing at least one wire in the enclosed volume. The at least one wire having an identifiable property wherein the identifiable property of the at least one wire changes from a first identifiable state at a temperature below the auto-ignition temperature of the fuel/oxidant mixture to a second identifiable state at a temperature above the auto-ignition temperature of the fuel/oxidant mixture, and determining if the identifiable property of the at least one wire has changed from the first identifiable state to the second identifiable state and hence if the temperature in the enclosed volume is above the auto-ignition temperature of the fuel/oxidant mixture.

Abstract: This invention relates to fuel cell unit for use in aggregating fuel cells, particularly useful for use when fuel cells are connected in parallel. Improving the management of fuel cell outputs across a plurality of aggregated fuel cells improves efficiency of the fuel cells. The invention relates to a fuel cell unit comprising a fuel cell and a regulating voltage converter, and further relates to a fuel cell module comprising a plurality of fuel cell units connected in parallel.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack having a plurality of connected modules. Each module includes an elongate hollow member and at least one passage extending through the hollow member. Each hollow member has a first flat surface and a second flat surface arranged parallel to the first flat surface. A first module includes a plurality of fuel cells arranged on at least one of the first and second flat surfaces. A first end of each module has an integral spacer and the modules are connected by the spacer of a first module contacting a second end of a second module.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a fuel cell, more particularly a method of manufacturing a ceramic fuel cell and in particular a method of manufacturing a solid oxide fuel cell, is described herein. The method includes forming at least one sheet of electrolyte material, depositing anode electrode and cathode material on the electrolyte material, forming apertures through the electrolyte material, arranging the electrolyte material in a stack, dividing the electrolyte material into pieces, depositing additional electrode material on the surfaces of the pieces, and depositing additional electrode material on the surface of the apertures of the pieces in order to form a fuel cell.

Abstract: An electrolysis apparatus comprises an electrolysis cell to electrolyze a first fluid to generate a product fluid. The electrolysis apparatus also comprises a fuel cell to electrolyze an electrolytic fluid and to heat a second fluid. The electrolysis apparatus also includes a fluid transfer arrangement to transfer the heated second fluid from the fuel cell to the electrolysis cell to provide heat to drive the electrolysis of the first fluid in the electrolysis cell.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell comprises a porous anode electrode, a dense non-porous electrolyte and a porous cathode electrode. The anode electrode comprises a first member and a plurality of parallel plate members extending from the first member. The cathode electrode comprises a second member and a plurality of parallel plate members extending from the second member. The plate members of the cathode electrode inter-digitate with the plate members of the anode electrode and the electrolyte fills the spaces between the first and second members and the parallel plate members of the anode electrode and the cathode electrode.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell comprises a porous anode electrode, a dense non-porous electrolyte and a porous cathode electrode. The anode electrode comprises a first member and a plurality of parallel plate members extending from the first member. The cathode electrode comprises a second member and a plurality of parallel plate members extending from the second member. The plate members of the cathode electrode inter-digitate with the plate members of the anode electrode and the electrolyte fills the spaces between the first and second members and the parallel plate members of the anode electrode and the cathode electrode.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell comprises a porous anode electrode, a dense non-porous electrolyte and a porous cathode electrode. The anode electrode comprises a plurality of parallel plate members and the cathode electrode comprises a plurality of parallel plate members. The plate members of the cathode electrode inter-digitate with the plate members of the anode electrode. The electrolyte comprises at least one electrolyte member, which fills at least one space between the parallel plate members of the anode electrode and the parallel plate members of the cathode electrode. At least one non-ionically conducting member fills at least one space between the parallel plate members of the anode electrode and the parallel plate members of the cathode electrode and the at least one electrolyte member and the at least one non-ionically conducting member are arranged alternately.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack (10) having a plurality of modules (12) and each module (12) having an elongate hollow member (14). Each hollow member (14) has a first flat surface (16) and a second flat surface (18) arranged parallel to the first flat surface (16). At least one of the modules (12) includes a plurality of fuel cells (20). The fuel cells (20) are arranged on at least one of the first and second flat surfaces (16,18) of the at least one module (12). A first end (30) and a first side (32) of each module (12) has a first integral feature (34) to provide a spacer and a connection with an adjacent module (12) and a second end (38) and a second side (40) of each module (12) has a second integral feature (42) to provide a spacer and a connection with another adjacent module (12).

Abstract: A fuel cell stack having a plurality of connected modules. Each module includes an elongate hollow member and at least one passage extending through the hollow member. Each hollow member has a first flat surface and a second flat surface arranged parallel to the first flat surface. A first module includes a plurality of fuel cells arranged on at least one of the first and second flat surfaces. A first end of each module has an integral spacer.

Abstract: Carbon dioxide recirculating apparatus (20, 120) is disclosed for use in an arrangement having combination means (115) and a path for the flow of a gas through the combustion means (115). The apparatus (20, 120) comprises extraction means (221) for extracting carbon dioxide from a first region of the path downstream of the combustion means (115). It further includes condensing means (26, 30) for condensing the extracted carbon dioxide, and feed means (36, 136) for feeding the condensed carbon dioxide to a second region of the path upstream of the combustion means.

Abstract: A fuel cell arrangement comprises at least one fuel cell module, each fuel cell module comprises a plurality of fuel cells. Each fuel cell module is hollow and defines a chamber. Each fuel cell module is arranged within an inner vessel and the inner vessel is arranged within an outer pressure vessel. Means to supply oxidant is arranged to supply oxidant to the space within the inner vessel so as to supply oxidant to the cathode electrodes. Means to supply fuel is arranged to supply fuel to the chamber in each fuel cell module so to supply fuel to the anode electrodes. The outer pressure vessel is protected from the high temperature environment of the fuel cells by the inner vessel. The outer pressure vessel forms the main pressure containment of the arrangement and operates at a lower temperature and operates with a greater safety margin than a single pressure vessel arrangement.

Abstract: Solid oxide stacks used as fuel cells generate electricity from hydrogen or other sources. By an electrolysis process such standard fuel cells can be operated in order to create hydrogen or other electro chemical by-products. Unfortunately stacks generally operate at relatively high temperatures which will be difficult to sustain purely on economic grounds. In such circumstances less efficient operation can be achieved at lower temperatures where the air-specific resistance is higher by balancing with the electrical power input in order to cause the disassociation required. In such circumstances by provision of an incident heat source, whether that be through a heat exchanger heating the compressed air flow, or recycling of a proportion of exhaust from the stack, or combustion of a product from stack disassociation the result will be a sustaining electrolysis operation reducing the amount of expensive electrical supply required to achieve dissociation.

Abstract: A reformer module (10) comprises a hollow support member (12) having at least one passage (14) extending longitudinally therethrough. The hollow support member (14) has an external surface (20), a barrier layer (22) arranged on at least a portion of the external surface (20) of the hollow support member (12), a catalyst layer (24) arranged on the barrier layer (22) and a sealing layer (26) arranged on the catalyst layer (24) and the external surface (20) of the hollow support member (12) other than the at least a portion of the external surface of the hollow support member (12). By providing the barrier layer (22) and the catalyst layer (24) on the exterior surface (20) of the hollow support member (12), the distribution of the barrier layer (22) and/or the catalyst layer (24) may be more precisely controlled and thus a non-uniform distribution of barrier layer (22) and/or catalyst layer (24) may be achieved.