Abstract: A column includes a stack assembly including stacked electrochemical cells and interconnects, a ceramic frame surrounding the stack assembly, a first spring assembly located inside of the ceramic frame over the stack assembly and configured to apply a load to the stack assembly, and including a first rod plate and a first ceramic spring, a second spring assembly located inside of the ceramic frame between first spring assembly and the stack assembly and configured to apply a load to the stack assembly, and including a second rod plate and a second ceramic spring, and a first dome plate located between the first ceramic spring and the second ceramic spring.

Abstract: A column includes a stack assembly including stacked electrochemical cells and interconnects, a ceramic frame surrounding the stack assembly, a first spring assembly located inside of the ceramic frame over the stack assembly and configured to apply a load to the stack assembly, and including a first rod plate and a first ceramic spring, a second spring assembly located inside of the ceramic frame between first spring assembly and the stack assembly and configured to apply a load to the stack assembly, and including a second rod plate and a second ceramic spring, and a first dome plate located between the first ceramic spring and the second ceramic spring.

Abstract: An electrolyzer system includes stacks of electrolyzer cells configured receive steam and air, and output a hydrogen product stream and an oxygen exhaust stream, and a first heat pump configured to extract heat from the oxygen exhaust stream to generate a first portion of the steam provided to the stacks.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack fuel plenum includes a base plate including an inlet hole and an outlet hole, a dielectric layer disposed on the base plate and including an inlet hole and an outlet hole, a cover plate disposed on the dielectric layer and including an inlet hole and an outlet hole, a seal plate disposed on the cover plate and including an inlet hole and an outlet hole, and a manifold plate disposed on the seal plate. The manifold plate includes a bottom inlet hole and a bottom outlet hole formed in a bottom surface of the manifold plate, top outlet holes and top inlet holes formed in opposing sides of a top surface of the manifold plate, outlet channels fluidly connecting the top outlet holes to the bottom inlet hole, and inlet channels fluidly connecting the top inlet holes to the bottom outlet hole.

Abstract: A method of operating an electrolyzer system includes electrolyzing water into oxygen and inlet hydrogen using a polymer electrolyte cell (PEC) module including PECs, providing the inlet hydrogen to solid oxide electrolyzer cell (SOEC) modules that each include at least one SOEC stack, providing steam to the SOEC modules, and electrolyzing the steam to generate oxygen and a main product stream containing hydrogen.

Abstract: An electrolyzer system includes stacks of electrolyzer cells configured receive steam and air, and output a hydrogen product stream and an oxygen exhaust stream, and a first heat pump configured to extract heat from the oxygen exhaust stream to generate a first portion of the steam provided to the stacks.

Abstract: A system includes a plurality of columns of fuel cells located in a hotbox, a direct current (DC) bus, a plurality of DC/DC converters, each DC/DC converter being electrically connected to a respective column of fuel cells and to the DC bus, and a controller configured for independently controlling the columns of fuel cells. The controller is configured to activate a first column of fuel cells by activating fuel flow to the first column of fuel cells and activating a first DC/DC converter of the plurality of DC/DC converters electrically connected to the first column of fuel cells while a second column of fuel cells is already active.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a hotbox, a stack of fuel cells located in the hotbox and configured to generate power and an anode exhaust, an anode tail gas oxidizer (ATO) located in the hotbox and configured to oxidize a portion of the anode exhaust, a recycling conduit located outside of the hotbox and configured to receive the anode exhaust output from the hotbox, a fuel conduit assembly configured to provide fuel to the stack, and an ATO conduit assembly concentrically surrounding the fuel conduit assembly and configured to receive a first portion of the anode exhaust diverted from the recycling conduit and to provide the first portion of the anode exhaust to the ATO.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack fuel plenum includes a base plate including an inlet hole and an outlet hole, a dielectric layer disposed on the base plate and including an inlet hole and an outlet hole, a cover plate disposed on the dielectric layer and including an inlet hole and an outlet hole, a seal plate disposed on the cover plate and including an inlet hole and an outlet hole, and a manifold plate disposed on the seal plate. The manifold plate includes a bottom inlet hole and a bottom outlet hole formed in a bottom surface of the manifold plate, top outlet holes and top inlet holes formed in opposing sides of a top surface of the manifold plate, outlet channels fluidly connecting the top outlet holes to the bottom inlet hole, and inlet channels fluidly connecting the top inlet holes to the bottom outlet hole.

Abstract: Hermetic thermocouple harnesses for solid oxide electrochemical systems include a harness having a feedthrough washer including two metal disks with holes circumferentially disposed about the disks and a braze alloy layer between the disks. Thermocouples are fed through the feedthrough washer, and induction brazing is used to seal and bind the disks and the thermocouples together. The feedthrough washer is welded to the base of the hotbox, forming a hermetic seal while allowing the thermocouples to extend between the interior and exterior of the hotbox. A second harness includes a main body, a top tube, and a sealant end having holes. Thermocouples extend from the interior of the hotbox, through the top tube, main body, and through the holes of the sealant to the exterior of the hotbox. Clearance between the thermocouples and their respective holes are closed with glass seals, and the top tube is filled with putty.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a plurality of fuel cell segments, each segment having a plurality of fuel cells. The segments include a positive terminal having a positive voltage with respect to ground and a negative terminal. The fuel cell system also includes at least one component electrically connecting the negative terminal to ground, the at least one component configured to decrease a surge current through the segments.

Abstract: A fuel cell system anode tail gas oxidizer (ATO) includes an inner ATO wall, an outer ATO wall, and a first catalyst ring disposed in a chamber formed between the inner ATO wall and the outer ATO wall. The first catalyst ring includes an inner wall, an outer wall, and a matrix disposed between the inner wall and the outer wall and loaded with an oxidation catalyst.

Abstract: A fuel cell column includes a plurality of fuel cell stacks, at least one fuel manifold configured to provide fuel to the plurality of fuel cell stacks, and at least one heat sink insert located between adjacent fuel cells of the plurality of fuel cell stacks. A fuel cell column including at least one heat sink insert located between adjacent fuel cell stacks of the column may reduce the peak temperatures of the fuel cell stacks adjacent to the heat sink inserts and may provide a smaller temperature distribution within the fuel cell stacks and within the column as a whole.

Abstract: An electrolyzer system includes stacks of electrolyzer cells configured receive steam and air, and output a hydrogen product stream and an oxygen exhaust stream, and a first heat pump configured to extract heat from the oxygen exhaust stream to generate a first portion of the steam provided to the stacks.

Abstract: A cell column includes vertically aligned stacks containing electrochemical cells separated by interconnects, fuel manifolds disposed between the stacks, a termination manifold disposed above an uppermost one of the stacks, and an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit fluidly connected to the fuel manifolds and the termination manifold. The termination manifold is an electrical terminal of the cell column, and includes a fuel channel configured provide fuel to the uppermost one of the stacks.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a reactant feed and return assembly, such as an anode splitter plate (ASP), are provided for facilitating reactant feed flow in a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack system. Embodiments include a reactant feed and return assembly including at least one nozzle structure along a flow path of a reactant feed to a fuel cell stack. The at least one nozzle structure may include a width dimension that decreases along the flow path of the reactant. The at least one nozzle structure of the assembly may accelerate the reactant feed as it enters the adjacent fuel cell stack and may provide the reactant feed with sufficient kinetic energy to negate the effects of an increase in viscous resistance along the reactant flow path through the fuel cell stack.

Abstract: A glow plug includes a housing formed of a metal or metal alloy and having a first end having a first opening, and an opposing second end having a second opening, a heating element extending through the first opening and having a working end that is exposed outside of the first end of the housing and an opposing terminal end that is located inside of the housing, a brazed sealant assembly connected to the second end of the housing, first and second terminal wires that extend through the brazed sealant assembly and are electrically connected to the terminal end of the heating element, and a dielectric disk located inside of the housing and surrounding a portion of the terminal end of the heating element.

Abstract: A conduit assembly includes a dielectric tube having a first end and a second end, a first metal tube including a first flange coupled to the first end of the inner dielectric tube, the first flange including relief openings, a first dielectric ring coupled to the first flange, a second metal tube including a second flange coupled to the second end of the inner dielectric tube, the second flange including relief openings, and a second dielectric ring coupled to the second flange.

Abstract: A conduit assembly includes a dielectric tube having a first end and a second end, a first metal tube including a first flange coupled to the first end of the inner dielectric tube, the first flange including relief openings, a first dielectric ring coupled to the first flange, a second metal tube including a second flange coupled to the second end of the inner dielectric tube, the second flange including relief openings, and a second dielectric ring coupled to the second flange.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, an anode tail gas oxidizer (ATO), an ATO injector configured to mix a first portion of an anode exhaust from the fuel cell stack with a cathode exhaust from the fuel cell stack and to provide a mixture of the first portion of the anode exhaust and the cathode exhaust into the ATO, an anode exhaust conduit which is configured to provide the first portion of the anode exhaust into the ATO injector, and cathode exhaust conduit which is configured to provide at least a portion of the cathode exhaust from the fuel cell stack into the ATO injector. The ATO injector includes injector tubes or injection apertures.