Abstract: A solid electrolyte fuel cell plate structure includes a cell element layer composed of a solid electrolyte, an air electrode layer and a fuel electrode layer, a porous base body supporting the cell element layer, and a gas-impermeable member having electric conductivity. The cell element layer is arranged such that the solid electrolyte layer is sandwiched between the air electrode layer and the fuel electrode layer, with the air electrode layer or the fuel electrode layer being joined to the porous base body. The gas-impermeable member is associated with the solid electrolyte layer to allow gas internally passing through the porous base body to be separated from gas flowing outside the porous base body. Such a cell plate structure can be employed in a solid electrolyte fuel cell stack, which in turn can be employed in a solid electrolyte fuel cell electric power generation unit.

Abstract: A single cell for a solid oxide fuel cell, in which a solid electrolyte layer is sandwiched by an upper electrode layer and a lower electrode layer. This single cell includes a substrate having openings and an insulating and stress absorbing layer stacked on an upper surface of this substrate. The solid electrolyte layer is formed on an upper surface of the insulating and stress absorbing layer so as to cover the openings, the upper electrode layer is stacked on an upper surface of the solid electrolyte layer, and the lower electrode layer is coated on a lower surface of the solid electrolyte layer via the openings from a lower surface of the substrate. A cell plate, in which these single cells are disposed two-dimensionally on a common substrate. Furthermore, a solid oxide fuel cell, in which these cell plates and plate-shaped separators including gas passages on both surfaces thereof are alternately stacked.

Abstract: There is provided a method for activating a solid acid salt electrolyte capable of enhancing the proton conductivity of solid acid salts at a temperature at or below a point of phase transition to the super proton conducting phase, through humidity control, by taking advantage of this phenomenon. The method for activating a solid acid salt electrolyte, comprising the steps of preparing a solid acid salt electrolyte composed of cations and anions, and forcibly keeping the surface of the solid acid salt electrolyte at humidity in a range of 10 to 100% at temperature in a range of 10 to 80° C., whereby proton conductivity in the solid acid salt electrolyte is improved.

Abstract: A method of producing a solid electrolyte (3, 13) is disclosed wherein solid electrolyte material is prepared having a composition expressed by a formula: (1-x) ZrO2 {xSc2O3 (where x is a number equal to or greater than 0.05 and equal to or less than 0.15), and a spark plasma method is carried out to sinter solid electrolyte material, resulting in a solid electrolyte. Such spark plasma method is executed by applying first compression load, equal to or less that 40 MPa, to solid electrolyte material, to sinter the solid electrolyte material to obtain sintered material, which is then cooled by applying second compression load, less than first compression load, to the sintered material, resulting in a solid electrolyte.

Abstract: A single cell for a fuel cell in which an air electrode or a fuel electrode includes at least two layers. The air electrode includes an adhering cathode layer formed on one surface of the solid electrolyte layer and configured to show a function to allow the air electrode and the solid electrolyte layer to adhere electrically and mechanically to each other, and an electricity collecting cathode layer formed on the adhering cathode layer and configured to show an electricity collecting function of the air electrode. Alternatively, the fuel electrode includes an adhering anode layer formed on the other surface of the solid electrolyte layer and configured to show a function to allow the fuel electrode and the solid electrolyte layer to adhere electrically and mechanically to each other, and an electricity collecting anode layer formed on the adhering anode layer and configured to show an electricity collecting function.

Abstract: A unit cell for a solid oxide fuel cell is provided with a substrate including a portion having a first porosity, a battery element formed on the substrate and having an electrode layer and an electrolyte layer, and a low porosity layer provided in at least one of the substrate and the battery element to have a second porosity lower than the first porosity. Sizes of a plurality of pores of the low porosity layer falls in a value equal to or less than 10 ?m to laminate a part of the battery element on the low porosity layer.

Abstract: A unit cell for a solid electrolyte fuel cell is provided with an air electrode, a fuel electrode, a solid electrolyte sandwiched between the air electrode and the fuel electrode, and a porous metallic base body joined to at lease one of the air electrode and the fuel electrode. The porous metallic base body includes a plurality of porous base body layers stacked to form a laminated structure in which one layer joined to at least one of the air electrode and the fuel electrode has porosity lower than that of the other layer not joined to at least one of the air electrode and the fuel electrode.

Abstract: A single cell for a solid oxide fuel cell, in which a solid electrolyte layer is sandwiched by an upper electrode layer and a lower electrode layer. This single cell includes a substrate having openings and an insulating and stress absorbing layer stacked on an upper surface of this substrate. The solid electrolyte layer is formed on an upper surface of the insulating and stress absorbing layer so as to cover the openings, the upper electrode layer is stacked on an upper surface of the solid electrolyte layer, and the lower electrode layer is coated on a lower surface of the solid electrolyte layer via the openings from a lower surface of the substrate. A cell plate, in which these single cells are disposed two-dimensionally on a common substrate. Furthermore, a solid oxide fuel cell, in which these cell plates and plate-shaped separators including gas passages on both surfaces thereof are alternately stacked.

Abstract: An electric power generating apparatus is provided with a fuel gas supply, an air supply source, an external reformer having a reformer section supplied with the fuel gas, a fuel cell stack, a heat exchanger section disposed to the external reformer, and an exhaust gas combusting section. The fuel cell stack has an electric power generating cell section, which is supplied with the fuel gas that results from the reformer section. The heat exchanger section achieves heat exchange between the air and the reformer section. The exhaust gas combusting section permits unburned fuel gas, which is supplied from the electric power generating cell section, and the air to be mixed and combusted to achieve heat exchange with respect to the fuel cell stack.

Abstract: A fuel cell of the present invention includes a fuel cell stack (1) for being formed by stacking a plurality of cell plates (2) having a flat shape, the cell plates (2) being configured by arranging a plurality of cells, the cell having an electrolyte layer (2a), a fuel electrode layer (2b) and an air electrode layer (2c). A combustion heater plate (3) includes a porous combustion plate (3a) and a gas non-pass layer (3b) covering a surface of the porous combustion plate (3a). The combustion heater plate (3) is disposed between the cell plates (2).

Abstract: A solid electrolyte fuel cell plate structure includes a cell element layer composed of a solid electrolyte, an air electrode layer and a fuel electrode layer, a porous base body supporting the cell element layer, and a gas-impermeable member having electric conductivity. The cell element layer is arranged such that the solid electrolyte layer is sandwiched between the air electrode layer and the fuel electrode layer, with the air electrode layer or the fuel electrode layer being joined to the porous base body. The gas-impermeable member is associated with the solid electrolyte layer to allow gas internally passing through the porous base body to be separated from gas flowing outside the porous base body. Such a cell plate structure can be employed in a solid electrolyte fuel cell stack, which in turn can be employed in a solid electrolyte fuel cell electric power generation unit.

Abstract: A single cell for a solid oxide fuel cell, in which a solid electrolyte layer is sandwiched by an upper electrode layer and a lower electrode layer. This single cell includes a substrate having openings and an insulating and stress absorbing layer stacked on an upper surface of this substrate. The solid electrolyte layer is formed on an upper surface of the insulating and stress absorbing layer so as to cover the openings, the upper electrode layer is stacked on an upper surface of the solid electrolyte layer, and the lower electrode layer is coated on a lower surface of the solid electrolyte layer via the openings from a lower surface of the substrate. A cell plate, in which these single cells are disposed two-dimensionally on a common substrate. Furthermore, a solid oxide fuel cell, in which these cell plates and plate-shaped separators including gas passages on both surfaces thereof are alternately stacked.

Abstract: A solid electrolyte fuel cell plate structure includes a cell element layer composed of a solid electrolyte, an air electrode layer and a fuel electrode layer, a porous base body supporting the cell element layer, and a gas-impermeable member having electric conductivity. The cell element layer is arranged such that the solid electrolyte layer is sandwiched between the air electrode layer and the fuel electrode layer, with the air electrode layer or the fuel electrode layer being joined to the porous base body. The gas-impermeable member is associated with the solid electrolyte layer to allow gas internally passing through the porous base body to be separated from gas flowing outside the porous base body. Such a cell plate structure can be employed in a solid electrolyte fuel cell stack, which in turn can be employed in a solid electrolyte fuel cell electric power generation unit.

Abstract: A method of producing a solid electrolyte (3, 13) is disclosed wherein solid electrolyte material is prepared having a composition expressed by a formula: (1-x) ZrO2 {xSc2O3 (where x is a number equal to or greater than 0.05 and equal to or less than 0.15), and a spark plasma method is carried out to sinter solid electrolyte material, resulting in a solid electrolyte. Such spark plasma method is executed by applying first compression load, equal to or less that 40 MPa, to solid electrolyte material, to sinter the solid electrolyte material to obtain sintered material, which is then cooled by applying second compression load, less than first compression load, to the sintered material, resulting in a solid electrolyte.

Abstract: A unit cell for a solid electrolyte type fuel cell is provided with a fuel electrode, an air electrode making a pair with the fuel electrode, a solid electrolyte interposed between the fuel electrode and the air electrode, a porous metallic base body disposed on at lease one of a surface of the fuel electrode on the far side from the solid electrolyte and a surface of the air electrode on the far side from the solid electrolyte such that the fuel electrode, the electrolyte, and a plurality of concave portions formed in the porous metallic base body so as to extend, in a laminating direction in which the fuel electrode, the electrolyte, the air electrode and the porous metallic base body are laminated, from a surface of the porous metallic base body.

Abstract: A cell plate structure for a fuel cell is provided with a porous substrate, a lower electrode layer formed on the porous substrate, an upper electrode layer opposed to the lower electrode layer, a solid electrolyte layer having a layer element placed between the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer and composed of a plurality of divided electrolyte regions, a gas impermeable layer correspondingly covering an area where the solid electrolyte layer is absent on the porous substrate or on the lower electrode layer. The gas impermeable layer separates gas passing inside the porous substrate and gas passing outside the porous substrate. Such a cell plate structure is suited for use in a solid electrolyte type fuel cell.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell stack in which first and second cell plates are alternately stacked. The first cell plates comprises a substrate having a plurality of opening portions, a groove which extends through the plurality of opening portions formed on a lower surface of the substrate, a solid electrolyte layer which covers the opening portion formed on an upper surface of the substrate, a fuel electrode layer which covers the opening portions formed on the solid electrolyte layer, and an air electrode layer formed on the lower surface of the substrate so as to extend along the opening portions and the groove. The second cell plates has a structure in which the air electrode layer is replaced with the fuel electrode layer in the first cell plate. In this fuel cell stack, the air electrode layer of the first cell plate faces the air electrode layer of the second cell plate, and the fuel electrode layer of the first cell plate faces the fuel electrode layer of the second cell plate.

Abstract: A gas permeable substrate comprises a porous metallic plate having a plurality of pores which form openings in an uppers surface and/or a lower surface thereof, and particles filled in the pores. In the gas permeable substrate, at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the porous metallic plate is substantially smooth.

Abstract: A single cell for a fuel cell in which an air electrode or a fuel electrode includes at least two layers. The air electrode includes an adhering cathode layer formed on one surface of the solid electrolyte layer and configured to show a function to allow the air electrode and the solid electrolyte layer to adhere electrically and mechanically to each other, and an electricity collecting cathode layer formed on the adhering cathode layer and configured to show an electricity collecting function of the air electrode. Alternatively, the fuel electrode includes an adhering anode layer formed on the other surface of the solid electrolyte layer and configured to show a function to allow the fuel electrode and the solid electrolyte layer to adhere electrically and mechanically to each other, and an electricity collecting anode layer formed on the adhering anode layer and configured to show an electricity collecting function.

Abstract: A cell plate structure for a solid oxide electrolyte type fuel cell is provided with a lower electrode layer, an upper electrode layer provided in opposition to the lower electrode layer, a solid electrolyte layer provided between the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer, and an area provided in at least one of the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer. The area has a portion which is formed by removing a substance, contained in the at least one of the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer during formation thereof, after the at least one of the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer has been formed. Such a fuel cell plate structure can be applied to a solid electrolyte fuel cell representatively by being disposed between a pair of separators that have gas flow passages supplying the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer with gasses, respectively.