Abstract: An electrochemical device may be formed by assembly by stacking preassembled modules, each of these modules being produced as a usual stack of electrochemical cells. The manufacture of preassembled modules can make it possible to produce electrochemical devices with a large number of electrochemical cells, without the bracing problems present and excessive crushing courses that are encountered in the cell stacks according to the prior art, i.e., in a single block.

Abstract: An assembly includes a solid-oxide stack of the SOEC/SOFC type and a system for clamping the solid-oxide stack. This assembly also comprises one system for the coupling, gastight at high temperature, including a coupling flange to enable a gas inlet and/or outlet tube to pass, at least one clamping screw, provided with a clamping head, and a seal, positioned between said at least one of the top and bottom clamping plates and against the coupling flange.

Abstract: An electrochemical device may be formed by assembly by stacking preassembled modules, each of these modules being produced as a usual stack of electrochemical cells. The manufacture of preassembled modules can make it possible to produce electrochemical devices with a large number of electrochemical cells, without the bracing problems present and excessive crushing courses that are encountered in the cell stacks according to the prior art, i.e., in a single block.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system able to operate reversibly as an SOFC fuel-cell stack or as an SOEC electrolyser. According to the invention, a bypass line or circuit is provided in order to divert if needs be some of the hot gases issued from the chambers referred to as oxygen chambers (anodic chambers in SOEC mode, cathodic chambers in SOFC-stack mode) as this will cool the heat exchanger provided in the circuit through which the oxygen flows.

Abstract: Improved process for producing a component constituting an interconnector of an HTE electrolyser or of an SOFC fuel cell. The invention relates to a process for preparing a component (1), intended to constitute an interconnector for a fuel cell (SOFC) or a high-temperature electrolyser (HTE), comprising the following steps: a/preparing a substrate made of metal alloy (12), the base element of which is iron (Fe) or nickel (Ni), the substrate having two main flat faces, b/tape casting a thick ceramic layer (13); c/localized removal at one or more locations (14), of material of the tape-cast thick ceramic layer; d/hot pressing the green thick ceramic layer tape; e/grooving the thick ceramic layer so as to delimit channels that are suitable for distributing and/or collecting gases. It also relates to the component obtained according to the process.

Abstract: The invention relates to arranging a new seal within a porous substrate which forms the contact element of each hydrogen circulating electrode, such as the cathode for an SOEC reactor and the anode for an SOFC fuel cell, and in the periphery of the electrode beyond the ducts for supplying and recovering gases, in order to force the gases to circulate into the only useful zone of the cell which corresponds to the electrochemically active surface of the electrode. Thus, all of the gases supplied can be converted.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system able to operate reversibly as an SOFC fuel-cell stack or as an SOEC electrolyser. According to the invention, a bypass line or circuit is provided in order to divert if needs be some of the hot gases issued from the chambers referred to as oxygen chambers (anodic chambers in SOEC mode, cathodic chambers in SOFC-stack mode) as this will cool the heat exchanger provided in the circuit through which the oxygen flows.

Abstract: A seal is mountable in contact with two metal carriers of an electrochemical device, in particular a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) or a high-temperature solid oxide electrolyser cell (SOEC) for electrolysis of water vapour. This seal comprises a means for making the seal impermeable, comprising at least one vitreous material; and an electrically insulating supporting means that supports the impermeable means and that has two parallel main faces, an external peripheral edge and an internal peripheral edge, the seal being able to be mounted against these carriers via these main faces, which are covered with the impermeable means. The impermeable means partitions the supporting means between these internal and external edges while extending continuously from one of the main faces to the other through the supporting means, so that the impermeable means directly connects these carriers to each other.

Abstract: The invention relates to arranging a new seal within a porous substrate which forms the contact element of each hydrogen circulating electrode, such as the cathode for an SOEC reactor and the anode for an SOFC fuel cell, and in the periphery of the electrode beyond the ducts for supplying and recovering gases, in order to force the gases to circulate into the only useful zone of the cell which corresponds to the electrochemically active surface of the electrode. Thus, all of the gases supplied can be converted.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of fabricating a contact element in an electrochemical device (9) such as an SOFC or an EHT which comprises the following steps: a) use is made of: at least one cell (8) consisting of an assemblage made up of an electrode to be hydrogenated (5)-electrolyte (4)-electrode to be oxygenated (3); at least one first interconnector (1); and at least one second interconnector (7); b) at least one layer of a conducting material is deposited on the first interconnector (1) and/or the second interconnector (7); c) an electrochemical device (9) is assembled; said method being characterized in that: d) a thermomechanical treatment is carried out on the electrochemical device obtained on completion of step c). The invention also relates to an electrochemical device (9) equipped with at least one contact element (2) obtained according to this fabrication method.

Abstract: The invention relates essentially to an electrical insulation and sealing surround for distributing gases in a high temperature steam electrolyzer of SOEC type or in a fuel cell of SOFC type. According to the invention, some of the functions of sealing, distributing gases and providing electrical insulation between interconnectors are grouped together within one and same component in the form of a surround made of electrically insulating material, the recessed zones of which serve to support the actual sealing gaskets, making them easier to use and to maintain.

Abstract: A seal is mountable in contact with two metal carriers of an electrochemical device, in particular a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) or a high-temperature solid oxide electrolyser cell (SOEC) for electrolysis of water vapour. This seal comprises a means for making the seal impermeable, comprising at least one vitreous material; and an electrically insulating supporting means that supports the impermeable means and that has two parallel main faces, an external peripheral edge and an internal peripheral edge, the seal being able to be mounted against these carriers via these main faces, which are covered with the impermeable means. The impermeable means partitions the supporting means between these internal and external edges while extending continuously from one of the main faces to the other through the supporting means, so that the impermeable means directly connects these carriers to each other.

Abstract: The invention relates essentially to an electrical insulation and sealing surround for distributing gases in a high temperature steam electrolyser of SOEC type or in a fuel cell of SOFC type. According to the invention, some of the functions of sealing, distributing gases and providing electrical insulation between interconnectors are grouped together within one and same component in the form of a surround made of electrically insulating material, the recessed zones of which serve to support the actual sealing gaskets, making them easier to use and to maintain.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of fabricating a contact element in an electrochemical device (9) such as an SOFC or an EHT which comprises the following steps: a) use is made of: at least one cell (8) consisting of an assemblage made up of an electrode to be hydrogenated (5)-electrolyte (4)-electrode to be oxygenated (3); at least one first interconnector (1); and at least one second interconnector (7); b) at least one layer of a conducting material is deposited on the first interconnector (1) and/or the second interconnector (7); c) an electrochemical device (9) is assembled; said method being characterized in that: d) a thermomechanical treatment is carried out on the electrochemical device obtained on completion of step c). The invention also relates to an electrochemical device (9) equipped with at least one contact element (2) obtained according to this fabrication method.

Abstract: An electrolyte plate for an electrochemical system including a first face and a second face, being opposite each other, of largest surface area, the first face including linear parallel ribs and the second face including linear parallel ribs. The plate thus exhibits an increased rigidity without substantially increasing the thickness thereof.

Abstract: An electrolyte plate for an electrochemical system including a first and a second face opposite to each other of larger surface areas, both faces being separated by a given distance. The first face includes linear protrusions and the second face includes linear recesses, the protrusions and the recesses being substantially parallel to each other. Each protrusion is superposed to a recess along a direction substantially orthogonal to a mean plane of the plate, the distance separating a bottom of each recess from a vertex of the superposed protrusion being substantially equal to the distance between the first and the second face so that the electrolyte plate has a substantially constant thickness.

Abstract: An electrolyte plate for an electrochemical system including a first face and a second face, being opposite each other, of largest surface area, the first face including linear parallel ribs and the second face including linear parallel ribs. The plate thus exhibits an increased rigidity without substantially increasing the thickness thereof.