Abstract: A ceramic filter is prepared by mixing together a ceramic powder, a pore forming agent, and any sintering aids required in the sintering of the ceramic powder, forming a tape from the mixture, and molding filter plates from the tape. Two types of annular disk filter plates are formed. A first plate type has an opening on the external annular surface, and a second plate type has an opening on the internal annular surface. The two types of filter plates are stacked in an alternating fashion, and end pieces are added to form a filter assembly. The assembly is sintered to form a filter. The pore forming agent is preferably polystyrene microspheres that are decomposed during the sintering process, leaving porosity that effectively captures particulate impurities when a fluid is passed through the filter in service.

Abstract: Manifolds of a solid oxide fuel cell are integrally formed with the fuel cell's core. The fuel cell includes repetitively stacked anode, electrolyte, cathode interconnect gasket elements. The gasket elements space apart the interconnect and electrolyte elements and bound the anode and cathode elements. The interconnect, electrolyte, and gasket elements are provided with cutouts that define manifold passageways for the fuel and oxidant. The gasket elements further prevent the fuel from contacting the cathode elements and the oxidant from contacting the anode elements.