Abstract:
An electrolyte sheet comprises a body of a varied thickness. The electrolyte sheet has at least one non-porous surface. This non- porous surface is a textured surface with multiple indentations therein. The thickest part of th e electrolyte sheet is at least 0.5 micrometers greater than the thinnest part of the sheet.
Abstract:
A sintered electrolyte sheet comprising: a body of no more than 45 µm thick and laser machined features with at least one edge surface having at least 10% ablation. A method of micromachining the electrolyte sheet includes the steps of: (i) supporting a sintered electrolyte sheet; (ii) micromachining said sheet with a laser, wherein said laser has a wavelength of less than 2 µm, fluence of less than 200 Joules/cm2, repetition rate (RR) of between 30 Hz and 1 MHz, and cutting speed of preferably over 30 mm/sec.
Abstract:
According to one aspect of the invention a fuel cell device comprises: a plurality of fuel cells, each of the plurality of fuel cells having an active area, wherein at least two of the plurality of fuel cells have differently sized active area, such that ratio of the active areas of these two fuel cells is at least 1.1:1.
Abstract:
Una estructura de electrodo para un dispositivo de produccion electrica de alta corriente, de bajo voltaje incluye un elemento de transferencia de carga 612; un elemento electricamente conductor 605 que tiene una resistencia no uniforme se coloca en el elemento de transferencia de carga 12 para optimizar el acoplamiento de corriente.
Abstract:
According to one aspect of the invention a fuel cell device comprises: a plurality of fuel cells, each of the plurality of fuel cells having an active area, wherein at least two of the plurality of fuel cells have differently sized active area, such that ratio of the active areas of these two fuel cells is at least 1.1:1.
Abstract:
Whisker-toughened ZrO2 products containing 5-20 volume percent SiC whiskers of relatively low aspect ratio (>20) in a stabilized polycrystalline ZrO2 matrix are provided, exhibiting a room temperature fracture toughness (KIC) at least 1.25 times that of the ZrO2 matrix, with relatively low porosity and good strength.
Abstract:
A bus bar for an electrolyte sheet is provided that includes a bus strip (37) of electrically conductive material in contact with a side edge of the cell or cells in the electrolyte sheet, wherein the amount of material in shoulder portions (39, 45) of the bus strip (37) decreases as the strip approaches end portions of the cell edge to reduce stress. Preferably, such material reduction is accomplished by tapering the shoulder portions (39, 45) of the bus strip (37). The tapered shape of the shoulders reduces the amount of electrical conductor needed to form the bus bar. The stress reducing bus bar also includes a lead (41a, 41b) which is orthogonally oriented with respect to the longitudinal axis of the side edge of the cell. The tapered shape of the shoulder portions of the bus strip, in combination with the orthogonally oriented lead, reduces stresses that would otherwise occur between the bus bar and the electrolyte sheet as a result of differences in the thermal coefficient of expansion. The specific shape of the taper in the shoulder portions is selected such that I 2 R losses are substantially minimized along the longitudinal axis of the bus strip.
Abstract:
A stress reducing mounting for an electrolyte sheet assembly in a solid electrolyte fuel cell includes a support frame or manifold that supports a peripheral portion of the sheet assembly, a seal that affixes an edge to the frame or manifold, and a stress reducer disposed around the peripheral portion of the electrolyte sheet and the frame or manifold that reduces tensile stress in the peripheral portion of the electrolyte sheet when the peripheral portion is bent by pressure differentials or thermal differential expansion and mounting reduces cracking in the electrolyte sheet at the peripheral portions due to tensile forces. The stress reducer is either a convex curved surface on the frame or manifold that makes area contact with the peripheral portion when it bends or a stiffening structure on the sheet peripheral portion that renders the ceramic sheet material forming the peripheral portion more resistant to bending.
Abstract:
A system and method for suppressing the formation of gaseous inclusions in glass sheets and the resulting glass sheets are described herein. The system includes a melting, fining, delivery, mixing or forming vessel that has a refractory metal component (e.g., platinum component) which has an inner wall that contacts molten glass and an outer wall coated with an oxygen ion transportable material (e.g., zirconia) which is coated with a conductive electrode. The system also includes a DC power source that supplies DC power across the oxygen ion transportable material which causes oxygen ions to migrate from the refractory metal component to the conductive electrode and enables one to control the partial pressure of oxygen around an exterior of the vessel which helps one to effectively prevent hydrogen permeation from the molten glass in order to suppress the formation of undesirable gaseous inclusions and surface blisters within the glass sheet. The present invention also helps one to effectively reduce the oxidation of external, non-glass contact surfaces of the refractory metal component.
Abstract:
An electrolyte sheet comprises a body of a varied thickness. The electrolyte sheet has at least one non-porous surface. This non- porous surface is a textured surface with multiple indentations therein. The thickest part of the electrolyte sheet is at least 0.5 micrometers greater than the thinnest part of the sheet.