Fuel cell generator

Claim 2

A high temperature solid electrolyte fuel cell generator, comprising: a housing means defining a plurality of chambers including a generator chamber and a combustion product chamber; a porous barrier separating said generator and combustion product chambers; a plurality of elongated annular fuel cells, each having an electrochemically active length disposed within said generator chamber; means for flowing a first gaseous reactant through said annular fuel cells and through said porous barrier into said combustion product chamber; means for flowing a second gaseous reactant into said generator chamber, about said fuel cells, and through said porous barrier into said combustion product chamber; and means for segregating said first and second gaseous reactants from direct contact with one another prior to entry of each into said combustion product chamber.

Claim 3

A high temperature solid electrolyte fuel cell generator, comprising: a housing means defining a plurality of chambers including a generator chamber and a combustion product chamber; a porous barrier separating said generator and combustion product chambers; a plurality of elongated annular fuel cells, each having a closed end and an open end, said open end disposed within said combustion product chamber, said cells extending from said open end through said porous barrier and into said generator chamber; a conduit for each said cell, each said conduit extending into a portion of each said cell disposed within said generator chamber, each said conduit having means for discharging a first gaseous reactant within said fuel cell; means for flowing said first gaseous reactant into each said conduit; and means for flowing a second gaseous reactant into said generator chamber.

Claim 4

A high temperature solid electrolyte fuel cell generator, comprising: a housing means defining a plurality of chambers including a generator chamber and a combustion product chamber; a porous barrier separating said generator and combustion product chambers; a plurality of elongated annular fuel cells, each having a closed end and an open end, said open end disposed within said combustion product chamber, said cells extending from said open end through said porous barrier and into said generator chamber; a conduit for each said cell, each said conduit extending into a portion of each said cell disposed within said generator chamber, each said conduit having means for discharging a first gaseous reactant within said fuel cell; means for flowing said first gaseous reactant into each said conduit; and means for flowing a second gaseous reactant into said generator chamber.

Claim 5

The generator of claim 2 wherein said porous barrier comprises a ceramic felt.

Claim 6

The generator of claim 2 further comprising a first reactant chamber, said first reactant chamber being adjacent and separated from said combustion product chamber by a tube sheet, and wherein said means for flowing said first gaseous reactant into each said conduit comprises an inlet into said first reactant chamber.

Claim 7

The generator of claim 2 wherein an end of each said conduit is positioned closely adjacent said closed end of each corresponding cell, and wherein said means for discharging a first gaseous reactant within each said fuel cell includes an opening in each said conduit.

Claim 8

The generator of claim 2 wherein each said fuel cell has an inactive section extending from said open end, through said porous barrier and into said generator chamber, an electrochemically active section extending from said inactive section to a selected position within said generator chamber, and another inactive section extending from said selected position to the end of said cell.

Claim 9

A high temperature solid oxide electrolyte fuel cell generator, comprising: a housing means defining a plurality of chambers including a fuel inlet chamber, a combustion chamber, and an oxidant inlet chamber; a porous barrier being the boundary between said fuel chamber and said combustion chamber; a support structure being the boundary between said combustion chamber and said oxidant inlet chamber; a plurality of annular solid oxide electrolyte fuel cells having an electrochemically active length and a closed end disposed within said fuel inlet chamber, said cells extending through said porous barrier and having an open end disposed within said combustion chamber; means for collecting current generated by said plurality of fuel cells; a plurality of oxidant inlet conduits in fluid communication with said oxidant inlet chamber and supported by said support plate, each said conduit extending into, and having an oxidant outlet disposed within, a corresponding fuel cell; means for supplying fuel to said fuel inlet chamber; means for supplying an oxidant to said oxidant inlet chamber; and means for exhausting combustion products from said combustion chamber; whereby oxidant supplied to said oxidant inlet chamber flows through said conduits and into said fuel cells through said oxidant outlets, then flows within the interior of said annular fuel cells being depleted by electrochemical combustion, and is discharged as depleted oxidant into said combustion chamber, and fuel supplied to said fuel inlet chamber flows about the exterior of said fuel cells being depleted by electrochemical combustion and through said porous barrier as depleted fuel and into said combustion chamber, said depleted fuel and oxidant reacting and being exhausted from said combustion chamber.

Claim 10

A high temperature solid oxide electrolyte fuel cell generator, comprising: a housing means defining a plurality of chambers including a fuel inlet chamber, a combustion chamber, and an oxidant inlet chamber; a porous barrier being the boundary between said fuel chamber and said combustion chamber; a support structure being the boundary between said combustion chamber and said oxidant inlet chamber; a plurality of annular solid oxide electrolyte fuel cells having an electrochemically active length and a closed end disposed within said fuel inlet chamber, said cells extending through said porous barrier and having an open end disposed within said combustion chamber; means for collecting current generated by said plurality of fuel cells; a plurality of oxidant inlet conduits in fluid communication with said oxidant inlet chamber and supported by said support plate, each said conduit extending into, and having an oxidant outlet disposed within, a corresponding fuel cell; means for supplying fuel to said fuel inlet chamber; means for supplying an oxidant to said oxidant inlet chamber; and means for exhausting combustion products from said combustion chamber; whereby oxidant supplied to said oxidant inlet chamber flows through said conduits and into said fuel cells through said oxidant outlets, then flows within the interior of said annular fuel cells being depleted by electrochemical combustion, and is discharged as depleted oxidant into said combustion chamber, and fuel supplied to said fuel inlet chamber flows about the exterior of said fuel cells being depleted by electrochemical combustion and through said porous barrier as depleted fuel and into said combustion chamber, said depleted fuel and oxidant reacting and being exhausted from said combustion chamber.

Claim 11

A fuel cell generator comprising: (1) a plurality of tubular fuel cells having an open end, a closed end and an active length therebetween, said active length comprising an inner electrode, an outer electrode and an electrolyte between said electrodes; (2) a tubular supply conduit for a first gaseous reactant extending into a fuel cell through said open end, said conduit adapted to discharge said first reactant within the interior of said cell for flow along the active length of the inner electrode and out the open end of the fuel cell; and (3) means for flowing a second gaseous reactant about the active length of said outer electrode.

Claim 12

A fuel cell generator comprising: (1) a plurality of tubular fuel cells having an open end, a closed end and an active length therebetween, said active length comprising an inner electrode, an outer electrode and an electrolyte between said electrodes; (2) a tubular supply conduit for a first gaseous reactant extending into a fuel cell through said open end, said conduit adapted to discharge said first reactant within the interior of said cell for flow along the active length of the inner electrode and out the open end of the fuel cell; and (3) means for flowing a second gaseous reactant about the active length of said outer electrode.

Claim 13

The fuel cell generator of claim 8 further comprising means for heating the first gaseous reactant in said tubular supply conduit.

Claim 14

The fuel cell generator of claim 8 further comprising a combustion chamber communicating with the open end of said fuel cells.

Claim 15

The fuel cell generator of claim 10 further comprising means for flowing said second gaseous reactant into the combustion chamber.

Claim 16

The fuel cell generator of claim 10 wherein a portion of said tubular supply conduit is disposed within said combustion chamber.

Claim 17

The fuel cell generator of claim 10 wherein the closed end of the fuel cell is electrochemically inactive, and is effective to heat the second gaseous reactant flowing about the outer electrode.

Claim 18

A fuel cell generator comprising: a plurality of elongated tubular fuel cell elements and an elongated tubular reactant conduit extending into each of said plurality of cells, means defining a preheating chamber including a first member supporting said fuel cell elements and a second member supporting said reactant conduits, a portion of said conduits extending through said preheating chamber.

Claim 19

A fuel cell generator comprising: a plurality of elongated tubular fuel cell elements and an elongated tubular reactant conduit extending into each of said plurality of cells, means defining a preheating chamber including a first member supporting said fuel cell elements and a second member supporting said reactant conduits, a portion of said conduits extending through said preheating chamber.

Claim 20

The fuel cell generator of claim 14 wherein said second member is a tube sheet having bores that fit loosely about said conduits.

Claim 21

The fuel cell generator of claim 14 further comprising means for supplying a first gaseous reactant to said reactant conduit.

Claim 22

The fuel cell generator of claim 14 wherein the tubular fuel cells comprise an inner electrode, an outer electrode and a solid oxide electrolyte between said electrodes.

Claim 23

The fuel cell generator of claim 16 wherein said first member comprises a means for defining a chamber for a second gaseous reactant adjacent said preheating chamber and is adapted to allow a throughput of depleted second reactant.