Compact, light-weight, solid-oxide electrochemical converter

Claim 1

A method of constructing an electrochemical converter, the method comprising: (a) forming a set of solid-oxide electrolyte plates by suspending a powder comprising zirconia stabilized with at least one material chosen from the group of magnesia, calcia and yttria in a gas, passing the suspension through an arc discharge of at least 30 kilowatts to generate a plasma spray and deposit a thin layer upon a substrate, uniformly cooling the deposited layer, repeating the deposition process until plates of about 50 to about 750 microns in thickness are deposited, and then removing the plates from the substrate; (b) coating said electrolyte plates with a fuel electrode material on one surface of each plate and an oxidizer electrode material on a second surface of each plate; (c) forming a set of interconnector plates having corrugated metal structures, comprising at least one metal chosen from the group of platinum and nickel alloys, the metal plate having a thickness ranging from about 25 to about 250 microns in the case of platinum alloys and having thickness ranging from about 100 to about 1000 microns in the case of nickel alloy, the corrugated structure defining groove networks for the passage of gases and ridges for gas seals and electrical contact with the electrode coatings of the electrolyte plates; and (d) assembling the converter by stacking alternating layers of the electrolyte and interconnector plates together.

Claim 2

A method of constructing an electrochemical converter, the method comprising: (a) forming a set of solid-oxide electrolyte plates by suspending a powder comprising zirconia stabilized with at least one material chosen from the group of magnesia, calcia and yttria in a gas, passing the suspension through an arc discharge of at least 30 kilowatts to generate a plasma spray and deposit a thin layer upon a substrate, uniformly cooling the deposited layer, repeating the deposition process until plates of about 50 to about 750 microns in thickness are deposited, and then removing the plates from the substrate; (b) coating said electrolyte plates with a fuel electrode material on one surface of each plate and an oxidizer electrode material on a second surface of each plate; (c) forming a set of interconnector plates having corrugated metal structures, comprising at least one metal chosen from the group of platinum and nickel alloys, the metal plate having a thickness ranging from about 25 to about 250 microns in the case of platinum alloys and having thickness ranging from about 100 to about 1000 microns in the case of nickel alloy, the corrugated structure defining groove networks for the passage of gases and ridges for gas seals and electrical contact with the electrode coatings of the electrolyte plates; and (d) assembling the converter by stacking alternating layers of the electrolyte and interconnector plates together.

Claim 12

A method of forming a solid oxide electrolyte plate, the method comprising: (a) suspending a powder comprising zirconia and at least one stabilizing oxide chosen from the group of magnesia, calcia and yttria in a gas, (b) passing the suspension through an arc discharge of at least 30 kilowatts to generate a plasma spray and deposit a thin layer upon a substrate, (c) uniformly cooling the deposited layer, (d) repeating the deposition process until a plates of about 50 to about 750 microns in thickness are deposited, and (e) then removing the plate from the substrate;

Claim 13

A method of forming a solid oxide electrolyte plate, the method comprising: (a) suspending a powder comprising zirconia and at least one stabilizing oxide chosen from the group of magnesia, calcia and yttria in a gas, (b) passing the suspension through an arc discharge of at least 30 kilowatts to generate a plasma spray and deposit a thin layer upon a substrate, (c) uniformly cooling the deposited layer, (d) repeating the deposition process until a plates of about 50 to about 750 microns in thickness are deposited, and (e) then removing the plate from the substrate;

Claim 23

A method of forming an interconnector plate for use in an electrochemical convertor, the interconnector plate serving to provide electrical connection between an oxidizer electrode of a first electrolyte disposed on one side of the interconnector plate and a fuel electrode of a second electrolyte disposed on the other side of the interconnector plate, the plate also serving to isolate and distribute separate reactant gases over the oxidizer and fuel electrodes of the first and second electrolytes, the method comprising (a) forming a flat plate from a metal chosen from the group of platinum and nickel alloys the thickness of the plate ranging from about 25 to about 250 microns in the case of platinum alloys and from about 100 to about 1000 microns in the case of nickel alloys; (b) defining a corrugated pattern of ridges and grooves on one side of the plate to permit the isolation and distribution of a first reactant gas on the one side; (c) defining a complementary corrugated pattern of ridges and grooves on the other side of the plate to permit the isolation and distribution of a second reactant gas on the other side; and (d) providing holes for introduction of the first reactant gas onto the one side and for the introduction of the second reactant gas onto the other side.

Claim 24

A method of forming an interconnector plate for use in an electrochemical convertor, the interconnector plate serving to provide electrical connection between an oxidizer electrode of a first electrolyte disposed on one side of the interconnector plate and a fuel electrode of a second electrolyte disposed on the other side of the interconnector plate, the plate also serving to isolate and distribute separate reactant gases over the oxidizer and fuel electrodes of the first and second electrolytes, the method comprising (a) forming a flat plate from a metal chosen from the group of platinum and nickel alloys the thickness of the plate ranging from about 25 to about 250 microns in the case of platinum alloys and from about 100 to about 1000 microns in the case of nickel alloys; (b) defining a corrugated pattern of ridges and grooves on one side of the plate to permit the isolation and distribution of a first reactant gas on the one side; (c) defining a complementary corrugated pattern of ridges and grooves on the other side of the plate to permit the isolation and distribution of a second reactant gas on the other side; and (d) providing holes for introduction of the first reactant gas onto the one side and for the introduction of the second reactant gas onto the other side.