Fuel cell arrangement

Claim 2

A high temperature, solid oxide electrochemical cell configuration comprising a plurality of annular cells, each cell having inner and outer annular electrodes with an electrolyte therebetween, said cells arranged in a network comprising planes of generally parallel cells adjacent one another with said planes positioned with planar surfaces adjacent one another and cells of said planes generally perpendicular to cells of adjacent planes, wherein said cells located in a common plane are in parallel electrical connection by having therebetween electrically conductive interconnects joining the outer electrodes of said cells, substantially along the length of said parallel adjacent cells, and wherein said cell planes perpendicular with respect to adjacent planes are in series electrical connection by having said outer electrode and said electrolyte of one cell contain discontinuities having therein electrically conductive interconnects along a selected angular segment of said inner electrode which is electrically connected to a selected axial segment of the outer electrode of another perpendicular cell.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1 wherein feed tubes extend into the interior of said cells through one end, the other end of said cells being closed, a first chamber located about the feed tubes, and the second chamber located about the closed end of said cells, said first chamber having means for accepting a first gas, part of which is sent to the inner electrode via the feed tubes and the remainder of said first gas is directed past the feed tubes to a first chamber exhaust means, said second chamber having an inlet port for accepting a second gas which is sent past the outer electrode and into the first chamber to mix and react with the first gas in the first chamber and exit through the first chamber exhaust means.

Claim 4

The device of claim 2 wherein said cells are arranged with said feed tubes extending from the cells' open ends outward from the cell configuration with said first chamber surrounding said cell configuration along the radial perimeter, and said second chamber located internal to said cell arrangement bounded by the closed end of said cells.

Claim 5

The device of claim 3 wherein said cells are arranged in a square column configuration with substantially an equal number of cells having feed tubes extending normally from each of the four faces of said square column and said cells are two lengths: a first length equal to approximately one-half the length of one side of said square column configuration, the cells of a first length located proximate the corners of said square column configuration, and cells of a second length, a predetermined amount shorter than those of said first length, said predetermined amount equal to one-half the length of one side of the square second chamber with cells of said second length located proximate the edge centers of said square column configuration, occupying the locations between cells of said first length.

Claim 6

The device of claim 3 wherein said cells are stacked to a predetermined height and are contained in a module comprising support column means located in said first chamber or plenum and within said second chamber, support beams spanning selected support column means at predetermined elevations, means for establishing electrical contact between modules, and means for forming connections between respective said first chambers and respective said second chamber of adjoining modules.

Claim 7

The device of claim 2 wherein selected cells are of a predetermined shorter length to allow deeper penetration of said second gas into the cell configuration.

Claim 8

The device of claim 6 wherein a tube of predetermined porosity occupies the vacant space created by said selected shortened cells.

Claim 9

The device of claim 1 wherein annular support tubes are located inside the inner electrodes.

Claim 10

A high temperature, solid oxide electrochemical cell configuration comprising a plurality of annular cells, each cell having inner and outer annular electrodes with an electrolyte therebetween, said cells arranged in a network comprising planes of generally parallel cells adjacent one another with said planes positioned with planar surfaces adjacent one another and cells of said planes generally perpendicular to cells of adjacent planes, wherein said cells located in a common plane are in series electrical connection by having said outer electrode and said electrolyte of one cell contain discontinuities having therein electrically conductive interconnects along a selected angular segment of said inner electrode which is electrically connected to the outer electrode of another cell substantially along the length of said cells, and wherein said cell planes perpendicular with respect to adjacent planes are in parallel electrical connection by having therebetween electrically conductive interconnects joining the outer electrode of said cell to a selected axial segment of the outer electrode of another, perpendicular cell.

Claim 11

A high temperature, solid oxide electrochemical cell configuration comprising a plurality of annular cells, each cell having inner and outer annular electrodes with an electrolyte therebetween, said cells arranged in a network comprising planes of generally parallel cells adjacent one another with said planes positioned with planar surfaces adjacent one another and cells of said planes generally perpendicular to cells of adjacent planes, wherein said cells located in a common plane are in series electrical connection by having said outer electrode and said electrolyte of one cell contain discontinuities having therein electrically conductive interconnects along a selected angular segment of said inner electrode which is electrically connected to the outer electrode of another cell substantially along the length of said cells, and wherein said cell planes perpendicular with respect to adjacent planes are in parallel electrical connection by having therebetween electrically conductive interconnects joining the outer electrode of said cell to a selected axial segment of the outer electrode of another, perpendicular cell.