Electrochemical cell apparatus having axially distributed entry of a fuel-spent fuel mixture transverse to the cell lengths

Claim 2

An electrochemical apparatus comprising: (1) an axially elongated generator chamber containing one or more cell bundles, each bundle containing a plurality of parallel, axially elongated electrochemical cells, each cell having an exterior fuel electrode, an interior air electrode, and solid oxide electrolyte therebetween, (2) fresh gaseous feed fuel inlet, (3) gaseous feed oxidant inlet, (4) at least one gaseous spent fuel exit, (5) a combustion chamber, and (6) at least one combusted exhaust gas channel, where a spent fuel exit channel passes from the generator chamber to combine with the fresh feed fuel inlet at a mixing apparatus; a reformable fuel mixture channel passes through the axial length of the generator chamber and connects with the mixing apparatus, said channel containing reformable fuel mixture entry ports along the length of the electrochemical cells within the generator chamber, where the axis of the ports is transverse to the exterior fuel electrode surfaces; and where a catalytic reforming material is distributed parallel to the axially elongated electrochemical cells.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1, where the chambers are within a metal housing lined with insulation, and the catalytic reforming material is near the reformable fuel mixture entry ports.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1, where the electrochemical cells are fuel cells, the air electrode contains doped LaMnO 3 , the electrolyte is yttria stabilized zirconia and the fuel electrode contains a zirconia-nickel nickel cermet material.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1, where the spent fuel exit channel contains multiple entry ports along the length of the electrochemical cells and the reformable fuel mixture channel has an associated porous outer partition containing catalytic reforming material.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1, where the mixing apparatus is an ejector mechanism.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1, where thin, gas impermeable material separates cell bundles in the generator chamber.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 1, also containing auxiliary, reformable fuel mixture channels feeding to the generator chamber with ports parallel to the axial length of the cells.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 1, where catalytic reforming material is distributed on the cells.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 4, where catalytic reforming material is also distributed on the cells.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 4, where the outer partition has ports along the length of the electrochemical cells, the axis of the ports is transverse to the exterior fuel electrode surfaces, and the partition has a nickel containing material distributed on its surface or impregnated into its volume.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 6, where the gas impermeable material is selected from the group consisting of metal and dense ceramic tiles.

Claim 13

An electrochemical apparatus operating on gaseous oxidant and a fresh gaseous feed fuel, at an interior temperature between 600° C. and 1,200° C., comprising a generator chamber containing one or more cell bundles, each bundle containing a plurality of parallel, axially elongated electrochemical cells, each cell having an exterior fuel electrode, an interior air electrode, and solid oxide electrolyte therebetween; fresh gaseous feed fuel inlet; gaseous feed oxidant inlet; gaseous spent fuel exit, where the spent fuel contains water vapor; and a combustion chamber where hot spent gaseous fuel and hot spent gaseous oxidant combust to form combusted exhaust gas, where a portion of the spent fuel is recirculated through a spent fuel exit channel to mix with fresh feed fuel at a mixing apparatus, providing a reformable fuel mixture; the reformable fuel mixture is channeled to contact the exterior fuel electrode surfaces of the electrochemical cells within the generator chamber, and such contact is substantially transverse to the exterior fuel electrode surfaces and along the length of the cells, and where the reformable fuel mixture contacts a catalytic reforming material which is distributed parallel to the axially elongated electrochemical cells.

Claim 14

An electrochemical apparatus operating on gaseous oxidant and a fresh gaseous feed fuel, at an interior temperature between 600° C. and 1,200° C., comprising a generator chamber containing one or more cell bundles, each bundle containing a plurality of parallel, axially elongated electrochemical cells, each cell having an exterior fuel electrode, an interior air electrode, and solid oxide electrolyte therebetween; fresh gaseous feed fuel inlet; gaseous feed oxidant inlet; gaseous spent fuel exit, where the spent fuel contains water vapor; and a combustion chamber where hot spent gaseous fuel and hot spent gaseous oxidant combust to form combusted exhaust gas, where a portion of the spent fuel is recirculated through a spent fuel exit channel to mix with fresh feed fuel at a mixing apparatus, providing a reformable fuel mixture; the reformable fuel mixture is channeled to contact the exterior fuel electrode surfaces of the electrochemical cells within the generator chamber, and such contact is substantially transverse to the exterior fuel electrode surfaces and along the length of the cells, and where the reformable fuel mixture contacts a catalytic reforming material which is distributed parallel to the axially elongated electrochemical cells.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 12, where the chambers are within a metal housing lined with insulation, and the catalytic reforming material is near the reformable fuel mixture entry ports.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 12, where the electrochemical cells are fuel cells, the air electrode contains doped LaMnO 3 , the electrolyte is yttria stabilized zirconia and the fuel electrode contains a zirconia-nickel cermet material.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 12, where the spent fuel exit channel contains multiple entry ports along the length of the electrochemical cells and the reformable fuel mixture passes through a channel which has an associated porous outer partition containing catalytic reforming material.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 12, where the mixing apparatus is an ejector mechanism.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 12, where thin, gas impermeable material separates cell bundles in the generator chamber.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 12, also containing auxiliary, reformable fuel mixture channels feeding to the generator chamber with ports parallel to the axial length of the cells.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 12, where catalytic reforming material is distributed on the cells.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 15, where catalytic reforming material is also distributed on the cells.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 15, where the outer partition has ports along the length of the electrochemical cells, the axis of the ports is transverse to the exterior fuel electrode surfaces, and the partition has a nickel containing material distributed on its surface or impregnated into its volume.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 17, where the gas impermeable material is selected from the group consisting of metal and dense ceramic tiles.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 21, where the reformable fuel mixture passes through the ports of the partition and contacts the cells substantially transverse to the exterior electrode surfaces and along the length of the cells.