Gas and air feed member for a feed cell battery and a fuel cell battery

Claim 2

A gas and air feed member for a fuel cell battery comprising an axially symmetrical plate-like hollow member defining a boundary between a gas space for exposure to an electrochemically active plate and an air space; and a tubular member passing through said hollow member on an axis of symmetry thereof for conducting a gas flow therethrough, said tubular member being in communication with said gas space to deliver a flow of gas therethrough in countercurrent to a flow of air in said hollow member.

Claim 3

A feed member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tubular member has flange-like ends with one of said ends in contact with said plate.

Claim 4

A feed member as set forth in claim 1 which further comprises a plurality of electron-conducting structures in said gas space, each said structure having a contact element forming an electrical connection with a surface of said plate.

Claim 5

A feed member as set forth in claim 3 wherein said plate-like hollow member is electrically conductive and is in electrical contact with said electron-conducting structures.

Claim 6

A feed member as set forth in claim 3 wherein each electron-conducting structure is resilient and flexible in directions axial and radially of said plate-like hollow member.

Claim 7

A feed member as set forth in claim 3 wherein said electron-conducting structures are disposed to direct a flow of gas in said gas space.

Claim 8

A feed member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said hollow member is a circular plate.

Claim 9

A feed member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said hollow member is a polygonal plate.

Claim 10

A feed member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said hollow member has an internal chamber communicating with said air space for conveying a flow of air in countercurrent to a flow of gas in said gas space.

Claim 11

A fuel cell battery comprising a plurality of electrochemically active pates disposed in coaxially spaced apart stacked relation; a plurality of gas and air feed members disposed in alternating relation with said plates, at least one of said members including a plate-like hollow member parallel to and spaced between a pair of said plates to define a gas space exposed to one of said pair of plates and an air space exposed to the other of said pair of plates and a tubular member passing coaxially through said hollow member for conducting a gas flow therethrough, said tubular member being in communication with said gas space to deliver a flow of gas therethrough; and means for passing a flow of air into each said hollow member in a countercurrent to a flow of gas in an adjacent gas space for removing heat therefrom.

Claim 12

A fuel cell battery comprising a plurality of electrochemically active pates disposed in coaxially spaced apart stacked relation; a plurality of gas and air feed members disposed in alternating relation with said plates, at least one of said members including a plate-like hollow member parallel to and spaced between a pair of said plates to define a gas space exposed to one of said pair of plates and an air space exposed to the other of said pair of plates and a tubular member passing coaxially through said hollow member for conducting a gas flow therethrough, said tubular member being in communication with said gas space to deliver a flow of gas therethrough; and means for passing a flow of air into each said hollow member in a countercurrent to a flow of gas in an adjacent gas space for removing heat therefrom.

Claim 13

A fuel cell battery as set forth in claim 10 wherein said tubular member has flange-like ends with one of said ends in contact with said one plate.

Claim 14

A fuel cell battery as set forth in claim 11 which further comprises a plurality of sealing rings, coaxial of said plates, each sealing ring being clamped between a pair of said feed members.

Claim 15

A fuel cell battery as set forth in claim 12 wherein each said ring is exposed to a respective air space.

Claim 16

A fuel cell battery as set forth in claim 12 which further comprises a centrally mounted traction member for clamping said plates, said feed members and said sealing rings together.

Claim 17

A fuel cell battery as set forth in claim 10 which further comprises a first plurality of electron-conducting structures in each said gas space and a second plurality of electron-conducting structures in each said air space, each said structure having a contact element forming an electrical connection with a surface of a respective plate.

Claim 18

A fuel cell battery as set forth in claim 15 wherein each contact element is resiliently biased against a respective plate.

Claim 19

A fuel cell battery as set forth in claim 10 wherein each plate is conical in form.

Claim 20

A fuel cell battery as set forth in claim 10 wherein each plate is corrugated.

Claim 21

A fuel cell battery as set forth in claim 10 which further comprises a peripheral wall member coaxial of each feed member to define an annular space therewith to receive a flow of air from said air space of said respective feed member and a flow of gas from said gas space of said respective feed member for combustion therein.

Claim 22

A fuel cell battery as set forth in claim 10 which further comprises a plurality of ducts, each said duct being coaxial of each feed member and in communication with said gas space thereof for receiving gas therefrom and a header connected to said ducts to remove gas therefrom.

Claim 23

A fuel cell battery as set forth in claim 10 which further comprises a plurality of spacer rings disposed in alternating relation with said feed members for spacing said feed members coaxially of each other.

Claim 24

A fuel cell battery as set forth in claim 21 further comprises a plurality of sealing rings coaxial of said plates, each sealing ring being clamped between a pair of said feed members, concentrically of a respective spacer ring.

Claim 25

A fuel cell battery as set forth in claim 21 wherein each plate is sealingly disposed within a respective spacer ring.

Claim 26

A fuel cell battery as set forth in claim 10 where each plate is a solid electrolyte for conducting oxide ions having a coating on each side for conducting an electrode reaction and for electrical conduction.

Claim 27

A fuel cell battery as set forth in claim 10 wherein each said hollow member has an internal chamber connected to and between said means and a respective air space to convey a flow of air in countercurrent to a flow of gas in a respective gas space.

Claim 28

A fuel cell battery as set forth in claim 25 which further comprises a plurality of fins in said internal chamber to promote heat transfer.