Module for a fuel cell battery

Claim 2

A fuel cell battery comprising a plurality of stacked modules electrically connected in series; each module having an electrochemically active plate including a pair of electrode layers and an oxide-ion-conducting solid electrolyte layer between said electrode layers, a supporting and electron conduction structure spaced from said plate, a first plurality of contact elements secured to and between said supporting structure and one of said electrode layers in electrically conductive and fixed relation, and a second plurality of contact elements secured to and between the other of said electrode layers and said supporting structure of an adjacent module in electrically conductive and fixed relation.

Claim 3

A fuel cell battery as set forth in claim 1 which further comprises a gas supply duct for supplying gas into each said module to flow over said supporting structure thereof and a two-part line between said supporting structures to form an electrical connection therebetween, said line extending through said gas supply duct.

Claim 4

A fuel cell battery as set forth in claim 1 wherein each said contact element is in point contact with said respective electrode layer.

Claim 5

A module for a fuel cell battery comprising an electrochemically active plate including an oxide-ion-conducting solid electrolyte layer and a pair of electrode layers, each electrode layer being disposed on an opposite side of said solid electrolyte layer from the other electrode layer; a supporting and electron conduction structure spaced from and in parallel with said plate; and a plurality of regularly disposed contact elements secured to and between said structure and one of said electrode layers of said plate in electrically conductive and fixed relation wherein each contact element is soldered to said one electrode layer.

Claim 6

A module for a fuel cell battery comprising an electrochemically active plate including an oxide-ion-conducting solid electrolyte layer and a pair of electrode layers, each electrode layer being disposed on an opposite side of said solid electrolyte layer from the other electrode layer; a supporting and electron conduction structure spaced from and in parallel with said plate; and a plurality of regularly disposed contact elements secured to and between said structure and one of said electrode layers of said plate in electrically conductive and fixed relation wherein each contact element is soldered to said one electrode layer.

Claim 7

A module for a fuel cell battery comprising an electrochemically active plate including an oxide-ion-conducting solid electrolyte layer and a pair of electrode layers, each electrode layer being disposed on an opposite side of said solid electrolyte layer from the other electrode layer; a supporting and electron conduction structure spaced from and in parallel with said plate; and a plurality of regularly disposed contact elements secured to and between said structure and one of said electrode layers of said plate in electrically conductive and fixed relation wherein said contact elements are secured to said one electrode layer over a total surface area of less than ten per cent of the total surface area of said one electrode layer.

Claim 8

A module for a fuel cell battery comprising an electrochemically active plate including an oxide-ion-conducting solid electrolyte layer and a pair of electrode layers, each electrode layer being disposed on an opposite side of said solid electrolyte layer from the other electrode layer; a supporting and electron conduction structure spaced from and in parallel with said plate; and a plurality of regularly disposed contact elements secured to and between said structure and one of said electrode layers of said plate in electrically conductive and fixed relation wherein said contact elements are secured to said one electrode layer over a total surface area of less than ten per cent of the total surface area of said one electrode layer.

Claim 9

A module for a fuel cell battery comprising an electrochemically active plate including an oxide-ion-conducting solid electrolyte layer and a pair of electrode layers, each electrode layer being disposed on an opposite side of said solid electrolyte layer from the other electrode layer; a supporting and electron conduction structure spaced from and in parallel with said plate; and a plurality of regularly disposed contact elements secured to and between said structure and one of said electrode layers of said plate in electrically conductive and fixed relation wherein said contact elements are filamentary.

Claim 10

A module for a fuel cell battery comprising an electrochemically active plate including an oxide-ion-conducting solid electrolyte layer and a pair of electrode layers, each electrode layer being disposed on an opposite side of said solid electrolyte layer from the other electrode layer; a supporting and electron conduction structure spaced from and in parallel with said plate; and a plurality of regularly disposed contact elements secured to and between said structure and one of said electrode layers of said plate in electrically conductive and fixed relation wherein said contact elements are filamentary.

Claim 11

A module as set forth in claim 6 wherein said filamentary contact elements are disposed in bunches with each bunch being secured to said supporting structure.

Claim 12

A module as set forth in claim 7 wherein said structure has a plurality of bores, each bore receiving a respective one of said bunches therein in soldered relation.

Claim 13

A module for a fuel cell battery comprising an electrochemically active plate including an oxide-ion-conducting solid electrolyte layer and a pair of electrode layers, each electrode layer being disposed on an opposite side of said solid electrolyte layer from the other electrode layer; a supporting and electron conduction structure spaced from and in parallel with said plate; a plurality of regularly disposed contact elements secured to and between said structure and one of said electrode layers of said plate in electrically conductive and fixed relation; and a resilient metal web secured to at least one electrode layer of said plate and said contact elements are in the form of tongues extending from said web into electrically conductive fixed contact with said supporting structure.

Claim 14

A module for a fuel cell battery comprising an electrochemically active plate including an oxide-ion-conducting solid electrolyte layer and a pair of electrode layers, each electrode layer being disposed on an opposite side of said solid electrolyte layer from the other electrode layer; a supporting and electron conduction structure spaced from and in parallel with said plate; a plurality of regularly disposed contact elements secured to and between said structure and one of said electrode layers of said plate in electrically conductive and fixed relation; and a resilient metal web secured to at least one electrode layer of said plate and said contact elements are in the form of tongues extending from said web into electrically conductive fixed contact with said supporting structure.

Claim 15

A module for a fuel cell battery comprising an electrochemically active plate including an oxide-ion-conducting solid electrolyte layer and a pair of electrode layers, each electrode layer being disposed on an opposite side of said solid electrolyte layer from the other electrode layer; a supporting and electron conduction structure spaced from and in parallel with said plate; and a plurality of regularly disposed contact elements fixedly connected to and between said structure and one of said electrode layers of said plate in an electrically conductive and fixed relation for reducing the risk of breakage of said plate during assembly of the module wherein each contact element is soldered to said one electrode layer.

Claim 16

A module for a fuel cell battery comprising an electrochemically active plate including an oxide-ion-conducting solid electrolyte layer and a pair of electrode layers, each electrode layer being disposed on an opposite side of said solid electrolyte layer from the other electrode layer; a supporting and electron conduction structure spaced from and in parallel with said plate; and a plurality of regularly disposed contact elements fixedly connected to and between said structure and one of said electrode layers of said plate in an electrically conductive and fixed relation for reducing the risk of breakage of said plate during assembly of the module wherein each contact element is soldered to said one electrode layer.

Claim 17

A module for a fuel cell battery comprising an electrochemically active plate including an oxide-ion-conducting solid electrolyte layer and a pair of electrode layers, each electrode layer being disposed on an opposite side of said solid electrolyte layer from the other electrode layer; a supporting and electron conduction structure spaced from and in parallel with said plate; and a plurality of regularly disposed contact elements fixedly connected to and between said structure and one of said electrode layers of said plate in an electrically conductive and fixed relation for reducing the risk of breakage of said plate during assembly of the module wherein said contact elements are secured to said one electrode layer over a total surface area of less than ten percent of the total surface area of said one electrode layer.

Claim 18

A module for a fuel cell battery comprising an electrochemically active plate including an oxide-ion-conducting solid electrolyte layer and a pair of electrode layers, each electrode layer being disposed on an opposite side of said solid electrolyte layer from the other electrode layer; a supporting and electron conduction structure spaced from and in parallel with said plate; and a plurality of regularly disposed contact elements fixedly connected to and between said structure and one of said electrode layers of said plate in an electrically conductive and fixed relation for reducing the risk of breakage of said plate during assembly of the module wherein said contact elements are secured to said one electrode layer over a total surface area of less than ten percent of the total surface area of said one electrode layer.

Claim 19

A module for a fuel cell battery comprising an electrochemically active plate including an oxide-ion-conducting solid electrolyte layer and a pair of electrode layers, each electrode layer being disposed on an opposite side of said solid electrolyte layer from the other electrode layer; a supporting and electron conduction structure spaced from and in parallel with said plate; and a plurality of regularly disposed contact elements fixedly connected to and between said structure and one of said electrode layers of said plate in an electrically conductive and fixed relation for reducing the risk of breakage of said plate during assembly of the module wherein said contact elements are filamentary.

Claim 20

A module for a fuel cell battery comprising an electrochemically active plate including an oxide-ion-conducting solid electrolyte layer and a pair of electrode layers, each electrode layer being disposed on an opposite side of said solid electrolyte layer from the other electrode layer; a supporting and electron conduction structure spaced from and in parallel with said plate; and a plurality of regularly disposed contact elements fixedly connected to and between said structure and one of said electrode layers of said plate in an electrically conductive and fixed relation for reducing the risk of breakage of said plate during assembly of the module wherein said contact elements are filamentary.

Claim 21

A module as set forth in claim 12 wherein said filamentary contact elements are disposed in bunches with each bunch being secured to said supporting structure.

Claim 22

A module as set forth in claim 13 wherein said structure has a plurality of bores, each bore receiving a respective one of said bunches therein in soldered relation.

Claim 23

A module for a fuel cell battery comprising an electrochemically active plate including an oxide-ion-conducting solid electrolyte layer and a pair of electrode layers, each electrode layer being disposed on an opposite side of said solid electrolyte layer from the other electrode layer; a supporting and electron conduction structure spaced from and in parallel with said plate; a plurality of regularly disposed contact elements fixedly connected to and between said structure and one of said electrode layers of said plate in an electrically conductive and fixed relation for reducing the risk of breakage of said plate during assembly of the module; and a resilient metal web secured to at least one electrode layer of said plate and said contact elements are in the form of tongues extending from said web into electrically conductive fixed contact with said supporting structure.

Claim 24

A module for a fuel cell battery comprising an electrochemically active plate including an oxide-ion-conducting solid electrolyte layer and a pair of electrode layers, each electrode layer being disposed on an opposite side of said solid electrolyte layer from the other electrode layer; a supporting and electron conduction structure spaced from and in parallel with said plate; a plurality of regularly disposed contact elements fixedly connected to and between said structure and one of said electrode layers of said plate in an electrically conductive and fixed relation for reducing the risk of breakage of said plate during assembly of the module; and a resilient metal web secured to at least one electrode layer of said plate and said contact elements are in the form of tongues extending from said web into electrically conductive fixed contact with said supporting structure.