Claims
- 1. A solid oxide fuel cell element comprising:an integral porous conductive metallic anode of honeycomb shape incorporating interconnecting channel walls forming parallel channels extending from a first face to a second face of the honeycomb shape; plural electrolyte layers disposed on the walls of a plurality of the parallel channels; and plural cathode layers disposed the electrolyte layers, each channel in the plurality of channels sharing at least one channel wall with a channel not provided with electrolyte and cathode layers.
- 2. A solid oxide fuel cell element in accordance with claim 1 wherein the metallic anode is composed of porous nickel, nickel alloy, or nickel cermet.
- 3. A solid oxide fuel cell element in accordance with claim 1 wherein the anode is a honeycomb shape comprising a combination of channels of hexagonal cross-section sharing channel walls with channels of triangular cross-section.
- 4. A solid oxide fuel cell element in accordance with claim 1 wherein the electrolyte layers are composed predominantly of zirconia.
- 5. A solid oxide fuel cell element in accordance with claim 1 wherein the cathode layers are composed of a cathodic material selected from the group consisting of lanthanum strontium manganite, lanthanum strontium chromite, and silver alloy.
- 6. A method for making a solid oxide fuel cell element comprising the steps of:providing an integral anode of honeycomb shape composed of porous conductive metal and incorporating interconnecting channel walls forming parallel channels extending from a first face to a second face of the honeycomb shape; providing electrolyte layers on the walls of selected channels, each selected channel sharing at least one channel wall with a channel not provided with an electrolyte layer; and providing counter-electrode layers on the electrolyte layers.
- 7. A method for making a solid oxide fuel cell element in accordance with claim 6 wherein the electrolyte or counter-electrode layers are provided by selective liquid coating.
- 8. A method for making a solid oxide fuel cell element in accordance with claim 7 wherein selective liquid coating is promoted by capillary action.
Parent Case Info
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/173,399, filed Dec. 28, 1999, entitled “Honeycomb Electrode Fuel Cells”, by Badding et al.
US Referenced Citations (9)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
503526 |
Sep 1992 |
EP |
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/173399 |
Dec 1999 |
US |