Module arrangement of a solid oxide cell stack

Abstract

The object of the invention is a module arrangement arranged in a M x N matrix, N being any natural number. A fuel inlet manifold (150) and a fuel outlet manifold (152) form a fuel manifold (171) to deliver supply fuel gas (108) to the stacks and to deliver fuel exhaust gas (177) from the stacks, and from the fuel gas supply and fuel exhaust gas connection point of view, the stacks are arranged in a parallel connection in the manifold. The inlet manifold (150) comprises controllable size gas flow holes to the stacks (103) for forming uniform gas flow to the stacks, and the outlet manifold (152) comprises controllable size gas flow holes to the stacks (103) for forming uniform gas flow from the stacks. The inlet manifold (150) comprises a connection structure (160), and a flow element (320) that brakes the main flow stream from the gas inlet connection (160), and the inlet manifold (150) comprises a gas volume (300) between the flow element that brakes the main flow stream and the inlet manifold connection structure, and at least one of the inlet and outlet manifolds comprises a two-layer structure that comprises a gas-tight cover structure (330) and an inner thermal insulation structure (310), and between the manifold (171) and the stacks (103) the module arrangement comprises a first gas seal (155) on the gas-tight cover structure, a first electrically insulating plate (119), and a second gas seal (156). On the top side (122) and the bottom side (124) of the battery stack (103), the module arrangement comprises a second electrically insulating plate (114), a compression structure (116) for the stacks (103), and an air side sealing structure (169) between the stacks, and each stack end plate (170) is connected with an electrical connection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Most of the world's energy is generated from oil, coal, natural gas, or nuclear power. All of these methods have their specific problems, such as availability and environmental friendliness. Environmentally, oil and coal, in particular, cause pollution when burned. The problem with nuclear energy is, at the very least, the storage of used fuel.

[0002] In particular, due to environmental concerns, new energy sources have been developed that are more environmentally friendly and, for example, more efficient than the aforementioned energy sources. Fuel cells, which directly convert the energy of fuel (e.g., biogas) into electricity via a chemical reaction in an environmentally friendly process, and electrolyzers, where electricity is converted into fuel, are promising energy solutions for the future.

[0003] Renewable energy production methods such as solar and wind power face challenges due to seasonal production variations and the environmental impacts that limit their electricity generation. In cases of overproduction, hydrogen production via water electrolysis has been proposed as one of the future energy storage options. Furthermore, electrolyzers can also be used to produce high-quality methane gas from renewable biogas storage.

[0004] This invention relates to modular arrangements of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stacks or solid oxide electrolyzer (SOEC) stacks to increase power output or fuel productivity, or both, compared to a single stack arrangement. A fuel cell reacts input reactant fuel gas at the anode electrode with gaseous oxidant (oxygen) at the cathode electrode to generate electricity. An electrolyzer reacts in the opposite way to a fuel cell, i.e., electricity is used to produce fuel and oxygen. SOFC and SOEC stacks comprise battery elements and separators stacked in a sandwich configuration, wherein each battery element is configured by sandwiching an electrolyte, an anode side, and a cathode side. The reactants are guided to porous electrodes by flow field plates. Background Technology

[0005] like Figure 1 As shown, the fuel cell includes an anode side 100, a cathode side 102, and an electrolyte material 104 between them. This structure is referred to here as a cell 174. Figure 1 , Figure 2In a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), oxygen 106 is fed to the cathode side 102 and is reduced to negative oxygen ions by receiving electrons from the cathode. The input stream 106 depletes the oxygen at the outlet side 176. The negative oxygen ions are transferred to the anode side 100 via the electrolyte material 104, where they react with fuel 108 to produce electrons, water, and typically also carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2), i.e., fuel exhaust gas 177. The anode 100 and cathode 102 are connected by an external circuit 111, which includes a load 110 for the fuel cell, which extracts electrical energy and heat from the system. The fuel cell reaction in the case of methane, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen fuels is as follows: anode:

[0006] cathode:

[0007] Net reaction:

[0008] In the electrolysis operation mode (solid oxide electrolyzer (SOEC)), the reaction is reversed; that is, heat and electrical energy from source 110 are supplied to the cell, where water and, typically, carbon dioxide, are reduced in cathode side 100 to form oxygen ions. These oxygen ions move through electrolyte material 104 to anode side 102, where oxidation occurs. The same solid electrolyte cell can be used in both SOFC and SOEC modes. In this context, and for the purposes of this specification, the electrodes are typically referred to as anode and cathode based on the fuel cell operation mode, while in pure SOEC applications, the oxygen electrode may be referred to as anode and the reactant electrode as cathode.

[0009] Solid oxide electrolyzers operate at temperatures that allow for high-temperature electrolytic reactions, typically between 500 and 1000°C, but temperatures other than these limits may also be useful. These operating temperatures are similar to those of SOFCs. The net cell reaction produces hydrogen and oxygen. The reaction of one mole of water is shown below, where the reduction of water occurs at the anode: cathode:

[0010] anode:

[0011] Net reaction: .

[0012] In solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stacks and solid oxide electrolyzer (SOE) stacks (collectively referred to here as solid oxide battery stacks), the flow direction of cathode gas relative to anode gas within each cell and the flow direction of these gases between adjacent cells are determined by the different cell layers of the stack. Furthermore, cathode gas or anode gas, or both, may pass through more than one cell before being exhausted, and multiple gas flows may be split or combined after passing through the primary cell and before passing through the secondary cell. These combinations are used to increase current density and minimize thermal gradients across cells and throughout the stack.

[0013] During normal operation, SOFC provides approximately 0.8V, while SOEC provides 1.3V. To increase the total voltage output, cells 174 are typically assembled in a stack, with the cells electrically connected via flow field plates (also known as: separator plates, interconnect plates, interconnector plates, bipolar plates). The desired voltage level determines the number of cells required.

[0014] Bipolar plates separate the anode and cathode sides of adjacent battery cells, while simultaneously allowing electrons to conduct between the anode and cathode. Interconnectors or bipolar plates typically have multiple channels for allowing fuel gas to pass through one side of the interconnect and oxygen-enriched gas to pass through the other side. The flow direction of the fuel gas is defined as the fundamental direction from the fuel inlet to the fuel outlet of the battery cell. Similarly, the flow direction of the oxygen-enriched gas is defined as the fundamental direction from the inlet to the outlet of the battery cell.

[0015] Conventionally, batteries are stacked one on top of another with complete overlap, resulting in a stack with, for example, co-current flow, where all fuel and oxidant inlets are on one side of the stack and all fuel and oxidant outlets are on the opposite side. A feature affecting the structure temperature during operation is the vapor reforming of the fuel fed into the batteries. Vapor reforming is an endothermic reaction and cools the fuel inlet edges of the batteries.

[0016] Due to the exothermic nature of the electrochemical processes, the outlet gas exits at a temperature higher than the inlet temperature. When endothermic and exothermic reactions combine in a SOFC reactor, a significant temperature gradient across the reactor is generated. Large thermal gradients induce thermal stresses in the reactor, which are highly undesirable, and they lead to differences in current density and resistance. Therefore, there is a thermal management problem in SOFC reactors: reducing the thermal gradient to a level sufficient to avoid unacceptable stresses and maximizing electrical efficiency through a uniform current density distribution.

[0017] Stack power is a function of its current and voltage. If the stack current is constant, the stack power depends on the materials, structure, and solutions used within the stack, but is also a function of the inlet fuel gas composition, inlet fuel gas flow rate, inlet fuel gas temperature, inlet oxygen-enriched gas composition, oxygen-enriched gas flow rate, inlet oxygen-enriched gas temperature, current, and the heat flux entering and leaving the stack via conduction, convection, and radiation. The internal stack resistance, resulting from the selection of different materials, structures, solutions, and operating parameters, is typically nonlinear and is a function of temperature, reactant partial pressure, and total gas pressure. To optimize the electrical power output in fuel cell mode and the electrical power input in electrolyzer mode, each stack connected to the system needs to have operating parameters that are as constant as possible. This means that the optimal condition is that each stack has equal amounts of fuel and air input, resulting in equal partial pressures of reactant matter at the stack inlet, and that the input fuel and oxygen-enriched gas have equal temperatures at each stack inlet. Furthermore, the heat flux from each stack should be the same.

[0018] Existing fuel cell and electrolyzer stack modules are constructed from a limited number of stacks, each requiring at least one of the following: separate piping for inlet and outlet fuel and oxygen-enriched gas, structural caps, and insulation around the module. This makes the solution bulky and expensive. Furthermore, as the number of intersecting pipes increases, flow and temperature control for each individual stack becomes problematic. All these pipes need to have identical pressure drop characteristics and preferably lack active flow control devices, as these would increase the system's cost and complexity. Each pipe segment also needs to have the same heat loss mechanism, or it needs to have an active temperature control system, which also increases the overall system price and complexity. Moreover, application power requirements can reach hundreds of MW, while individual solid oxide stacks are relatively small, typically ranging from 500W to 100kW, resulting in a large number of individual stacks required to complete the application. Therefore, an efficient connection device for the individual stacks is needed, while this connection device needs to provide equal operating conditions for each stack in the system.

[0019] Existing fuel cell stacks or electrolyzer stacks exhibit tolerance variations in the thickness of individual cell structures within the stack. For example, in stack structures using ceramic materials, thickness variations on the order of micrometers are convenient in existing implementations. This leads to different flow conditions between cells, causing varying cell voltage distributions within the stack structure, resulting in thermal gradients between cells and reduced stack power density. Consequently, the stack duty cycle decreases, and the stack lifetime is shortened. The former increases the capital cost per unit of electrical power output, while the latter increases the operating cost of the stack structure because stack replacement time is shortened in fuel cell systems, and the electrical cost increases in electrolyzer stacks.

[0020] High-temperature solid oxide fuel cell stacks are a preferred conversion technology due to their high efficiency in both fuel cell and electrolysis modes. An inherent challenge associated with these technologies, stemming from the high temperatures, is material corrosion, which increases the internal resistance of the structure, reducing the power production of the fuel cell and the hydrogen production capacity of the electrolyzer, respectively. Corrosion problems can exist in multiple locations within the stack structure, but are typically highlighted in regions containing various material systems. Such a system is a three-phase region between the metal interconnect structure, the sealing structure, and the oxidizing gas. In such material systems, for example, the metal interconnect material (typically made of ferritic stainless steel grades due to its good corrosion resistance and thermal expansion properties that match other stack materials) can react with the sealing structure, typically at least partially made of glass, for example, by altering the crystal structure of the metal or by changing the protective oxide structure of the metal surface. This can ultimately lead to through-plane oxidation of the steel material, creating a direct path for fuel and oxygen mixing and causing catastrophic structural failure. Summary of the Invention

[0021] The purpose of this invention is to improve the efficiency, performance, reliability, and structure of fuel cell or electrolyzer stack modules. This is achieved through a modular arrangement of solid oxide cell stacks in a fuel cell system or electrolyzer system, each stack comprising a cell having a fuel side, an oxygen-enriched side, and an electrolyte material between the fuel side and the oxygen-enriched side, each stack comprising a flow field plate made of a material with high electrical conductivity at high temperatures, each stack comprising a gas-sealing structure made of an electrically insulating material, the arrangement having a gas distribution structure for both the fuel gas inlet side and the outlet side, oxygen-side gas delivery based on an open channel structure, and the arrangement including end plates for current harvesting, and the cells, flow field plate, and gas-sealing structure being arranged in a stacked manner between the end plates. The module is arranged as an M×N matrix, where M and N are arbitrary natural numbers. Fuel inlet and fuel outlet manifolds form a fuel manifold to deliver supplied fuel gas to the stack and fuel exhaust gas from the stack. From the perspective of fuel gas supply and exhaust gas connection, the stack is arranged in parallel within the manifold. The stack has a common oxygen-side gas supply chamber on the inlet side and a common oxygen-side gas exhaust chamber on the outlet side, both connected by an open structure for oxygen-side gas delivery. The inlet manifold includes controllable-sized airflow orifices to the stack to form a uniform airflow to the stack, and the outlet manifold includes controllable-sized airflow orifices to the stack to form a uniform airflow from the stack. Furthermore, the inlet manifold includes a connection structure and a flow element that brakes the main flow from the gas inlet connection. The inlet manifold includes a gas volume between the flow element that brakes the main flow and the inlet manifold connection structure. At least one of the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold includes a two-layer structure, which includes an airtight cover structure and an internal heat insulation structure. Between the manifold and the battery stack, the module arrangement includes a first gas seal, a first electrical insulation plate, and a second gas seal on the airtight cover structure. On the top and bottom sides of the battery stack, the module arrangement includes a second electrical insulation plate, a compression structure for the stack, and an air-side sealing structure between the stacks. Each stack end plate is connected to an electrical connector.

[0022] This invention relates to a modular arrangement of a solid oxide battery stack in a fuel cell system or electrolyzer system. This modular arrangement includes stacks arranged in an M×N matrix, where M and N are arbitrary natural numbers. A fuel inlet manifold and a fuel outlet manifold form a fuel manifold to deliver inlet fuel gas to the stack and exhaust gas from the stack. From the perspective of fuel gas supply and exhaust gas connection, the stacks are arranged in parallel within the manifold. The invention can also be based on a stack arrangement with a common oxygen-side gas chamber and a common oxygen-side exhaust gas chamber, and the manifold includes controllable-sized airflow orifices to the stack for forming a uniform airflow to and from the stack based on the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet pipe connections of the manifold. The invention is also based on an inlet manifold including a connection structure and a flow element that brakes the main flow from the gas inlet connection, and the inlet manifold including a gas volume between the flow element that brakes the main flow and the inlet manifold connection structure, and at least one of the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold including a two-layer structure including an airtight cover structure and an internal heat insulation structure, and the module arrangement including a first gas seal on the airtight cover structure.

[0023] The benefits of this invention include the ability to determine the actual stack module arrangement based on the selected fuel cell or electrolyzer application, thereby saving time, costs, and assembly space. Further benefits include the ability to control the temperature and flow rate conditions between the fuel gas inlet and the stack to support optimal operation of the solid oxide fuel cell stack module arrangement in fuel cell or electrolyzer systems. For example, the temperature conditions on the hot outlet flow side do not interfere with the temperature conditions on the inlet flow side, and the dynamic pressure from the inlet pipe does not interfere with the individual stack inlet flows. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 It presents a single fuel cell structure.

[0025] Figure 2 It exhibits a repetitive solid oxide battery structure.

[0026] Figure 3 A first exemplary battery stack fuel arrangement according to the present invention is presented in a cross-sectional top view.

[0027] Figure 4 The first exemplary battery stack fuel manifold arrangement according to the invention is presented from the first end of the fuel manifold.

[0028] Figure 5 A cross-sectional top view shows the second exemplary battery stack fuel manifold arrangement according to the present invention.

[0029] Figure 6 A cross-sectional top view shows the third exemplary battery stack fuel manifold arrangement according to the present invention.

[0030] Figure 7A side view of a third exemplary battery stack arrangement according to the present invention is presented.

[0031] Figure 8 A side view of a fourth exemplary battery stack arrangement according to the present invention is presented.

[0032] Figure 9 An exemplary stack module arrangement according to the invention is presented, which includes an electrical connection topology for series stack connections.

[0033] Figure 10 An exemplary stack module arrangement according to the invention is presented in a top view, which includes stack bundles and auxiliary equipment components. Detailed Implementation

[0034] According to the present invention, a fuel cell or electrolyzer stack comprises at least two single repeating structures. Each single repeating structure comprises at least one electrochemically active cell structure, the cell structure including: a fuel side, an electrolyte side, and an oxygen-enriched side, disposed between at least two flow field plates, one flow field plate distributing oxygen-enriched gas in the oxygen-enriched side of the cell structure, and the other distributing fuel gas in the fuel side of the cell structure; and at least one sealing device sealing the gas atmosphere at its intended enclosed space. The flow field plates have at least one inlet opening for the fuel gas and / or oxygen-enriched gas and at least one outlet opening for used fuel gas and / or oxygen-enriched gas. The flow directions of the fuel gas and oxygen-enriched gas can be arranged as a co-flow arrangement, wherein the two gases flow substantially in the same direction on each side of the cell; or a counter-flow arrangement, wherein the flow directions between the fuel gas and oxygen-enriched gas are substantially opposite; or a gross-flow arrangement, wherein the flow directions between the fuel gas and oxygen-enriched gas are substantially at a 90° angle; or a combination thereof.

[0035] Figure 2 A flow field plate 121 is presented for the fuel cell stack. A complete fuel cell stack comprises several plates 121, placed sequentially on top of each other as shown. In this embodiment, the plates are rectangular and symmetrical. A cell structure 174, including an electrolyte layer 104 between the anode and cathode electrodes, is placed between the plates 121, generally in the middle of the plates. The electrolyte element structure 174 can be any suitable electrolyte element structure, and therefore will not be described in further detail herein. The flow field plates 121 and the cell structure 174 are sealed with a gas-tight structure 128, which is preferably made of a compressible material, such as ceramic, mineral, or glass. The gas-tight structure 128 according to the invention is compressed when the cells are assembled into a stack. Two opposing flow field plates 121 and the cell structure 174 and the gas-tight structure 128 between them form a single repeating structure.

[0036] Figure 2 The fuel cell stack arrangement includes flow-limiting orifices 135 and 136 leading to the flow distribution region and the flow outlet region. A gas-sealing structure 128 is compressed over the flow-limiting orifices 135 and 136. The flow-limiting orifices 135 and 136 ensure uniform fuel flow distribution to the entire active region of the fuel cell electrodes by creating an additional pressure sink for the flow path. The gas-sealing structure 128 also creates similar pressure loss conditions between the repeating structures of the fuel cell, ensuring uniform flow distribution characteristics for each repeating structure. Uniform flow distribution in the fuel cell stack also ensures uniform thermal distribution conditions, i.e., similar thermal gradients between cells in the stack. Therefore, the duty cycle of the fuel cell stack is improved, and the lifetime of the fuel cell stack is extended.

[0037] The purpose of the gas-sealing structure 128 is also to ensure that the oxidant and fuel do not mix directly within the electrochemically active region without fuel cell reaction, that fuel and oxidant do not leak from the electrochemical cells, that adjacent electrochemical cells do not make electronic contact with each other, and that the oxidant and fuel are supplied to the desired flow field plate 121. The flow field plate 121 is a thin planar plate made of a metal alloy, ceramic material, cermet material, or other material capable of withstanding the chemical, thermal, and mechanical stresses present in the fuel cell. The oxygen-enriched gas can be any gas or gas mixture containing a measurable amount of oxygen.

[0038] The preferred manufacturing method for the contoured surface of the flow field plate 121 is to use plastic deformation methods, such as stamping, forming, pressing, etc., in which the shape of the material is changed without adding or removing material; or methods in which material is added (e.g., welding, sintering, and laser sintering) or removed (e.g., etching and machining). If the flow field material is brittle, other manufacturing methods can be used, such as extrusion, casting, printing, molding, etc. Orifices for the gas can generally be formed in the same manufacturing steps.

[0039] In the stack assembly structure, each flow field plate 121 can be made similarly, thus requiring only the desired number of plates of only one type to produce a fuel cell stack with the desired number of repeating cell structures 174. This simplifies the structure and facilitates the manufacture of fuel cells.

[0040] Solid oxide electrolyzer stacks differ from solid oxide fuel cell stacks only in that, as described in the prior art, electricity is used to produce fuel using a reaction that is the opposite of that in a fuel cell.

[0041] The single largest energy-consuming device in a fuel cell system is the air blower or compressor used to supply air to the cathode chamber of the fuel cell stack. The power consumption of the air supply device is proportional to the pressure level of the air it must compress. Furthermore, in solid oxide electrolyzer systems, air is typically supplied to the anode to control the thermal balance of the electrolyzer stack and maintain a well-defined oxygen partial pressure in the anode chamber. One of the main sources of pressure loss in fuel cell and electrolyzer systems is the stack itself. Advantageously, the device is designed such that its air side has an open channel to the surrounding atmosphere.

[0042] exist Figures 3 to 8 The present invention illustrates first, second, third, and fourth exemplary fuel manifold arrangements in a fuel cell system or an electrolyzer system according to the present invention. In the fuel manifold arrangement of a solid oxide fuel cell stack, each stack includes a cell 174 having a fuel side 100, an oxygen-enriched side 102, and an electrolyte element 104 between the fuel side and the oxygen-enriched side. Each stack 103 includes a flow field plate 121 made of a material having high electrical conductivity at high temperatures. Preferably, high electrical conductivity means an area-specific resistivity of less than 0.1 Ohm cm⁻¹. 2 And preferably below 0.01 Ohm cm 2 High temperature means a temperature value exceeding 400°C. Each stack may have, for example, four angled configurations, and a gas-sealing gasket 128 made of an electrically insulating material. The device has a gas distribution structure for both the inlet side 160 and the outlet side 162 for fuel gas. The oxygen-side gas delivery of the stack is based on an open-channel structure. This arrangement includes end plates 170 for current harvesting, and the cells 174, flow field plates 121, and gas-sealing structures 128 are arranged in a stacked configuration of stack 103 between the end plates 170.

[0043] An exemplary modular arrangement according to the invention includes stacks 103 arranged in an M×N matrix, where N is any natural number and M is one of 1 and an even number. This arrangement may include, for example, fuel inlet manifolds 150 and fuel outlet manifolds 152 between adjacent stacks 103. The fuel inlet manifolds 150 and 152 form a fuel manifold 171 to deliver fuel gas 108 to the stacks and fuel exhaust gas 177 from the stacks. From the perspective of fuel gas supply and fuel exhaust connection, the stacks are arranged in parallel within the manifold.

[0044] The fuel inlet manifold 150 includes a connecting device 160 (which may be a pipe connection), an hermetically sealed outer battery structure 330, a thermal insulation structure 310 located inside the structure 330, a structure 320 that disperses the developed inlet flow, and a gas volume 300 located between the connecting device 160, the structure 320, and the structure 330. The volume of the main flow from the connecting device 160 and impacting the structure 320 is distributed on the structure 160 before entering the flow volume 360. A laminar flow element, also known as a turbulence filter 320, may be made of, for example, a perforated or porous metal plate structure or a ceramic plate structure. The fuel inlet gas 108 flows through the turbulence filter 320, after which the flow distribution exhibits a diffuse flow pattern. The dynamic pressure is reduced before the first fuel inlet gas flow orifice 133 serving the fuel flow at the first reactor inlet, thus homogenizing the flow distribution at all reactor inlet ports. The airflow hole structure 133 is manufactured to be stacked with the heat insulation structure 310, the airtight outer battery structure 330, and the electrical insulation plate 119, and parallel to the fuel inlet port in the bottom current collection plate 170 of the stack 103.

[0045] Typically, a gasket structure 155 exists between the hermetically sealed outer battery structure 330 and the electrical insulation plate 119, and another gasket structure 156 exists between the electrical insulation plate 119 and the bottom current collection plate 170 of the stack 103. In this exemplary embodiment, the flow volume 360 ​​serves 2×N stacks 103 in the fuel manifold, and each stack 103 may have one or more inlet fuel orifices 133. The stack may also have one or more outlet fuel gas orifices 137. The orifice sizes 133, 137 are controlled to ensure uniform flow distribution to each stack. A thermal insulation structure 310 located inside the structure 330 reduces the conductive and radiative heat flux from the structure 330 to the fuel inlet gas flow 108. Because the heat flux is reduced, the heating effect is reduced when the inlet fuel gas flows from the flow diffuser structure 320 to the last fuel inlet port of the flow volume 360. Therefore, the material selected for the thermal insulation structure should have a low thermal conductivity, with a value below 0.1 W / m / K at the operating temperatures of solid oxide stack technology. Such materials are typically microporous ceramic materials, including pure or mixed forms of alumina, silica, magnesium oxide, and iron oxide. The insulation material 310 may be coated on its surface with a material that does not corrode under flow conditions. These materials may include pure or mixed forms of vermiculite, mica, steel, fiberglass, and alumina felt. The hermetically tight outer structure 330 may be made of steel with good corrosion resistance and machinability. Such metal grades include, for example, ferritic steel, austenitic steel, and superalloys. Structure 330 also needs to be hermetically tight to fuel gases and oxygen-enriched gases, as it separates these from each other. The overall structure 150, including the hermetically tight outer structure 330 and the insulation structure 310, needs mechanical stability to withstand the weight of the surrounding structures and possible external compressive forces required to ensure the hermetically tightness of the gasket interface. Structure 330 may be leak-proof, for example, by welding, brazing, fusion bonding, or compression gasket structures. An oxygen-enriched gas flow-limiting structure 169 is placed between the individual stacks 103, ensuring that airflow is directed through the stacks rather than around them. Two or more stacks may be located on top of each other, and in this case, the fuel manifold inlet 150 and outlet 152 are provided with holes in their bottom and top structures. The outlet fuel manifold is provided with a connection device 162, and each stack has an electrical insulation structure 114 at its top.

[0046] The outlet manifold structure 152 is made of at least an airtight outer structure 330 using methods and materials similar to those used in the inlet fuel manifold structure 150, and it may also include insulation material similar to that contained in the inlet fuel manifold within the structure 330. This will also reduce the temperature gradient on the outlet fuel gas side. The inlet fuel manifold and outlet fuel manifold structures may also be separated by an insulation structure 310, which reduces the heat flux from the reactor outlet structure to the reactor inlet fuel flow 108. The insulation material of structure 310 may be made of a high-temperature insulation material with a thermal conductivity value of less than 0.1 W / m / K. The electrical isolation structure located between the reactor and the fuel manifold structure 171 may be made of multiple parts to restrict heat transfer between the solid oxide reactor outlet and the inlet fuel flow 108. The reactor bundle is a structure that consists of individual fuel manifolds 171 equipped with reactors 103, gasket structures 155, 156, electrical isolation structures 114, 119, flow restriction structures 169, and current collection devices for each reactor 103. The stack 103 is provided with a common oxygen-side gas supply chamber 106 on the inlet side of the open structure 105 for oxygen-side gas transportation and a common oxygen-side gas exhaust chamber 176 on the outlet side of the open structure 105 for oxygen-side gas transportation.

[0047] Figure 5 An example is depicted where the cross-sectional flow area of ​​the inlet flow volume 300 differs from the cross-sectional flow area in the flow distribution region 360. The structure 320 for dispersing the inlet flow is advantageously sized based on the smaller flow area of ​​the flow volumes 300 and 360. It can be advantageous to determine that the flow area in the flow volume 300 is larger than the flow area in the flow volume 360, particularly in large applications with multiple reactor bundles connected as single units. In these applications, the pressure loss in the connection section 160 is reduced by increasing the hydraulic diameter (e.g., pipe diameter), which may subsequently fail to meet the requirements of the flow distribution region 360 serving the individual reactors 103. Furthermore, the individual gas orifices in the fuel manifold structure can have different sizes, allowing for further stabilization of the flow between the reactor inlet ports. Figure 5 An arrangement is presented in which the connection devices for the inlet and outlet fuel gases are located at opposite ends of the structure. This structure creates a Z-shaped flow configuration between the fuel inlet and fuel outlet, where the temperature and flow distribution characteristics differ from those of the fuel inlet and outlet. Figure 4 The solution presented here involves both inlet and outlet gases being fed from the same side of the fuel manifold structure.

[0048] Figure 6An arrangement is depicted in which fuel inlet gas is fed from connection device 160 to flow volume 300. The flow volume is preferably made of a porous or perforated material that creates a controlled pressure drop across material 320. The shape of structure 300 can be, for example, a circular or rectangular structure. The material preferably has a low thermal conductivity, preferably below 0.1 W / m / K. Fuel inlet gas 108 flows through structure 320 and then fills gas volume 360 ​​formed between structure 320 and hermetic structure 330. From gas volume 360, fuel gas can enter various stack inlet feed holes 133 formed in cap structure 330, which are not shown in the figures for clarity. Fuel gas and oxygen-enriched gas flow through stack 103, where the gas changes its temperature according to chemical and electrochemical reactions occurring in stack 103, which may be endothermic or exothermic in nature. Fuel outlet gas is collected through orifice 137 to outlet fuel manifold structure and then to connection device 162.

[0049] Figure 7 An example of a 4×6 stack configuration is shown. In this example, a fuel gas inlet connection 160 feeds gas into an inlet fuel manifold structure 150. Two separate stacks are located at the top and bottom of the fuel manifold structure 171, with connection structures 119 and 193 between them. Connection structures 119 and 193 can be made of at least one or a combination of gaskets, electrical insulation structures, and mechanical structural elements. An oxygen-enriched gas flow restriction structure 169 exists between each dual-stack arrangement 195. The fuel gas manifold in this example has a removable end element 331. From this side, when the end element 331 is removed, a thermal insulation structure 310 has been inserted inside the hermetic structure 330 to collectively form the fuel inlet manifold structure 150.

[0050] Figure 8 An example of a 3×6 stack configuration is shown. In this example, a fuel gas inlet connection 160 feeds gas into an inlet fuel manifold structure 150. Three stacks are located on top of the fuel manifold structure 171, with connection structures 119 and 193 between them. Connection structures 119 and 193 can be made of at least one or a combination of gaskets, electrical insulation structures, and mechanical structural elements. An oxygen-enriched gas flow restriction structure 169 exists between each stack arrangement 195. The fuel gas manifold in this example has a removable element 331. From this side, when element 331 is removed, a thermal insulation structure 310 has been inserted inside the airtight structure 330 to collectively form the fuel inlet manifold structure 150.

[0051] In another embodiment, the module arrangement includes at least two battery stacks 103 pairs, such as Figure 9The arrangement shown is electrically connected in series. In other embodiments, the module arrangement includes X battery stacks 103 arranged in electrical series, where X is a natural number and satisfies M... N / X = Y, where X, N, and Y are natural numbers, and M is 1 or an even number. In this example, six piles 103 are connected in series, with the first pile 103 connected to its negative current collector plate 170 via a current collector rod 401. The other end of the first pile 103 is connected from its positive current collector 170 to the negative current collector plate 170 of the second pile in the series via a current collector rod 402. The series continues by connecting the positive current collector 170 of the previous pile 103 to the negative current collector 107 of the next pile 103 via current collector rod 402. The last pile in the series connection is connected to the current collector 170 of the last pile 103 in the series via a current collector rod 403. In this example, the total voltage between current collector rods 401 and 403 is 6 times the pile voltage 103. The increased voltage level of the individual piles connected in series improves the overall system efficiency because the power connection to the grid will be more energy-efficient and economical. The stack 103 is provided with a common oxygen-side gas supply chamber 106 on the inlet side of the open structure 105 for oxygen-side gas transportation and a common oxygen-side gas exhaust chamber 176 on the outlet side of the open structure 105 for oxygen-side gas transportation.

[0052] Figure 10 An example arrangement of the connection device for multiple stack bundles is shown. In this example, a single stack bundle has nine stacks, with one stack connected to the top of the manifold and one connected to the bottom, making the bundle structure a 2×9 configuration, and the inlet fuel manifold 150 has the described structure to unify flow rate and temperature. A fuel inlet connection 160 is connected to a common fuel distribution structure 215. A fuel outlet connection 162 is connected to a common fuel distribution structure 216. The fuel distribution structure may include a thermal compensation structure, such as a bellows. An oxygen-enriched gas inlet side 106 may supply gas to two adjacent stack bundles, and an oxygen-enriched gas outlet side 176 may be connected to two adjacent stack bundles. The outlet side 176 may also include auxiliary equipment components such as a pre-reformer, fuel gas injector, inline electric heater, and inline gas heater assembly. In other examples of the invention, the auxiliary equipment components may also be located on the gas inlet side 106.

[0053] Therefore, although the essential novel features of the invention applied to its preferred embodiments have been shown, described, and pointed out, it should be understood that those skilled in the art can make various omissions, substitutions, and changes to the form and details of the invention without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is explicitly intended that all combinations of those elements that produce substantially the same results are within the scope of the invention. Substitutions of elements from one described embodiment to another are also fully contemplated and envisioned. It should also be understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale but are merely conceptual. Therefore, the intent is limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A modular arrangement of a solid oxide battery stack in a fuel cell system or an electrolyzer system, each stack comprising a cell (174) having a fuel side (100), an oxygen-enriched side (102), and an electrolyte material (104) between the fuel side and the oxygen-enriched side, each stack (103) comprising a flow field plate (121) made of a material having high electrical conductivity at high temperatures, each stack (103) comprising a gas-sealing structure (128) made of an electrically insulating material, the arrangement having an internal gas distribution structure (127) for both an inlet side and an outlet side for fuel gas, oxygen-side gas delivery based on an open structure (105), and the arrangement comprising end plates (170) for current harvesting, and the cells (174), the flow field plate (121), and the gas-sealing structure (128) being arranged in a stack (103) between the end plates (170), characterized in that, The modules are arranged in an M×N matrix, where M and N are arbitrary natural numbers. The fuel inlet manifold (150) and the fuel outlet manifold (152) form a fuel manifold (171) to deliver the supplied fuel gas (108) to the stack and the fuel exhaust gas (177) from the stack. From the perspective of fuel gas supply and fuel exhaust gas connection, the stack is arranged in parallel connection relative to N in the manifold, and the stack (103) is arranged with an open structure (1) connecting the oxygen-side gas delivery. The common oxygen-side gas supply chamber (106) on the inlet side of the open structure (105) connecting the oxygen-side gas delivery is a common oxygen-side gas exhaust chamber (176) on the outlet side, and the inlet manifold (150) includes a controllable-sized airflow orifice to the stack (103) for forming a uniform airflow to the stack, and the outlet manifold (152) includes a controllable-sized airflow orifice to the stack (103) for forming a uniform airflow from the stack, and the inlet manifold (150) Includes a connecting structure (160) and a flow element (320) for braking the main flow from the gas inlet connection (160), and the inlet manifold (150) includes a gas volume (300) between the flow element braking the main flow and the inlet manifold connecting structure, and at least one of the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold includes a two-layer structure including an airtight cover structure (330) and an internal heat insulation structure (310), and the manifold (171) and the stack (10) 3) The module arrangement between the stacks includes a first gas seal (155), a first electrical insulation plate (119), and a second gas seal (156) on the airtight cover structure, and on the top side (122) and bottom side (124) of the stack (103), the module arrangement includes a second electrical insulation plate (114), a compression structure (116) for the stack (103), and an air-side sealing structure (169) between the stacks, and each stack end plate (170) is connected to an electrical connector.

2. The module arrangement of the solid oxide battery stack according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the module arrangement, the internal thermal insulation structure (310) includes at least one of thermal insulation material and a support material that maintains the mechanical stability of the thermal insulation material in the airtight cover structure.

3. The module arrangement of the solid oxide battery stack according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thermal insulation structure (310) is made of a material with a thermal conductivity of less than 0.1 W / m / K.

4. The module arrangement of the solid oxide battery stack according to claim 1, characterized in that, The module arrangement includes at least one removable panel (331) for the fuel inlet manifold (150) and for the fuel outlet manifold (152) to mount the insulation structure (310).

5. The module arrangement of the solid oxide battery stack according to claim 1, characterized in that, The airtight cap structure (330) of the manifold (171) and the stack (103) are made of at least one material having a coefficient of thermal expansion in the same adjacent range.

6. The module arrangement of the solid oxide battery stack according to claim 1, characterized in that, The airtight cover structure (330) of the manifold (171) is made of ferritic steel.

7. The module arrangement of the solid oxide battery stack according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flow element (320) is made of a perforated structure.

8. The module arrangement of the solid oxide battery stack according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flow element (320) is made of porous ceramic material.

9. The module arrangement of the solid oxide battery stack according to claim 1, characterized in that, The module arrangement includes X battery stacks (103) arranged in series, where X is a natural number and satisfies M×N / X=Y, where M, N and Y are natural numbers.

10. The module arrangement of the solid oxide battery stack according to claim 1, characterized in that, The module arrangement includes an airtight structure (200), in which the fuel inlet manifold structure (150), the fuel outlet manifold structure (152), the stack (103), the sealing structures (155, 156) and the electrical insulation plates (119, 114) are located, and the air-side sealing structure (169) abuts against the airtight structure (200) for sealing.

11. The module arrangement of the solid oxide battery stack according to claim 1, characterized in that, The modular arrangement includes the fuel inlet manifold (150) and the fuel outlet manifold (152) which are welded together to increase structural rigidity and strength.

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