Integral Current Collector Manifold for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional solid oxide fuel cells and electrolysis cells require separate current collectors and manifolds, leading to increased manufacturing costs, thermal stress issues, and gas leakage due to the need for brazing or thermal bonding processes, which also result in low reproducibility and high volume requirements.
Innovation Solution
An integral one-piece construction that combines the current collector and manifold, eliminating the need for separate joining processes and reducing thermal stress, thereby enhancing reproducibility and reducing manufacturing time and costs while preventing gas leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate current collector and manifold components are used with brazing or thermal bonding processes, then electrical connection and gas supply functions are achieved, but manufacturing cost increases and thermal stress occurs due to coefficient of thermal expansion differences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the current collector and manifold into a single integrated component made of the same material. This eliminates the need for brazing or thermal bonding processes between dissimilar materials, thereby removing the source of thermal stress while simplifying manufacturing. The integrated design ensures both electrical connection and gas supply functions are maintained without requiring separate joining operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The current collector and manifold are constructed from the same material with identical coefficient of thermal expansion properties. This homogeneity prevents thermal stress and distortion during high-temperature operation and manufacturing processes, eliminating reliability issues associated with material mismatches in conventional separate-component designs.
2Reliability
If brazing process is used to join current collector with manifold, then connection is achieved, but filler metal can be corroded and reduced during brazing process, causing long-term stability problems
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the current collector and manifold as a single component, the patent eliminates the brazing process entirely. Without brazing, there is no filler metal to be corroded or reduced during the process, thereby preventing the long-term stability problems and gas leakage issues that plague conventional designs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate current collector and manifold components are used, then functional requirements are met, but total volume of the cell increases
Solution Approach 1:
The integration of current collector and manifold into one component reduces the total number of parts and eliminates the volume occupied by separate components and their joining structures. This compact integrated design maintains all necessary functions while minimizing the overall cell volume.
Data Source
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AI summary
A device for a solid oxide fuel cell or a solid oxide electrolysis cell includes an integral one-piece construction of a current collector and a manifold. The device eliminates the need for a brazing or thermal bonding process for joining the manifold with the current collector, and thus makes it possible to prevent breakdown of the junction formed between the manifold and the current collector, which can lead to gas leakage through the junction, and thus can be used for a long period of time.