Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Sealant for Gas Leakage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional solid oxide fuel cells face challenges in preventing gas leakage due to the need for dense solid electrolyte layers and interconnectors, which requires strict control of raw material agglomeration and manufacturing processes, leading to increased time, manpower, and costs.
Innovation Solution
The use of a sealant, preferably glass, to block holes in the solid electrolyte layer and interconnector, ensuring denseness and reducing leakage, while allowing for more flexible manufacturing conditions and reduced costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the solid electrolyte layer and interconnector are made dense to prevent gas leakage, then gas leakage is reduced, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase due to strict control requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by forming a sealant layer on the solid electrolyte layer and interconnector before final assembly. This sealant layer pre-seals potential leakage paths, allowing the main body to be manufactured with less stringent density requirements while still achieving reliable gas leakage prevention in the final product.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealant acts as an intermediary substance between the solid electrolyte layer and interconnector. It fills and seals pores and defects in these components, providing a reliable barrier against gas leakage without requiring the base materials to be perfectly dense, thus simplifying manufacturing.
2Reliability
If the solid electrolyte layer and interconnector are made dense to prevent gas leakage, then gas leakage is reduced, but manufacturing time and manpower increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealant layer is applied as a preliminary measure before final assembly, pre-sealing potential leakage paths. This eliminates the need for time-consuming post-assembly leakage testing and repair, significantly reducing total manufacturing time while ensuring reliable gas leakage prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealant serves as an intermediary that quickly seals defects without requiring lengthy sintering or densification processes. This intermediary layer provides immediate leakage prevention, reducing the time and manpower needed for quality assurance and repair operations.
3Reliability
If the solid electrolyte layer and interconnector are made dense to prevent gas leakage, then gas leakage is reduced, but raw material control requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealant layer acts as an intermediary that compensates for variations in raw material quality. It seals pores and defects that would otherwise require extremely precise raw material control, allowing broader tolerances in the solid electrolyte layer and interconnector manufacturing while still achieving reliable gas leakage prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameter of density control from the base materials to the sealant layer. Instead of requiring the solid electrolyte layer and interconnector to be perfectly dense, the sealant layer is designed to provide the necessary sealing function, relaxing raw material control requirements while maintaining gas leakage prevention.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively prevents gas leakage, enhancing the long-term reliability of fuel cell stack devices, modules, and apparatus by ensuring the denseness of the solid electrolyte layer and interconnector, thereby improving power generation performance and reducing manufacturing complexities.
Implementation Method 1
holes present in a solid electrolyte layer or an interconnector are blocked with a sealant and therefore the leakage of gas from the holes can be readily prevented
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(b)
Figure 2(a)~2(d)
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
A solid oxide fuel cell (10), a fuel cell stack device (11), a fuel cell module (18) and a fuel cell apparatus (23) are disclosed. The solid oxide fuel cell (10) includes a power-generating element unit (9). The power-generating element unit (9) includes a fuel electrode layer (3), a solid electrolyte layer (4) on the fuel electrode layer (3) and an oxygen electrode layer (6) on the solid electrolyte layer (4). The solid electrolyte layer (4) includes through holes (14) at least one of which includes a sealant (15) therein.