Series planar construction for solid electrolyte oxygen pump

• Main Authors: HENDERSON, BRETT TAMATEA, MINFORD, ERIC, WILSON, MERRILL ANDERSON, DYER, PAUL NIGEL, RUSSEK, STEVEN LEE, TAYLOR, DALE M, CAROLAN, MICHAEL FRANCIS
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 15.11.1995
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: APPARATUS THEREFOR; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CHEMISTRY; ELECTRICITY; ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTIONOF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; METALLURGY; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PHYSICS; PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSIONOF CHEMICAL INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY; SEPARATION; TESTING; TRANSPORTING

An electrochemical device is disclosed comprising a plurality of planar electrolytic cells connected in series, each cell having an oxygen ion-conducting electrolyte layer, an anode layer and a cathode layer associated with the electrolyte layer, electrically conductive interconnect layers having gas passages situated therein for transporting gaseous streams, which interconnect layers electrically connect the anode layer of each electrolytic cell to the cathode layer of an adjacent planar cell, and sealing means positioned between the interconnect layers and the electrolytic cells to provide a gas-tight seal therebetween. The configuration of the interconnect layer and the placement of the seal means provides a separation between the seal and the conductive pathway of electrons between the anode layer and cathode layer which prevents corrosion or deterioration of the seal.