JP5156766B2 - Fuel cell assembly - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel cell assembly, more specifically, a mode in which fuel gas and oxygen-containing gas are supplied to a cell stack disposed in a power generation / combustion chamber to generate power, and fuel gas is combusted in the power generation / combustion chamber. The present invention relates to a fuel cell assembly.

  In recent years, various types of fuel cell power generation systems such as solid polymer type, phosphoric acid type, molten carbonate type, and solid electrolyte type have been proposed as next-generation energy. In particular, the solid oxide fuel cell power generation system has an operating temperature as high as about 1000 ° C., but has advantages such as high power generation efficiency and use of exhaust heat, and research and development are being promoted.

  In a typical example of a solid oxide fuel cell power generation system, as disclosed in the following Patent Document 1, a power generation / combustion chamber, a cell stack disposed in the power generation / combustion chamber, a cell stack connected to the cell stack and A pair of power extraction members having extending portions extending from the combustion chamber, fuel gas supply means for supplying fuel gas to the cell stack, oxygen-containing gas supply means for supplying oxygen-containing gas to the cell stack, power generation A solid oxide fuel cell assembly including combustion gas discharge means for discharging combustion gas from the combustion chamber and heat exchange means is provided. The combustion gas discharged from the power generation / combustion chamber is discharged through the heat exchange means, and the oxygen-containing gas is supplied to the cell stack through the heat exchange means, and thus the oxygen-containing gas is preheated.

JP 2000-149976 A

  Thus, the conventional solid oxide fuel cell assembly described above has the following problems to be solved.

  That is, it is important that the pair of power extraction members for extracting electric power generated in the cell stack is highly conductive, and usually has high thermal conductivity. Therefore, the heat in the power generation / combustion chamber is considerably dissipated to the atmosphere through a pair of power extraction members extending from the inner end connected to the cell stack to the outside of the power generation / combustion chamber, and the exhaust heat utilization is not sufficient from this point.

  The technical problem of the present invention is to provide a new and improved fuel cell assembly in which heat dissipation from the power generation / combustion chamber to the atmosphere via the pair of electrode extraction members is sufficiently suppressed.

  In the present invention, in order to achieve the technical problem, at least one of the oxygen-containing gas flow path of the oxygen-containing gas supply means and the fuel gas flow path of the fuel gas supply means is connected to at least one of the pair of power extraction members. Extend along the extension extending from the power generation / combustion chamber. Thus, heat dissipation from the power generation / combustion chamber through the pair of power extraction members is suppressed.

That is, according to the present invention, as a fuel cell assembly that achieves the above technical problem, a power generation / combustion chamber, a cell stack disposed in the power generation / combustion chamber, and the power generation connected to the cell stack A pair of power extraction members having an extending portion extending from the combustion chamber, a fuel gas supply means including a fuel gas passage through which the fuel gas supplied to the cell stack flows, and an oxygen content supplied to the cell stack In a fuel cell assembly comprising an oxygen-containing gas supply means having an oxygen-containing gas flow path through which gas flows, and a combustion gas discharge means for discharging combustion gas from the power generation / combustion chamber,
At least one of the oxygen-containing gas channel and the fuel gas channel is disposed along the extended portion of at least one of the pair of power extraction members, and the fuel gas flowing through the fuel gas channel and fuel cell characterized in that it constitutes at least one of said oxygen-containing gas flowing through the oxygen-containing gas flow passage, a heat exchanger for performing heat exchange between the extending portion of the power take-out member An assembly is provided.

The extension portion of the power extraction member of the fuel cell assembly has a rod shape, and at least one of the oxygen gas channel and the fuel gas channel arranged along the extension portion is the extension portion. It is preferable that it is arrange | positioned so that a protrusion part may be covered.
The combustion gas exhaust means comprise a combustion gas passage disposed outside along the side of the power generation and combustion chamber, a portion of the front Symbol fuel gas channel and said oxygen-containing gas flow passage The combustion gas flow path, the fuel gas flow path, and the oxygen-containing gas flow path are disposed in at least one of the inside of the combustion gas flow path or a portion adjacent to the combustion gas flow path. A heat exchanging unit configured to exchange heat between the combustion gas flowing through the combustion gas flow path, the fuel gas flowing through the fuel gas flow path, and the oxygen-containing gas flowing through the oxygen-containing gas flow path; and Turkey is preferred.
The power generation / combustion chamber has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the combustion gas flow path is disposed outside along the four side surfaces of the power generation / combustion chamber, and outward along the upper surface of the power generation / combustion chamber. And an oxygen-containing gas manifold for supplying the oxygen-containing gas flowing through the oxygen-containing gas flow path into the power generation / combustion chamber. The combustion gas is provided outside along the lower surface of the power generation / combustion chamber. It is preferable to provide a combustion gas manifold for discharging the combustion gas flowing through the flow path to the outside.

  According to the solid oxide fuel cell assembly of the present invention, the exhaust gas can be efficiently used to preheat the fuel gas or the oxygen-containing gas, and the atmosphere from the power generation / combustion chamber via the pair of electrode extraction members Heat dissipation to the is sufficiently suppressed.

1 is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of a solid oxide fuel cell assembly constructed according to the present invention, with a part cut away. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the solid oxide fuel cell assembly shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the solid oxide fuel cell assembly shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a cell stack in the solid oxide fuel cell shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing another preferred embodiment of a solid oxide fuel cell assembly constructed according to the present invention, with a part cut away. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the solid oxide fuel cell assembly shown in FIG. 5.

  Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a solid oxide fuel cell assembly constructed according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the assembly shown in the drawing is provided with a housing denoted by reference numeral 2 as a whole. The housing 2 includes an outer frame body 4 made of a heat-resistant metal and the housing. It is comprised from the heat insulating material layer 6 arrange | positioned by the inner surface of the outer frame body 4. As shown in FIG. The heat insulating material layer 6 can be formed from an appropriate ceramic.

  In the housing 2, a power generation / combustion chamber 10 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape is further partitioned by a heat insulating material layer 8. A hollow combustion gas passage having a square or rectangular cross-sectional shape is formed between the four side surfaces of the power generation / combustion chamber 10 and the four side surfaces of the housing 2 by partition means 12 that can be formed from a heat-resistant metal plate. 14 and a hollow oxygen-containing gas flow path 16 are defined. The combustion gas channel 14 is extended along the four side surfaces of the power generation / combustion chamber 10, and the oxygen-containing gas channel 16 is located outside the combustion gas channel 14 adjacent to the power generation / combustion chamber 10. It is extended along the four side surfaces. As will be described in detail later, the combustion gas flow path 14 extending along the four side surfaces of the power generation / combustion chamber 10 constitutes a heat exchanging portion, and similarly contains oxygen that extends along the four side surfaces of the power generation / combustion chamber 10. The gas flow path 16 also constitutes a heat exchange unit. A hollow box-shaped oxygen-containing gas manifold 18 is defined by the partitioning means 12 between the upper surface of the power generation / combustion chamber 10 and the upper surface of the housing 2. As clearly understood from FIG. 2, the upper end of the oxygen-containing gas flow path 16 is communicated with the oxygen-containing gas manifold 18. Between the lower surface of the power generation / combustion chamber 10 and the lower surface of the housing 2, a partition box 12 defines a hollow box-shaped combustion gas manifold 20 and a hollow box-shaped oxygen-containing gas manifold 22. The oxygen-containing gas manifold 22 is disposed adjacent to and below the combustion gas manifold 20. As clearly understood from FIG. 2, the lower end of the combustion gas passage 14 communicates with the combustion gas manifold 20, and the lower end of the oxygen-containing gas passage 16 communicates with the oxygen-containing gas manifold 22.

  As can be understood by referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the combustion gas manifold 20 is connected to a combustion gas discharge path 24 extending downward from the center thereof. The combustion gas discharge path 24 can be formed from an appropriate piping member. In the oxygen-containing gas manifold 22, an oxygen-containing gas flow path that can be formed from an appropriate piping member in each of two portions located on a diagonal line (a portion where a power extraction member 64 described later is disposed). 26 is connected. The oxygen-containing gas flow channel 26 is connected to an oxygen-containing gas supply source 28 via appropriate piping means (not shown), and air may be supplied from the oxygen-containing gas supply source 28 to the oxygen-containing gas flow channel 26, for example. An oxygen-containing gas is delivered. The oxygen-containing gas flow path 26 constitutes an additional heat exchange section as will be further described later.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a fuel gas manifold 30 is partitioned by a partitioning means 12 at the lower end of the power generation / combustion chamber 10. On the fuel gas manifold 30, a plurality (four in the illustrated case) of cell stacks 32a, 32b, 32c and 32d are arranged at intervals in the left-right direction in FIG. 4 and FIG. 4 together, each of the cell stacks 32a, 32b, 32c and 32d is elongated in the vertical direction, that is, the vertical direction in FIG. 2 and the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. A plurality of extending cells 34 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 2 and in a vertical direction in FIG. 4 (five in the case of illustration). As clearly shown in FIG. 4, each cell 34 includes an electrode support substrate 36, a fuel electrode layer 38 that is an inner electrode layer, a solid electrolyte layer 40, an oxygen electrode layer 42 that is an outer electrode layer, and an interconnector 44. Has been. As clearly understood from FIGS. 1 and 2, the cells 34 constituting the cell stacks 32a, 32b, 32c and 32d do not extend to the upper end of the power generation / combustion chamber 10, and the cell stacks 32a, 32b, 32c and 32 d is disposed in a lower part or an intermediate part of the power generation / combustion chamber 10.

  The electrode support substrate 36 is a plate-like piece that is elongated in the vertical direction, and has both flat surfaces and both sides of a semicircular shape. A plurality (four in the illustrated example) of gas passages 46 are formed in the electrode support substrate 36 so as to penetrate the electrode support substrate 36 in the vertical direction. Each of the electrode support substrates 36 is bonded to the upper wall of the fuel gas manifold 30 by, for example, a ceramic adhesive having excellent heat resistance. On the upper wall of the fuel gas manifold 30, a plurality of slits (not shown) (not shown) are formed extending in the left-right direction at intervals in the left-right direction and the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. A gas passage 46 formed in each of the electrode support substrates 36 is communicated with each of the slits.

  The interconnector 44 is disposed on one side of the electrode support substrate 36 (upper surface in the cell stack 32a in FIG. 4). The fuel electrode layer 38 is disposed on the other surface of the electrode support substrate 36 (the lower surface in the cell stack 32a in FIG. 4) and on both side surfaces, and both ends thereof are joined to both ends of the interconnector 44. The solid electrolyte layer 40 is disposed so as to cover the entire fuel electrode layer 38, and both ends thereof are joined to both ends of the interconnector 44. The oxygen electrode layer 42 is disposed on the main part of the solid electrolyte layer 40, that is, on the portion covering the other surface of the electrode support substrate 36, and is positioned to face the interconnector 44 with the electrode support substrate 36 interposed therebetween. Yes.

  A current collecting member 48 is disposed between adjacent cells 34 in each of the cell stacks 32a, 32b, 32c and 32d, and the interconnector 44 of one cell 34 and the oxygen electrode layer 42 of the other cell 34 are connected. Connected. In each of the cell stacks 32a, 32b, 32c and 32d, current collecting members 48 are disposed on both sides, that is, on one side and the other side of the cell 34 located at the upper end and the lower end in FIG. The current collecting member 48 disposed at one end (the lower end in FIG. 4) of the cell stacks 32a and 32b is connected by the conductive member 50, and is disposed at the other end (the upper end in FIG. 4) of the cell stacks 32b and 32c. The current collecting member 48 is also connected by the conductive member 50, and the current collecting member 48 disposed at one end (the lower end in FIG. 4) of the cell stacks 32 c and 32 d is also connected by the conductive member 50. Further, a conductive member 50 is connected to a current collecting member 48 disposed at the other end (upper end in FIG. 4) of the cell tack 32a, and a current collecting member disposed at one end (upper end in FIG. 4) of the cell stack 32d. A conductive member 50 is also connected to 48. Thus, all the cells 34 are electrically connected in series.

More specifically about the cell 34, the electrode support substrate 36 is gas permeable to allow fuel gas to permeate to the anode layer 38, and is also conductive to collect current via the interconnector 44. Can be formed from a porous conductive ceramic (or cermet) that satisfies such requirements. In order to manufacture the electrode support substrate 36 by co-firing with the fuel electrode layer 38 and / or the solid electrolyte layer 40, the electrode support substrate 36 is preferably formed from an iron group metal component and a specific rare earth oxide. In order to provide the required gas permeability, it is preferred that the open porosity is in the range of 30% or more, in particular 35 to 50%, and the conductivity is also 300 S / cm or more, in particular 440 S / cm or more. Is preferred. The fuel electrode layer 38 can be formed of a porous conductive ceramic, for example, ZrO ₂ (referred to as stabilized zirconia) in which a rare earth element is dissolved and Ni and / or NiO. The solid electrolyte layer 40 has a function as an electrolyte that bridges electrons between the electrodes, and at the same time has a gas barrier property to prevent leakage between the fuel gas and the oxygen-containing gas. It is necessary and is usually formed from ZrO ₂ in which ₃ to 15 mol% of a rare earth element is dissolved. The oxygen electrode layer 42 can be formed of a conductive ceramic made of a so-called ABO ₃ type perovskite oxide. The oxygen electrode layer 42 is required to have gas permeability, and preferably has an open porosity of 20% or more, particularly 30 to 50%. Although the interconnector 44 can be formed from a conductive ceramic, it needs to have reduction resistance and oxidation resistance because of contact with a fuel gas that may be hydrogen gas and an oxygen-containing gas that may be air. In addition, a lanthanum chromite perovskite oxide (LaCrO ₃ oxide) is preferably used. The interconnector 44 must be dense in order to prevent leakage of the fuel gas passing through the gas passages 46 formed in the electrode support substrate 36 and the oxygen-containing gas flowing outside the electrode support substrate 36, and more than 93% In particular, it is desirable to have a relative density of 95% or more. The current collecting member 48 can be composed of a member having an appropriate shape formed from an elastic metal or alloy, or a member obtained by subjecting a felt made of metal fiber or alloy fiber to a required surface treatment. The conductive member 50 can be formed from an appropriate metal or alloy.

  The description will be continued with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 4. Each of the cell stacks 32 a, 32 b, 32 c, and 32 d disposed in the power generation / combustion chamber 10 is perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 2. A plurality of oxygen-containing gas supply pipes 52 are provided extending in the vertical direction in FIG. The upper ends of the oxygen-containing gas supply pipes 52 extend through the upper wall of the power generation / combustion chamber 10 into the oxygen-containing gas manifold 18 described above. The lower end of the oxygen-containing gas supply pipe 52 is positioned somewhat above the upper surface of the fuel gas manifold 30.

  As can be understood by referring to FIG. 2, the heat insulating material layer 8 does not exist on the four side surfaces at the upper end portion of the power generation / combustion chamber 10, and the power generation / combustion chamber 10 is expanded laterally, It communicates with the upper end of the flow path 14. A fuel gas reforming means 54 is disposed at the extended portion at the upper end of the power generation / combustion chamber 10. The fuel gas reforming means 54 in the illustrated embodiment is constituted by a hollow duct member extending in a quadrangular shape along the extended portion at the upper end portion of the power generation / combustion chamber 10. The hollow duct member contains a catalyst (not shown) which may be a well-known catalyst for reforming the fuel gas, which may be city gas, into a hydrogen-rich gas.

  As shown in FIG. 3, connecting members 56 extending in the vertical direction along the power generation / combustion chamber 10 are disposed at the outer four corners of the heat insulating member 8 defining the power generation / combustion chamber 10. Two through holes 58 are formed in each of the connection members 56, and the upper ends of the through holes 58 are communicated with the fuel gas reforming means 54. The lower end of the through hole 58 is connected to a fuel gas supply source (not shown) through a connecting pipe (not shown) that extends through the lower wall of the housing 2 and extends outside the housing 2. As will be further described later, the through hole 58 constitutes a first heat exchange part of the fuel gas flow path. Further, a connecting member 60 extending in the vertical direction is also arranged at the center of the four outer side surfaces of the heat insulating member 8 defining the power generation / combustion chamber 10. Two through holes 62 are also formed in each of the connecting members 60, and the upper end of the through hole 62 communicates with the fuel gas reforming means 54, and the lower end passes through the heat insulating member 8 to generate the power generation / fuel chamber. The fuel gas manifold 30 is communicated with the fuel gas manifold 30 through a connecting member (not shown) extending into the fuel cell 10. As will be further described later, the through hole 62 constitutes a second heat exchange part of the fuel gas flow path.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the assembly is provided with a pair of power extraction members 64. Each of the power take-out members 64, which can be formed of a metal having excellent conductivity, extends through the heat insulating member 8 that defines the power generation / combustion chamber 10, and further, the extension portion (that is, the housing 2). A portion extending through the gas passage 26 extends through the oxygen-containing gas flow path 26 and extends out of the housing 2. As clearly shown in FIG. 2, the power extraction member 64 extends through the fuel gas manifold 30 and the combustion gas manifold 20, but the fuel gas manifold 30 and the combustion gas manifold 20 are powered by partition means 66 and 68. A through hole through which the extraction member 64 can be inserted is defined. The upper ends of the pair of power extraction members 64 are electrically connected to the cell stacks 32a, 32b, 32c and 32d. More specifically, the upper end of one power extraction member 64 is connected to the conductive member 50 located above the cell stack 32a in FIG. 4 via an appropriate connection piece (not shown), and the other power extraction member 64 The upper end of the member 64 is connected to a conductive member 50 located above the cell stack 32d in FIG. 4 via an appropriate connection piece (not shown).

  In the solid oxide fuel cell assembly as described above, a fuel gas that may be city gas is supplied from a fuel gas supply source (not shown) to the first heat exchange portion of the fuel gas flow path, that is, the lower end of the through hole 58. Will be sent. Then, the fuel gas rises through the through hole 58 and is introduced into the fuel gas reforming means 54. After being reformed into hydrogen-rich gas in the fuel gas reforming means 54, the fuel gas reforming means 54 descends the second heat exchanging portion of the fuel gas flow path, that is, the through hole 62 and enters the fuel gas manifold 30. Next, the gas is introduced into the lower end of the gas passage 46 formed in each electrode support substrate 36 of the cell 34, and the gas passage 46 is raised. Accordingly, the fuel gas supply source, the through hole 58 (first heat exchange part of the fuel gas flow path), the fuel gas reforming means 54, the through hole 62 (second heat exchange part of the fuel gas flow path), and the fuel The gas manifold 30 constitutes fuel gas supply means. On the other hand, the oxygen-containing gas supply source 28 supplies oxygen-containing gas, which may be air, to the two oxygen-containing gas flow paths 26. The oxygen-containing gas fed to the oxygen-containing gas flow path 26 enters the oxygen-containing gas manifold 22, then rises through the oxygen-containing gas flow path 16 and enters the oxygen-containing gas manifold 18. Thereafter, it flows down through the oxygen-containing gas supply pipe 52 and is discharged from the lower end of the oxygen-containing gas supply pipe 52 to the lower end portion of the power generation / combustion chamber 10 to rise in the power generation / combustion chamber 10. Supplied to each. Therefore, the oxygen-containing gas supply source 28, the oxygen-containing gas passage 26, the oxygen-containing gas manifold 22, the oxygen-containing gas passage 16, the oxygen-containing gas manifold 18, and the oxygen-containing gas supply pipe 52 constitute an oxygen-containing gas supply means. . In each cell 34, an electrode reaction of the following formula (1) is generated in the oxygen electrode layer 42, and an electrode reaction of the following formula (2) is generated in the fuel electrode layer 38 to generate electric power. The generated power is taken out through the pair of power take-out members 64.

Oxygen electrode: 1 / 2O ₂ + 2e ⁻ → O ²⁻ (solid electrolyte) (1)
Fuel electrode: O ²⁻ (solid electrolyte) + H ₂ → H ₂ O + 2e ⁻ (2)

  The fuel gas flowing through the gas passage 46 of the electrode support substrate 36 in the cell 34 that has not been used for the electrode reaction is caused to flow into the power generation / combustion chamber 10 from the upper end of the electrode support substrate 34. The fuel gas discharged into the power generation / combustion chamber 10 is burned simultaneously with the outflow. Appropriate ignition means (not shown) is disposed in the power generation / combustion chamber 10, and when the fuel gas starts to flow out into the power generation / combustion chamber 10, the ignition means is activated to start combustion. . The oxygen contained in the oxygen-containing gas supplied to the power generation / combustion chamber 10 through the oxygen-containing gas supply pipe 52 is used for combustion. The power generation / combustion chamber 10 has a high temperature of, for example, about 1000 ° C. due to power generation in the cell 34 and combustion of combustion gas.

  The combustion gas generated by the combustion of the fuel gas in the power generation / combustion chamber 10 is discharged from the extended portion at the upper end of the power generation / combustion chamber 10 to the combustion gas flow path 14 and flows down through the combustion gas flow path 14. Then, it enters the combustion gas manifold 20 and is discharged from the housing 2 through the combustion gas discharge passage 24. Accordingly, the combustion gas passage 14, the combustion gas manifold 20, and the combustion gas discharge passage 24 constitute a combustion gas discharge means.

  Thus, the following facts should be noted in the solid oxide fuel cell assembly constructed according to the present invention as described above. High-temperature combustion gas generated in the power generation / combustion chamber 10 is discharged through the combustion gas passage 14 and the combustion gas manifold 20. On the other hand, the oxygen-containing gas is supplied through an oxygen-containing gas manifold 22 disposed below and adjacent to the combustion gas manifold 20 and an oxygen-containing gas passage 16 disposed adjacent to the combustion gas passage 14 and outside thereof. The Accordingly, heat exchange is effectively performed between the exhausted combustion gas and the supplied oxygen-containing gas. Further, the fuel gas is also supplied through the through holes 58 and 62 disposed adjacent to the combustion gas flow path 14, so that heat exchange is effectively performed between the combustion gas and the fuel gas. The four side surfaces of the power generation / combustion chamber 10 are surrounded by the combustion gas passage 14, the through holes 58 and 62 constituting the fuel gas passage, and the oxygen-containing gas passage 16. The upper surface of the power generation / combustion chamber 10 is covered with an oxygen-containing gas manifold 18, and the lower surface of the power generation / combustion chamber 10 is covered with a combustion gas manifold 20 and an oxygen-containing gas manifold 22. Therefore, the heat in the power generation / combustion chamber 10 is effectively suppressed from being directly radiated to the atmosphere.

  The fuel gas reforming means 54 in the fuel gas supply means is disposed in the upper part of the power generation / combustion chamber 10, so that the heat in the power generation / combustion chamber 10 is sufficiently transferred to the fuel gas in the fuel gas reforming means 54. Thus, the reforming action is efficiently performed. The reforming action is also promoted by the heat exchange of the combustion gas flowing in the through-hole 58 and the combustion gas flowing in the combustion gas flow path 14. Furthermore, the extending portions of the pair of power extraction members 64 extend through the oxygen-containing gas channel 26 (additional heat exchanging portion). Therefore, the oxygen-containing gas flows along the extending portion of the power extracting member 64, and the extending portion of the power extracting member 64 is effectively cooled. Thus, the heat in the power generation / combustion chamber 10 is effectively suppressed from being radiated to the atmosphere via the power extraction member 64.

  5 and 6 illustrate another embodiment of a solid oxide fuel cell assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the connecting member 56 and the connecting member 60 are reduced in thickness in the thickness direction, and the combustion gas is extended along the side surface of the power generation / combustion chamber 10. The flow path 14 is continuous over the entire side surface of the power generation / combustion chamber 10. A rectifying plate 70 extending in a spiral shape as a whole is disposed in the combustion gas flow path 14. Therefore, the combustion gas discharged from the power generation / combustion chamber 10 is guided by the rectifying plate 70, spirally flows through the combustion gas flow path 14, descends, and flows into the combustion gas manifold 20. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the oxygen-containing gas flow path 16 extending along the side surface of the power generation / combustion chamber 10 is also continuous over the entire side surface of the power generation / combustion chamber 10. I'm hurt. A rectifying plate 72 extending in a spiral shape as a whole is also disposed in the oxygen-containing gas flow path 16. Accordingly, the oxygen-containing gas is guided by the rectifying plate 72 and flows up in a spiral manner through the oxygen-containing gas flow path 16, and flows into the oxygen-containing gas manifold 18. In order to promote the flow in the circumferential direction of the oxygen-containing gas at the four corners in the oxygen-containing gas flow path 16 that is continuous over the entire side surface, the crossing of the partition means 12 that defines the outside of the four corners The surface shape is an arc shape. If desired, the cross-sectional shape of the partitioning means 12 that defines the inside of the four corners of the oxygen-containing gas flow path 16 can also be made arcuate. Further, with respect to the four corners in the combustion gas flow path 14, the cross-sectional shape of the partitioning means 12 that defines the outer side and / or the inner side thereof can also be formed into an arc shape. Furthermore, in order to make the spiral flow of the combustion gas in the combustion gas passage 14 smooth, the cross-sectional shape of the combustion gas passage 14 can be made an annular shape if desired. Similarly, in order to smoothen the spiral flow of the oxygen-containing gas in the oxygen-containing gas flow channel 16, the cross-sectional shape of the oxygen-containing gas flow channel 16 can be formed into an annular shape if desired. Except for the configuration described above in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, it is substantially the same as the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the combustion gas flows spirally as a whole in the combustion gas flow path 14, and therefore the flow length and flow time are considerably extended compared to a simple axial flow. Similarly, the oxygen-containing gas flows spirally in the oxygen-containing gas flow path 16 as a whole, and therefore, the flow length and flow time are considerably extended compared with a simple axial flow, and thus the heat exchange rate is increased. It should be noted that it can be improved considerably.

  The preferred embodiments of the solid oxide fuel cell assembly constructed according to the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments, and the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. It should be understood that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the invention. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, a combustion gas flow path, an oxygen-containing gas flow path, and a fuel gas flow path are provided for each layer around the power generation / combustion chamber. A plurality of layers of at least one of the flow path and the fuel gas flow path can also be arranged. In the illustrated embodiment, the oxygen-containing gas flows along the extension portion of the power extraction member to cool it by inserting the extension portion of the power extraction member into the oxygen-containing gas flow path. However, if desired, the extension portion of the power extraction member is made hollow, and the hollow portion is made a part of the oxygen-containing gas flow path so that the oxygen-containing gas can be extended to the power extraction member. It can also be allowed to flow along the part to cool it. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the extension portion of the power extraction member is cooled by causing the oxygen-containing gas to flow along the extension portion of the power extraction member, but along the extension portion of the power extraction member. It is also possible to cool the extended portion of the power takeout member by causing the fuel gas to flow.

2: Housing 10: Power generation / combustion chamber 14: Combustion gas flow path (heat exchange section)
16: Oxygen-containing gas flow path (heat exchange part)
18: Oxygen-containing gas manifold 20: Combustion gas manifold 22: Oxygen-containing gas manifold 24: Combustion gas discharge path
26: Oxygen-containing gas flow path (additional heat exchange section)
30: Fuel gas manifold 32a: Cell stack 32b: Cell stack 32c: Cell stack 32d: Cell stack 34: Cell 52: Oxygen-containing gas supply pipe 54: Fuel gas reforming means 58: Through hole (fuel gas flow path, first Heat exchanger)
62: Through hole (fuel gas flow path, second heat exchange section)
64: Power extraction member
70: Current plate 72: Current plate

Claims (5)

Power generation / combustion chamber, a cell stack disposed in the power generation / combustion chamber, a pair of power extraction members connected to the cell stack and extending from the power generation / combustion chamber, and the cell A fuel gas supply means having a fuel gas flow path through which fuel gas to be supplied to the stack flows; an oxygen-containing gas supply means having an oxygen-containing gas flow path through which the oxygen-containing gas to be supplied to the cell stack; A fuel cell assembly comprising combustion gas discharge means for discharging combustion gas from the combustion chamber;
At least one of the oxygen-containing gas channel and the fuel gas channel is disposed along the extended portion of at least one of the pair of power extraction members, and the fuel gas flowing through the fuel gas channel and fuel cell characterized in that it constitutes at least one of said oxygen-containing gas flowing through the oxygen-containing gas flow passage, a heat exchanger for performing heat exchange between the extending portion of the power take-out member Assembly. The extension part of the power take-out member has a rod shape, and at least one of the oxygen gas flow path and the fuel gas flow path arranged along the extension part covers the extension part. The fuel cell assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fuel cell assembly is disposed. The combustion gas discharge means includes a combustion gas flow path disposed outside along the side surface of the power generation / combustion chamber ,
Some the previous SL fuel gas flow before and Symbol oxygen-containing gas flow passage is disposed on at least one portion adjacent to or inside the combustion gas flow passage of the combustion gas flow passage,
The combustion gas flow path, the fuel gas flow path, and the oxygen-containing gas flow path, the combustion gas flowing through the combustion gas flow path, and the fuel gas and oxygen-containing gas flow flowing through the fuel gas flow path. fuel cell assembly according to 請 Motomeko first heat exchange unit that make up the for performing heat exchange between said oxygen-containing gas flowing through the road.   4. The fuel cell assembly according to claim 3, wherein the power generation / combustion chamber has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the combustion gas flow path is disposed outside along the four side surfaces of the power generation / combustion chamber.   An oxygen-containing gas manifold for supplying the oxygen-containing gas flowing through the oxygen-containing gas flow path into the power generation / combustion chamber is provided outside along the upper surface of the power generation / combustion chamber, and the power generation / combustion is provided. The fuel cell assembly according to claim 3, further comprising a combustion gas manifold for discharging the combustion gas flowing through the combustion gas flow path to the outside along a lower surface of the chamber.

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