US 12,068,509 B2
Bulk metallic glass interconnect for high power density fuel cell
Tianli Zhu, Glastonbury, CT (US); Paul Sheedy, Bolton, CT (US); and John A. Sharon, West Hartford, CT (US)
Assigned to HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION, Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed by Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation, Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed on Apr. 20, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/235,060.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/012,979, filed on Apr. 21, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0328233 A1, Oct. 21, 2021
Int. Cl. H01M 8/0232 (2016.01)
CPC H01M 8/0232 (2013.01) 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A solid oxide fuel cell or solid oxide electrolyzer, comprising:
a plurality of fuel cell layers stacked along a stacking axis, each fuel cell layer including a stacked arrangement of elements including:
a cathode;
an anode;
an electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode;
a support layer disposed at the anode opposite the electrolyte;
a separator plate disposed at the support layer opposite the anode, the separator plate configured to contact the cathode of an adjacent fuel cell layer of the plurality of fuel cell layers, the separator plate defining a plurality of anode flow channels configured to deliver a fuel therethrough and a plurality of cathode flow channels configured to deliver an air flow therethrough;
wherein the separator plate is formed from a bulk metallic glass material;
wherein the plurality of anode flow channels at least partially overlap the plurality of cathode flow channels in the stacking axis direction of the plurality of fuel cell layers;
wherein the separator plate includes a plurality of curved portions separated by flat support portions, with the support portions interfacing with the support layer and curved portions contacting the cathode of the adjacent fuel cell layer, each curved portion including a first curved surface and a second curved surface spaced apart from the first curved surface along the stacking axis.