USING SULFUR-CONTAINING FUELS FOR DIRECTLY OXIDIZING FUEL CELLS Russian patent published in 2006 - IPC H01M8/10 H01M8/12 

FIELD: solid oxide fuel cells.

SUBSTANCE: proposed fuel cell has solid electrolyte incorporating electron conductor enabling anion transfer, composite cermet anode, and cathode. Fuel cell also has sulfur-containing hydrocarbon fuel whose sulfur content is approximately 1 to 5 000 ppm and oxygen source. Invention specification includes method for power generation in fuel cell and method for recovering serviceability of fuel cell deactivated due to sulfur poisoning. Invention specification also includes method for producing porous cermet used as directly oxidizing anode covered, like substrate, with electrolytic structure for solid oxide fuel cell using nickel cermet. Nickel cermet is leached out to remove at least some portion of nickel and to obtain porous oxide. The latter is then pre-impregnated with copper salt to elementary CuO state, then reduced to copper. Copper cermet or copper-nickel alloy cermet produced in the process can be used as directly oxidizing anode. Preferable source material for nickel cermet is strip molded from NiO-containing suspension and YSZ-containing ceramic powder. This strip is combined in stack with one or more additional strips molded from ceramic powder containing suspension.

EFFECT: ability of fuel cell to oxidize hydrocarbon fuel in environment of organic sulfur compounds.

73 cl, 20 dwg