Cell Manufacturing Processes at Sulzer Hexis

Abstract

In the past years Sulzer Hexis has been conducting a series of field tests for its 1 kW solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) co-generation unit. These tests were primarily undertaken to test functionality of the Hexis SOFC stack and identify system requirements dictated by real service environments. At that time, cells and systems were manually manufd. and assembled. However, in prepn. for industrial manufg. starting 2004, Sulzer Hexis, with its partners, have started developing and testing manufg. techniques that will enable the manufg. of large nos. of reliable SOFC co-generation units. This introductory phase, extending from 2001 to 2003, will introduce a highly integrated system, where many of the fabrication steps involved in its prodn. have been automated, enabling the prodn. of reliable and cost effective units. Cells are manufd. by coating com. available electrolytes with Hexis proprietary electrode compns. Screen printing of the electrodes has been fully automated and non-destructive testing procedures to ensure the performance of the cells have been identified. The cells produced by this method have shown stable performance despite cyclic oxidn. and redn. of the anode, under conditions of internal reformation as well as in sulfur-contg. environments. [on SciFinder (R)]