GAS SUPPLY ARRANGEMENT FOR HIGH-TEMPERATURE COMPONENTS

DISPOSITIF D'ALIMENTATION EN GAS POUR COMPOSANTS A HAUTE TEMPERATURE

English Abstract

The invention concerns a high-temperature component (1) made from
ceramic material with channels through which gases can flow and with
connection elements (2, 2', 3, 3') provided to allow the supply and discharge
of gases; the connection elements (2, 2', 3, 3') are forced onto the surfaces
of the high-temperature components (1) by mechanical contact pressure. It
is proposed that the contact pressure should be applied by means which
are substantially not adversely affected by high temperatures in the high-
temperature component (1).

French Abstract

L'invention concerne un composant à haute température (1) constitué d'un matériau céramique et pourvu de canaux à travers lesquel s peuvent s'écouler des gaz ainsi que d'éléments de raccordement (2, 2', 3, 3') servant à l'amenée ou à l'évacuation des gaz. Les éléments de raccordement (2, 2', 3, 3') sont montés en force et maintenus sur la surface des composants à haute température (1) par application d'une pression agissant mécaniquement. Il est proposé, selon l'invention, que cette pression soit appliquée par des moyens qui ne sont sensiblement pas affectés de façon préjudiciable par les températures élevées régnant dans le composant à haute température (1).

Claims

Claims
1. High-temperature component (1) of ceramic material
with channels for the flow-through of gases and with
connection elements (2, 2', 3, 3'), which are provided for
the supply or discharge of the gases, with connection
elements (2, 2', 3, 3') that are pressed onto the surface of
the high-temperature components (1) by means of mechanically
effective contact pressure forces,
characterized in that
the contact pressure forces are exerted by elastic elements
via thermal insulation elements.
2. High-temperature component according to Claim 1
characterized in that
the mechanical forces can be transmitted via springs (7) and
via insulation elements (4) that are installed between the
springs (7) and the connection element (2, 2', 3, 3').
3. High-temperature component in accordance with Claim
1 or 2,
characterized in that
the mechanical contact pressure forces are primarily achieved
with a pressure that is higher for the space surrounding the
outside of the connection elements (2, 2', 3, 3') than for
the inside space.

4. High-temperature component according to one of the
Claims 1 to 3,
characterized in that
the connection elements (2, 2', 3, 3') are sealed against the
sealing surfaces of the high-temperature components (1) with
a sealing material (5) that is plastic at high temperatures.
5, High-temperature component in accordance with one
of the Claims 1 to 4,
characterized in that
sealing elements are provided that do not conduct ion or
electrons at high temperatures.
6. High-temperature component according to one of the
Claims 1 to 5,
characterized in that
the thermal insulation elements (4) reduce the high
processing temperatures in or on the high-temperature
components to a temperature of approximately 200 °C that is
tolerable for steel springs (7).
7. High-temperature component in accordance with one
of the Claims 1 to 6,
characterized in that
connection surfaces are provided, which permit a stacking of
the same kind of components.

8. High-temperature component in accordance with one
of the Claims 1 to 7,
characterized in that
the components with matching surfaces are provided for
different purposes, for example for heat exchangers,
afterburners, reformers and gas distributors.
9. High-temperature component in accordance with
claims 7 and 8,
characterized in that
the components with matching connecting surfaces can be
compressed by a force that is effective from the outside in
the direction of the stack axis, and are kept gas-tight.

Description

1~17~1~96 , 3: 2~ 2~24144040 SPEI~CER ~ FRANK PA~E ~2
~iLE. rHls ~18~805
TRANSLAriQN
9~/~7~3 ~CT/EP96/~0727
Dock~t AE~ 2710
Tran~ on of Gsr~ tex~
SUD~1~ ~rr~ngement for Hi~h-Temper~ture Co~ponents
De~r~ tion
The invention relate~ to a ga~ supply ~r~ng~ment for
hlgh-temperaturQ ~omponent~ in accordan~e with th~ Pream~le
S to ~lai~ 1.
For high-te~peratu~e components æuch as heat exchangers
wlth countercurrent flow-thr~ugh, a ga~-tight separaticn of
the g~s aha~nber6 ~u~t be en~ur~d~ in particular if one o~ the
gas flows c~antain~ comb~s~i~le ga~e~. If these components
ar~ ~ade fro~ a cer~ic ~aterial, ~ gluing or sintering-on of
the conn~t.l ng elements must ~e ruled out, becau~e the
dlff~re~t te~per~r~s in the ~mponents re~ult in
~xp~n~ion~, whi~h lead to ~echani~al ~tresses in the cera~i~
co~pon~nt~ ~lnd, a~ a ~Qult of this, cracks in the component~
cannot ~e nlled o~t. Thus, it i~ i~portant that no
~dditlonal 6~resses are ~enerated through thi~ ~oining of
connectln~ element~ to the high-temperature ~o~ponents. T~e
sintering-on of large-surface connection ele~ents when
ctacklng ~uel ~ells ~"~tacks"), fer examp}e, to ad~itional
ZO stre~c4~ in the 6t~ck, which can le~d to crack~ in the stack
ORI~IIIAL DO~UMEN~S

Jlg'3L1 13: ~ 2~2~14404~ ~PENCER ~ FRANK P~E 03
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ox th- CG.u~r Lion area for the gas ~upply line~, partict~l~rly
durlng the activation and ~hut-down of the stackEi. This
probl~ i~ not solved, eY~n with good m~tchin~ of ~h~ therm~l
exp~nsion coef fi~ient wi'çh the ~ oined ~aterials ~e~ause the
heat~n~ up and cooling down of lars~e ~urface~ doe~ no~ take
placo wit~ en~ugh urll formity .
rt ~ ~ known to press connection elements me~hanically
Ag~inat heat ~xchanger component~ with ~he ~id of ~ealing
olem~nts ~nd to make the~e c~ntact pres~ure forces largely
indep~n~ent of the heat expanEiions o~ the heat exchan~er ~y
using aprinq element~. ~owever, such arrange~ents ~re not
~uit~bla ~or components oper~ting with high ~emperature~ o~
up to approximately 1000 C, ~or which the gas ~upply
conr~ction element~; al~o ha~e t~3mperatu~e~ t~at prec~ude the
d~re~t ~e of metallic ~prings.
~t 1~ the ob~ect of the invention to show an arrangement
wbor~ connections on the ~o~ponent~s can be designe~ such that
they ~re gas-tight at hlgh teTnpera~ures and for an
op~ratlonal per~od of ceve~al year~.
ZG ~ls ob~ect is met with the features of the
~h~r~cterizirlg part o~ Claim ~ urther impro~re~nent~ of ~he
ln~ention ar~ contalned in the dependen~ claim~.
The inven~ion i~ also suitable for gas-tig~t ¢onne~tion~
be~ween components, which are ~ j ected ~o high ~emperature

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SuCh component5 can be fl~nges ~or lines or valve~ or even
oth~r ~onn~tion elQments for heat ex¢hangers or fuel ~ell~
I~ ~6 e~ential to tbe ln~ention th~t the ~ea~ is made
fro~ at least one material that i~ plastic at the operdtiny
te~perature and which retains it~ characteristic feature~ at
high temp~ratuxe~, even when a~ed upon by the proce~s ga
~h~ iB conducted in the line ~y~tem and mu~t be prevented by
tho seal fro~ exiting to the outsi~e area.
Exafflples Of the in~ent~on are expl~ined in ~he following
W~t~ the Ald of ~e drAwing.
Shown he~e are:
Pigu~ 1 A ~ro~s se~tion through a high-tempera~re
component with connection ele~ents;
Figure 2 A connection e~e~ent with metal casing,
F~gure 3 A ~tack of different ce~ponent~ for the high-
te~p~rat~e proce~s~ng te~hnique;
Figure 4 The seallnr~ And insul~tion of fuel cell~;
Pigure 5 The arr~ngement of ~onnection elements for two
each component~,
Figure ~ A ~peclal design for t~e conne~tion elements,
with ~e~lcircul~r shape in ~he crocs section.
In accordance with the inv~n~ion, the component~ ee
Flgur~ l~ and the connectlon ~l~m~nts 2, 2~, 3 and 3' ~re
thermally in6ulated to the point tna~ out~i~e of this thermal

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in~ulation 4, te~p~ratureo occur th~t are not damaging to
m~tallic springs 7. Thi~ inner thermal insula~ion 4, for
~x~4ple, rsduces a temper~ture of lO00 C on the ln~lde of
t~ componene~ l to 200 C on the outsi~e of the inæulation.
Th~ ~orc~ for pressing the connection elements agai~st the
co~p4nents are tranæmitted ~ia thermal in~ulating ele~ent~ 4
and wlth the aid o~ tensioning devices ~.
W~th the aid o~ prestre~ed æpring~ 7, the ten~i~ning
devlceæ pre~ the the~al insul~ting ~le~nts 4 on ~he side
aga~nBt the conn~ctlon elements 2, 2', 3, 3' for the various
g~
In order to i~prove the ~eal between the connection
elo~enta ~o~a3 the high-tRmperatur~ component 1, it is
preferable to use s~als 5, ma~e of a substance th~t læ
plastic at high temp~rat~es. ~he insulating æ~bstance i~
appl$ed in a particularly a~ant~geouæ ~anner to the level
~eal~ng æurf~ce~ 8 ~nd ~an e~en out changes in the spacing
betw~en high-te~perature co~ponent and connection ele~ent~
whlle 1 t ls in the plastic ætate . The thermal insulation can
20 al~o be applled at the corners ~ h the aid of additional
ln~ulation element.
In anc~h~r adYantageou~ ~odi~ent of the inven~ion, the
contact pressure forces are applied by ~h~s pressure
dif~erential ~tween the pr~squre in the Eipdc e outside of ~he

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~nn~r thermal lnsulatlon and the pres~u~e on the in~ide of
t~e co~ponent~ ee Figure 2).
In thls ca~e, t~e pre~sure P1, for ~xample, i5
approxim~ely 2 105 P~ and the pre~ur~ P7 ~ 1 ~ 105 Pa.
Tha high-temperatur~ component, including the ~onnec~ion
compon~nt~ and insulating elements, is held in~ide a metal
ca~ing 11 by ~upports 14. Thi~ metal c~ing is lined ~gain
on th~ ~n~ide with an ou~er thermal in~ulating elemen~. The
~u~b~~ 14 have openlngs, so that the g~ pre~ure P2 ~n
act upon all o~de~ o~ the inside arrangement of component~
~nd ~o that a r~l~able seali~g tak~s pla~e.
Components can be ~tacked ~o form column~ ~nd the ~tacks
can be compr~ssed in the previou~ly deæ~ri~ed way, as shown
~n Figure 3.
In a~ordance wlth another inventive concept, ~h~
co~ponents for the varied functione are provided with equal
and ~atching surfa~eQ, æo that a column of, for example, heat
~ -hAngers, afterburner~, reformer~ and gas di~trlbu~ors i~
formed. As a result o~ this, high-loæ~ pipelines between the
~o~ponent~ and expen~l~e thermal insulation are avoided.
Th~ ~pace out~ide of the inner therxaL in~ula~ion 4, 9,
~h~r~ th~ ten~ioning ele~ntæ, including the ~pring~ 7, are
loc~ted i~ ~losed of~ ~o the æurroundlng are~ by a ~e~ond,
out~r ther~l insulA~ion. It i8 adviæ~ this outer

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7113 PCT~SP96/00727
then~l in~ulation i8 bl~nked off to the out~aide ~y ~ metal
ac~et, whl~h ab60rb~ tl~e presQure ln the ~pace between ~h~
innsr an~ the outsr tl~er~al ln~ulation. Fresh air c~n be
oonducted for the prewarming throllgh the space ~etween the
5 ~ n~ the outer insul~tion.
Wh~n us~nq the inventi~e concept for sta~ks, the ~ealing
ele~ents that make dire~t ~onta¢t with the stacks are
pro~uc~, ac~ordlng t~ the lnvention, from a materi~l that
do~s not ¢on~u¢t ions or electron~ (see ~igure 4). ~ther
~ling u~terial ~hat ie p~stlc at h~gh temperatures ~an
then be appliRd t~ t~s~ ~ealing elements. This ~yp~ of seal
iB nece~sAry, particularly for hydrogen-containing connection
el~ents.
For a column having sever~l co~ponents, i~ ~an,
~ccordlng to the ln~sntion, be useful ~o pro~ide a connection
el~nt 14 for ~ore ~han one ~omponent ~ lgure 5~.
The profile3 for th~ connection ele~ents ~an be
conflgure~ as deslrQd, that ls to ~ay a reotangular or semi-
clrcular de~ign (Flgure ~) .

Representative Drawing