Electrochemical cells formed on pleated substrates

Abstract

A sheet of substrate material is corrugated. First and second troughs are defined on opposed faces of the substrate material. Ion-conducting regions are located in a common wall of the first and second troughs. In the ion-conducting regions ions can pass through the substrate material between the first and second troughs.

1 . A method for making an electrochemical cell layer, the method comprising: 
 laying out a plurality of unit cells on a substrate by, in any practical order:    forming a first set of pores in a sheet of substrate material;    filling the first set of pores to create an electron-conducting region;    forming a second set pores on the sheet of substrate material; and,    filling the second set of pores to create an ion-conducting region; and,    folding the substrate to provide an undulating structure.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  comprising forming electrically conducting paths on the substrate.  
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2  wherein forming the electrically conducting paths comprises interconnecting the unit cells to create parallel and/or serial electrical connections between at least some of the unit cells.  
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1  comprising forming a plurality of the electron-conducting regions and a plurality of the ion-conducting regions, the ion-conducting regions being formed between successive ones of the electron-conducting regions.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4  wherein folding the substrate comprises folding the substrate at locations between adjacent ion-conducting regions and electron-conducting regions.  
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1  comprising placing a diffusion layer material between folds of the substrate.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6  comprising introducing a first electrically-conducting diffusion medium into troughs on a first face of the undulating structure.  
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7  comprising introducing a second electrically-conducting diffusion medium into troughs on a second face of the undulating structure.  
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1  comprising mounting the undulating structure to a manifold.  
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1  comprising sealing the undulating structure to a plenum base.  
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10  wherein sealing the undulating structure to the plenum base comprises applying an adhesive around a periphery of the undulating structure and adhering the adhesive to the plenum base.  
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 1  comprising: 
 sealing the undulating structure to a substrate frame; and,    sealing the substrate frame to a plenum base.    
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12  comprising: 
 forming a reactant inlet on the plenum base; and,    forming a reactant outlet on the plenum base.    
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 12  wherein sealing the substrate frame to the plenum base comprises applying an adhesive around a periphery of the undulating structure and adhering the adhesive to the plenum base.  
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 1  comprising: 
 sealing a first face of the undulating substrate to an oxidation reactor plenum; and,    sealing a second face of the undulating substrate to a reduction reactor plenum.    
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 2  comprising: 
 sealing a first face of the undulating substrate to an oxidation reactor plenum; and,    sealing a second face of the undulating substrate to a reduction reactor plenum.    
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16  comprising introducing a fuel into the oxidation reactant plenum.  
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17  wherein the fuel comprises hydrogen gas.  
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 17  comprising introducing an oxidizer into the reduction reactant plenum.  
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19  wherein the oxidizer comprises oxygen gas, air, or another oxygen-containing gas.