A reformer is disclosed in one embodiment of the invention as including a channel to convey a preheated plurality of reactants containing both a feedstock fuel and an oxidant. A plasma generator is provided to apply an electrical potential to the reactants sufficient to ionize one or more of the reactants. These ionized reactants are then conveyed to a reaction zone where they are chemically transformed into synthesis gas containing a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. A heat transfer mechanism is used to transfer heat from an external heat source to the reformer to provide the heat of reformation.

A stack for an electrical energy accumulator is provided having at least one storage cell, which in turn has a storage electrode and an air electrode that is connected to an air supply device, the air supply device having an air distribution plate, wherein the stack also has a water vapor supply device which is in contact with the storage electrode and the air distribution plate has at least one element of the water vapor supply device.

A fuel cell includes: a solid oxide electrolyte layer that has oxygen ion conductivity; an electrode layer that is provided on the solid oxide electrolyte layer; a separator that is provided on the electrode layer and is made of a metal material; and a sealing member that is provided from a circumference region of the solid oxide electrolyte layer to a circumference region of the dense metal layer, wherein the electrode layer, the separator and the sealing member demarcate at least a part of a gas passage, wherein at least a part of the sealing member is a mixed layer of a ceramic and a metal.

A fuel cell includes a main body which is formed by stacking a cathode layer, an electrolyte layer, and an anode layer, in which the surface of one of the cathode and anode layers serves as a first main surface, and the surface of the other layer serves as a second main surface; a first current collector in contact with the first main surface; and a second current collector in contact with the second main surface. As viewed in a thickness direction, at least a portion of the boundary of a second region of the second current collector corresponding to the second main surface is located within a first region of the first current collector corresponding to the first main surface, and the remaining portion is located within the first region or on the boundary of the first region.

The present invention provides an energy storage device comprising a cathode region or other element. The device has a major active region comprising a plurality of first active regions spatially disposed within the cathode region. The major active region expands or contracts from a first volume to a second volume during a period of a charge and discharge. The device has a catholyte material spatially confined within a spatial region of the cathode region and spatially disposed within spatial regions not occupied by the first active regions. In an example, the catholyte material comprises a lithium, germanium, phosphorous, and sulfur (“LGPS”) containing material configured in a polycrystalline state. The device has an oxygen species configured within the LGPS containing material, the oxygen species having a ratio to the sulfur species of 1:2 and less to form a LGPSO material. The device has a protective material formed overlying exposed regions of the cathode material to substantially maintain the sulfur species within the catholyte material. Also included is a novel dopant configuration of the Li.sub.aMP.sub.bS.sub.c (LMPS) [M=Si, Ge, and/or Sn] containing material.

The electrochemical cell according to the present invention has an anode, a cathode, and a solid electrolyte layer disposed between the anode and the cathode. The cathode includes a solid electrolyte layer-side region within 3 μm from a surface on the solid electrolyte layer side. The solid electrolyte layer-side region has a main phase that is configured by a perovskite oxide, and a second phase that is configured by SrSO.sub.4 and (Co, Fe).sub.3O.sub.4. The perovskite oxide is expressed by the general formula ABO.sub.3 and contains at least one of Sr and La at the A site. The (Co, Fe).sub.3O.sub.4 contained in the electrolyte layer-side region contains Co and Fe. An occupied surface area ratio of the second phase in a cross section of the solid electrolyte layer-side region is less than or equal to 10.5%.

Disclosed herein are electrolyte bismuth calcium ferrites having high oxygen vacancy ion mobility. There can be provided an oxygen vacancy electrolyte material including bismuth calcium ferrites (Bi.sub.1-xCa.sub.xFeO.sub.3-δ).

A membrane electrode assembly according to the present disclosure includes an electrode, an electrolyte layer bonded to the electrode and containing an electrolyte having proton conductivity, a metal frame, and a bonding layer disposed between a peripheral part of the electrolyte layer and the metal frame and held in contact with each of the electrolyte layer and the metal frame, wherein the bonding layer has a thickness of greater than or equal to 0.50 mm.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a diesel reformer system comprising: a diesel autothermal reforming unit; a post-reforming unit disposed downstream of the autothermal reforming unit; a heat exchanger disposed downstream of the post-reforming unit; and a desulfurization unit disposed downstream of the heat exchanger.

An electrochemical cell comprises a first electrode, a second electrode, and a proton-conducting membrane between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode comprises a layered perovskite having the general formula: DAB.sub.2O.sub.5+δ, wherein D consists of two or more lanthanide elements; A consists of one or more of Sr and Ba; B consists of one or more of Co, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mn, Cr, and Nd; and δ is an oxygen deficit. The second electrode comprises a cermet material including at least one metal and at least one perovskite. Related structures, apparatuses, systems, and methods are also described.