Features for an aqueous reactor include a field generator. The field generator includes a series of parallel conductive plates including a series of intermediate neutral plates. The intermediate neutral plates are arranged in interleaved sets between an anode and a cathode. Other features of the aqueous reactor may include a sealed reaction vessel, fluid circulation manifold, electrical power modulator, vacuum port, and barrier membrane. Methods of using the field generator include immersion in an electrolyte solution and application of an external voltage and vacuum to generate hydrogen and oxygen gases. The reactor and related components can be arranged to produce gaseous fuel or liquid fuel. In one use, a mixture of a carbon based material and a liquid hydrocarbon is added. The preferred carbon based material is powdered coal.

An electrochemical system includes an electrochemical device having a stack of elementary electrochemical cells each including an electrolyte interposed between a cathode and an anode; ducts for supplying the anodes and the cathodes with gas and for collecting the gases generated by the latter; an enclosure having the electrochemical device housed therein and including at least one inlet duct and one outlet duct to circulate an air flow in the enclosure; and a circuit for analyzing the air in the enclosure. The circuit includes a sensor capable of measuring an oxygen content present in the outlet duct of the enclosure; and an analysis unit capable of diagnosing a leak of the device when the measured oxygen content differs from a predetermined oxygen content in the inlet duct of the enclosure.

A separator plate and a frame member for an electrochemical cell are provided. The separator plate includes a plurality of protrusions extending therefrom to define a flow field. A pair of end features arranged along opposite sides of the flow field, each end feature extending substantially the length of the flow field. A periphery portion is provided having a first set of openings and a second set of openings. Wherein the plurality of protrusions and pair of end features extend from a plane defined by the periphery portion. The frame member includes features for facilitating assembly and reducing the risk of an over constrained condition. The frame member further having ports divided by a bridge member to support the frame member under operating pressures.

A heat exchanger can be integrated into an interconnector that can be used in both a SOFC fuel cell and an EHT electrolyser, which allows a heat-transfer fluid different from that in the reactive and drainage gas circuits to be circulated from the inlet of the reactor, thereby allowing the best possible management of the exothermic operating modes of the SOFC cell and the exothermic or endothermic operating modes of the EHT electrolyser and the SOFC cell, especially in the absence of current for the latter.

The present disclosure is directed to a method for tuning the performance of at least one electrochemical cell of an electrochemical cell stack. The method includes supplying power to an electrochemical cell stack. The electrochemical cell stack includes a plurality of electrochemical cells. The method further includes monitoring a parameter of at least one electrochemical cell and determining if an electrochemical cell becomes impaired. The method also includes diverting a fraction of the current flow from the impaired electrochemical cell during operation of the electrochemical cell stack.

Features for an aqueous reactor include a field generator. The field generator includes a series of parallel conductive plates including a series of intermediate neutral plates. The intermediate neutral plates are arranged in interleaved sets between an anode and a cathode. Other features of the aqueous reactor may include a sealed reaction vessel, fluid circulation manifold, electrical power modulator, vacuum port, and barrier membrane. Methods of using the field generator include immersion in an electrolyte solution and application of an external voltage and vacuum to generate hydrogen and oxygen gases. The reactor and related components can be arranged to produce gaseous fuel or liquid fuel. In one use, a mixture of a carbon based material and a liquid hydrocarbon is added. The preferred carbon based material is powdered coal.

The main subject of the invention is a system (10) for clamping a high-temperature SOEC/SOFC stack (11), characterised in that it includes: an upper clamping plate (12) and a lower clamping plate (13) between which the stack (11) is intended to be clamped, each plate including at least one clamping orifice (14); at least one clamping rod (15) intended to extend through clamping orifices (14) in the upper and lower clamping plates (12, 13) in order to allow them to be assembled; clamping means (16, 17, 18, 20, 21) level with each clamping orifice (14), which means are intended to interact with said at least one clamping rod (15); and at least one electrically insulating plate (19) that is intended to be located between the stack (11) and at least one of the upper and lower clamping plates (12, 13).

A method for the operation of an SOEC stack reactor ( Solid Oxide Electrolyser Cell), according to which, in the absence of electricity, synthesis gas H.sub.2+CO or a mixture H.sub.2+CO.sub.2 is injected at the cathode inlet of the reactor in such a way as to produce methane inside the reactor. Since the catalytic methanation reaction is exothermic, the stack reactor can therefore be held at temperature, without loss of fuel. The fuel used for the methanation (synthesis gas or hydrogen) can advantageously be that which has been previously produced during the operating phases with available electricity.

A method for passively removing water from a stream of hydrogen gas includes receiving a stream of hydrogen gas that is water-saturated, having an initial pressure below about 1 psig and an initial temperature above about 25 C., compressing the stream of hydrogen gas to an elevated pressure, chilling the compressed stream of hydrogen gas to a low temperature, and condensing water from the compressed and chilled stream of hydrogen gas until the water content of the stream of hydrogen gas is below about 100 ppm.

A system regulating pressure of a reactor for hightemperature electrolysis or co-electrolysis (HTE) or to an SOFC fuel-cell stack operating under pressure. The operation of the system includes: regulating upstream of one of the chambers, a flow rate of moisture-containing gas DH to guarantee electrochemical stability of a preset operating point; and controlling pressure by virtue of valves arranged downstream of the stack, for regulating gases including the moisture-containing gas, and which are generally hot.