Systems and methods for solid oxide fuel cell surface analysis

1. A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) surface analysis system, comprising:

a SOFC having a ceramic surface;

a scanner adjacent the ceramic surface for collecting data related to the ceramic surface;

a structure for retaining the SOFC with respect to the scanner;

a device for collecting and processing the ceramic surface data; and

a process residing on the device, the process for analyzing and presenting the ceramic surface data.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the scanner is a measurement device for generating a measurement wave and receiving reflections created when the measurement wave interacts with the SOFC.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the structure for retaining the SOFC is a conveyor belt that displaces in a direction orthogonal to a displacement of the measurement device.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the device for collecting and processing the ceramic surface data is a computer.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the process includes instructions to:

receive oscillation data from the reflections;

decompose the oscillation data into wavelets;

isolate fine resolution wavelets; and

determine surface irregularities and defects for the fine resolution wavelets.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a dye penetrant supply coupled to the SOFC.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the scanner is a digital monochromatic camera having a filter for bandpass filtering of light.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the structure for retaining the SOFC is a light-tight box having a UV light source.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the device for collecting and processing the ceramic surface data is a computer.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the process includes instructions to:

receive emission data emitted by the dye penetrant leaking through the coating of the SOFC when the UV light source shines UV onto the SOFC, and collected by the digital camera and, the filter receiving a band of wavelengths indicative of a color of the dye penetrant;

organize the data into individual frames;

compile the frames into a film clip; and

create profiles of dye intensity versus time to determine surface irregularities and defects on the SOFC and provide a quantitative measurement of the SOFC leakage rate.

11. A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) surface analysis method, comprising:

identifying a surface of a SOFC for analysis;

generating a measurement wave on the surface;

receiving data from a reflected wave from the surface;

processing the data to determine surface irregularities and defects; and

generating a graphical presentation of the surface irregularities and defects.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the measurement wave is at least one of: light, infrared, x-ray, ultrasound, and reflective waves.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein processing the data comprises:

decomposing the reflected wave into wavelets;

collecting fine resolution wavelets; and

determining surface irregularities and defects from the fine resolution wavelets.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the graphical presentation is at least one of wavelet projections and wavelet transformations.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11 further comprising injecting dye into the SOFC prior to generating the measurement wave.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the measurement wave is UV light shined onto the SOFC surface to excite the dye penetrant leaking through and causing the leaked dye to emit light.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16 wherein processing the data comprises:

collecting the emitted light one frame at a time;

compiling the frames into a film clip; and

creating a profile of dye intensity versus time.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the graphical presentation is a plot of dye intensity versus time.

19. A system for determining irregularities and defects on a ceramic surface of a SOFC, the system comprising:

means for retaining the SOFC;

means for generating a measurement wave for shining on the SOFC;

means for generating an emitted wave from the dye penetrant leaking through the SOFC;

means for collecting emission data from the SOFC ceramic surface; and

means for processing the emission data for a determination of the surface irregularities and defects of the ceramic surface and a measurement of its leakage rate.

20. The system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the means for generating an emitted wave comprises a dye disposed in the SOFC that creates an emission upon the shining of UV light.