Methods and systems for fuel cell stack sintering and conditioning
View Patent ↗Systems and methods for sintering and conditioning fuel cell stacks utilizing channel guides, baffles, and internal compression systems are provided. Sintering and conditioning may be performed utilizing a fuel cell column cartridge assembly and fuel cell stacks may be sintered and conditioned at the system level during the same annealing cycle on the same support.
1. A method for sintering and conditioning a fuel cell stack, comprising:
sintering the fuel cell stack in or on a support structure;
conditioning the fuel cell stack in or on the support structure;
connecting a bellow from a fuel tree to a fuel manifold of the fuel cell stack prior to sintering and conditioning the fuel cell stack; and
removing the bellow prior to enclosing the fuel cell stack on a hot box base with a hot box lid,
wherein the sintering and the conditioning of the fuel cell stack are performed during the same thermal cycle.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the support structure comprises a temporary support structure, the method further comprising:
removing the support structure from the fuel cell stack after conditioning the fuel cell stack and before generating electricity in a hot box using the fuel cell stack.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the support structure comprises at least a portion of the hot box base which supports the fuel cell stack when the fuel cell stack generates electricity in the hot box.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sintering and conditioning of the fuel cell stack are performed while the fuel cell stack is located in a channel guide.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sintering is performed in air.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
changing a temperature of the fuel cell stack following sintering of the fuel cell stack; and
providing fuel to the fuel cell stack via the bellow and providing air to the fuel cell stack through an air manifold while conditioning the fuel cell stack.