Electrical insulation and sealing surround for water electrolysis reactor (SOEC) or fuel cell (SOFC)

1. A device that forms an electrical insulation and sealing surround for distributing gases in a high-temperature steam electrolyzer of SOEC type or in a fuel cell of SOFC type, the device comprising:

a part made of electrically insulating material extended along two axes of symmetry (X, Y) orthogonal to one another and pierced by a central opening, the peripheral edge of which constitutes a support for an SOEC or SOFC electrochemical cell (C 1 , C 2 , . . . ) formed from a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte inserted between the cathode and the anode, the part also being pierced by four peripheral openings opposite, in pairs, the periphery of its central opening, two of the peripheral openings being extended over a length substantially corresponding to the length of the central opening along one X of the axes and being distributed on either side of said axis X, whilst the two other peripheral openings are extended over a length substantially corresponding to the length of the central opening along the other Y of the axes and being distributed on either side of said axis Y, the part also comprising, on one of its main faces, ribs that define gas distribution channels connecting each of the two peripheral openings extended along the axis X to the central opening, and, on its opposite main face, ribs that define gas distribution channels connecting each of the two peripheral openings extended along the axis Y to the central opening, the part also comprising on each of its main faces at least three recessed continuous regions one of which is at the periphery simultaneously of the central opening, of the ribs and of the two openings connected to the central opening and each of the two others of which is at the periphery of one of the peripheral openings not connected to the central opening;

seals in the form of continuous beads, of which one is deposited on the support for the cell and the others are deposited individually in or along each of the recessed continuous regions.

2. The electrical insulation and sealing surround as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the part made of electrically insulating material is based on mica.

3. The electrical insulation and sealing surround as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the part made of electrically insulating material is obtained from a strip made of unfired and sintered ceramic.

4. The electrical insulation and sealing surround as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the reliefs of the part made of electrically insulating material that are formed by the support, the ribs, channels and recessed regions are embossed reliefs.

5. The electrical insulation and sealing surround as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the seals in continuous bead form are based on glass or glass-ceramic.

6. The electrical insulation and sealing surround as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the part made of electrically insulating material is between 0.1 and 2 mm.

7. The electrical insulation and sealing surround as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one continuous bead forming a seal is deposited in a recessed continuous region.

8. The electrical insulation and sealing surround as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one continuous bead forming a seal is deposited on one of the main faces between two recessed continuous regions.

9. The electrical insulation and sealing surround as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the depth of the recessed continuous regions of the part made of electrically insulating material in the direction orthogonal to the plane defined by the axes (X, Y) is between 0.05 and 1 mm.

10. An electrolysis (HTE) reactor of SOEC type or fuel cell of SOFC type comprising a stack of solid oxide individual electrochemical cells (C 1 , C 2 , C 3 ) each formed from a cathode, an anode and an electrolyte inserted between the cathode and the anode, a plurality of electrical insulation and sealing surrounds as claimed in claim 1 , the support of which supports one of the individual electrochemical cells, a plurality of electrical contact elements each arranged in direct contact with an anode or a cathode of an individual electrochemical cell and a plurality of electrical and fluidic interconnectors each consisting of a single flat metal sheet pierced by four openings, the interconnectors being each arranged in contact with two adjacent electrical insulation surrounds and with their four openings facing the corresponding openings of said adjacent surrounds, and being incontact with two adjacent electrical contact elements, of which one is in electrical contact with the cathode of one of the two individual cells (C 1 ) and the other is in electrical contact with the anode or the cathode of the other of the two individual cells.

11. The electrolysis reactor of SOEC type or fuel cell of SOFC type as claimed in claim 10 , wherein each flat metal sheet constituting an interconnector is made of ferritic steel containing around 20% chromium.

12. The electrolysis reactor of SOEC type or fuel cell of SOFC type as claimed in claim 10 , wherein each sheet has a thickness between 0.1 and 1 mm.

13. The electrolysis reactor of SOEC type or fuel cell of SOFC type as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the individual electrolytic cells are of cathode-supported type.

14. The electrolysis reactor of SOEC type or fuel cell of SOFC type as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the electrical contact elements are formed by metal wires or a metal grid or a portion of embossed metal sheet.