Alternative planar SOFC sealing concepts

Abstract One of the challenges in manufacturing planar solid oxide fuel cells (pSOFCs) is in hermetically sealing the ceramic and metallic components such that the resulting joint remains rugged and stable over the lifetime of the stack. Traditionally, glass joining or compressive sealing has been used. While short-term success has been achieved with these techniques, it is apparent that to meet the long-term operational needs of stack designers, alternative sealing concepts will need to be conceived. At Pacific Northwest National Laboratory we have been developing two such alternatives, air brazing and bonded compliant sealing, the details of which are outlined here.