IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO FUEL CELLS

摘要

A method of fuelling an intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cell comprising the steps of providing (11b) a fuel rich in carbon monoxide to the anode region (10d) of the fuel cell, after the fuel has contacted a water gas shift reaction catalyst (10b1),(10b2) in the region of the anode, so that the water gas shift reaction occurs due to the presence of residual water in the fuel, and/or steam produced at the anode, and also a fuel cell assembly incorporating the method comprising an anode (10d), a cathode (10f) separated from said anode, a gas impermeable electrolyte (10e) between said anode and said cathode, first means for the supply of oxidant to the cathode (11e), second means (11b) for the supply of fuel to the anode, wherein said second means comprises a water gas shift reaction catalyst (10b1,)(10b2) disposed close to the anode to catalyse the water gas shift reaction between carbon monoxide in said fuel and water/steam occurring as a residual in said fuel or from the reaction at the anode. There is also a method of applying a catalyst to a metal substrate by ink-jet printing.