Sealing molten carbonate fuel cell electrolyte matrix

摘要

A molten carbonate fuel cell having a multi-composition electrolyte tape having a higher melting temperature carbonate region and a lower melting temperature carbonate region. The lower melting temperature carbonate region is disposed in a centralized active region (18) of the electrolyte tape and the higher melting temperature carbonate region is disposed around the periphery (17) of the centralized active region and extends to an edge of the electrolyte tape. When the tape is utilized in an internally manifolded fuel cell stack, the higher melting temperature carbonate is disposed in the regions of the manifolds and the periphery of the fuel cell stack to insure effective sealing during heat-up of the fuel cell stack to operating temperature.