Patent ID: 7981565

Claim:
A solid oxide fuel cell device comprising: an elongate ceramic substrate having an exterior surface, an interior solid ceramic support structure, and a length that is the greatest dimension whereby the elongate ceramic substrate exhibits thermal expansion along a dominant axis that is coextensive with the length, a reaction zone along a first portion of the length configured to be exposed to a heat source to heat the reaction zone to an operating reaction temperature, and at least one cold zone along a second portion of the length configured to be shielded from the heat source to remain at a low temperature below the operating reaction temperature when the reaction zone is heated; an electrolyte disposed between an anode and a cathode in the reaction zone, the electrolyte, anode and cathode extending within the interior solid ceramic support structure, the electrolyte being monolithic with the interior solid ceramic support structure, and the anode and cathode each having an electrical pathway extending from within the interior solid ceramic support structure to the exterior surface in the at least one cold zone for electrical connection at the low temperature below the operating reaction temperature.