Patent ID: 7883816

Claim:
A solid oxide fuel cell device comprising: an elongate ceramic substrate having an exterior surface and an interior solid ceramic support structure, and having a first end and an opposing second end with a length therebetween, a cold zone along a first portion of the length adjacent the first end, and a reaction zone along a second portion of the length adjacent the second end, wherein the reaction zone is configured to be exposed to a heat source to heat the reaction zone to an operating reaction temperature, and the cold zone is 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; a fuel inlet in the cold zone coupled to an elongate fuel passage extending through the reaction zone within the interior solid ceramic support structure of the elongate ceramic substrate to a respective fuel outlet adjacent the second end; an oxidizer inlet in the cold zone coupled to an elongate oxidizer passage extending through the hot reaction zone within the interior solid ceramic support structure of the elongate ceramic substrate in parallel and opposing relation to the elongate fuel passage to a respective oxidizer outlet adjacent the second end; an anode adjacent the fuel passage in the hot reaction zone within the interior solid ceramic support structure of the elongate ceramic substrate and electrically coupled from the interior solid ceramic support structure to a first exterior contact surface on the exterior surface of the elongate ceramic substrate in the cold zone; a cathode adjacent the oxidizer passage in the hot reaction zone within the interior solid ceramic support structure of the elongate ceramic substrate and electrically coupled from the interior solid ceramic support structure to a second exterior contact surface on the exterior surface of the elongate ceramic substrate in the cold zone; a solid electrolyte between the anode and cathode within the interior solid ceramic support structure, the solid electrolyte being monolithic with the interior solid ceramic support structure; a negative electrical connection to the first exterior contact surface; and a positive electrical connection to the second exterior contact surface.