Patent ID: 8227128

Claim:
A fuel cell device comprising: a ceramic support structure having a reaction zone configured to be heated to an operating reaction temperature, and having a first active layer and a second active layer therein in the reaction zone extending in spaced relation with an intervening ceramic layer and/or a shared gas passage therebetween to electrically insulate the first active layer from the second active layer; a first active cell in the first active layer comprising a first pair of opposing first and second electrodes with a first electrolyte therebetween; a second active cell in the second active layer comprising a second pair of opposing first and second electrodes with a second electrolyte therebetween, wherein the first electrodes are one of an anode and a cathode, and the second electrodes are the other of the anode and the cathode; and an electrical interconnection between the first electrodes formed by a portion of one or both of the first electrodes of the first and second pairs deviating from the spaced relation to extend through the intervening ceramic layer and/or shared gas passage to make physical and electrical contact between the first electrodes thereby electrically connecting the first and second active cells in parallel.