Solid Oxide Electrolyte Based Oxygen Pump

The method of electrochemical extraction of oxygen from air employing a solid oxide electrolyte (SOE) is presented. The prototype of electrochemical oxygen generator (pump) for medical applications has been developed and fabricated. It is based on thin-walled tubular segments of YSZ electrolyte (170 μm) with LSM based electrodes (~20 μm). Different technologies: nanopowder production by laser ablation, casting of polymer-ceramic tapes, formation of electrodes-electrolyte green structures by radial magnetic pulsed compaction followed by cosintering at 1200°C, were used for segments fabrication. The magnetron sputtering method was applied to protect metallic interconnects (Crofer 22 APU) with (Mn-Co)3O4 layer. Presented oxygen generator prototype produced 9 liters of pure oxygen per hour under applied power of 50 W at 800°C. No noble metals were used in construction.