Liquid electrolyte fuel cell

• US 20020155339A1
• Filed: 12/28/2000
• Published: 10/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aquarius Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: Aquarius Technologies Limited
• Inventors: Vasilevich, Guelfond Nikolay, Semyonovich, Tchernoy Lev, Borisovich, Kouznetsov Igor, Nikolaevich, Smal Andrey, Eliferyevich, Nakoriakov Vladimir, Rudolfovich, Predtechensky Mikhail
• Granted Patent: US 6,586,129 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/40
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0051 Carbonates
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8621 containing only metallic or ceramic material, e.g. made by sintering or sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8626 characterised by the form
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/141 the anode and the cathode being gas-permeable electrodes or electrode layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

The invention relates to fuel cells. Fuel cells are devices which transform chemical power in to electrical power. The subject fuel cells are of simpler structure and lower cost than those previously known. The subject fuel cells include a housing chamber containing molten carbonates and two electrodes at least partially immersed in said molten carbonates. The electrodes comprise an internal working space and have pores dimensioned so that gas is kept within the electrode by capillary forces.

Claims

1. Fuel cell comprising molten carbonates at temperature not less than melting temperature, a pair of electrodes-anode and cathode, each of them connected with the device supplying it with the working gas:

fuel-anode and oxidizing-cathode and has the surface jointing to the molten carbonates containing surface for pass of chemical reaction;

oxidization on anode and deoxidization on anode differing from the others with the fact that the molten carbonates are placed in the chamber, each electrode is made in form of the shell limiting its internal space filled with working gas, hereto at least part of the electrode shell immersed into the molten carbonates and provided with the openings of such dimension that the working gas is kept inside the shell with the capillary forces.

2. Fuel cell according to claim 1 is notable with the fact that the electrode shell is made of metal mash with cell dimension of 1-200 micrometers.

3. Fuel cell according to claim 1 is notable with the fact that the shell of the electrode is made of the metal mash winded in the shape of spiral with such spacing that the gap between the neighboring turns does not exceed 200 micrometers.

4. Fuel cell according to claim 1 is notable with the fact that the cathode contains litinated (treated with lithium) nickel oxide.

5. Fuel cell according to claim 1 is notable with the fact that the anode contains nickel or its alloys as the catalyst.

6. Fuel cell according to claim 1 is notable with the fact that oxygen or air is the oxidizing gas.

7. Fuel cell according to claim 1 is notable with the fact that the fuel gas is hydrogen.

9. Fuel cell according to claim 1 is notable with the fact that the fuel gas is methane or natural gas.

10. Fuel cell according to claims 1, or 2, or 3 is notable with the fact that the molten carbonate is the mix of lithium, kalium, and natrium carbonates.

8. Fuel cell under item 1 is notable with the fact that the fuel gas is gas synthesis.