GAS VENT FOR ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electrochemical cell system comprising:
- one or more electrochemical cells, each comprising;
(i) a fuel electrode comprising a metal fuel; and
(ii) an oxidant electrode spaced from the fuel electrode;
a liquid ionically conductive medium for conducting ions between the fuel and oxidant electrodes to support electrochemical reactions at the fuel and oxidant electrodes;
a housing configured to contain the ionically conductive medium in the one or more electrochemical cells; and
a gas permeable and liquid impermeable membrane positioned along a portion of the housing and configured to close the portion of the housing to contain the ionically conductive medium therein but permit gas in the housing to permeate therethrough for venting of the gas from the one or more electrochemical cells;
wherein the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode are configured to, during discharge, oxidize the metal fuel at the fuel electrode and reduce an oxidant at the oxidant electrode to generate a discharge potential difference therebetween for application to a load.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electrochemical cell system is configured to utilize an ionically conductive medium flowing through a plurality of electrochemical cells. One or more gas vents are provided along a flow path for the ionically conductive medium, so as to permit gasses that evolve in the ionically conductive medium during charging or discharging to vent outside the cell system, while constraining the ionically conductive medium within the flow path of the electrochemical cell system.
-
Citations
30 Claims
-
1. An electrochemical cell system comprising:
-
one or more electrochemical cells, each comprising; (i) a fuel electrode comprising a metal fuel; and (ii) an oxidant electrode spaced from the fuel electrode; a liquid ionically conductive medium for conducting ions between the fuel and oxidant electrodes to support electrochemical reactions at the fuel and oxidant electrodes; a housing configured to contain the ionically conductive medium in the one or more electrochemical cells; and a gas permeable and liquid impermeable membrane positioned along a portion of the housing and configured to close the portion of the housing to contain the ionically conductive medium therein but permit gas in the housing to permeate therethrough for venting of the gas from the one or more electrochemical cells; wherein the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode are configured to, during discharge, oxidize the metal fuel at the fuel electrode and reduce an oxidant at the oxidant electrode to generate a discharge potential difference therebetween for application to a load. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for assembling an electrochemical cell system comprising:
-
providing a cell module configured to receive a liquid ionically conductive medium therein; installing a fuel electrode configured to store a metal fuel therein into a cell chamber of the cell module; providing a plate for the cell module; installing an oxidant electrode and a gas permeable and liquid impermeable membrane on the plate; and joining the plate and the cell module such that the ionically conductive medium is prevented from permeating therebetween, and the oxidant electrode is spaced from the fuel electrode; wherein the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode are configured to, during discharge, oxidize the metal fuel at the fuel electrode and reduce an oxidant at the oxidant electrode to generate a discharge potential difference therebetween for application to a load; and wherein the gas permeable and liquid impermeable membrane is positioned along a portion of the cell module and configured to close the portion of the cell module to contain the ionically conductive medium therein but permit gas in the cell module to permeate therethrough for venting of the gas from the electrochemical cell system. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. An electrochemical cell system comprising:
-
a housing; one or more electrochemical cells positioned within the housing, each comprising; (i) a fuel electrode comprising a metal fuel; and (ii) an oxidant electrode spaced from the fuel electrode; a gas permeable and liquid impermeable membrane positioned to define a portion of a surface of the housing; a liquid ionically conductive medium, within the housing, for conducting ions between the fuel and oxidant electrodes to support electrochemical reactions at the fuel and oxidant electrodes; wherein the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode are configured to, during discharge, oxidize the metal fuel at the fuel electrode and reduce an oxidant at the oxidant electrode to generate a discharge potential difference therebetween for application to a load; and wherein the gas permeable and liquid impermeable membrane is configured to prevent permeation of the ionically conductive medium out of the housing, but permit gas in the housing to permeate therethrough for venting of the gas from the one or more electrochemical cells.
-
-
30. An oxidant electrode and vent assembly for an electrochemical cell comprising:
-
a gas permeable and liquid impermeable membrane; and one or more oxidant electrode active materials provided on a first portion of the gas permeable and liquid impermeable membrane, but not a second portion of the gas permeable and liquid impermeable membrane; wherein when the oxidant electrode and vent assembly is mounted to an electrochemical cell comprising a fuel electrode and a liquid ionically conductive medium such that the liquid ionically conductive medium contacts the one or more oxidant electrode active materials and the fuel electrode, the fuel electrode and the one or more oxidant electrode active materials are configured to, during discharge, oxidize the metal fuel at the fuel electrode and reduce a gaseous oxidant received through the gas-permeable and liquid impermeable membrane at the one or more oxidant electrode active materials, to generate a discharge potential difference therebetween for application to a load; wherein at least the first portion of the gas permeable and liquid impermeable membrane is configured to prevent permeation of the ionically conductive medium out of the electrochemical cell and permit the gaseous oxidant to permeate into the one or more oxidant electrode active materials; and wherein at least the second portion of the gas permeable and liquid impermeable membrane is configured to permit gas in the electrochemical cell to permeate therethrough for venting of the gas from the electrochemical cell, and prevent permeation of the ionically conductive medium out of the electrochemical cell.
-
Specification