IMMERSIBLE GASEOUS OXIDANT CATHODE FOR ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL SYSTEM
First Claim
1. An oxidant reduction electrode module for immersion into an ionically conductive medium of an electrochemical cell, the oxidant reduction electrode module comprising:
- a housing configured to define a gaseous oxidant receiving space therein;
an oxidant reduction electrode having an oxidant facing side and an ionically conductive medium facing side, the oxidant reduction electrode mounted to said housing such that the oxidant reduction electrode defines a boundary wall for the gaseous oxidant receiving space, with the oxidant facing side facing inwardly to the gaseous oxidant receiving space and the ionically conductive medium facing side facing outwardly for exposure to the ionically conductive medium;
a gaseous oxidant inlet and a gaseous oxidant outlet coupled by a gaseous oxidant channel extending through the gaseous oxidant receiving space; and
one or more support members positioned within the gaseous oxidant receiving space, configured to prevent deformation of the oxidant reduction electrode into the gaseous oxidant receiving space when the oxidant reduction electrode is immersed into the ionically conductive medium, and direct a flow of gaseous oxidant within the gaseous oxidant channel from the gaseous oxidant inlet to the gaseous oxidant outlet; and
wherein an oxidant is allowed into the gaseous oxidant receiving space via the gaseous oxidant inlet, the oxidant reduction electrode being configured to absorb the gaseous oxidant via the oxidant facing side and reduce the gaseous oxidant during discharge of the electrochemical cell.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrochemical cell system is configured to utilize an oxidant reduction electrode module containing an oxidant reduction electrode mounted to a housing to form a gaseous oxidant space therein that is immersed into the ionically conductive medium. A fuel electrode is spaced from the oxidant reduction electrode, such that the ionically conductive medium may conduct ions between the fuel and oxidant reduction electrodes to support electrochemical reactions at the fuel and oxidant reduction electrodes. A gaseous oxidant channel extending through the gaseous oxidant space provides a supply of oxidant to the oxidant reduction electrode, such that the fuel electrode and the oxidant reduction electrode are configured to, during discharge, oxidize the metal fuel at the fuel electrode and reduce the oxidant at the oxidant reduction electrode, to generate a discharge potential difference therebetween for application to a load.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. An oxidant reduction electrode module for immersion into an ionically conductive medium of an electrochemical cell, the oxidant reduction electrode module comprising:
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a housing configured to define a gaseous oxidant receiving space therein; an oxidant reduction electrode having an oxidant facing side and an ionically conductive medium facing side, the oxidant reduction electrode mounted to said housing such that the oxidant reduction electrode defines a boundary wall for the gaseous oxidant receiving space, with the oxidant facing side facing inwardly to the gaseous oxidant receiving space and the ionically conductive medium facing side facing outwardly for exposure to the ionically conductive medium; a gaseous oxidant inlet and a gaseous oxidant outlet coupled by a gaseous oxidant channel extending through the gaseous oxidant receiving space; and one or more support members positioned within the gaseous oxidant receiving space, configured to prevent deformation of the oxidant reduction electrode into the gaseous oxidant receiving space when the oxidant reduction electrode is immersed into the ionically conductive medium, and direct a flow of gaseous oxidant within the gaseous oxidant channel from the gaseous oxidant inlet to the gaseous oxidant outlet; and wherein an oxidant is allowed into the gaseous oxidant receiving space via the gaseous oxidant inlet, the oxidant reduction electrode being configured to absorb the gaseous oxidant via the oxidant facing side and reduce the gaseous oxidant during discharge of the electrochemical cell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An electrochemical cell system comprising:
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a chamber configured to contain a quantity of ionically conductive medium therein; one or more fuel electrodes, each comprising a metal fuel and configured to be contacted by the ionically conductive medium; and one or more oxidant reduction electrode modules immersed into the ionically conductive medium, each oxidant reduction electrode module comprising; a housing configured to define a gaseous oxidant space therein; an oxidant reduction electrode having an oxidant facing side and an ionically conductive medium facing side, the oxidant reduction electrode mounted to said housing such that the oxidant reduction electrode defines a boundary wall for the gaseous oxidant space, with the oxidant facing side facing inwardly to the gaseous oxidant space and the ionically conductive medium facing side facing outwardly for exposure to the ionically conductive medium; a gaseous oxidant inlet and a gaseous oxidant outlet coupled by a gaseous oxidant channel extending through the gaseous oxidant space, configured to allow a flow of gaseous oxidant to the oxidant facing side of the oxidant reduction electrodes; and one or more support members positioned within the gaseous oxidant space, configured to prevent deformation of the oxidant reduction electrode into the gaseous oxidant space when the oxidant reduction electrode is immersed into the ionically conductive medium, and direct the flow of gaseous oxidant within the gaseous oxidant channel from the gaseous oxidant inlet to the gaseous oxidant outlet; and wherein one or more electrochemical cells are defined by each fuel electrode and at least one associated oxidant reduction electrode, each of the one or more electrochemical cells being configured to, during discharge, oxidize the metal fuel at the fuel electrode and reduce the gaseous oxidant at the at least one associated oxidant reduction electrode to generate a discharge potential difference therebetween for application to a load. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method of assembling an oxidant reduction electrode module configured for immersion into an ionically conductive medium of an electrochemical cell, the method comprising:
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providing a housing coupled to a gaseous oxidant inlet and a gaseous oxidant outlet, wherein an interior of the housing defines a gaseous oxidant space; providing one or more support members within the gaseous oxidant space, configured to form a gaseous oxidant channel to direct a flow of gaseous oxidant between the gaseous oxidant inlet and the gaseous oxidant outlet; and sealing an oxidant reduction electrode to the housing, such that an oxidant facing side of the oxidant reduction electrode faces inwardly into the gaseous oxidant space and defines a boundary wall for the gaseous oxidant space, and an ionically conductive medium facing side of the oxidant reduction electrode faces outwardly for exposure to the ionically conductive medium when the oxidant reduction electrode module is immersed therein; wherein, when immersed in the ionically conductive medium, the assembly of the housing and the oxidant reduction electrode prevents flow of the ionically conductive medium into the gaseous oxidant space; wherein the one or more support members are configured to prevent deformation of the oxidant reduction electrode into the gaseous oxidant space when the oxidant reduction electrode is immersed into the ionically conductive medium; and wherein the gaseous oxidant inlet permits the flow of gaseous oxidant into the gaseous oxidant space.
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40. A method of assembling an electrochemical cell comprising:
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providing a chamber configured to contain a quantity of ionically conductive medium therein; immersing, within the quantity of ionically conductive medium; (i) an immersible oxidant reduction electrode module configured to maintain a gaseous oxidant space bounded by a housing and an oxidant facing side of an oxidant reduction electrode, the gaseous oxidant space coupled to a gaseous oxidant inlet and a gaseous oxidant outlet; and (ii) a fuel electrode, each comprising a metal fuel and configured to be contacted by the ionically conductive medium; and receiving gaseous oxidant into the gaseous oxidant space via the gaseous oxidant inlet; wherein one or more support members are provided in the gaseous oxidant space, configured to prevent deformation of the oxidant reduction electrode into the gaseous oxidant receiving space when the oxidant reduction electrode is immersed into the ionically conductive medium, while defining a gaseous oxidant channel configured to direct a flow of gaseous oxidant between the gaseous oxidant inlet and the gaseous oxidant outlet; wherein an ionically conductive medium facing side of the oxidant reduction electrode faces the fuel electrode and is exposed to the ionically conductive medium, such that the ionically conductive medium may conduct ions between the fuel and oxidant reduction electrodes to support electrochemical reactions at the fuel and oxidant reduction electrodes; and wherein the fuel electrode and oxidant reduction electrode are configured to, during discharge, oxidize the metal fuel at the fuel electrode and reduce the gaseous oxidant at the oxidant reduction electrode to generate a discharge potential difference therebetween for application to a load.
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Specification