Electrolytic cell for producing electricity and method of operating the cell

• US 3,300,345 A
• Filed: 09/03/1964
• Issued: 01/24/1967
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1964
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ernest H. Lyons Jr
• Original Assignee: Ernest H. Lyons Jr
• Inventors: Lyons, Ernest H. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US04/396,462
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• US Class Current: 429/429
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0011 Sulfuric acid-based
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0014 Alkaline electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/00 Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04223 during start-up or shut-down; Depolarisation or activation, e.g. purging; Means for short-circuiting defective fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/043 applied during specific periods
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2457 with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Claims

1. A METHOD OF OPERATING AN ELECTROLYTIC CELL HAVING AN ANODE, AN ELECTROLYTE, AND A CATHODE, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID ANODE AND CATHODE BEING A GAS ELECTRODE WHEREIN GAS IS SUPPLIED TO THE CELL AT A SOLID ELECTRODE MEMBER HAVING A CATALYTIC SURFACE, SAID CELL BEING USED FOR CAUSING CURRENT TO FLOW EXTERNALLY THROUGH A LOAD CIRCUIT CONNECTING THE ANODE AND CATHODE AND WHEREIN THE CELL VOLTAGE IS LOWERED BY CONTINUOUS OPERATION, CHARACTERIZED BY PERIODICALLY DISCONNECTING SAID CATHODE FROM SAID ANODE EXTERIORLY OF THE CELL AT A FREQUENCY RAPID ENOUGH TO PASS CURRENT AT A VOLTAGE SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN THAT OBTAINED UPON CONTINUOUS OPERATION, AND ANODIZING THE CATALYTIC SURFACE OF SAID GAS ELECTRODE DURING AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE TIME WHEN SAID CATHODE IS DISCONNECTED FROM SAID ANODE EXTERIORLY OF THE CELL.

4. ELECTRICAL APPARATUS OF THE TYPE HAVING A CELL WITH AN ANODE, AND A MAIN CATHODE, AND AN AUXILIARY CATHODE, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID ANODE AND MAIN CATHODE BEING A GAS ELECTRODE, AND AN ELECTROLYTE, SAID CELL CAUSING CURRENT