ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL STACK

• US 3,717,505 A
• Filed: 06/25/1970
• Issued: 02/20/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Atomics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: John F. Loos, Truman F. Unkle Jr
• Inventors: Loos, John F., Unkle, Truman F. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Curtis, Allen B.
• Application Number:
  US05/049,696
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: 136/86R,86A,176
• US Class Current: 429/402
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0418 with bipolar electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/08 composed of a half-cell of a fuel-cell type and a half-cell of the secondary-cell type
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/77 with external circulating path
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/48 with bipolar electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/242 comprising framed electrodes or intermediary frame-like gaskets H01M8/2425, H01M8/244 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A cell stack for use in a battery or fuel cell using a liquid electrolyte. A plurality of individual frames made from electrically insulating material, each having a cavity extending transversely therethrough and separate elongated supply and return electrolyte passageways leading to and from the cavity. An electrode assembly is disposed in a recess provided in one surface of one of the frames and sandwiched between it and another frame. Each frame is bonded to the next adjacent frame to provide a complete seal surrounding the periphery of the cavity, each group of two adjacent electrode assemblies and three frames providing an electrochemical cell. The frames may be injectionmolded from polysulfone and solvent-bonded by a chlorinated hydrocarbon.

Claims

1. A cell stack for use in an energy conversion system using a liquid electrolyte, which comprises a plurality of metallic electrode assemblies, each of said electrode assemblies including a porous plate to which an electrochemically reactive gas is supplied to provide one-half of the electrochemical couple and an impervious plate electrically and mechanically boNded to said porous plate, portions of said impervious plate being spaced from said porous plate to provide a gas plenum chamber therebetween, said impervious plate being adapted to support a deposit of an electropositive metal on the surface opposite from said plenum chamber, said electrochemical cells including a porous plate from one electrode assembly and an electropositive metal deposit from the next adjacent electrode assembly, a plurality of frames made from an electrically insulating material, each of said frames having a cavity therein which extends transversely therethrough and each also including separate elongated supply and return electrolyte passageways leading to and from said cavity, each electrode assembly being disposed in a recess provided in one surface of one of said frames, said electrode assemblies being sandwiched between adjacent pairs of said frames, the surfaces of each said frames being bonded to said next adjacent frame in a manner to provide a complete seal surrounding the periphery of said cavity, said electrolyte supply and return passageways being in the form of open troughs in one surface of said frames which are closed by the abutting surface of the adjacent bonded frame, said supply and return passageways being respectively in fluid communication with a pair of openings extending transversely through said frame and being both disposed below said recess, said pairs of openings in all said frames being located in aligned relationship in said cell stack and constituting parallel electrolyte inlet and outlet conduits for all of said electrochemical cells in said stack, said trough in each frame which at its one end communicates with said transverse inlet opening completely encircling said opening and communicating at its other end with a distribution chamber leading to the bottom of said cavity, each group of two adjacent electrode assemblies and three frames providing an electrochemical cell.

2. A cell stack in accordance with claim 1 wherein said supply and return passageways are each at least about 30 centimeters in length and not greater than about 0.5 cm.2 in cross section to assure intracell electrical insulation.