Reactive metal battery having continuous supply of cathode reactant
First Claim
1. A battery comprising a reactive metal electrode, flowed electrolyte, porous cathode structure defining a catalytically active surface at an interface with said electrolyte, and means for providing electrochemically reducible soluble cathode reactant material through the cathode to said active surface during operation of the battery in an amount sufficient to be reduced at said surface to maintain a high energy discharge rate.
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Abstract
An improved porous cathode structure for use in a battery having a reactive metal electrode and flowed electrolyte. The cathode is preferably formed of an electrically conducting porous material with categorically active surface at an interface with the electrolyte. Alternatively, the cathode may be of an electrochemically reducible porous material and defines an active surface.
Structure is provided for delivering electrochemically reducible cathode reactant material continuously through the cathode to the cathode active surface during operation of the battery. The reactant material is delivered in an amount required to be reduced at the active surface to maintain high energy discharge rate with minimum amount of reactant material being utilized. The reactant material, in the illustrated embodiment, is provided from a storage supply and delivered to the porous cathode as needed during operation of the battery. In one form, the cathode is provided with distribution passages for conducting the reactant material therethrough. In another form, the reactant material is introduced through one or more edge portions of the cathode porous body for flow through the pores to the active surface.
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Citations
15 Claims
- 1. A battery comprising a reactive metal electrode, flowed electrolyte, porous cathode structure defining a catalytically active surface at an interface with said electrolyte, and means for providing electrochemically reducible soluble cathode reactant material through the cathode to said active surface during operation of the battery in an amount sufficient to be reduced at said surface to maintain a high energy discharge rate.
- 10. A battery comprising a reactive metal electrode, flowed electrolyte, a solid electrochemically reducible porous cathode defining an active surface with an inert metal substrate juxtaposed thereto, and means for providing electrochemically reducible soluble cathode reactant material through the cathode to the cathode active surface adjacent to said inert metal substrate during operation of the battery in an amount sufficient to be reduced at said surface to maintain a high energy discharge rate, the reduced reactant material being removed therefrom as it is formed, by the flowed electrolyte.
Specification