Tapered manifold for batteries requiring forced electrolyte flow

• US 5,188,911 A
• Filed: 02/25/1991
• Issued: 02/23/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mesc Electronic Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Magnavox Electronic Systems Company
• Inventors: Downing, Robert W., Conte, Donald V.
• Primary Examiner(s): KALAFUT, STEPHEN J
• Application Number:
  US07/659,647
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 429/70, 429/80, 429/81, 429/118, 429/119
• US Class Current: 429/70
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/77 with external circulating path
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/34 Immersion cells, e.g. sea-water cells

Abstract

In a preferred embodiment, inlet and outlet manifolds for a forced electrolyte flow battery, the manifolds having nonuniform cross-sections. The inlet manifold extends along the base of the battery cells and tapers from a large cross-section at the inlet end thereof to a small cross-section at the closed opposite end of the manifold. The outlet manifold has electrolyte outlets at either end of the manifold and tapers from a small cross-section at the middle of the manifold to large cross-sections at the electrolyte outlets of the manifolds. The inlet and outlets to and from the inlet and outlet manifolds are arranged, respectively, such that the header connected to the inlet manifold is larger in cross-section than the cross-section of the inlet manifold at that point and the headers connected to the outlet manifold are larger in cross-section than the cross-sections of the outlet manifold at that point.

Claims

1. In a battery of the type employing a forced flow of electrolyte and having a stack of a plurality of parallel, closed spaced apart cell plates, an inlet manifold comprising:

(a) an elongate channel having an inlet end and extending along one side of said stack orthogonal to the planes of said plates so as to permit electrolyte entering said inlet end to flow between the spaces between said plates; and

(b) said channel having a cross-sectional area tapering from a large cross-section at said inlet end to a first small cross-section interior to said battery, and

an outlet manifold comprising;

(a) an elongate outlet channel extending along the length of the stack and having a first and second opposed outlet ends, the elongate outlet channel extending along one side of said stack orthogonal to the planes of said plates so as to permit electrolyte flowing from the spaces between said plates to exit said battery via said outlet ends; and

(b) said channel having a cross-sectional area tapering from large cross-sections at each of said outlet ends to a second small cross-section interior to said battery near the midpoint of said outlet channel.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said inlet end is at one end of said battery and said first small cross-section is at the opposite end of said battery.

3. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said cell plates are vertically disposed, said channel is at the base of said stack and said outlet channel is at the top of said stack.

4. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said inlet end is connected to a header having a cross-section at least as large as the cross-section of said inlet end.

5. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second outlet ends are attached to headers having cross-sections at least as large as the cross-section of their responsive outlet ends.