Electrochemical power generating system
First Claim
1. An electrochemical power generating system having a base unit and a replaceable fuel unit, said base unit comprising a first housing, an electrolyte pump in the first housing, and a controller for controlling operation of the pump, said fuel unit comprising:
- a second housing releasably connectable to the first housing;
a row of metal-air cells in the second housing electrically inter-connected together, each cell including a casing, a metal anode within the casing and having a reaction face, an air cathode having an outer face and an inner face with the inner face opposing the reaction face, a spacer between the inner face of the cathode and the reaction face of the anode for preventing the anode from contacting the cathode, an electrolyte intake port and an electrolyte discharge port in the casing for passage of electrolyte through the casing and between the anode and cathode;
a manifold having an intake port and a plurality of discharge ports in fluid communication with the electrolyte intake ports of the cells so that electrolyte flowing through the manifold is directed through the intake ports of the cells;
an electrolyte reservoir, said electrolyte reservoir and intake port of the manifold being operatively connectable with the electrolyte pump for fluid communication therewith so that the pump is able to pump electrolyte from the reservoir to the manifold; and
at least one fluid line for operatively connecting the discharge ports of the cells with the reservoir so that electrolyte discharged from the cells flows to the reservoir;
said replaceable fuel unit being releasably attachable to the base unit so that the fuel unit can be quickly attached to and detached from the base unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrochemical power generating system has a base unit and a replaceable fuel unit. The base unit comprises controller for controlling operation of the pump. The fuel unit comprises a second housing releasably connectable to the first housing and a row of metal-air cells in the second housing electrically inter-connected together. Each cell includes a casing, a metal anode within the casing, an air cathode, a spacer between the cathode and anode for preventing the anode from contacting the cathode, an electrolyte intake port and an electrolyte discharge port in the casing for passage of electrolyte through the casing and between the anode and cathode. The fuel unit further comprises a manifold, an electrolyte reservoir, and a fluid line. The manifold has an intake port and a plurality of discharge ports in fluid communication with the electrolyte intake ports of the cells so that electrolyte flowing through the manifold is directed through the intake ports of the cells. The electrolyte reservoir and intake port of the manifold are operatively connectable with the electrolyte pump for fluid communication therewith so that the pump is able to pump electrolyte from the reservoir to the manifold. The fluid line operatively connects the discharge ports of the cells with the reservoir so that electrolyte discharged from the cells flows to the reservoir. The replaceable fuel unit is releasably attachable to the base unit so that the fuel unit can be quickly attached to and detached from the base unit.
70 Citations
34 Claims
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1. An electrochemical power generating system having a base unit and a replaceable fuel unit, said base unit comprising a first housing, an electrolyte pump in the first housing, and a controller for controlling operation of the pump, said fuel unit comprising:
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a second housing releasably connectable to the first housing; a row of metal-air cells in the second housing electrically inter-connected together, each cell including a casing, a metal anode within the casing and having a reaction face, an air cathode having an outer face and an inner face with the inner face opposing the reaction face, a spacer between the inner face of the cathode and the reaction face of the anode for preventing the anode from contacting the cathode, an electrolyte intake port and an electrolyte discharge port in the casing for passage of electrolyte through the casing and between the anode and cathode; a manifold having an intake port and a plurality of discharge ports in fluid communication with the electrolyte intake ports of the cells so that electrolyte flowing through the manifold is directed through the intake ports of the cells; an electrolyte reservoir, said electrolyte reservoir and intake port of the manifold being operatively connectable with the electrolyte pump for fluid communication therewith so that the pump is able to pump electrolyte from the reservoir to the manifold; and at least one fluid line for operatively connecting the discharge ports of the cells with the reservoir so that electrolyte discharged from the cells flows to the reservoir; said replaceable fuel unit being releasably attachable to the base unit so that the fuel unit can be quickly attached to and detached from the base unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An electrochemical power generating system comprising:
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at least one metal-air cell; an electrolyte reservoir; electrolyte transport means including a pump for pumping electrolyte from the reservoir and moving it through the cell; a sensor for sensing an operating condition of the generating system; and a controller responsive to the sensor for selectively energizing the pump as a function of the sensed operating condition whereby energizing the pump causes electrolyte to be transported from the reservoir to the cell. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An electrochemical power generating system comprising:
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a battery having at least one metal-air cell including a casing, a metal anode within the casing and having a reaction face, and an air cathode having an outer face and an inner face with the inner face opposing the reaction face; and a controller for causing a bias voltage to be applied to the battery during periods when the battery is not supplying current to a load thereby to inhibit anode depletion, and for causing removal of the bias voltage from the battery after the bias voltage has been applied to the battery for a duration D2 ; said bias voltage being of like polarity and of a potential at least equal to that of the battery. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. An electrochemical power generating system for supplying power to an electrical load comprising:
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a primary battery having at least one metal-air cell including a casing, an anode within the casing and having a reaction face, an air cathode having an outer face and an inner face with the inner face opposing the reaction face, an electrolyte intake port in the casing for passage of electrolyte through the casing and between the anode and cathode, and an electrolyte discharge port in the casing; and means for heating electrolyte within the battery when the temperature of the electrolyte is below a minimum temperature. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An electrochemical power generating system comprising:
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a battery having at least one metal-air cell including a casing, a metal anode within the casing and having a reaction face, an air cathode having an outer face and an inner face with the inner face opposing the reaction face, an electrolyte intake port and an electrolyte discharge port in the casing for passage of electrolyte through the casing and between the anode and cathode; and a controller for causing a bias voltage to be applied to the battery during periods when the battery is not supplying current to a load thereby to inhibit anode depletion, and for causing emptying of electrolyte from the casing of the cell after the bias voltage has been applied to the battery for a duration D2 ; said bias voltage being of like polarity and of a potential at least equal to that of the battery.
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Specification