Electrochemical apparatus for power delivery utilizing an air electrode
First Claim
1. An array of electrochemical cells forming an electrochemical apparatus for energy storage and power delivery which comprisesa) an end +ve electrode and an end -ve electrode separated by one or more of bipolar mid-electrodes each of which has a +ve side and a -ve side which each face a respective +ve chamber and -ve chamber, the +ve side of each bipolar electrode comprising an electrically conductive substrate having a porous conductive surface, the bipolar electrodes being separated from one another by cation exchange membranes,b) means to form an intimate mixture of air/oxygen with an electrolyte to produce a dispersion of bubbles in the electrolyte, andc) means to circulate the electrolyte produced in step b) through the +ve chambers of the cell array.
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Abstract
An electrochemical apparatus for power delivery employs an array of electrochemical cells which comprises an end +ve electrode and an end -ve electrode separated by one or more bipolar mid-electrodes each with a +ve side and a -ve side, the +ve side of each bipolar electrode comprising an electrically conductive substrate with a porous conductive surface. A bubbly dispersion of air/oxygen in an electrolyte is contacted with the +ve sides of the bipolar electrodes. The electrochemical apparatus of the invention may be used with an oxygen-sulfur couple with these reagents being provided for example as sodium salts in aqueous solutions, the overall reaction being:
4H.sub.2 O+4S.sup.2- +2O.sub.2 →8OH.sup.- +4S,
The process is preferably carried out in an array of cells (20), comprising a plurality of bipolar electrodes 13, each having a +ve side 12A and a -ve side 14A spaced from one another by membranes 16 which divide the cell into +ve and -ve chambers (22C and 24C) for posilyte and anolyte solutions (22, 24) which are circulated through the chambers.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An array of electrochemical cells forming an electrochemical apparatus for energy storage and power delivery which comprises
a) an end +ve electrode and an end -ve electrode separated by one or more of bipolar mid-electrodes each of which has a +ve side and a -ve side which each face a respective +ve chamber and -ve chamber, the +ve side of each bipolar electrode comprising an electrically conductive substrate having a porous conductive surface, the bipolar electrodes being separated from one another by cation exchange membranes, b) means to form an intimate mixture of air/oxygen with an electrolyte to produce a dispersion of bubbles in the electrolyte, and c) means to circulate the electrolyte produced in step b) through the +ve chambers of the cell array.
Specification