Segmented hydride battery including an improved hydrogen storage means

• US 5,688,611 A
• Filed: 07/01/1996
• Issued: 11/18/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ergenics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ergenics, Inc. (HERA Hydrogen Storage Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Golben, P. Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): KALAFUT, STEPHEN J
• Application Number:
  US08/673,104
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 429/53, 429/58, 429/101, 204/246, 204/277
• US Class Current: 429/53
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/345 Gastight metal hydride accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/52 Removing gases inside the secondary cell, e.g. by absorption vent plugs or other mechanical arrangements for facilitating escape of gases H01M50/30
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An apparatus for and method of storing hydrogen gas within an enclosed metal hydride container that is isolated from an apparatus which uses hydrogen gas, including a constricted opening having a valve to selectively open or close the hydrogen gas communication between the hydrogen storage container and the apparatus using the hydrogen. The hydrogen storage material within the hydrogen storage container comprises mixture of metal hydride particles with interspersed water adsorbing particles, such as silica gel dessicant. Optionally included within the hydrogen gas communication between the storage and use may be a filter for filtering out oxygen and water vapor molecules from the hydrogen stream passing into the metal hydride particles, and may comprise a coating on each of the hydrogen absorbing metal hydride particles disposed within the hydrogen storage chamber. The enclosed metal hydride chamber may be disposed either within the containment of the battery cells another apparatus using the hydrogen gas or alternatively, the chamber may be external of the apparatus. A preferred corrosion resistant metal hydride may be used comprising Lanthanum Nickel Aluminum (LaNi₄.7 Al₀.3) or La₀.8 Nd₀.2 Ni₃.5 Co₁.3 Al₀.2.

Claims

1. A segmented metal hydride battery system comprising:

a) a containment can;

b) a stack of hydrogen-metal oxide cells, defining a hydrogen-metal oxide battery, disposed within the containment can;

c) a hermetically enclosed hydrogen storage chamber having at least one aperture and containing a metal hydride material for retaining and storing a concentrated volume of hydrogen, said metal hydride material being capable of releasably absorbing and discharging gaseous hydrogen, and said metal hydride material comprising a mixture of water vapor absorbing particles and metal hydride particles;

d) a communication means at least one aperture and disposed between said hydrogen-metal oxide battery and the enclosed hydrogen storage chamber for permitting reversible communication of a hydrogen gas stream flow between said battery and said chamber;

e) a means for selectively opening and closing said communication means to selectively permit and restrict hydrogen gas flow between said hydrogen-metal oxide battery and said enclosed hydrogen storage vessel through said aperture.

2. The battery system of claim 1 wherein said water vapor absorbing particles are in a predetermined portion range to metal hydride particles in a weight ratio of from about 0.01 to about 0.01 to 0.1.

3. The battery system according to claim 2 wherein said ratio by weight of water absorbing particles to metal hydride particles is between about 0.03 to 1.0 to about 0.07 to 1.0.

4. The battery system according to claim 3 wherein said ratio by weight of water absorbing particles to metal hydride particles is approximately 1 to 20.

5. The battery system according to claim 1 wherein the relative average diameters of said water absorbing particles to said metal hydride particles is in a ratio of about 1 to 2.

6. The battery system according to claim 4 wherein said average particle size of said water absorbing particles is approximately 0.00079 inches and said metal hydride particles is approximately 0.0017 inches.

7. The battery system according to claim 1 wherein said water vapor absorbing particles comprise a desiccant material.

8. The battery system according to claim 1 wherein said water vapor absorbing material further comprises particles of one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of silica gel powder (SiO₂) and molecular sieve powder (Na₁₂ (AlO₂)₁₂ (SiO₂)₁₂ !xH₂ O).

9. The battery system according to claim 1 wherein said metal hydride particles further include a thin film material disposed around and enclosing the metal hydride particles, the thin film material having the characteristics and thickness capable of diffusing hydrogen therethrough but being essentially impervious to oxygen, carbon dioxide and water vapor, said film material providing an effective enclosure for inhibiting oxygen, carbon dioxide and water vapor from reaching the metal hydride, hydrogen storage material.

10. The battery system according to claim 9 wherein said predetermined range of proportions of water absorbing to metal hydride particles are in a weight ration of from about 0.03 to 1.0 to about 0.07 to 1.0.

11. The battery system according to claim 10 wherein said water vapor absorbing material further comprises particles of one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of silica gel powder (SiO₂) and molecular sieve powder (Na₁₂ AlO₂)₁₂ (SiO₂)₁₂ !xH₂ O).

12. The battery system according to claim 11 wherein said metal hydride particles further comprise one or more metallic alloys chosen from the group consisting of Lanthanum Nickel (LaNi₅), Lanthanum Nickel Aluminum (LaNi₄.7 Al₀.3) and La₀.8 Nd₀.2 Ni₃.5 Co₁.3 Al₀.2.

13. The battery system according to claim 1 wherein said metal hydride particles further comprise one or more metallic alloys chosen from the group consisting of Lanthanum Nickel (LaNi₅), Lanthanum Nickel Aluminum (LaNi₄.7 Al₀.3) and La₀.2 Nd₀.2 Ni₃.5 Co₁.3 Al₀.2.

14. The battery system according to claim 1 wherein said electrochemical device comprises an electrolyzer and fuel cell or a regeneration fuel cell.

15. The battery system according to claim 1 wherein the relative average diameters of said water absorbing particles to said metal hydride particles is in a ratio of about 1 to 20.