Refuelable electrochemical power source capable of being maintained in a substantially constant full condition and method of using the same

• US 6,296,958 B1
• Filed: 03/08/2000
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ZincNyx Energy Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Metallic Power, Inc.
• Inventors: Smedley, Stuart, Colborn, Jeffrey A., Pinto, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaney, Carol
• Assistant Examiner(s): TSANG FOSTER, SUSY N
• Application Number:
  US09/521,392
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 429/15, 429/27, 429/49, 429/51, 429/68, 429/70, 429/72, 429/80, 429/81, 429/101, 429/229, 141/102
• US Class Current: 429/404
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/06 with one metallic and one gaseous electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/02 Electrodes composed of, or comprising, active material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/691 Arrangements or processes for draining liquids from casings; Cleaning battery or cell casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/70 Arrangements for stirring or circulating the electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5022 Arrangements for moving electrodes or separating elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5077 Regeneration of reactants or electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04186 of liquid-charged or electrolyte-charged reactants
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A refuelable electrochemical power source includes one or more electrochemical cells adapted to employ particulate material electrodes. The one or more cells include a cell body defining an interior cell cavity, a flow path in the cell cavity through which particulate material and fluid flow, an electroactive zone within the cell cavity, and a fluid mechanic device adjacent or within the flow path capable of filling the electroactive zone or maintaining the electroactive zone in a constantly full or maximum electroactivity condition. A method for filling or maintaining one or more cells of a refuelable electrochemical power source at a constantly full condition includes providing the above-described apparatus and constantly, periodically, or intermittently circulating particulate material and fluid through the flow path in the one or more cells, past the fluid mechanic device, so that the electroactive zone of the one or more electrochemical cells is maintained in a constantly full or maximum electroactivity condition.

Claims

1. A refuelable electrochemical power source, comprising:

one or more electrochemical cells adapted to employ particulate material electrodes, the one or more cells including a cell body defining an interior cell cavity, a constantly, periodically, or intermittently circulating flow path in the cell cavity through which particulate material and fluid flow, an electroactive zone within the cell cavity, and a fluid mechanical device, at least a portion of which is between said flow path and said electroactive zone, that allows particulate material to pass from the flow path into the electroactive zone.

2. The power source of claim 1, wherein said one or more cells each include one or more inlet conduits configured to reduce shunt currents between cells and said inlet conduits being capable of delivering fluid or particulate material and fluid to each cell.

3. The power source of claim 2, wherein an inlet manifold is connected to each said inlet conduit of each cell for delivering fluid or particulate material and fluid to the power source.

4. The power source of claim 1, wherein said fluid mechanical device includes a plurality of baffles located adjacent to or at least partially within said fluid flow path, said baffles configured to direct particulate and fluid flow into the electroactive zone.

5. The power source of claim 4, wherein said baffles are substantially vertically oriented and parallel with each other in the cell and each baffle terminates in a substantially wedge-shaped end located at least partially within said fluid flow path.

6. The power source of claim 4, wherein said baffles are substantially parallel and equally spaced.

7. The power source of claim 6, wherein 0.1<

s′

<

30 and s′

is the separation between two adjacent baffles divided by the hydraulic diameter of the flow path.

8. The power source of claim 6, wherein 1<

s′

<

3 and s′

is the separation between two adjacent baffles divided by the hydraulic diameter of the flow path.

9. The power source of claim 6, wherein 0<

w′

<

0.95 and w′

is the width of a baffle multiplied by the number of baffles along the flow path divided by the length of the flow path along which the baffles are positioned.

10. The power source of claim 6, wherein 0.05<

w′

<

0.3 and w′

is the width of a baffle multiplied by the number of baffles along the flow path divided by the length of the flow path along which the baffles are positioned.

11. The power source of claim 6, wherein 0<

h′

<

1 and h′

is the height of a baffle divided by the height of the cell cavity not including the flow path.

12. The power source of claim 6, wherein 0.001<

h′

<

0.2 and h′

is the height of a baffle divided by the height of the cell cavity not including the flow path.

13. The power source of claim 6, wherein Ar cos(s/h)≦

α

≦

90° and

α

is the angle between the long dimension of a baffle and the direction of fluid flow in the flow path adjacent to said baffle and Ar cos(s/h) is the arc cosine of the separation s between two adjacent baffles divided by the height h of a baffle.

14. The power source of claim 6, wherein α

approximately equals to 90° and

α

is the angle between the long dimension of a baffle and the direction of fluid flow in the flow path adjacent to said baffle.

15. The power source of claim 6, wherein 0<

φ

′

<

0.25 and φ

′

is the radius of curvature of the tip of a baffle nearest the flow path divided by the width of a baffle.

16. The power source of claim 6, wherein 0<

φ

′

<

0.01 and φ

′

is the radius of curvature of the tip of a baffle nearest the flow path divided by the width of a baffle.

17. The power source of claim 1, wherein the cell includes a bottom portion and a fluid outlet conduit connected to the bottom portion for delivering the fluid and an electrochemical reaction product out of the cell.

18. The power source of claim 1, wherein said one or more cells each included one or more outlet conduits configured to reduce shunt currents between cells, said outlet conduits being capable of delivering fluid or particulate material and fluid not retained within the cells out of the cells.

19. The power source of claim 18, wherein an outlet manifold is connected to each said outlet conduit of each cell for delivering fluid or particulate material and fluid out of the power source.

20. The power source of claim 1, wherein said cell includes a cell cavity generally defining four quadrants, a first quadrant represents an upper corner of the cell cavity, a second quadrant represents the other upper corner of the cell cavity, a third quadrant represents a lower corner of the cell cavity below the first quadrant and a fourth quadrant represents the other lower corner of the cell cavity below the second quadrant, said particulate and said fluid adapted to flow into said first quadrant, at least a portion of said particulate and said fluid adapted to flow out of said second quadrant and at least a portion of said fluid adapted to flow out of said fourth quadrant.

21. The power source of claim 20, wherein the particulate and said fluid are adapted to flow into said first quadrant, at least a portion of said particulate and said fluid adapted to flow out of said second quadrant and at least a portion of said fluid adapted to flow into said third quadrant.

22. The power source of claim 1, wherein said particulate material is zinc or an alloy thereof.

23. The power source of claim 1, wherein said particulate material is aluminum or an alloy thereof.

24. The power source of claim 1, wherein said fluid is an alkaline electrolyte.

25. The power source of claim 24, wherein said fluid contains potassium hydroxide.

26. A method of providing particulate material to one or more cells of a refuelable electrochemical power source having one or more electrochemical cells each having a cell body defining an interior cell cavity, a flow path through which particulate material and fluid flow, and an electroactive zone within the cell cavity, the method comprising:

constantly, periodically, or intermittently circulating particulate material and fluid through the flow path; and

providing a fluid mechanical device within or adjacent the flow path that allows particulate material and fluid to flow past the fluid mechanical device, thereby creating at least one vortex that allows at least a portion of the particulate material to pass into the electroactive zone of said one or more electrochemical cells.

27. The method of claim 26, further including filling the electroactive zone of the one or more cells with particulate material or particulate material and fluid before circulating the particulate material and fluid through the one or more cells.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein said circulation of particulate material and fluid takes place during the electrical discharge of the power source.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein said one or more cells each include at inlet conduit configured to reduce shunt currents between cells, said one or more cells include an inlet manifold adapted to deliver particulate material and fluid to each cell via said inlet conduits.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein said fluid mechanical device is located at least partially within the fluid flow path, and circulating particulate material and fluid through the flow path of said one or more cells includes circulating the particulate material and fluid past said fluid mechanical device, causing at least a portion of said particulate material and fluid to flow into the electroactive zone of the cell.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein said fluid mechanical device includes a plurality of baffles located adjacent or at least partially within said fluid flow paths, said baffles configured so as to direct particulate and fluid flow into any empty space between adjacent baffles, and circulating particulate material and fluid through the one or more cells includes circulating the particulate material and fluid past said baffles, causing at least a portion of said particulate material and fluid to move into any empty space between adjacent baffles.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein circulating said particulate material and fluid includes circulating said particulate material and fluid at a flow rate so that when a space between adjacent baffles becomes full with particulate material, the particulate material and fluid flow past this area without clogging the flow path and subsequently fill any downstream spaces between baffles in a similar manner.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein said baffles are substantially vertically oriented and parallel with each other in the cell and each baffle terminates in a substantially wedge-shaped end located adjacent to or at least partially within said fluid flow path.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein said baffles are substantially parallel and equally spaced.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein 0.1<

s′

<

30 and s′

is the separation between two adjacent baffles divided by the hydraulic diameter of the flow path.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein 1<

s′

<

3 and s′

is the separation between two adjacent baffles divided by the hydraulic diameter of the flow path.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein 0<

w′

<

0.95 and w′

is the width of a baffle multiplied by the number of baffles along the flow path divided by the length of the flow path along which the baffles are positioned.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein 0.05<

w′

<

0.3 and w′

is the width of a baffle multiplied by the number of baffles along the flow path divided by the length of the flow path along which the baffles are positioned.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein 0<

h′

<

1 and h′

is the height of a baffle divided by the height of the cell cavity not including the flow path.

40. The method of claim 34, wherein 0.001<

h′

<

0.2 and h′

is the height of a baffle divided by the height of the cell cavity not including the flow path.

41. The method of claim 34, wherein Ar cos(s/h)<

α

<

90° and

α

is the angle between the long dimension of a baffle and the direction of fluid flow in the flow path adjacent to said baffle and Ar cos(s/h) is the cosine of the separation s between two adjacent baffles divided by the height h of a baffle.

42. The method of claim 34, wherein α

approximately equals 90° and

α

is the angle between the long dimension of a baffle and the direction of fluid flow in the flow path adjacent to said baffle.

43. The method of claim 34, wherein 0<

φ

′

<

0.25 and φ

′

is the radius of curvature of the tip of a baffle nearest the flow path divided by the width of a baffle.

44. The method of claim 34, wherein 0<

φ

′

<

0.01 and φ

′

is the radius of curvature of the tip of a baffle nearest the flow path divided by the width of a baffle.

45. The method of claim 26, wherein said particulate material is zinc or an alloy thereof.

46. The method of claim 26, wherein said particulate material is aluminum or an alloy thereof.

47. The method of claim 26, wherein said fluid is an alkaline electrolyte.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein said fluid contains potassium hydroxide.

49. The method of claim 26, wherein said cell includes a cell cavity generally defining four quadrants, a first quadrant represents an upper corner of the cell cavity, a second quadrant represents the other upper corner of the cell cavity, a third quadrant represents a lower corner of the cell cavity below the first quadrant and a fourth quadrant represents the other lower corner of the cell cavity below the second quadrant, said particulate and said fluid flow into said first quadrant, at least a portion of said particulate and said fluid flows out of said second quadrant and at least a portion of said fluid flows out of said fourth quadrant.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein said particulate and said fluid flow into said first quadrant, at least a portion of said particulate and said fluid flows out of said second quadrant and at least a portion of said fluid flows into said third quadrant.

51. A refuelable electrochemical power source, comprising:

one or more electrochemical cells adapted to employ particulate material electrodes, the one or more cells including a cell body defining an interior cell cavity, a flow path through which particulate material and fluid flow, an electroactive zone within the cell cavity, and means for creating at least one vortex that allows at least a portion of the particulate material to pass from the flow path into the electroactive zone of the one or more cells.

52. A refuelable electrochemical power source, comprising:

one or more electrochemical cells adapted to employ particulate material electrodes, the one or more cells including a cell body defining an interior cell cavity, a flow path in the cell cavity through which particulate material and fluid flow, an electroactive zone within the cell cavity, and a fluid mechanical device adjacent to or within said flow path configured to allow particulate material and fluid to flow past the fluid mechanical device and allow at least a portion of the particulate material to pass into the electroactive zone of the one or more cells, and at least a portion of said fluid mechanical device is located between said flow path and said electroactive zone.

53. A power system for a mobile, stationary or portable electrically powered device, comprising:

a source of particulate material and fluid;

a refuelable electrochemical power source adapted to provide electrical power and in communication with said source of particulate material and fluid, said power source comprising;

one or more electrochemical cells adapted to employ particulate material electrodes, the one or more cells each including a cell body defining an interior cell cavity, a flow path in the cell cavity through which particulate material and fluid from said particulate material and fluid source flow, an electroactive zone within the cell cavity, a fluid mechanical device adjacent to or within said flow path configured to allow particulate material and fluid to flow past the fluid mechanical device and allow at least a portion of the particulate material to pass into the electroactive zone of the one or more cells, and at least a portion of said fluid mechanical device is located between said flow path and said electroactive zone; and

means for interconnecting said particulate material and fluid source and said refuelable electrochemical power source and imparting a flow of particulate material and fluid from said particulate material and fluid source to said one or more cells.

54. An electrically-powered vehicle including the power system of claim 53.

55. An electrical generator including the power system of claim 53.

56. The power system of claim 53, wherein the source of particulate material and fluid is a cartridge.

57. The power system of claim 53, wherein said means for interconnecting includes a base for imparting particulate material and fluid from said particulate material and fluid source to said refuelable electrochemical power source.

58. The power system of claim 56, in combination with a recycling unit configured to regenerate exhausted cartridges.