Movable anode fuel cell battery
First Claim
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1. A movable anode fuel cell battery comprising:
- two air electrodes, each having at least one recharging air electrode portion and at least one discharge air electrode portion;
an anode having a substrate with a metal anode material on either side of the substrate disposed proximate to and between the two air electrodes and moving with respect to the two air electrodes, an electrolyte for contacting the air electrodes and anode material to form a cell, and a means for moving the anode material relative to the recharging air electrode portion for recharging the anode material and for moving the anode material relative to the discharging air electrode portion for discharging the anode material.
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Abstract
A metal-air fuel cell battery (FCB) system includes an electrolyte, air electrodes, and a movable anode having anode material deposited on two sides of an electrically conductive substrate. The anode can be, for example, either a rotating anode disk, or a linearly-movable anode, sandwiched between the two air electrodes. The air electrodes each have at least one recharging portion and at least one discharging portion. The anode movement, which can be, for example, rotational or linear, is relative to the recharging air electrode portion for recharging the anode material and relative to the discharging air electrode portion for discharging the anode material.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A movable anode fuel cell battery comprising:
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two air electrodes, each having at least one recharging air electrode portion and at least one discharge air electrode portion;
an anode having a substrate with a metal anode material on either side of the substrate disposed proximate to and between the two air electrodes and moving with respect to the two air electrodes, an electrolyte for contacting the air electrodes and anode material to form a cell, and a means for moving the anode material relative to the recharging air electrode portion for recharging the anode material and for moving the anode material relative to the discharging air electrode portion for discharging the anode material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
a controller connected to the means for moving the anode material for controlling speed and direction of the anode.
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3. The movable anode fuel cell battery as in claim 1 wherein:
the recharging air electrode portion has a greater area than the discharging air electrode portion such that recharging the anode will be faster than discharging and at a lower current density.
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4. The movable anode fuel cell battery as in claim 1, which further comprises:
a wiper blade attached to the air electrode, adjacent to the recharging air electrode portion, for contacting the anode such that dendrites on the anode will be scraped off the anode by the wiper blade as the anode moves relative to the wiper blade.
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5. The movable anode fuel cell battery as in claim 1 wherein there is:
a means for replacing the anode for mechanically recharging the fuel cell battery with new anodes.
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6. The movable anode fuel cell battery as in claim 5 wherein:
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the air electrodes have axle slots and the anode has an axle such that the axle engages in the axle slots for removing and replacing anodes.
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7. The movable anode fuel cell battery as in claim 1 wherein:
the anode material rotates relative to the air electrodes.
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8. The movable anode fuel cell battery as in claim 1 wherein:
the anode material moves linearly relative to the air electrodes.
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9. The movable anode fuel cell battery as in claim 1 wherein:
a plurality of movable anode fuel cells operate simultaneously such that their combined electrical output is delivered to a load.
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10. The movable anode fuel cell battery as in claim 9 wherein:
a motor drives a common drive shaft connected to all anodes in the fuel cells such that the drive shaft moves all the anodes at the same time.
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11. The movable anode fuel cell battery as in claim 9 wherein:
each anode fuel cell has a separate motor to drive the anode independently of other anodes.
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12. The movable anode fuel cell battery as in claim 11 wherein:
a controller controls each motor such that each anode in each cell is moved at a speed and direction to maximize the combined electrical output to the load.
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13. The movable anode fuel cell battery as in claim 9 wherein:
the plurality of cells are adjacent to each other and the recharging and discharging air electrode portions for each cell are clocked with respect to the adjacent cells for air management.
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14. A movable anode fuel cell battery (FCB) system comprising:
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two air electrodes, each said electrode having at least one recharging air electrode portion and at least one discharge air electrode portion;
an anode having a substrate with a metal anode material disposed on either side of said substrate, and said substrate being disposed proximate to and between said two air electrodes and moving with respect to the two air electrodes;
an electrolyte for contacting said air electrodes and said metal anode material to form a cell; and
a first mechanism for moving the anode material relative to said recharging air electrode portion for recharging said anode material, and for moving said anode material relative to said discharging air electrode portion for discharging said anode material. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
a controller connected to the first mechanism for controlling speed and direction of the anode.
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16. The movable anode FCB system of claim 14, wherein:
the recharging air electrode portion has a greater area than the discharging air electrode portion such that recharging the anode will be faster than discharging and at a lower current density.
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17. The movable anode FCB system of claim 14, which further comprises:
a wiper blade attached to the air electrode, adjacent to the recharging air electrode portion, for contacting the anode such that dendrites on the anode are scraped off the anode by the wiper blade as the anode moves relative to the wiper blade.
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18. The movable anode FCB system of claim 14, which further comprises:
a second mechanism for replacing the anode for mechanically recharging the fuel cell battery with new anodes.
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19. The movable anode FCB system of claim 18, wherein:
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the air electrodes have axle slots and the anode has an axle such that the axle engages in the axle slots for removing and replacing anodes.
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20. The movable anode FCB system of claim 14, wherein:
the anode material rotates relative to the air electrodes.
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21. The movable anode FCB system of claim 14, wherein:
the anode material moves linearly relative to the air electrodes.
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22. The movable anode FCB system of claim 14, wherein:
a plurality of movable anode fuel cells operate simultaneously such that their combined electrical output is delivered to a load.
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23. The movable anode FCB system of claim 22, wherein:
a motor drives a common drive shaft connected to all anodes in the fuel cells such that the drive shaft moves all the anodes at the same time.
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24. The movable anode FCB system of claim 22, wherein:
each anode fuel cell has a separate motor to drive the anode independently of other anodes.
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25. The movable anode FCB system of claim 24, wherein:
a controller controls each motor such that each anode in each cell is moved at a speed and direction to maximize the combined electrical output to the load.
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26. The movable anode FCB system of claim 22, wherein:
the plurality of cells are adjacent to each other and the recharging and discharging air electrode portions for each cell are clocked with respect to the adjacent cells for air management.
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27. A movable anode fuel cell battery comprising:
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two air electrodes, each having at least one recharging air electrode portion and at least one discharge air electrode portion;
an anode having a substrate with a metal anode material on either side of the substrate disposed proximate to and between the two air electrodes and moving with respect to the two air electrodes, an electrolyte for contacting the air electrodes and anode material to form a cell, and a first mechanism coupled to the anode material, wherein upon activation of the first mechanism the anode material is moved relative to the recharging air electrode portion for recharging the anode material and the anode material is moved relative to the discharging air electrode portion for discharging the anode material. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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Specification