Metal-air fuel cell battery system with multiple cells and integrated apparatus for producing power signals with stepped-up voltage levels by selectively discharging the multiple cells

• US 6,485,850 B1
• Filed: 08/03/2000
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reveo, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Reveo, Inc.
• Inventors: Faris, Sadeg M., Tsai, Tsepin
• Primary Examiner(s): KALAFUT, STEPHEN J
• Application Number:
  US09/632,331
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 429/3, 429/7, 429/27, 429/13, 363/44
• US Class Current: 429/3
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0413 Large-sized flat cells or batteries for motive or stationary systems with plate-like electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0445 Multimode batteries, e.g. containing auxiliary cells or electrodes switchable in parallel or series connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/08 composed of a half-cell of a fuel-cell type and a half-cell of the secondary-cell type
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/00 Structural combinations of different types of electrochemical generators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/50 Current conducting connections for cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/12 with flat electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/42 Grouping of primary cells into batteries H01M6/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5011 for several cells simultaneously or successively
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5016 Multimode utilisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A novel metal-air fuel cell battery system with multiple cells and integrated apparatus for producing power signals with stepped-up voltage levels by selectively discharging the multiple cells. The system includes a plurality of discharging cells preferably formed by a cathode structure having plurality cathode elements, and an anode structure having one or more anode-contacting elements on an anode-contacting element support plate. Each cell can be independently activated (i.e. enabled) using a transistor-based power switching element operated under the control of a switching controller. The power switching elements are used to produce high-frequency electrical currents for generating stepped-up voltages, which are subsequently rectified and low-pass filtered. The power switching device elements may also be controlled to produce selectable output characteristics (voltage level, current, etc). The novel device construction may also include a plurality of recharging cells spatially arranged with the plurality of discharging cells. In one illustrative embodiment, power switching elements are provided for controlling the recharging cells during recharging operations.

Claims

1. A fuel cell battery power generation module comprising:

a plurality of discharging cells;

a plurality of transistor-based power switches, each being connected to one said discharging cell and being controlled by a switch controller; and

an inductive element configured with at least one said discharging cell and at least one said transistor-based power switches, for producing a stepped-up output voltage; and

a low-pass filtering circuit for filtering said stepped-up output voltage.

2. A method of supplying electrical power to an electrical load from an electrical power generation module having a plurality of discharging cells, said method comprising:

(a) generating electrical current pulses from each said discharging cell;

(b) supplying said electrical current pulses to the primary coil of a step-up voltage transformer to produce a voltage thereacross;

(c) generating a stepped up output voltage across the secondary coil of said voltage transformer; and

(d) regulating said stepped-up output voltage by rectifying and low pass-filtering the output current generated therefrom.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each said discharging cell comprises a discharging cathode structure, an anode structure formed from a metal-fuel material, and an ionically-conducting material disposed between said discharging cathode structure and said anode structure, wherein said anode structures of the discharging cells are realized by an unpatterned or patterned sheet of conductive material maintained at a common electrical potential;

and wherein said ionically conductive medium is a shared medium among said discharging cells, not requiring ionic-isolation therebetween.

4. An electrical power generation module for supplying electrical power to an electrical load, comprising:

a plurality of discharging cells provided along a support substrate;

a plurality of power switching elements for generating electrical current pulses from each said discharging cell;

a step-up output voltage transformer having at least one primary coil and at least one secondary coil;

a plurality of electrical conductors for conducting said electrical current pulses to said at least one primary coil of said step-up output voltage transformer to produce a stepped up output voltage across said at least one secondary coil, said stepped up output voltage having time-varying signal components;

a rectifier for rectifying electrical current produced from said at least one secondary coil; and

a low pass-filtering capacitor for substantially removing said time-varying signal components from said stepped up output voltage while being applied across an electrical load connected in electrical parallel with said low pass filtering capacitor.

5. The electrical power generation module of claim 4, wherein each said discharging cell comprises a discharging cathode structure, an anode structure formed from a metal-fuel material, and an ionically-conducting material disposed between said discharging cathode structure and said anode structure, wherein said anode structures of the discharging cells are realized by an unpatterned or patterned sheet of conductive material maintained at a common electrical potential;

and wherein said ionically conductive medium is a shared medium among said discharging cells, not requiring ionic-isolation therebetween.

6. A method of supplying electrical power to an electrical load from an electrical power generation module having a plurality of discharging cells, said method comprising the steps:

(a) generating electrical current pulses from each said discharging cell;

(b) supplying said electrical current pulses to an inductive element to produce a stepped-up output voltage across said inductive element;

(c) rectifying the output current generated from said inductive element to produce a rectified output current having time-varying signal components;

(d) using a low pass-filtering capacitor to remove a portion of said time-varying signal components from said rectified output current, while maintaining a substantially constant output voltage across an electrical load connected in electrical parallel with said low pass-filtering capacitor.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein each said discharging cell comprises a discharging cathode structure, an anode structure formed from a metal-fuel material, and an ionically-conducting material disposed between said discharging cathode structure and said anode structure, wherein said anode structures of the discharging cells are realized by an unpatterned or patterned sheet of conductive material maintained at a common electrical potential;

and wherein said ionically conductive medium is a shared medium among said discharging cells, not requiring ionic-isolation therebetween.

8. An electrical power generation module for supplying electrical power to an electrical load, comprising;

a plurality of discharging cells provided along a support substrate;

a plurality of power switching elements for generating electrical current pulses from each said discharging cell;

a plurality of inductive elements connected in electrical series with said plurality of discharging cells, each said inductive element producing a stepped-up voltage across each said inductive element in response to said electrical current pulses being supplied therethrough by said discharging cell, each said stepped up voltage having time-varying signal components;

at least one rectifier for rectifying electrical current produced from said inductive elements; and

a low pass-filtering capacitor for receiving said rectified electrical current and substantially removing said time-varying signal components from said stepped up voltages while an electrical load is connected in electrical parallel with said low pass filtering capacitor.

9. The electrical power generation module of claim 8, wherein each said discharging cell comprises a discharging cathode structure, an anode structure formed from a metal-fuel material, and an ionically-conducting material disposed between said discharging cathode structure and said anode structure, wherein said anode structures of the discharging cells are realized by an unpatterned or patterned sheet of conductive material maintained at a common electrical potential;

and wherein said ionically conductive medium is a shared medium among said discharging cells, not requiring ionic-isolation therebetween.

10. A method of supplying electrical power to an electrical load from an electrical power generation module having a plurality of discharging cells, said method comprising:

(a) generating electrical current pulses from each said discharging cell;

(b) supplying said electrical current pulses to an inductive element configured in electrical series with said discharging cell so as to produce a stepped-up voltage across each said inductive element;

(c) rectifying the output current generated from said inductive element to produce a rectified output current having time-varying signal components; and

(d) low pass-filtering said rectified output current to remove a portion of said time-varying signal components while maintaining a substantially constant output voltage across an electrical load.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each said discharging cell comprises a discharging cathode structure, an anode structure formed from a metal-fuel material, and an ionically-conducting material disposed between said discharging cathode structure and said anode structure, wherein said anode structures of the discharging cells are realized by an unpatterned or patterned sheet of conductive material maintained at a common electrical potential;

and wherein said ionically conductive medium is a shared medium among said discharging cells, not requiring ionic-isolation therebetween.

13. The electrical power generation module of claim 10, wherein each said discharging cell comprises a discharging cathode structure, an anode structure formed from a metal-fuel material, and an ionically-conducting material disposed between said discharging cathode structure and said anode structure, wherein said anode structures of the discharging cells are realized by an unpatterned or patterned sheet of conductive material maintained at a common electrical potential;

and wherein said ionically conductive medium is a shared medium among said discharging cells, not requiring ionic-isolation therebetween.

12. An electrical power generation module for supplying electrical power to an electrical load, comprising:

a plurality of discharging cells provided along a support substrate;

a plurality of power switching elements for generating electrical current pulses from each said discharging cell;

an inductive element for producing an stepped up output voltage in response to said electrical current pulses supplied therethrough;

a plurality of electrical conductors for conducting said electrical current pulses to said inductive element to produce said stepped up voltage across said inductive element, said stepped up voltage having time-varying signal components;

at least one rectifier for rectifying electrical current produced from each said inductive element; and

a low pass-filtering capacitor for substantially removing said time-varying signal components from said stepped up voltage while being applied across an electrical load connected in electrical parallel with said low pass filtering capacitor.

14. A metal-air fuel cell battery device for producing power using electrochemical reactions comprising:

a plurality of discharging cells;

a plurality of transistor-based power switches, each being connected to one said discharging cell and being controlled by a switch controller;

step-up voltage transformer circuitry, coupled to said power switches, for producing a stepped-up output voltage; and

low-pass filtering circuitry for filtering said stepped-up output voltage.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein said step-up voltage transformer circuitry comprises at least one inductive element and rectifying circuitry.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein each said discharging cell comprises a discharging cathode structure, an anode structure formed from a metal-fuel material, and an ionically-conducting material disposed between said discharging cathode structure and said anode structure, wherein said anode structures of the discharging cells are realized by an unpatterned or patterned sheet of conductive material maintained at a common electrical potential);

and wherein said ionically conductive medium is a shared medium among said discharging cells, not requiring ionic-isolation therebetween.

17. The device of claim 14, in combination with one or more electrical power consuming devices selected from the group consisting of cellular phones, laptop computer systems, power tools, and automobiles.

18. A a system comprising:

a plurality of discharging cells each producing power using electrochemical reactions, and a device for modifying the power from one or more of the plurality of discharging cells, the device comprising a plurality of transistor-based power switches, each being connected to one said discharging cell and the plurality separately or individually being controlled by one or more switch controllers,

step-up voltage transformer circuitry, coupled to said power switches, for producing a stepped-up output voltage, and

low-pass filtering circuitry for filtering said stepped-up output voltage.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said step-up voltage transformer circuitry comprises at least one inductive element and rectifying circuitry.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein each said discharging cell comprises a discharging cathode structure, an anode structure formed from a metal-fuel material, and an ionically-conducting material disposed between said discharging cathode structure and said anode structure, wherein said anode structures of the discharging cells are realized by an unpatterned or patterned sheet of conductive material maintained at a common electrical potential;

and wherein said ionically-conducting material is a shared medium among said discharging cells, not requiring ionic-isolation therebetween.

21. The system of claim 18, in combination with one or more electrical power consuming devices selected from the group consisting of cellular phones, laptop computer systems, power tools, and automobiles.