Metal-air fuel cell battery systems having mechanism for extending the path length of metal-fuel tape during discharging and recharging modes of operation

• US 6,649,294 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2001
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Revco Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Revco Incorporated
• Inventors: Faris, Sadeg M., Tsai, Tsepin
• Primary Examiner(s): KALAFUT, STEPHEN J
• Application Number:
  US09/766,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20020168559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,031 Days
• Field of Search: 429/27, 429/68, 429/127
• US Class Current: 429/404
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4214 Arrangements for moving electrodes or electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/06 with one metallic and one gaseous electrode
• 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 2004/024 Insertable electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0085 Immobilising or gelification of electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/42 Alloys based on zinc
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8605 Porous electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/46 Separators, membranes or diaphragms characterised by their combination with electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5011 for several cells simultaneously or successively
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/184 Regeneration by electrochemical means
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/186 by electrolytic decomposition of the electrolytic solution or the formed water product
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/22 Fuel cells in which the fuel is based on materials comprising carbon or oxygen or hydrogen and other elements; Fuel cells in which the fuel is based on materials comprising only elements other than carbon, oxygen or hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for extending path-length of metal-fuel tape during discharging and/or recharging operations so that a supply of metal-fuel tape contained within a cassette device or on a supply reel can be rapidly discharged and/or recharged in an improved manner. During discharging operations, a plurality of discharging heads are selectively arranged about the extended path-length of metal-fuel tape so as increase the rate at which electrical power is powered from the system. During recharging operations, a plurality of recharging heads are selectively arranged about the extended path-length of metal-fuel tape to decrease the time required to recharge the metal-fuel tape transported through the system.

Claims

1. A metal air fuel cell battery system comprising:

a Metal-Fuel Tape Discharging Subsystem;

a Metal-Fuel Tape Recharging Subsystem integrated with the Metal-Fuel Tape Discharging Subsystem; and

a tape path-length extension mechanism employed in said Metal-Fuel Tape Recharging Subsystem for extending oxidized metal-fuel tape from a first position to a second position over a path length which is greater than the path-length maintained by the tape-length the extension mechanism in said Metal Fuel Tape Discharging Subsystem such that a recharge surface area is greater than a discharge surface area.

2. The metal air fuel cell battery system as in claim 1, wherein the Metal-Fuel Tape Discharging Subsystem comprises:

first and second power supply terminals for receiving electrical power generated from a supply of metal-fuel tape at a prespecified output voltage;

a supply of metal-fuel tape wound on a supply spindle and taken up on a take-up spindle; and

a plurality of discharging heads for producing electrical power from said supply of metal-fuel tape as said metal-fuel tape is transported through each said discharging head during tape discharging operations.

3. The metal air fuel cell battery system as in claim 2, wherein each said discharging head comprises:

a cathode support structure supporting an electrically-conductive cathode element pervious to oxygen;

anode-contacting structure supporting an electrically-conductive anode-contacting element for establishing electrical contact with said metal-fuel tape; and

an ionic medium for providing a source of ions between said electrically-conductive cathode element and electrically-conductive anode-contacting element associated with said discharging head.

4. The metal air fuel cell battery system as in claim 2, which further comprises

tape transport means for transporting said metal-fuel tape past each said cathode support structure and said anode-contacting element, while said ionic medium is disposed between said metal-fuel tape and said electrically-conductive cathode element.

5. The metal air fuel cell battery system as in claim 2, wherein said supply spindle and said take-up spindle are driven by a motor.

6. The metal air fuel cell battery system as in claim 5, wherein said motor is an electric motor.

7. The metal air fuel cell battery system as in claim 1, wherein said Metal-Fuel Tape Recharging Subsystem comprises:

first and second power supply terminals for receiving electrical power supplied from an electrical power supply at a prespecified input voltage;

a supply of metal-fuel tape wound on a supply spindle and taken up on a take-up spindle; and

a plurality of recharging heads for receiving electrical power from said electrical power supply as said metal-fuel tape is transported through each said recharging head during tape recharging operations.

8. The metal air fuel cell battery system as in claim 7, wherein each said recharging head comprises:

a cathode support structure supporting an electrically-conductive cathode element pervious to oxygen;

anode-contacting structure supporting an electrically-conductive anode-contacting element for establishing electrical contact with said metal-fuel tape; and

an ionic medium for providing a source of ions between said electrically-conductive cathode element and electrically-conductive anode-contacting element associated with said recharging head.

9. The metal air fuel cell battery system as in claim 7, which further comprises

tape transport means for transporting said metal-fuel tape past each said cathode support structure and said anode-contacting element, while said ionic medium is disposed between said metal-fuel tape and said electrically-conductive cathode element.

10. The metal air fuel cell battery system as in claim 7, wherein said supply spindle and said take-up spindle are driven by a motor.

11. The metal air fuel cell battery system as in claim 10, wherein said motor is an electric motor.

12. A metal air fuel cell battery system comprising:

means for discharging and recharging metal-fuel tape in a single hybrid subsystem, wherein a tape path-length extension mechanism is employed therein for extending metal-fuel tape from a first position to a second position to be recharged over a path which is greater than the path maintained for metal-fuel tape to be discharged.

13. The metal air fuel cell battery system as in claim 12, wherein said means for discharging and recharging metal-fuel tape in a single hybrid subsystem comprises:

a supply of metal-fuel tape wound on a supply spindle and taken up on a take-up spindle;

first and second power supply terminals for receiving electrical power supplied from an electrical power supply at a prespecified input voltage for recharging and for receiving electrical power generated from the supply of metal-fuel tape at a prespecified output voltage;

a plurality of recharging heads for receiving electrical power from said electrical power supply as said metal-fuel tape is transported through each said recharging head during tape recharging operations; and

a plurality of discharging heads for producing electrical power from said supply of metal-fuel tape as said metal-fuel tape is transported through each said discharging head during tape discharging operations.

14. The metal air fuel cell battery system as in claim 13, wherein each said recharging head comprises:

a cathode support structure supporting an electrically-conductive cathode element pervious to oxygen;

anode-contacting structure supporting an electrically-conductive anode-contacting element for establishing electrical contact with said metal-fuel tape; and

an ionic medium for providing a source of ions between said electrically-conductive cathode element and electrically-conductive anode-contacting element associated with said recharging head.

15. The metal air fuel cell battery system as in claim 13, wherein each said discharging head comprises:

a cathode support structure supporting an electrically-conductive cathode element pervious to oxygen;

anode-contacting structure supporting an electrically-conductive anode-contacting element for establishing electrical contact with said metal-fuel tape; and

an ionic medium for providing a source of ions between said electrically-conductive cathode element and electrically-conductive anode-contacting element associated with said discharging head.

16. The metal air fuel cell battery system as in claim 12, wherein said means for discharging and recharging metal-fuel tape in a single hybrid subsystem comprises:

a supply of metal-fuel tape wound on a supply spindle and taken up on a take-up spindle;

first and second power supply terminals for receiving electrical power supplied from an electrical power supply at a prespecified input voltage for recharging;

second and third power supply terminals for receiving electrical power generated from the supply of metal-fuel tape at a prespecified output voltage;

a plurality of recharging heads for receiving electrical power from said electrical power supply as said metal-fuel tape is transported through each said recharging head during tape recharging operations; and

a plurality of discharging heads for producing electrical power from said supply of metal-fuel tape as said metal-fuel tape is transported through each said discharging head during tape discharging operations.

17. The metal air fuel cell battery system as in claim 16, wherein each said recharging bead comprises:

a cathode support structure supporting an electrically-conductive cathode element pervious to oxygen;

anode-contacting structure supporting an electrically-conductive anode-contacting element for establishing electrical contact with said metal-fuel tape; and

an ionic medium for providing a source of ions between said electrically-conductive cathode element and electrically-conductive anode-contacting element associated with said recharging head.

18. The metal air fuel cell battery system as in claim 16, wherein each said discharging head comprises:

a cathode support structure supporting an electrically-conductive cathode element pervious to oxygen;

anode-contacting structure supporting an electrically-conductive anode-contacting element for establishing electrical contact with said metal-fuel tape; and

an ionic medium for providing a source of ions between said electrically-conductive cathode element and electrically-conductive anode-contacting element associated with said discharging head.