Battery and equipment or device having the battery as part of structure and locally distributed power generation method and power generation device therefor

• US 6,689,507 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Kawasaki Heavy Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Kawasaki Heavy Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Tsutsumi, Kazuo, Atsuta, Toshio, Kumagai, Chikanori, Kishimoto, Mitsuharu, Tsutsumi, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kalafut, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parsons, Thomas H.
• Application Number:
  US09/937,688
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 429/105, 429/72, 429/73, 429/62, 429/120, 429/67, 429/68, 429/69, 429/218.2, 429/223, 429/233, 429/243, 429/235
• US Class Current: 429/67
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/64 Optimising energy costs, e.g. responding to electricity rates
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/0057 also containing nickel
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/24 Alkaline accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/288 Processes for forming or storing electrodes in the battery container
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/345 Gastight metal hydride accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4214 Arrangements for moving electrodes or electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/62 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/653 characterised by electrically insulating or thermally conductive materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/654 located inside the innermost case of the cells, e.g. mandrels, electrodes or electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6556 Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange closed pipes H01M10/6552
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/66 Heat-exchange relationships between the cells and other systems, e.g. central heating systems or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 14/00 Electrochemical current or voltage generators not provided for in groups H01M6/00 - H01M12/00; Manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/027 Negative electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/402 Combination of fuel cell with other electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/405 : Cogeneration of heat or hot water
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0011 : Sulfuric acid-based
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0014 : Alkaline electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/02 : Electrodes composed of, or comprising, active material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/36 : Selection of substances as active materials, active masses, active liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/364 : as mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/383 : Hydrogen absorbing alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/58 : of inorganic compounds other than oxides or hydroxides, e.g. sulfides, selenides, tellurides, halogenides or LiCoFy; of polyanionic structures, e.g. phosphates, silicates or borates
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/105 : Pouches or flexible bags
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/73 : Electrolyte stirring by the action of gas on or in the electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/04 : Cells with aqueous electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/24 : Cells comprising two different electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/42 : Grouping of primary cells into batteries H01M6/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5022 : Arrangements for moving electrodes or separating elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5038 : Heating or cooling of cells or batteries
• 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: H01M 8/188 : by recharging of redox couples containing fluids; Redox flow type batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 : Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 : Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/133 : Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A battery comprising powdered active materials and capable of storing a large power, and equipment or device having the battery as parts of its structure, wherein an anode cell (2) of two vessels connected via an ion-passing separator (1) is filled with an anode powdered active material and an electrolytic solution (4), a cathode cell (3) is filled with a cathode powdered active material and an electrolytic solution (5) and conductive current collectors (6, 7) in contact with the powdered active materials are provided in the two vessels.

Claims

1. A battery comprising two vessels connected with a member interposed therebetween that permits passage of an ion but does not permit passage of an electron, a powdered active material filled in one of the vessels and suspended in an electrolytic solution to discharge the electron, and a powdered active material filled in the other vessel and suspended in an electrolytic solution to absorb the electron, wherein conductive current collectors in contact with the powdered active material are provided in the two vessels, wherein

at least one of fluid fluidizing and dispersing means and agitating means using a liquid or a gas for fluidizing the powdered active materials in the electrolytic solutions in the two vessels are connected to the two vessels or provided in the two vessels to provide efficient contact between the powdered active materials and between the powdered active materials and the current collectors.

2. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the current collectors in contact with the powdered active materials have a shape of one of a bar, a plate and a tube.

3. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the current collectors in contact with the powdered active materials serve as at least one of the fluid fluidizing and dispersing means and the agitating means using the liquid or the gas for fluidizing the powdered active materials in the electrolytic solutions in the vessels.

4. The battery according to claim 1, wherein heat transmitters are provided in the two vessels to keep reaction temperature in the battery constant.

5. The battery according to claim 4, wherein the heat transmitters are one of tubular current collectors and plate-shaped current collectors in contact with the powdered active materials.

6. The battery according to claim 1, wherein means for discharging degraded powdered active materials out of the two vessels and means for supplying the powdered active materials into the vessels are connected to the vessels.

7. The battery according to claim 6, wherein at least one of means for recovering discharged powdered active materials and means for making up the powdered active materials is connected to the discharging means, to supply the recovered or made-up powdered active materials from the supplying means into vessels.

8. The battery according to claim 6, wherein reaction means for charging the discharged powdered active materials by thermal reaction or chemical reaction is connected to the discharging means, to supply the charged powdered active materials from the supplying means into the vessels.

9. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the powdered active material on an anode side is powdered hydrogen-occluding alloy and the powdered active material on a cathode side is powdered nickel hydroxide.

10. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the powdered active material on an anode is powdered hydrogen-occluding alloy, the gas introduced into the fluid fluidizing and dispersing means on the anode side is hydrogen, the powdered active material on a cathode side is powdered nickel hydroxide, and the gas introduced into the fluid fluidizing and dispersing means on the cathode side is oxygen or air.

11. A three-dimensional battery of a layered type comprising plural pairs of unit batteries each comprising a pair of cells connected with a member interposed therebetween that permits passage of an ion but does not permit passage of an electron, a powdered active material put in and suspended in an electrolytic solution filled in one of the cells to discharge the electron, and a powdered active material put in and suspended in an electrolytic solution filled in the other cell to absorb the electron the plural pairs of batteries being integrally connected in series with conductive current collecting members placed so as to define separating walls of the respective cells and be in contact with the powdered active materials, wherein the cells on opposite sides are provided with current collectors that are in contact with the powdered active materials and respectively function as a cathode and an anode, wherein

conductive studs are provided integrally with and protrusively from the current collecting members or the current collectors toward inside of the respective cells.

12. Equipment or device having a battery of a three-dimensional structure as part of its structure, comprising two vessels connected with a member interposed therebetween that permits passage of an ion but does not permit passage of an electron, a powdered active material filled in one of the vessels and suspended in an electrolytic solution in the one vessel to discharge the electron, and a powdered active material filled in the other vessel and suspended in an electrolytic solution in the other vessel to absorb the electron, wherein conductive current collectors in contact with the powdered active materials are provided in the two vessels, the equipment or device having a function as chargeable/dischargeable power storage equipment, wherein

at least one of fluid fluidizing and dispersing means and agitating means using a liquid or a gas for fluidizing the powdered active materials suspended in the electrolytic solutions in the two vessels are connected to the two vessels or provided in the two vessels.

13. A locally-distributed power generation method that uses a device using an engine such as a gasoline engine, a diesel engine, and a gas turbine to activate an electric generator to generate a power and a battery of a three-dimensional structure comprising two vessels connected with a member interposed therebetween that permits passage of an ion but does not permit passage of an electron, a powdered active material filled in one of the vessels, and suspended in an electrolytic solution to discharge the electron, and a powdered active material filled in the other vessel and suspended in an electrolytic solution to absorb the electron, wherein conductive current collectors in contact with the powdered active materials are provided in the two vessels, as a battery for storing the generated power, the device for generating the power and the battery of the three-dimensional structure being mounted in transfer and transport means including any of a power-driven two-wheeled vehicle, a power-driven three-wheeled vehicle, a power-driven four-wheeled vehicle and a ship that travels by the engine and a power of an electric motor driven by the power from the battery, and connects the battery of the three-dimensional structure mounted in the transfer and transport means to an inverter installed in a house or an office, to enable to power generated in the electric generator of the transfer and transport means to be used in a load in the house or the office when the transfer and transport means is not moving, thereby utilizing the transfer and transport means which is not moving as fixed power generation equipment for the house or the office,

that supplies high-temperature substances or/and low-temperature substances generated in the transfer and transport means which is not moving to the house or the office to perform cogeneration.

14. The locally-distributed power generation method according to claim 13, wherein a silencer is provided outerly on the transfer and transport means to reduce an emission sound of the engine when the engine is used to activate the electric generator to supply the power to the house or the office while the transfer and transport means including any of the power-driven two-wheeled vehicle, the power-driven three-wheeled vehicle, and the power-driven four-wheeled vehicle is not moving.

15. A locally-distributed power generation device comprising,

transfer and transport means including any of a power-driven two-wheeled vehicle, a power-driven three-wheeled vehicle, a power-driven four-wheeled vehicle and ship, which uses a device that uses an engine such as a gasoline engine, diesel engine, a gas turbine engine to activate an electric generator to generate a power and a battery of a three-dimensional battery comprising two vessels connected with a member interposed therebetween that permits passage of an ion but does not permit passage of an electron, a powdered active material filled in one of the vessels, and suspended in an electrolytic solution to discharge the electron, and a powdered active material filled in the other vessel and suspended in an electrolytic solution to absorb the electron, wherein conductive current collectors in contact with the powdered active materials are provided in the two vessels, as a battery for storing the generated power, the device for generating the power and the battery of the three-dimensional structure being mounted in the transfer and transport means that travels by the engine and by a power of an electric motor driven by the power from the battery;

an inverter installed in a house or an office to supply an AC and voltage-adjusted power to each load of the house or the office; and

a connector that connects the battery of the three-dimensional structure mounted in the transfer and transport means which is not moving to the inverter installed in the house or the office, wherein

the power generated by the electric generator of the transfer and transport means can be used in the load of the house or the office,

wherein a heat source of the transfer and transport means is adapted to communicate with the house or the office via a duct to allow high-temperature substances or/and low-temperature substances generated in the transfer and transport means which is not moving to be supplied to the house or the office, thereby constructing a cogeneration system.