Synthetic jet for admitting and expelling reactant air
First Claim
1. An enclosure for at least one electrochemical cell having at least one air electrode, the enclosure comprising:
- a casing defining at least one inlet and at least one outlet communicating with the exterior of the casing;
a synthetic jet defining a housing with an internal cavity and an opening communicating with the air inside the casing; and
a movable member positioned to change the internal volume of the housing, wherein the opening is positioned relative to the inlet and the outlet so that, in response to said change, the synthetic jet is operative to forcibly admit exterior air through the inlet into the casing and through the opening into the housing, to forcibly expel air from the housing through the opening into the casing, and then to expel air from the casing through the outlet to the exterior of the casing, so that a reactant air flow-path is defined within the casing, with the flow-path extending into the casing through the inlet and out of the casing through the outlet.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a synthetic air jet for a metal-air battery. A synthetic air jet can be housed within, incorporated into, or attached to a battery casing to generate a convective air flow for an air cathode of a metal-air cell contained within the casing. A means for activating the synthetic air jet controls the air flow through the battery casing. When the synthetic air jet is activated, the internal volume of the synthetic air jet changes. The expansion and contraction of the synthetic air jet creates an air flow through the battery, thus providing reactant air for the air cathode of the metal-air cell.
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Citations
51 Claims
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1. An enclosure for at least one electrochemical cell having at least one air electrode, the enclosure comprising:
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a casing defining at least one inlet and at least one outlet communicating with the exterior of the casing;
a synthetic jet defining a housing with an internal cavity and an opening communicating with the air inside the casing; and
a movable member positioned to change the internal volume of the housing, wherein the opening is positioned relative to the inlet and the outlet so that, in response to said change, the synthetic jet is operative to forcibly admit exterior air through the inlet into the casing and through the opening into the housing, to forcibly expel air from the housing through the opening into the casing, and then to expel air from the casing through the outlet to the exterior of the casing, so that a reactant air flow-path is defined within the casing, with the flow-path extending into the casing through the inlet and out of the casing through the outlet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method for providing air flow with a synthetic jet to an enclosure for an electrochemical cell having at least one air electrode, comprising:
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enclosing the synthetic jet in a casing defining at least one inlet and at least one outlet, wherein the synthetic jet can receive air through the inlet from the exterior of the casing, and the synthetic jet defining a housing with an internal cavity and an opening communicating with the air inside the casing; and
activating the synthetic jet to forcibly admit exterior air through the inlet into the casing and through the opening into the housing, to forcibly expel air from the housing through the opening into the casing, and then to expel air from the casing through the outlet to the exterior of the casing, so that a reactant air flow-path is defined within the casing, with the flow-path extending into the casing through the inlet and out of the casing through the outlet. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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44. An enclosure for an electrochemical cell having at least one air electrode, the enclosure comprising:
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a casing defining at least one inlet and at least one outlet communicating with the exterior of the casing;
an air stream separator defining an upper chamber, a lower chamber within the casing, and an air stream separator opening, wherein the upper chamber receives air from the inlet;
a synthetic jet defining a housing with an internal cavity and an opening communicating with the air inside the upper chamber;
a solid barrier defining an axial plenum with at least one inlet portal and at least one outlet portal, wherein the axial plenum receives air from the synthetic jet through the inlet portal to provide reactant air to the axial plenum, and the lower chamber receives air through the outlet portal from the axial plenum; and
a movable member positioned to change the internal volume of the housing to admit exterior air through the inlet into the casing and through the opening into the housing, to expel air from the housing through the opening into the upper chamber and into the axial plenum, and then to expel air from the axial plenum through the lower chamber and the outlet to the exterior of the casing. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47)
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48. An enclosure for at least one electrochemical cell having at least one air electrode, the enclosure comprising:
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a casing defining at least one inlet and at least one outlet communicating with the exterior of said casing, wherein the interior of said casing is divided into a first plenum and a second plenum by a baffle plate defining one or more apertures;
a synthetic jet defining a housing with an internal cavity and an opening communicating with air inside said casing; and
a movable member positioned to effect a change in the internal volume of said housing, wherein said opening is positioned relative to said inlet and said outlet such that, in response to said change, the synthetic jet is operative to forcibly admit air through said inlet into said casing to said first plenum, to forcibly expel air from said first plenum to said second plenum through said one or more apertures, to forcibly expel air from said second plenum to said opening into said housing, and to forcibly expel air from said opening in said housing through said outlet to the exterior of said casing. - View Dependent Claims (49)
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50. An enclosure for at least one electrochemical cell having at least one air electrode, the enclosure comprising:
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a casing defining at least inlet and at least one outlet communicating with the exterior of the casing, wherein the inlet comprises at least one diffusion isolation tube;
a synthetic jet defining a housing with an internal cavity and an opening communicating with air inside the casing; and
a movable member positioned to change the internal volume of the housing to admit exterior air through the inlet into the casing and through the opening into the housing, to expel air from the housing through the opening into the casing, and then to expel air from the casing through the outlet to the exterior of the casing. - View Dependent Claims (51)
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Specification