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 6,228,519 B1
• Filed: 07/09/1998
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• 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:
  US09/112,596
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 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 (FCB) system, comprising:

a supply of metal-fuel tape wound on a supply spindle and taken up on a take-up spindle, wherein said supply spindle and take-up spindle are contained within a casing having an access opening revealing a portion of said metal-fuel tape extending between said supply spindle and said take-up spindle;

a housing having an input port for receiving a portion of said casing so that said access opening is disposed within said housing;

first and second power supply terminals, disposed within said housing, for receiving electrical power generated from said supply of metal-fuel tape at an output voltage;

a metal-fuel tape configuration mechanism, disposed within said housing, for (i) engaging said portion of said metal-fuel tape revealed through said access opening, (ii) pulling said metal-fuel tape out from said casing and (iii) configuring said metal fuel tape along a folded path arranged within said housing so that a plurality of discharging heads can be configured about said metal-fuel tape during metal-tape tape discharging operations; and

said 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 said metal-fuel tape discharging operations.

2. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 1, 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 when configured along said folded path; and

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

3. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 2, which further comprises

a tape transport mechanism 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.

4. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 3, wherein said supply spindle and said take-up spindle are driven by a motor disposed within said housing.

5. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 4, wherein electric motor is an electric motor disposed within said housing.

6. A metal-air fuel cell battery (FCB) system, comprising:

a supply of metal-fuel tape wound on a supply spindle and taken up on a take-up spindle, wherein said supply spindle and take-up spindle are contained within a casing having an access opening revealing a portion of said metal-fuel tape extending between said supply spindle and said take-up spindle;

a housing having an input port for receiving a portion of said casing so that said access opening is disposed within said housing;

first and second power supply terminals, disposed within said housing, for receiving electrical power supplied from an electrical power supply at an input voltage;

a metal-fuel tape configuration mechanism, disposed within said housing, for (i) engaging said portion of said metal-fuel tape revealed through said access opening, (ii) pulling said metal-fuel tape out from said casing and (iii) configuring said metal-fuel tape along a folded path arranged within said housing so that a plurality of recharging heads can be configured about said metal-fuel tape during metal-fuel tape recharging operations; and

said 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 said metal-fuel tape recharging operations.

7. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 6, 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 when configured along said folded path; and

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

8. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 7, which further comprises

a tape transport mechanism 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.

9. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 6, wherein said supply spindle and said take-up spindle are driven by a motor disposed within said housing.

10. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 9, wherein said motor is an electric motor disposed within said housing.

11. A metal-air fuel cell battery system for producing electrical power from a supply of metal-fuel tape transported between a pair of supply and take-up reels, comprising:

a supply of metal-fuel tape wound on a supply spindle and taken up on a take-up spindle, wherein said supply spindle and take-up spindle are contained within a casing having an access opening revealing a portion of said metal-fuel tape extending between said supply spindle and said take-up spindle;

a housing having an input port for receiving a portion of said casing so that said access opening is disposed within said housing; and

a metal-fuel tape configuration mechanism, disposed within said housing, for (i) engaging said portion of said metal-fuel tape revealed through said access opening, (ii) pulling said metal-fuel tape out from said casing and (iii) configuring said metal fuel tape along a folded path arranged within said housing so that a plurality of recharging heads can be configured about said metal-fuel tape during metal-fuel tape recharging operations.