System and method for producing electrical power using metal-air fuel cell battery technology

• US 6,296,960 B1
• Filed: 10/06/1997
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reveo, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Reveo, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, Yuen-Ming, Yao, Wenbin, Faris, Sadeg M., Tsai, Tsepin
• Primary Examiner(s): KALAFUT, STEPHEN J
• Application Number:
  US08/944,507
• Time in Patent Office: 1,457 Days
• Field of Search: 429/25, 429/27, 429/68.9, 429/127, 429/208, 429/233
• US Class Current: 429/404
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/72 Constructional details of fuel cells specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/33 by cooling
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

Improved metal-air fuel cell battery systems having metal-fuel realized in the form of metal-fuel tape cartridges and metal-fuel cards, which can be either manually or automatically inserted within the power generation bay of the system. In order to produce a range of output voltages, the metal-fuel tape has a plurality of electrically-isolated metal-fuel tracks and the metal-fuel cards have a plurality of electrically-isolated metal-fuel strips. An output voltage configuration subsystem is provided for configuring the voltages produced by the individual cells to produce a desired output. A subsystem is provided for detecting oxide formation on the metal-fuel tracks and strips so that only metal-fuel that has been oxidized is reduced during recharging operations. A subsystem is also provided for controlling the flow of oxygen into the power generation head in order to control the power output from the system.

Claims

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

first and second output power supply terminals for supplying electrical power to an electrical load at an output voltage;

an electrically-conductive cathode element pervious to oxygen;

an ionically-conductive medium for providing a source of ions at said electrically-conductive cathode element;

a cathode support structure for supporting said electrically-conductive cathode element;

at least one metal-fuel element, functioning as an electrically-conductive anode element, with said ionically-conductive medium disposed between said at least one metal-fuel element and said electrically-conductive cathode element;

an electrically-conductive anode-contacting element for establishing electrical contact with said metal-fuel element during operation of said metal-air fuel cell battery system;

an anode contacting element support structure for supporting said electrically-conductive anode-contacting element in electrical contact with said metal-fuel element;

a first electrically-conductive pathway from said electrically-conductive cathode element to said first output power supply terminal; and

a second electrically-conductive pathway from said electrically-conductive anode element to said second output power supply terminal;

output voltage configuration means for configuring the output voltage at the output power supply terminals; and

wherein

said cathode support structure supports a plurality of electrically-conductive cathode elements,

said at least one metal-fuel element comprises a plurality of metal-fuel elements, functioning as a plurality of electrically-conductive anode elements, and

said electrically-conductive anode-contacting element comprises a plurality of electrically-conductive anode-contacting elements in electrical contact with said plurality of metal-fuel elements;

said first electrically-conductive pathway comprising a first plurality of electrical conductors, each being connected from one said electrically-conductive cathode element to said output voltage configuration means;

said second electrically-conductive pathway comprising a second plurality of electrical conductors, each being connected from one said electrically-conductive anode-contacting element to said output voltage configuration means;

wherein said output voltage configuration means selectively configures the voltages across said first and second plurality of electrical conductors so as to produce a selected output voltage across said first and second output power supply terminals.

2. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 1, which further comprises means for sensing an electrical condition associated with said electrical load connected to said first and second output power supply terminals.

3. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 1, which further comprises means for sensing oxide formation on each said metal fuel element supported within said metal fuel support structure.

4. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 3, which further comprises reduction means for reducing each said metal fuel element on which oxide formation has been sensed.

5. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 4, which further comprises power supply means for providing electrical power to said reduction means.

15. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 1, wherein said metal-fuel element comprises a card structure insertable between said cathode support structure and said anode contacting element support structure.

16. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 15, wherein said metal fuel support structure comprises a metal fuel support plate for receiving said metal fuel element in the form of a metal fuel sheet.

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

first and second output power supply terminals for supplying electrical power to an electrical load at an output voltage;

an electrically-conductive cathode element pervious to oxygen;

an ionically-conductive medium for providing a source of ions at said electrically-conductive cathode element;

a cathode support structure for supporting said electrically-conductive cathode element;

at least one metal-fuel element, functioning as an electrically-conductive anode element, with said ionically-conductive medium disposed between said metal-fuel element and said electrically-conductive cathode element;

an electrically-conductive anode-contacting element for establishing electrical contact with said metal-fuel element during operation of said metal-air fuel cell battery system;

an anode contacting element support structure for supporting said electrically-conductive anode-contacting element in electrical contact with said metal-fuel element;

a first electrically-conductive pathway from said electrically-conductive cathode element to said first output power supply terminal; and

a second electrically-conductive pathway from said electrically-conductive anode element to said second output power supply terminal;

wherein said at-least one metal-fuel element comprises a flexible substrate transportable relative to said cathode support structure and said anode contacting element, and said metal-fuel element comprises a metal film disposed on said flexible substrate.

7. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 6, wherein said flexible substrate and said metal film disposed thereon forms metal-fuel tape which is wound on a supply spindle and is taken up on a take-up spindle as said metal fuel tape is transported between said cathode support structure and said anode contacting structure.

8. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 7, wherein said supply spindle and said take-up spindle are driven by an electric motor.

9. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 8, which further comprises power sensing means for sensing the output power supplied to said electrical load, and wherein said electric motors are automatically controlled in response to the sensed output power supplied to said electrical load.

10. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 8, wherein said supply spindle and said take-up rotatably mounted within a cassette cartridge housing.

11. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 10, which further comprises a power generation bay for storing said cassette cartridge housing during power generation, and wherein said cassette cartridge further comprises

an aperture for allowing said metal-fuel tape to establish electrical contact with said electrically-conductive cathode element, by way of said ionically-conductive medium.

12. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 11, wherein said cassette cartridge further comprises a retractable door structure which automatically closes off said aperture when said cassette cartridge is removed from said power generation bay, and automatically reveals said aperture when said cassette cartridge is inserted within said power generation bay.

13. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 7, wherein said flexible substrate includes a longitudinally extending groove formed therein so as to allow said anode contacting structure to establish electrical contact with said metal-fuel tape as said metal-fuel tape is transported relative to said electrically-conductive cathode element.

14. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 7, which further comprises means for forcing ambient air to flow over said cathode support structure during generation of electrical power from said system.

17. A cassette fuel cartridge for use in a metal-air fuel cell battery (FCB) power generation system having a power generation head including a power generation bay, an electrically-conductive cathode element and an anode contacting structure, said cassette fuel cartridge comprising:

a cassette housing for insertion within the power generation bay of said metal-air FCB power generation system, and having an interior volume and an aperture for transport of at least a portion of said power generation head within said interior volume;

a supply of metal-fuel tape wound on a pair of spindles rotatably mounted within the interior volume of said cassette housing, said metal fuel tape having a flexible substrate and a metal film disposed on said flexible substrate and functioning as an anode element,

wherein, when said cassette housing is inserted within said power generation bay and said supply of metal-fuel tape is transported from one spindle to the other spindle, said metal fuel tape establishes electrical contact with said anode contacting structure and with said electrically-conductive cathode element by way of an ionically-conductive medium supplied at said power generation head.

18. The cassette fuel cartridge of claim 17, which further comprises a retractable door structure which automatically reveals said aperture when said cassette housing is inserted within said power generation bay, and automatically closes off said aperture when said cassette housing is removed from said power generation bay.

19. The cassette fuel cartridge of claim 18, wherein said power generation head comprises a plurality of electrically-conductive cathode elements and a plurality of electrically-conductive anode-contacting structures, and wherein said metal-fuel tape comprises a plurality of metal-fuel tracks disposed on said flexible substrate, and said metal-fuel tracks functioning as electrically-conductive anode elements, each of which establishes electrical contact with one said electrically-conductive anode contacting structure when said cassette housing is inserted within said power generation bay.

20. The cassette fuel cartridge of claim 19, wherein each said metal-fuel track is made of zinc.