Ionically-conductive belt structure for use in a metal-air fuel cell battery system and method of fabricating the same

• US 6,299,997 B1
• Filed: 07/03/1998
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reveo, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Reveo, Inc.
• Inventors: Faris, Sadeg M., Yao, Wayne, Tsai, Tsepin, Chen, Muguo, Legbandt, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): KALAFUT, STEPHEN J
• Application Number:
  US09/110,762
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 429/27, 429/68, 429/127, 296/235
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49115 including coating or impregnating

Abstract

In an air-metal fuel cell battery (FCB) system, wherein metal-fuel tape, the ionically-conductive medium and the cathode structures are transported at substantially the same velocity at the locus of points at which the ionically-conductive medium contacts the moving cathode structure and the moving metal-fuel tape during discharging and recharging modes of operation. In a first generalized embodiment of the present invention, the ionically-conductive medium is realized as an ionically-conductive belt, and the metal-fuel tape, ionically-conductive belt, and movable cathode structure are transported at substantially the same velocity at the locus of points which the ionically-conducing belt contacts the metal-fuel tape and the cathode structure during system operation. In a second generalized embodiment of the present invention, the ionically-conductive medium is realized as a solid-state film layer integrated with the metal-fuel tape. In a third generalized embodiment of the present invention, the ionically-conductive medium is realized as a solid-state film layer integrated with the movable cathode structure. By transporting the movable cathode structure, ionically contacting medium and metal-fuel tape within the system as described above, generation of frictional forces among such structures are minimized during system operation, and thus the damage to the cathode structure and metal-fuel tape is substantially reduced.

Claims

1. A metal-air fuel cell battery system for supplying electrical power across first and second output terminals, the system comprising:

a movable cathode structure that is cylindrically shaped and has a hollow center permitting air flow therethrough;

a supply of metal-fuel tape transportable relative to said movable cathode structure;

an ionically-conductive belt structure transported between said movable cathode structure and at least a portion of said metal-fuel tape, for contacting said movable cathode and said metal-fuel tape and supporting ionic conduction therebetween during system operation; and

a transport mechanism including

a first means for transporting said supply of metal-fuel tape relative to said movable cathode structure,

a second means for moving said movable cathode structure relative to and at substantially the same velocity as said metal-fuel tape during system operation, and

a third means for transporting said ionically-conductive belt structure between said movable cathode structure and said metal-fuel tape during system operation, at substantially the same velocity as said metal-fuel tape during system operation.

2. A metal-air fuel cell battery system for supplying electrical power across first and second output terminals, the system comprising:

a movable cathode belt structure;

a supply of metal-fuel tape transportable relative to said movable cathode belt structure;

an ionically-conductive belt structure transported between said movable cathode belt structure and at least a portion of said metal-fuel tape, for contacting said movable cathode belt structure and said metal-fuel tape and supporting ionic conduction therebetween during system operation; and

a transport mechanism including

a first means for transporting said supply of metal-fuel tape relative to said movable cathode belt structure,

a second means for moving said movable cathode belt structure relative to and at substantially the same velocity as said metal-fuel tape at the locus of points at which said ionically-conductive belt structure contacts said movable cathode belt structure and said metal-fuel tape during system operation, and

a third means for transporting said ionically-conductive belt structure between said movable cathode belt structure and said metal-fuel tape during system operation, at substantially the same velocity as said metal-fuel tape at the locus of points at which said ionically-conductive belt structure contacts said movable cathode belt structure and said metal-fuel tape during system operation.

3. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 2, wherein said first means comprises one or more motors for transporting said movable cathode belt structure, and said second means comprises one or more motors for transporting said metal-fuel tape relative to said movable cathode belt structure.

4. A metal-air fuel cell battery system for supplying electrical power across first and second output terminals, the system comprising:

a movable cathode structure;

a supply of metal-fuel tape transportable relative to said movable cathode structure;

an ionically-conductive belt structure transported between said movable cathode belt structure and at least a portion of said metal-fuel tape, for contacting said movable cathode belt structure and said metal-fuel tape and supporting ionic conduction therebetween during system operation; and

a transport mechanism including

a first means for transporting said supply of metal-fuel tape relative to said movable cathode structure,

a second means for moving said movable cathode belt structure relative to and at substantially the same velocity as said metal-fuel tape at the locus of points at which said ionically-conductive belt structure contacts said movable cathode structure and said metal-fuel tape during system operation, and

a third means for transporting said ionically-conductive belt structure between said movable cathode structure and said metal-fuel tape during system operation, at substantially the same velocity as said metal-fuel tape at the locus of points at which said ionically-conductive belt structure contacts said movable cathode belt structure and said metal-fuel tape during system operation.

5. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 4, wherein said first means comprises one or more motors for rotating said movable cathode structure, and said second means comprises one or more motors for transporting said metal-fuel tape relative to said movable cathode structure.