Electrochemical structure

Claim 1

IN AN ELECTROLYTIC CELL DIVICE, A STRUCTURE COMPRISING A TWO-DIMENSIONAL ARRAY OF CONTINUOUS, JUXTAPOSED, SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL, TUBULAR, OPEN-ENDED CELLS HAVING POROUS WALLS EXTENDING ALONG THE LENGTH OF SAID CELLS BETWEEN OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID STRUCTURE, A PAIR OF GAS-PERVIOUS ELECTRODES AT THE RESPECTIVE SIDES OF SAID STRUCTURE COVERING THE ADJACENT OPEN ENDS OF SAID CELLS, THE CELL WALLS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY FROM SAID ELECTRODES AND HAVING A LENGTH NORMAL TO SAID ELECTRODES WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THE THICKNESS OF SAID WALLS, THE WIDTH OF SAID CELLS PARALLEL TO SAID ELECTRODES BEING SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THE CELL WALL THICKNESS TO PROVIDE A LARGE OPEN AREA FOR COMMUNICATION OF THE INTERIOR OF SAID CELLS WITH SAID ELECTRODES, A FURTHER PAIR OF ELECTRODES SPACED RESPECTIVELY FROM THE ELECTRODES OF THE FIRST-MENTIONED PAIR IN THE DIRECTION OF THE LENGTH OF SAID CELLS, AN ELECTROLYTE DISPOSED BETWEEN AND IN CONTACT WITH EACH ELECTRODE OF THE FIRSTMENTIONED PAIR AND THE ASSOCIATED ELECTRODE OF THE FURTHER PAIR, A HOUSING HAVING A WALL ENCLOSING THE SPACE BETWEEN THE ELECTRODES OF THE FIRST-MENTIONED PAIR OCCUPIED BY SAID STRUCTURE, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING A FLUID INTO SAID HOUSING THROUGH SAID HOUSING WALL, WHEREBY THE FLUID MAY ENTER SAID CELLS THROUGH THE PORES IN THE CELL WALLS, AND MEANS FOR CONNECTING AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT TO SAID ELECTRODES.