Hydrazine fuel cell and process of operating said fuel cell

Claim 2

A PROCESS FOR CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY DIRECTLY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY WHICH COMPRISES OC THE STEPS OF SUPPLYING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF HYDRAZINE TO THE INTERFACE BETWEEN AN ANODE AND AN AQUEOUS ELECTROLYTE IN A FUEL CELL, SUPPLYING AN OXIDIZING AGENT TO THE INTERFACE BETWEEN A CATHHODE AND AN AQUEOUS ELECTROLYTE IN SAID FUEL CELL SAID ANODE AND CATHODE BEING IONICALLY CONNECTED, AND ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING SAID ANODE AND CATHODE THROUGH AN ELECTRICAL LOAD.

Claim 3

A process for conversion of chemical energy directly into electrical energy which comprises the steps of supplying an aqueous solution of hydrazine as a fuel to the interface between an anode and an electrolyte in a fuel cell, supplying an anti-fuel to the interface between a cathode and the electrolyte in said fuel cell, said anti-fuel being reducible relative to said hydrazine, said anode and cathode being ionically connected, and electrically connecting said anode and cathode through an electrical load.

Claim 4

A process for conversion of chemical energy directly into electrical energy which comprises the steps of supplying an aqueous solution of hydrazine as a fuel to the interface between an anode and an electrolyte in a fuel cell, supplying an anti-fuel to the interface between a cathode and the electrolyte in said fuel cell, said anti-fuel being reducible relative to said hydrazine, said anode and cathode being ionically connected, and electrically connecting said anode and cathode through an electrical load.

Claim 5

A process for conversion of chemical energy directly into electrical energy which comprises the steps of supplying an aqueous solution of hydrazine to the interface between an anode and an aqueous electrolyte in a fuel cell, supplying an aqueous solution of a perchlorate to the interface between a cathode and an aqueous electrolyte in said fuel cell, said anode and cathode being ionically connected, and electrically connecting said anode and cathode through an electrical load.

Claim 6

A process for conversion of chemical energy directly into electrical energy which comprises the steps of supplying an aqueous solution of hydrazine to the interface between an anode and an aqueous electrolyte in a fuel cell, supplying an aqueous solution of a perchlorate to the interface between a cathode and an aqueous electrolyte in said fuel cell, said anode and cathode being ionically connected, and electrically connecting said anode and cathode through an electrical load.

Claim 7

A process for conversion of chemical energy directly into electrical energy which comprises the steps of supplying an aqueous alkaline solution of hydrazine to the interface between an anode and an aqueous electrolyte in a fuel cell, supplying an oxidizing agent to the interface between a cathode and an aqueous electrolyte in said fuel cell, said anode and cathode being ionically connected, and electrically connecting said anode and cathode through an electrical load.

Claim 8

A process for conversion of chemical energy directly into electrical energy which comprises the steps of supplying an aqueous alkaline solution of hydrazine to the interface between an anode and an aqueous electrolyte in a fuel cell, supplying an oxidizing agent to the interface between a cathode and an aqueous electrolyte in said fuel cell, said anode and cathode being ionically connected, and electrically connecting said anode and cathode through an electrical load.

Claim 9

A process for conversion of chemical energy directly into electrical energy which comprises the steps of supplying an aqueous solution of hydrazine to the interface between an anode and an aqueous electrolyte in a fuel cell, supplying an aqueous solution of nitric acid to the interface between a cathode and an aqueous electrolyte in said fuel cell said anode and cathode being ionically connected, and electrically connecting said anode and cathode through an electrical load.

Claim 10

A process for conversion of chemical energy directly into electrical energy which comprises the steps of supplying an aqueous solution of hydrazine to the interface between an anode and an aqueous electrolyte in a fuel cell, supplying an aqueous solution of nitric acid to the interface between a cathode and an aqueous electrolyte in said fuel cell said anode and cathode being ionically connected, and electrically connecting said anode and cathode through an electrical load.

Claim 11

A process for the conversion of chemical energy directly into electrical energy which comprises the steps of supplying an aqueous solution of hydrazine to the interface between an anode and an aqueous electrolyte in a fuel cell, supplying an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide to the interface between a cathode and an aqueous electrolyte in a fuel cell said anode and cathode being ionically connected, and electrically connecting said anode and cathode through an electrical load.

Claim 12

A process for the conversion of chemical energy directly into electrical energy which comprises the steps of supplying an aqueous solution of hydrazine to the interface between an anode and an aqueous electrolyte in a fuel cell, supplying an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide to the interface between a cathode and an aqueous electrolyte in a fuel cell said anode and cathode being ionically connected, and electrically connecting said anode and cathode through an electrical load.

Claim 13

A process for conversion of chemical energy directly into electrical energy which comprises the steps of supplying an aqueous solution of hydrazine to the interface between an anode and an aqueous electrolyte in a fuel cell, supplying an aqueous solution of a permanganate to the interface between a cathode and an aqueous electrolyte in said fuel cell, said anode and cathode being ionically connected, and electrically connecting said anode and cathode through an electrical load.

Claim 14

A process for conversion of chemical energy directly into electrical energy which comprises the steps of supplying an aqueous solution of hydrazine to the interface between an anode and an aqueous electrolyte in a fuel cell, supplying an aqueous solution of a permanganate to the interface between a cathode and an aqueous electrolyte in said fuel cell, said anode and cathode being ionically connected, and electrically connecting said anode and cathode through an electrical load.

Claim 15

A fuel cell for the electrochemical interaction of hydrazine in an aqueous solution of hydrazine and an alkali hydroxide with nitric acid in an aqueous solution of nitric acid, to produce electrical energy comprising in combination, a housing, a pair of non-reactive electrodes disposed in spaced relation in said housing, an ion permeable barrier, substantially impervious to liquid disposed in the housing between said pair of electrodes and in spaced relation therefrom, respectively to define separate chambers, said aqueous solution of hydrazine and alkali hydroxide being disposed in one of said chambers and forming a liquid-solid interface with the adjacent electrode in said chamber, and said aqueous solution of nitric acid disposed in the other of said chambers and forming a liquid-solid interface with the adjacent electrode in said other chamber, ions contained in each solution in eaCh of said chambers respectively adapted to promote desorption of ions derived from said hydrazine in one chamber, and desorption of ions derived from said nitric acid in the other chamber, means for supplying said aqueous solution of hydrazine and alkali hydroxide to said one chamber, and means for supplying said aqueous solution of nitric acid to the other of said chambers, means for externally connecting the electrodes across a load through an electron conductor to form an external circuit therefore, said hydrazine and said nitric acid adapted to coact electrochemically when said external circuit is closed to convert the energy of reaction into electrical energy, and means for removing the reaction product from the cell.

Claim 16

A fuel cell for the electrochemical interaction of hydrazine in an aqueous solution of hydrazine and an alkali hydroxide with nitric acid in an aqueous solution of nitric acid, to produce electrical energy comprising in combination, a housing, a pair of non-reactive electrodes disposed in spaced relation in said housing, an ion permeable barrier, substantially impervious to liquid disposed in the housing between said pair of electrodes and in spaced relation therefrom, respectively to define separate chambers, said aqueous solution of hydrazine and alkali hydroxide being disposed in one of said chambers and forming a liquid-solid interface with the adjacent electrode in said chamber, and said aqueous solution of nitric acid disposed in the other of said chambers and forming a liquid-solid interface with the adjacent electrode in said other chamber, ions contained in each solution in eaCh of said chambers respectively adapted to promote desorption of ions derived from said hydrazine in one chamber, and desorption of ions derived from said nitric acid in the other chamber, means for supplying said aqueous solution of hydrazine and alkali hydroxide to said one chamber, and means for supplying said aqueous solution of nitric acid to the other of said chambers, means for externally connecting the electrodes across a load through an electron conductor to form an external circuit therefore, said hydrazine and said nitric acid adapted to coact electrochemically when said external circuit is closed to convert the energy of reaction into electrical energy, and means for removing the reaction product from the cell.

Claim 17

In a fuel cell, an aqueous solution of hydrazine and potassium hydroxide in one chamber and an aqueous solution of nitric acid disposed in a separate chamber isolated from said first chamber by an ion-permeable barrier, each of said chambers including a separate electrode and forming a liquid-solid interface with the aqueous solution contained in said chamber, respectively, whereby said hydrazine and said nitric acid are disposed for electrochemical coaction at the liquid-solid interfaces formed at said separate electrodes, respectively, one of said electrodes comprising a metallic substrate and a platinum black coating applied at its liquid-solid interface and coacting therewith to promote adsorption.

Claim 18

In a fuel cell, an aqueous solution of hydrazine and potassium hydroxide in one chamber and an aqueous solution of nitric acid disposed in a separate chamber isolated from said first chamber by an ion-permeable barrier, each of said chambers including a separate electrode and forming a liquid-solid interface with the aqueous solution contained in said chamber, respectively, whereby said hydrazine and said nitric acid are disposed for electrochemical coaction at the liquid-solid interfaces formed at said separate electrodes, respectively, one of said electrodes comprising a metallic substrate and a platinum black coating applied at its liquid-solid interface and coacting therewith to promote adsorption.

Claim 19

The fuel cell of claim 9 wherein the ion-permeable barrier is substantially impervious to the aqueous hydrazine solution and to the aqueous nitric acid solution, and selectively permeable to one of the species of hydroxyl ions and hydrogen ions.