Fuel cell battery

Abstract

Abstract TO ENABLE USE OF A CARRIER ELECTROLYTE HAVING A REACTANT THEREIN, FUEL CELL UNITS MAY BE STACKED TOGETHER, EACH FUEL CELL BEING FORMED OF AN EMBOSSED ELECTRODE HAVING PROTUBERANCES EXTENDING ON AT LEAST ONE SIDE, OR POSSIBLY ON ALTERNATE SIDES AND SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER BY SEMIPERMEABLE DISPHRAGMS. IN THE CASE OF A BATTERY THE ELECTRODES ARE THIN SHEETS HELD WITHIN A PLASTIC FRAME, EMBOSSED TO HAVE THE PROTUBERANCES EXTENDING BY SEVERAL TENTHS MM., FOR EXAMPLE 0.5 MM., AND THE SIDES ARE PREFERABLY COATED WITH CATALYST. THE MARGINAL PORTIONS OF THE FRAMES, THE ELECTRODES AND DIAPHRAGMS AND SPACER ELEMENTS IF USED, ARE FORMED WITH OPENINGS TO PROVIDE THE STACK WITH TWO ELECTROLYTE SUPPLY AND DRAIN SYSTEMS. OPPOSITE FACES OF THE ELECTRODES ARE IN COMMUNITATION WITH ALTERNATE SUPPLY SYSTEMS OF ELECTROLYTE CHARGED WITH REACTANT BY FINE DUCTS OR MICROCHANNELS, SO THAT THE ELECTROLYTE CAN WASH OVER THE FACES OF THE ELECTRODES. THE ELECTROLYTE APPLIED TO ONE SYSTEM INCLUDES A REDUCING AGENT, AND TO THE OTHER AN OXIDIZING AGENT, TO PROVIDE ANODIC AND CATHODIC ELECTRODE SURFACES, RESPECTIVELY, SEPARATED BY PERMEABLE DIAPHRAGMS. AT LEAST ONE OF THE ADDITIVE AGENTS MAY BE A NON-REGENERATABLE MATERIAL, SOLUBLE IN THE ELECTROLYTE. THE ADDITIVE AGENTS MAY BE ALSO EMULSIFIED NON-SOLUBLE GASEOUS OR LIQUID MATERIAL.

Inventors

• 👤 B Warszawski

Bibliographic Details