Cell casing and hermetically sealed primary sodium-sulfur cell

Claim 2

A BATTER CASING COMPRISING A FIRST INNER METALLIC CASING WITH A CLOSED END, A FILL OPENING, AND AN OPPOSITE OPEN END A FIRST INWARDLY EXTENDING METALLIC FLANGE AFFIXED TO THE OPEN END OF THE FIRST INNER CASING, A SECOND INNER METALLIC CASING WITH OPPOSITE OPEN ENDS, THE SECOND INNER CASING SURROUNDING THE FIRST INNER CASING AND SPACED THEREFROM, A SECOND INWARDLY EXTENDING METALLIC FLANGE AFFIXED TO ONE OPEN END OF THE SECOND INNER CASING ADJACENT TO THE FIRST FLANGE AND SPACED THEREFROM, LAYER OF ELECTRICAL INSULATION POSITIONED BETWEEN THE TWO INNER CASINGS AND FILLING THE SPACE THEREBETWEEN A SOLID SODIUM ION-CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL DISC POSITIONED BETWEEN THE ADADJACENT FLANGES OF THE INNER CASINGS, LOW TEMPERATURE MELTING GLASS SEALS SEALING THE ADJACENT FLANGES TO THE DISC AT ITS PERIPHERY, AN OUTER METALLIC CASING COMPRISING A SIDE WALL, REMOVABLE CLOSED END, AND AN OPPOSITE OPEN, THE SIDE WALL OF THE OUTER CASING SURROUNDING AT LEASR PARTIALLY THE INNER CASINGS, OF SIDE WALL OF THE OUTER CASING EXTENDING BEYOND THE FLANGE OF THE SECOND INNER VESSEL THEREBY PROVIDING A CHAMBER BETWEEN ONE SURFACE OF THE DISC AND THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF THE REMOVABLE END OF THE OUTER CASING, THE OUTER CASING BEING SPACED FROM THE SECOND INNER CASING, AND A METALLIC ANNULAR RING AFFIXED TO THE OUTER CASING AND THE SECOND INNER CASING AT THE OPEN END OF THE OUTER CASING THEREBY CLOSING THE OPEN END OF THE OUTER CASING.

Claim 3

A hermetically sealed primary sodium-sulfur cell comprising a first inner casing with a closed end and an opposite open end, a first inwardly extending flange affixed to the open end of the first inner casing, a second inner casing with opposite open ends, the second inner casing surrounding the first inner casing and spaced thereform, a second inwardly extending flange affixed to one open end of the second inner casing adjacent to the first flange and spaced therefrom a layer of electrical insulation positioned between the two inner casings and filling the space therebetween, a solid sodium ion-conductive material disc positioned between the adjacent flanges of the inner casings, low temperature melting glass seals sealing the adjacent flanges to the disc at its periphery, an outer metallic casing comprising a side wall, a closed end, and an opposite open end, the side wall of the outer casing surrounding at least partially the inner casings, the side wall of the outer casing extending beyond the flange of the second inner vessel thereby providing a chamber between one surface of the disc and the interior surface of the removable end of the outer casing, the outer casing being spaced from the second inner casing, an annular ring affixed to the outer casing and the second inner casing at the open end of the outer casing thereby closing the open end of the outer casing, a sodium anode within the first inner casing and in contact with the solid sodium ion-conductive material disc, and a cathode of sulfur and sodium polysulfide in a conductive material within the outer casing and in contact with the disc and with the outer casing.

Claim 4

A hermetically sealed primary sodium-sulfur cell comprising a first inner casing with a closed end and an opposite open end, a first inwardly extending flange affixed to the open end of the first inner casing, a second inner casing with opposite open ends, the second inner casing surrounding the first inner casing and spaced thereform, a second inwardly extending flange affixed to one open end of the second inner casing adjacent to the first flange and spaced therefrom a layer of electrical insulation positioned between the two inner casings and filling the space therebetween, a solid sodium ion-conductive material disc positioned between the adjacent flanges of the inner casings, low temperature melting glass seals sealing the adjacent flanges to the disc at its periphery, an outer metallic casing comprising a side wall, a closed end, and an opposite open end, the side wall of the outer casing surrounding at least partially the inner casings, the side wall of the outer casing extending beyond the flange of the second inner vessel thereby providing a chamber between one surface of the disc and the interior surface of the removable end of the outer casing, the outer casing being spaced from the second inner casing, an annular ring affixed to the outer casing and the second inner casing at the open end of the outer casing thereby closing the open end of the outer casing, a sodium anode within the first inner casing and in contact with the solid sodium ion-conductive material disc, and a cathode of sulfur and sodium polysulfide in a conductive material within the outer casing and in contact with the disc and with the outer casing.

Claim 5

A hermetically sealed primary sodium-sulfur cell as in claim 2, in which a cathode of sulfur and sodium polysulfide in a conductive material is within the first inner casing, and a sodium anode is within the outer casing and in contact with the disc and with the outer casing.

Claim 6

A hermetically sealed primary sodium-sulfur cell as in claim 2, in which metal casing portions are tantalum, and the conductive material of the cathode is carbon felt.