US4254190A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Electrochemical power generation apparatus and methods
Assignee: Alcoa Corp
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Filing: 1979-10-01
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Granted: 1981-03-03
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Expires: 1999-10-01
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and methods for generating heat and electricity from the consumption of a variety of aluminum products comprise: (a) a reaction chamber containing an aqueous electrolyte solution and adapted for introduction therein of aluminum pieces of various shapes and sizes up to a certain maximum predetermined size and for effecting a chemical reaction between said aqueous electrolyte and said aluminum pieces yielding aluminum hydroxide and an intermediate reactant; (b) means for feeding said aluminum pieces into said reaction chamber in small quantities upon demand; (c) means for removing the heat generated in said chamber as a result of said reaction; (d) means for removing said aluminum hydroxide reaction product; and (e) means for oxidizing said intermediate reactant in an electrochemical cell, thereby generating electrical energy. The intermediate reactant is preferably hydrogen or zinc. The latter may be used in a slurry type zinc/air battery, whereas hydrogen is preferably reacted in conjunction with a nongaseous cathode reactant, which may be a liquid solution of an oxidant, such as hydrogen peroxide, or a solid, such as nickel dioxide. The latter may be regenerated either chemically, by immersion in an oxidizing solution, or electrically, by using the gaseous diffusion type of hydrogen electrode to also reduce oxygen from ambient air.
Inventors
- 👤 Solomon Zaromb
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 21:23
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60L; B60L50/00; B60L50/50; B60L50/70; B60L50/72; H; H01; H01M; H01M8/00; H01M8/06; H01M8/0606; H01M8/065; B60L50/60; B60L50/64; B60L58/00; B60L58/10; B60L58/24; B60L58/26; H01M8/18; B60L2240/00; B60L2240/40; B60L2240/54; B60L2240/545; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/30; Y02E60/50; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/60; Y02T10/70; Y02T90/00; Y02T90/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
Apparatus for generating heat and electrical energy from the consumption of a variety of aluminum products which comprises: (a) a reaction chamber containing an aqueous electrolyte solution and adapted for introduction therein of aluminum pieces of various shapes and sizes up to a certain maximum predetermined size and for effecting a chemical reaction between said aqueous electrolyte and said aluminum pieces yielding aluminum hydroxide and an intermediate reactant; (b) means for feeding said aluminum pieces into said reaction chamber in small quantities upon demand; (c) means for removing the heat generated in said chamber as a result of said reaction; (d) means for removing said aluminum hydroxide reaction product; and (e) means for oxidizing said intermediate reactant in an electrochemical cell, thereby generating electrical energy.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
Apparatus for generating heat and electrical energy from the consumption of a variety of aluminum products which comprises: (a) a reaction chamber containing an aqueous electrolyte solution and adapted for introduction therein of aluminum pieces of various shapes and sizes up to a certain maximum predetermined size and for effecting a chemical reaction between said aqueous electrolyte and said aluminum pieces yielding aluminum hydroxide and an intermediate reactant; (b) means for feeding said aluminum pieces into said reaction chamber in small quantities upon demand; (c) means for removing the heat generated in said chamber as a result of said reaction; (d) means for removing said aluminum hydroxide reaction product; and (e) means for oxidizing said intermediate reactant in an electrochemical cell, thereby generating electrical energy.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said intermediate reactant is hydrogen or zinc.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus of claim 2, wherein said intermediate reactant is zinc, and said electrochemical cell is a slurry-type zinc/air or zinc/oxygen battery.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus of claim 2, wherein said intermediate reactant is hydrogen, and said electrochemical cell comprises a nongaseous cathode reactant.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus of claim 4, wherein said cathode reactant is an oxidant in liquid solution.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus of claim 5, wherein said oxidant is hydrogen peroxide or a halogen compound.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus of claim 4, wherein said cathode reactant is a solid of the group consisting of manganese dioxide, lead dioxide, and silver oxide.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
11 words
Apparatus of claim 4, wherein said cathode reactant is nickel dioxide.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus of claim 8, comprising means for withdrawing the cathodes of said cell for the purpose of effecting chemical regeneration of said nickel dioxide following discharge of said cell.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus of claim 8, comprising means for electrically recharging said nickel dioxide following discharge.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus of claim 10, comprising a gaseous diffusion electrode for the oxidation of hydrogen during the discharge reaction, and means for exposing said diffusion electrode to oxygen or air and for effecting therewith the electro-reduction of oxygen during recharge.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said aluminum pieces exceed a certain minimum predetermined size, and comprising a screen with openings small enough to retain most of said aluminum pieces within said reaction chamber.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus of claim 12, comprising zinc or zinc-coated slurry particles substantially smaller than the openings in said screen.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus of claim 13, wherein said zinc-coated particles have an average specific gravity of between 3 and 4 grams/cm 3 .
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus of claim 3, comprising means for precipitating aluminum hydroxide from said aqueous electrolyte solution while leaving most of the zincate ions in a dissolved state, and means for separating the precipitated aluminum hydroxide from said electrolyte solution and from said zinc-coated slurry particles.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus of claim 15, comprising means for utilizing some of the heat generated in said reaction chamber and/or in said zinc/air battery to evaporate water adhering to said precipitated aluminum hydroxide, and means for condensing said water and recovering it in distilled form.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus of claim 16, comprising means for removing electrolyte ions adsorbed onto said precipitate by rinsing said precipitate with said distilled water.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus of claim 17, comprising zinc or zinc-coated slurry particles, means for separating these particles from said electrolyte solution, and means for transferring these particles between said reaction chamber and said zinc/air battery in repeated cycles.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus of claim 18, wherein said reaction chamber constitutes an aluminum/zinc battery comprising an aluminum-consuming anode and a cathode at which dissolved zinc ions are reduced to zinc metal.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
66 words
Apparatus of claim 19, wherein the electrolyte solution in said aluminum/zinc battery may have a substantially different composition than that in said zinc/air battery, and comprising means for rinsing the zinc or zinc-coated particles, separated from the electrolyte solution, with said distilled water, prior to their being transferred from one of said batteries to the other, and means for returning the rinsings to their respective electrolytes.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
55 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said reaction chamber comprises a capped inner container open at the bottom and a removable outer bag clamped around the upper outside portion of said inner container above the electrolyte level, so as to prevent leakage, said bag serving to collect and remove said aluminum hydroxide reaction product.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus of claim 11, comprising means for removing from the electrolyte of said electrochemical cell the excess water formed during recharge.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus of claim 22, wherein said means for removing the excess water is an evaporator utilizing part of the heat generated in said reaction chamber.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-03-02 | 1984-09-01 | 1985-03-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-03-02 | 1988-09-01 | 1989-03-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-03-02 | 1992-09-01 | 1993-03-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |