US4435487A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Primary battery system
Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
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Filing: 1982-12-13
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Granted: 1984-03-06
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Expires: 2002-12-13
Abstract
Abstract A battery system (10,110) wherein an electrolyte solution of lithium hydroxide dissolved in seawater is circulated through a battery cartridge (11,111). The system is placed under pressure. A portion of the electrolyte mixture is discharged from the system through a suitable pressure regulating valve (20) while concurrently, fresh seawater is delivered into the system as by a pressurizing pump (17). The increased pressure acts to increase the density of the gaseous portion of the ejected gas liquid mixture, reduce the volume of the gaseous portion of the ejected gas-liquid mixture, thereby reducing the total volume of the ejected mixture, and reduce the ratio of gas volume to liquid volume in the system as well as the ejected gas-liquid mixture.
Inventors
- 👤 Lawrence S. Supelak
- 👤 Steven J. Specht
- 👤 Richard C. Hills
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 21:08
CPC Classifications
D; D21; D21C; D21C3/00; D21C3/003; H; H01; H01M; H01M50/00; H01M50/70; H01M50/77; H01M6/00; H01M6/30; H01M6/32; H01M6/34; H01M6/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
A primary battery system comprising: a closed housing to be submerged in a liquid solvent and defining a reservoir and a battery cartridge zone; a battery cartridge in said battery cartridge zone comprising an electrochemical cell utilizing the solvent and a solute as an electrolyte and a generating gas and additional solute by-product as a result of electrochemical operation thereof; means for providing additional solvent from exteriorly of the housing to within said housing at an elevated pressure; means for circulating fluid including the electrolyte with generated solute, generated gas, and additional solvent from the reservoir, through said cartridge, and back to said reservoir; and pressure regulated means for discharging excess fluid mixture from said reservoir as an incident of the pressure thereof exceeding a preselected operating pressure, the elevated pressure condition of the fluid mixture causing a reduction in the gas to liquid volume ratio.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
146 words
A primary battery system comprising: a closed housing to be submerged in a liquid solvent and defining a reservoir and a battery cartridge zone; a battery cartridge in said battery cartridge zone comprising an electrochemical cell utilizing the solvent and a solute as an electrolyte and a generating gas and additional solute by-product as a result of electrochemical operation thereof; means for providing additional solvent from exteriorly of the housing to within said housing at an elevated pressure; means for circulating fluid including the electrolyte with generated solute, generated gas, and additional solvent from the reservoir, through said cartridge, and back to said reservoir; and pressure regulated means for discharging excess fluid mixture from said reservoir as an incident of the pressure thereof exceeding a preselected operating pressure, the elevated pressure condition of the fluid mixture causing a reduction in the gas to liquid volume ratio.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The battery system of claim 1 wherein said battery cartridge comprises a lithium/silver oxide battery cartridge.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The battery system of claim 1 wherein said circulating means includes heat transfer means for cooling at least a portion of the fluid delivered from said cell.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The battery system of claim 1 wherein said circulating means includes heat transfer means in heat exchange relationship to the ambient liquid solvent through said housing for cooling at least a portion of the fluid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The battery system of claim 1 further including means for maintaining said battery cartridge zone at the same pressure as that in said reservoir.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The battery system of claim 1 further including means for maintaining said battery cartridge zone at the same pressure as that at the inlet to said battery cartridge.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The battery system of claim 1 wherein said means for providing ambient liquid solvent to said housing comprises a high pressure pump.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The battery system of claim 1 wherein said means for providing ambient liquid solvent to said housing comprises a high pressure positive displacement pump.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The battery system of claim 1 wherein said battery cartridge comprises a lithium/aqueous battery cartridge.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
91 words
A primary battery system comprising: a primary battery cartridge producing as an incident of electrochemical operation thereof a gaseous by-product and a solute by-product in a circulated electrolyte liquid; means for replacing a portion of the fluid with fresh electrolyte solvent; pressurizing means for placing the fluid including the electrolyte, the replacement solvent and said by-products therein under a pressure preselected to cause the volume ratio of the gaseous component to liquid component of the mixture to be reduced; and recirculating the fluid to the battery cartridge for further operation thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
91 words
A primary battery system comprising: a primary battery cartridge producing as an incident of electrochemical operation thereof a gaseous by-product and a solute by-product in a circulated electrolyte liquid; means for replacing a portion of the fluid with fresh electrolyte solvent; pressurizing means for placing the fluid including the electrolyte, the replacement solvent and said by-products therein under a pressure preselected to cause the volume ratio of the gaseous component to liquid component of the mixture to be reduced; and recirculating the fluid to the battery cartridge for further operation thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
The primary battery system of claim 10 wherein said battery cartridge defines a lithium silver oxide cell and the electrolyte comprises a solute of seawater and lithium hydroxide.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The primary battery system of claim 10 wherein said means are provided for selectively causing operation of said pressurizing means when the ambient pressure is less than a preselected pressure.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The primary battery system of claim 10 wherein means are provided for selectively causing operation of said pressurizing means when the ambient pressure is less than approximately 1000 psi absolute.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
101 words
A lithium/silver oxide battery system comprising: a lithium/silver oxide battery cartridge producing as an incident of electrochemical operation thereof a gaseous hydrogen by-product and a lithium hydroxide by-product in a seawater electrolyte solvent; means for placing the fluid mixture having said by-products therein under a preselected pressure; discharging a portion of the produced hydrogen gas and a portion of the liquid electrolyte, as a mixture; and recirculating the pressurized fluid mixture to the battery cartridge, said pressure being preselected to cause the volume ratio of the gaseous hydrogen to liquid electrolyte on the mixture to be reduced to a preselected ratio.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
101 words
A lithium/silver oxide battery system comprising: a lithium/silver oxide battery cartridge producing as an incident of electrochemical operation thereof a gaseous hydrogen by-product and a lithium hydroxide by-product in a seawater electrolyte solvent; means for placing the fluid mixture having said by-products therein under a preselected pressure; discharging a portion of the produced hydrogen gas and a portion of the liquid electrolyte, as a mixture; and recirculating the pressurized fluid mixture to the battery cartridge, said pressure being preselected to cause the volume ratio of the gaseous hydrogen to liquid electrolyte on the mixture to be reduced to a preselected ratio.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The lithium/silver oxide battery system of claim 14 including means for replacing the discharged portion of the fluid with solvent seawater.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The primary battery system of claim 14 further including means for cooling the fluid during operation of the system.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-03-06 | 1987-09-05 | 1988-03-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-03-06 | 1991-09-05 | 1992-03-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-03-06 | 1995-09-05 | 1996-03-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |