Galvanic element, particularly a metal-air cell

Claim 1

In a galvanic element, particularly a metal-air cell, having a consumable metal electrode of flat shape which extends into a container adapted to contain electrolyte liquid, and a gas-diffusion electrode freely flushable by gas and arranged at a distance from a working surface of said metal electrode, the improvement wherein said container being hermetically sealed with respect to gas produced during operation of the galvanic element by electrochemical conversion including means for collecting in said container the gas produced during operation of the galvanic element by electrochemical conversion, said means further for retaining said collecting gas in said closed container without venting said gas, said means further for building-up gas pressure of the related collecting gas in said container, and said means by the built-up gas pressure for operatively recirculating the electrolyte liquid through said container, said means defining a hermetic gas collection space for the collecting, retaining and the building-up of the gas pressure of the retained collecting gas produced by the electrochemical conversion, said collection space is formed in the upper part of said container, and the cell further comprises a pipe system which extends outside of said container, is connected communicatingly with said upper part of said container and a lower part of said container and is operatively acted on as a function of the gas pressure for the transporting of the electrolyte liquid from the upper region of the container into the lower region of the container, a cover hermetically closed the container in insulated manner and holds the metal electrode, said pipe system further includes, a discharge pipe connection projecting into the container through said cover and extending inside the container by an interior length of said discharge pipe connection, the latter being formed with an opening communicating with the upper part of the container, said interior length of said discharge pipe connection to said opening limiting said gas collection space, said opening defining a lower limit of said gas collection space, an overflow vessel leading to said discharge pipe connection, a return pipe leading from said overflow vessel into the lower part of the container, said pipe system includes a flexible siphon hose for the electrolyte liquid, a venting and electrolyte outlet closure means at one end of the siphon hose for being opened and closed, respectively, and said siphon hose being connected at its other end to said return pipe.