US4908281A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Metal/air battery with recirculating electrolyte
Assignee: Yardney Technical Products Inc
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Filing: 1988-09-23
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Granted: 1990-03-13
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Expires: 2008-09-23
Abstract
Abstract A metal-air battery is described having recirculating electrolyte. The battery comprises: (a) a tank defining a reservoir for liquid electrolyte, (b) a support panel mounted in the tank above the electrolyte reservoir, (c) a plurality of individually removable metal-air cells mounted in side-by-side relationship on said support panel with air gaps therebetween, each cell comprising a pair of spaced-apart flat side walls joined by end faces and top and bottom faces, said side walls including air cathodes, a metal anode mounted between and spaced from said flat side walls, an electrolyte inlet connector below the lower edge of the anode and an electrolyte outlet connector, said connectors being adapted to removably extend through openings in said support panel, and said outlet connector being adapted to return electrolyte to the reservoir, and (d) circuit means for connecting said cells to an external load.
Inventors
- 👤 Wilfrid B. O'Callaghan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 10:32
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01M; H01M6/00; H01M12/00; H01M12/04; H01M12/06; H01M12/065; H01M50/00; H01M50/70; H01M50/77; H01M4/00; H01M4/02; H01M2004/024
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
173 words
A battery comprising: (a) a tank defining a reservoir for liquid electrolyte, (b) a support panel mounted in the tank above the electrolyte reservoir, (c) a plurality of metal-air cells mounted in side-by-side relationship on said support panel with air gaps therebetween, each cell comprising a pair of spaced-apart flat side walls joined by end faces and top and bottom faces, said side walls including air cathodes, a metal anode mounted between and spaced from said flat side walls, an electrolyte inlet connector below the lower edge of the anode and an electrolyte outlet connector, and a vertical internal divider wall extending from the bottom face to a short distance below the top face, said divider wall forming an electrolyte chamber connected to said electrolyte inlet connector and an overflow chamber connected to said electrolyte outlet connector said connectors being adapted to extend through openings in said support panel, and said outlet connector being adapted to return electrolyte to the reservoir, and (d) circuit means for connecting said cells to an external load.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
173 words
A battery comprising: (a) a tank defining a reservoir for liquid electrolyte, (b) a support panel mounted in the tank above the electrolyte reservoir, (c) a plurality of metal-air cells mounted in side-by-side relationship on said support panel with air gaps therebetween, each cell comprising a pair of spaced-apart flat side walls joined by end faces and top and bottom faces, said side walls including air cathodes, a metal anode mounted between and spaced from said flat side walls, an electrolyte inlet connector below the lower edge of the anode and an electrolyte outlet connector, and a vertical internal divider wall extending from the bottom face to a short distance below the top face, said divider wall forming an electrolyte chamber connected to said electrolyte inlet connector and an overflow chamber connected to said electrolyte outlet connector said connectors being adapted to extend through openings in said support panel, and said outlet connector being adapted to return electrolyte to the reservoir, and (d) circuit means for connecting said cells to an external load.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A battery according to claim 1 wherein the top end of the divider wall forms an electrolyte overflow weir and is positioned above the top end of the metal anode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A battery according to claim 2 wherein the electrolyte inlet and outlet connectors are tubes extending downwardly from the bottom faces of the cells.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A battery according to claim 3 which includes an electrolyte manifold mounted beneath the support panel and connecting to said inlet tubes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
A battery according to claim 4 wherein the electrolyte reservoir includes a divider wall forming an overflow weir, with the cell outlets being positioned to discharge into the reservoir on the upstream side of the weir.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A battery according to claim 5 wherein the pump means comprises a plurality of submersible centrifugal pumps mounted in the reservoir on the downstream side of the weir.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A battery according to claim 6 wherein the outlet lines of at least some of said pumps include reverse flow check valves.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
A battery according to claim 1 which includes blower means and air distributor means for blowing air through said air gaps, then down through openings at one side of said support panel, across the reservoir above the electrolyte and then out through a condenser.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
A battery according to claim 8 wherein the condenser is an air-cooled condenser mounted on the support panel above the reservoir on the downstream side of the weir.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A battery according to claim 9 which includes a demister for removing caustic mist from the air entering the condenser.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
A battery according to claim 8 which includes a heat exchanger for cooling the electrolyte.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
A battery according to claim 11 wherein the heat exchanger is an air-cooled heat exchanger mounted on the support panel above the reservoir on the downstream side of the weir.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
70 words
A battery according to claim 1 wherein each air cathode is in the form of a sheet sealed within an opening in said side wall, with a cathode-supporting grid extending across the opening and said grid having small outward projections arranged so that said projections of adjacent pairs of cells engage each other to provide a rigid support for the cathode while permitting free flow of air between the cells.
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) | 1993-03-12 | 1993-09-11 | 1994-03-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-03-12 | 1997-09-11 | 1998-03-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-03-12 | 2001-09-11 | 2002-03-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |