Metal-Air Battery with Expandable Anode

In an air cathode battery, a method for accommodating slurry expansion, the method comprising:

• providing a charged battery with an air cathode, an anode cavity, an anode compartment having a wall, zinc slurry in the anode compartment, an electrolyte, and an ion-permeable separator;
• connecting the anode and air cathode to an external load;
• converting at least a portion of the zinc slurry into zinc oxide;
• and,
• in response to the conversion to zinc oxide, moving the anode compartment wall.

An air cathode battery with a slurry anode, the battery comprising:

• an air cathode having a first interior surface and a second interior surface;
• an anode cavity interposed between the air cathode first interior surface and the second interior surface;
• an anode compartment occupying the anode cavity, the anode compartment having a first wall and a second wall, both capable of movement;
• an anode current collector pouch having a first wall adjacent to an interior surface of the anode compartment first wall, and a second wall adjacent to an interior surface of the anode compartment second wall;
• a zinc slurry occupying an expandable region in the anode compartment between the anode current collector pouch and the anode compartment wall interior surfaces;
• an ion-permeable electrically insulating first separator mounted on an exterior surface of the anode compartment first wall, and an ion-permeable electrically insulating second separator mounted on an exterior surface of the anode compartment second wall;
• and,
• a replenishable electrolyte source to provide electrolyte to the anode cavity.