Metal/Air Battery with Gas Separations Unit and Load-Leveling Oxygen Storage System

Abstract

A metal/air battery includes an oxygen management system that delivers oxygen to the battery during a discharge cycle. The oxygen management system includes an oxygen separations unit and an oxygenated gas supply reservoir that are fluidly coupled to a positive electrode of the battery via a valve system. The valve system selectively places the oxygen separations unit and the oxygenated gas supply reservoir in fluid communication with the positive electrode during the discharge cycle. The oxygen management system also includes a compressor with an outlet fluidly coupled to the oxygenated gas supply reservoir and an inlet fluidly connected to the oxygen separations unit via the valve system. The valve system selectively places the oxygen separations unit in fluid communication with the oxygenated gas supply reservoir during one or more of the discharge cycle and a charge cycle of the battery.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.