Cell with circulating electrolyte
AssigneeYardney Electric Corporation
InventorsZbigniew Stachurski, Michel N. Yardney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
To prevent the formation of internal short circuits between electrodes of a rechargeable electrochemical cell, the electrolyte is maintained in continuous motion at least during charging when, in the case of an air-depolarized cell with a positive oxygen electrode and a negative zinc electrode, an air stream is introduced into a cylindrical cell casing through a multiplicity of orifices in a generally tangential direction and at increasing distances from the housing axis to impart rotation about that axis to the liquid; upon the subsequent discharge, a valve redirects the air stream into a compartment separated from the electrolyte by the oxygen electrode.
Claims7
In a rechargeable electrochemical cell having a housing, a reversible metallic first electrode in said housing, and a gas-diffusion-type second electrode defining with said first electrode a first fluid space in said housing containing a liquid electrolyte, the combination therewith of:
- a supply of depolarizing gas under pressure;
- conduit means leading from said supply to said housing and terminating in an apertured element opening into said first fluid space, said conduit means including a branch opening into a second-fluid space adjacent a dry face of said second electrode and separated from said first fluid space by said second electrode;
- and valve means for directing gas from said supply into said first fluid space through said apertured element during a charging phase for physically agitating said electrolyte, and into said second fluid space through said branch during a discharging phase for interaction with said second electrode to generate a current flow between said electrodes and a load.
A method of operating a rechargeable electrochemical cell having a reversible metallic first electrode and a gas-depolarizable second electrode in a housing also containing a liquid electrolyte between said electrodes, comprising the steps of charging said reversible electrode while admitting a stream of depolarizing gas from a high-pressure source into the space between said electrodes to set the electrolyte in continuous motion for physically agitating same, and thereafter discharging said reversible electrode while directing a stream of electrode-reactable gas from said source onto a dry face of said second electrode remote from the electrolyte for interaction therewith to generate a current flow between said electrodes and a load.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.