Sodium-sulphur cells
AssigneeChloride Silent Power Limited
InventorsGraham Robinson, Michael Patrick Joseph Brennan, Ivor Wynn Jones
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Abstract
In a sodium-sulphur cell having a solid electrolyte and a cathode current collector with a porous conductive matrix, e.g. carbon or graphite felt, in the region between the electrolyte and the current collector, the matrix is formed of a plurality of discrete elements with electronically conductive material, e.g. graphite foil, between the elements extending across the region between the current collector and the electrolyte to increase the conductivity across that region.
Claims15
In a sodium-sulphur cell having a solid electrolyte and a cathode current collector with a porous conductive matrix in the region between the electrolyte and the current collector, the improvement in combination therewith comprising the matrix being formed of a plurality of discrete elements with electronically conductive material of a higher bulk conductivity than the matrix elements positioned between the elements and extending across the region between the current collector and the electrolyte to increase the conductivity across that region.
A sodium sulphur cell comprising a solid electrolyte tube with sodium adjacent the outer surfaces of the electrolyte, an axially-disposed cathode current collector within the electrolyte tube and a matrix of graphite or carbon material containing the cathodic reactant in the annular region between the electrolyte tube and the current collector wherein the matrix comprises a plurality of discrete elements of porous graphite or carbon material with electronically conductive material of higher bulk conductivity than the elements positioned between the elements forming current paths extending in radial directions from the current collector to the surface of the electrolyte tube to increase the conductivity in said radial directions.
A sodium sulphur cell having an annular cathodic region between an electrolyte tube and a cathode current collector, which annular region comprises annular elements of carbon or graphite material impregnated with cathodic reactant with washers of electronically conductive material chemically inert to the cathodic reactant between said annular elements, the material of said washers having a higher bulk conductivity than the annular elements, said washers extending radially between the current collector and the electrolyte.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.