Electrochemical cells having solid electrolyte of tubular form
AssigneeChloride Silent Power Limited
InventorsGeoffrey John May, Michael McNamee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an electrochemical cell, such as a sodium-sulphur cell, having a tube of solid electrolyte material separating a liquid alkali metal from a cathodic reactant, the electrolyte tube is surrounded by constraining means which apply an inward pressure as the cell temperature rises. This is achieved either by having a suitable means, e.g., wire, around the tube with a lower coefficient of expansion than the tube, or by putting powder or particles or corrugated metal or other constraining means between the tube and a surrounding housing, the materials being chosen to have appropriate coefficients of expansion to give the required inward pressure.
Claims27
An electrochemical cell having a tube of solid electrolyte material separating a liquid alkali metal from a cathodic reactant, wherein constraining means are provided around the electrolyte tube, the constraining means having a coefficient of thermal expansion such as to provide an increasing inward pressure on the electrolyte tube as the temperature rises.
A sodium-sulphur cell comprising a beta-alumina tube forming a solid electrolyte separating a sulphur-containing cathodic reactant from liquid sodium and having constraining means around the beta-alumina tube with a coefficient of thermal expansion less than that of the beta-alumina so that an increasing inward pressure is applied on the beta-alumina tube as the temperature rises and so thereby putting the tube in compression at its operating temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.