Nested annular metal-air cell and systems containing same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11251476-B2
Application number	US-202016868681-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2020
Priority date	May 10, 2019
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

Electrochemical metal-air cells having nested electrodes provided in an annular or cylindrical configuration, including systems that contain such cells in a sealed container. Each cell may include an oxidant electrode (air cathode) and a fuel electrode (anode), both configured in annular form. A series of permeable bodies, screens, or current collectors may be provided as part of the fuel electrode. An annular oxygen evolution electrode may also be provided in the cells. In some cases, the fuel electrode is nested within the oxidant electrode, or vice versa. Optionally, a second oxidant electrode may be included in the cells. Ionically conductive medium or electrolyte may be contained in the cell. Each cell may have its own cell housing. Optionally, an air space or pocket may be formed in a cell via an oxidant electrode. The sealed container may contain the cells such that they are surrounded by air or an electrolyte.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrochemical metal-air cell comprising:
an oxidant electrode for absorbing gaseous oxidant and comprising one or more active materials for reducing the gaseous oxidant,
a metal fuel electrode comprising a solid metal fuel for oxidation, and
a liquid ionically conductive medium, that is contained by the oxidant electrode, for conducting ions for supporting electrochemical reactions at the metal fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode,
wherein the oxidant electrode and the metal fuel electrode are each configured in annular form, and wherein the metal fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode are nested.

2. The electrochemical metal-air cell according to claim 1 , wherein the metal fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode are essentially cylindrical.

3. The electrochemical metal-air cell according to claim 1 , further comprising an oxygen evolution electrode, wherein the oxygen evolution electrode is configured in annular form and wherein the oxygen evolution electrode is provided between the metal fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode.

4. The electrochemical metal-air cell according to claim 1 , further comprising a cell housing configured to contain the oxidant electrode, the metal fuel electrode, and the ionically conductive medium therein.

5. The electrochemical metal-air cell according to claim 4 , wherein the cell housing is cylindrical.

6. The electrochemical metal-air cell according to claim 1 , wherein the oxidant electrode is nested within the metal fuel electrode.

7. The electrochemical metal-air cell according to claim 1 , wherein the metal fuel electrode is nested within the oxidant electrode.

8. The electrochemical metal-air cell according to claim 7 , wherein the oxidant electrode is a first oxidant electrode, and wherein the cell further comprises a second oxidant electrode, the second oxidant electrode being in annular form and nested within the metal fuel electrode, and wherein the liquid ionically conductive medium is contained between the first oxidant electrode and the second oxidant electrode.

9. The electrochemical metal-air cell according to claim 8 , wherein the second oxidant electrode forms an inner air space to contain air therein.

10. The electrochemical metal-air cell according to claim 8 , further comprising an oxygen evolution electrode, wherein the oxygen evolution electrode is configured in annular form and wherein the oxygen evolution electrode is provided between the first oxidant electrode and the second oxidant electrode.

11. The electrochemical metal-air cell according to claim 1 , wherein the metal fuel electrode comprises a series of permeable bodies, wherein the series of permeable bodies are configured in annular form and wherein each permeable body is spaced apart relative to an adjacent permeable body.

12. The electrochemical metal-air cell according to claim 11 , further comprising an oxygen evolution electrode, wherein the oxygen evolution electrode is configured in annular form and wherein the oxygen evolution electrode is provided between the series of permeable bodies of the metal fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode.

13. A system comprising:
a sealed container;
a plurality of electrochemical metal-air cells, each metal-air cell comprising:
an oxidant electrode for absorbing gaseous oxidant and comprising one or more active materials for reducing the gaseous oxidant,
a metal fuel electrode comprising a solid metal fuel for oxidation, the oxidant electrode and the metal fuel electrode each configured in annular form, wherein the oxidant electrode and the metal fuel electrode are nested; and
a liquid ionically conductive medium for conducting ions for supporting electrochemical reactions at the metal fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode,
wherein the sealed container contains the plurality of electrochemical metal-air cells therein.

14. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the metal fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode are essentially cylindrical.

15. The system according to claim 13 , further comprising an oxygen evolution electrode, wherein the oxygen evolution electrode is configured in annular form and wherein the oxygen evolution electrode is provided between the metal fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode.

16. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the metal fuel electrode is nested within the oxidant electrode in each of the plurality of electrochemical cells.

17. The system according to claim 16 , wherein the liquid ionically conductive medium is contained by the oxidant electrode of each metal-air cell and wherein the sealed container further contains air therein to surround the plurality of electrochemical metal-air cells.

18. The system according to claim 17 , further comprising an air flow generator configured to force atmospheric air into the sealed container, to deliver atmospheric air into the sealed container such that said air is delivered to an external surface of the oxidant electrodes of the plurality of electrochemical metal-air cells contained therein.

19. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the plurality of electrochemical metal-air cells are spaced within the sealed container such that centers of the metal-air cells are substantially equidistantly spaced relative to one another.

20. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the oxidant electrode is nested within the metal fuel electrode in each of the plurality of electrochemical cells, and wherein each oxidant electrode forms an inner air space to contain air therein.

21. The system according to claim 20 , wherein the liquid ionically conductive medium is contained by the sealed container and wherein the oxidant electrodes of the plurality of electrochemical metal-air cells are suspended within the sealed container such that the oxidant electrodes are configured to substantially float within the ionically conductive medium.

22. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the metal fuel electrode comprises a series of permeable bodies, wherein the series of permeable bodies are configured in annular form and wherein each permeable body is spaced apart relative to an adjacent permeable body.

23. The system according to claim 22 , further comprising an oxygen evolution electrode, wherein the oxygen evolution electrode is configured in annular form and wherein the oxygen evolution electrode is provided between the series of permeable bodies of the metal fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode.

24. The system according to claim 13 , wherein each of the electrochemical metal-air cells comprises a cell housing configured to contain the oxidant electrode, the metal fuel electrode, and the ionically conductive medium therein.

25. The electrochemical metal-air cell of claim 1 , wherein the cell is configured to generate current by oxidation of the solid metal fuel at the metal fuel electrode and reduction of the gaseous oxidant at the oxidant electrode.

26. The electrochemical metal-air cell of claim 3 , wherein the cell is configured to generate current by oxidation of the solid metal fuel at the metal fuel electrode and reduction of the gaseous oxidant at the oxidant electrode, and wherein the cell is a secondary cell and configured to be recharged by application of a current to cause oxidation to evolve oxygen at the oxygen evolution electrode and reduction of the solid metal fuel at the metal fuel electrode.

Assignees

• Form Energy Inc

Inventors

• Donahey Glenn
• Krishnan Ramkumar
• Grewal Jagjot Singh

Classifications

• H01M50/559

  Terminals adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round, elliptic or button cells (H01M50/553 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M50/107

  having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic (H01M50/103, H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M12/08 Primary

  composed of a half-cell of a fuel-cell type and a half-cell of the secondary-cell type · CPC title

• H01M12/06 Primary

  with one metallic and one gaseous electrode · CPC title

• H01M50/213

  adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic (H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence) · CPC title