Metal air battery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017170451-A1
Application number	US-201515307364-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 9, 2015
Priority date	Apr 29, 2014
Publication date	Jun 15, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A metal-air battery may include a housing, at least one hollow-cylindrical cathode arranged in the housing between an air chamber and an electrolyte chamber, and at least one metallic anode arranged in the electrolyte chamber. The battery may also include an air path leading through the housing from an air inlet to an air outlet of the housing, both of which may be fluidically connected to the air chamber, and an air supply device for generating an air flow following the air path and impinging on the cathode. The battery may further include an electrolyte path leading through the housing from an electrolyte inlet to an electrolyte outlet of the housing, both of which may be fluidically connected to the electrolyte chamber, and an electrolyte supply device for generating an electrolyte flow following the electrolyte path and impinging on the anode and the cathode.

First claim

1 . A metal-air battery,
with a housing ( 2 ), with at least one hollow-cylindrical cathode ( 7 ), which is arranged in the housing ( 2 ) between an air chamber ( 9 ) and an electrolyte chamber ( 10 ), with at least one metallic anode ( 11 ), which is arranged in the electrolyte chamber ( 10 ), with an air path ( 14 ) leading through the housing ( 2 ), which leads from an air inlet ( 15 ) of the housing ( 2 ), which is fluidically connected to the air chamber ( 9 ), to an air outlet ( 16 ) of the housing ( 2 ), which is fluidically connected to the air chamber ( 9 ), with an air supply device ( 20 ) for generating an air flow following the air path ( 14 ) impinging on the cathode ( 7 ), with an electrolyte path ( 17 ) leading through the housing ( 2 ), which leads from an electrolyte inlet ( 18 ) of the housing ( 2 ), which is fluidically connected to the electrolyte chamber ( 10 ), to an electrolyte outlet ( 19 ) of the housing ( 2 ), which is fluidically connected to the electrolyte chamber ( 10 ), with an electrolyte supply device ( 21 ) for generating an electrolyte flow following the electrolyte path ( 17 ) impinging on the anode ( 11 ) and the cathode ( 7 ).

2 . The battery according to claim 1 ,
characterized by a control device ( 22 ) for operating the metal-air battery ( 1 ), which is electrically connected to the air supply device ( 20 ) and to the electrolyte supply device ( 21 ), wherein the control device ( 22 ) is configured and/or programmed so that as a function of a current electric power demand on the metal-air battery ( 1 ) it activates the air supply device ( 20 ) for generating an air flow adapted to this power demand and/or activates the electrolyte supply device ( 21 ) for generating an electrolyte flow adapted to this power demand.

3 . The battery according to claim 2 ,
characterized in that the control device ( 22 ) is configured and/or programmed so that as a function of the current power demand it activates the electrolyte supply device ( 21 ) for generating the electrolyte flow adapted to this power demand and activates the air supply device ( 20 ) for generating an air flow adapted to the adapted electrolyte flow.

4 . The battery according to claim 2 or 3 ,
characterized in
that the control device ( 22 ) is configured and/or programmed so that for switching off the metal-air battery ( 1 ) it activates the electrolyte supply device ( 21 ) for draining the electrolyte path ( 17 ) of electrolyte.

5 . The battery according to any one of the claims 1 to 4 ,
characterized in
that the anode ( 11 ) is rotatably mounted on the housing ( 2 ) about its longitudinal centre axis ( 13 ).

6 . The battery according to claim 5 ,
characterized in that a rotary drive ( 56 ) for rotationally driving the anode ( 11 ) is provided.

7 . The battery according to claim 6 ,
characterized in that the anode ( 11 ) is configured so that a rotation of the anode ( 11 ) drives the electrolyte in the electrolyte path ( 17 ).

8 . The battery according to claim 7 ,
characterized in that the anode ( 11 ) on its outside ( 36 ) exposed to the electrolyte chamber ( 10 ) comprises flow guiding structures ( 37 ) which with rotating anode ( 11 ) drive the electrolyte.

9 . The battery according to claim 5 ,
characterized in that the electrolyte path ( 17 ) is conducted past the anode ( 11 ) so that the electrolyte flow rotatingly drives the anode ( 11 ).

10 . The battery according to claim 9 ,
characterized in that the electrolyte inlet ( 18 ) on a first end region of the electrolyte chamber ( 10 ) is arranged tangentially to the electrolyte chamber ( 10 ), while the electrolyte outlet ( 19 ) is arranged on a second end region of the electrolyte chamber ( 10 ).

11 . The battery according to claim 9 or 10 ,
characterized in
that the anode ( 11 ) on its outside ( 36 ) exposed to the electrolyte chamber ( 10 ) comprises flow guiding structures ( 37 ) which transmit a torque to the anode ( 11 ) when the anode ( 11 ) is impinged by the electrolyte flow.

12 . The battery according to any one of the claims 1 to 11 ,
characterized in
that the anode ( 11 ) is configured cylindrically and mechanically and electrically connected to a metallic support plate ( 26 ).

13 . The battery according to claim 12 ,
characterized in that the support plate ( 26 ) via an axial bearing ( 27 ) is rotatably mounted on the housing ( 2 ) about a longitudinal centre axis ( 13 ) of the anode ( 11 ).

14 . The battery according to claim 13 ,
characterized in that a power connection ( 29 ) of the metal-air battery ( 1 ) on the anode side is formed on the axial bearing ( 27 ).

15 . The battery according to claim 13 or 14 ,
characterized in that
the axial bearing ( 27 ) comprises an anti-friction metal ring ( 31 ) which lies in an annular bearing shell ( 32 ) on the housing side and on which the support plate ( 26 ) is supported and on which the support plate ( 26 ) slides with rotating anode ( 11 ).

16 . The battery according to claim 15 ,
characterized in that the anti-friction metal ring ( 31 ) comprises an annular body ( 34 ) of an anti-friction metal alloy and at least one heating conductor ( 35 ) arranged in the annular body ( 34 ), with which the annular body ( 34 ) can be heated.

17 . The battery according to claim 16 ,
characterized in that a power supply of the heating conductor ( 35 ) is configured so that the heating conductor ( 35 ) heats the annular body ( 34 ) to a predetermined operating temperature which is below a melting point of the anti-friction metal alloy but is so close to the melting point of the anti-friction metal alloy that surface melting occurs on the annular body ( 34 ).

18 . The battery according to any one of the claims 1 to 17 ,
characterized in
that the air supply device ( 20 ) upstream of the air inlet ( 15 ) comprises a concentration device ( 38 ) which increases the oxygen proportion in the air flow.

19 . The battery according to any one of the claims 1 to 18 ,
characterized in
that the electrolyte supply device ( 21 ) comprises an electrolyte circuit ( 41 ) which has an advance ( 42 ), which leads from an electrolyte tank ( 44 ) to the electrolyte inlet ( 18 ), and comprises a return ( 43 ), which leads from the electrolyte outlet ( 19 ) to the electrolyte tank ( 44 ).

20 . The battery according to claim 19 ,
characterized in that in the advance ( 42 ) an advance pump ( 45 ) for driving the electrolyte is arranged.

21 . The battery according to claim 19 or 20 ,
characterized in
that in the return ( 43 ) a return pump ( 46 ) for driving the electrolyte is arranged.

22 . The battery according to any one of the claims 19 to 21 ,
characterized in
that in the return ( 43 ) an electrolyte cleaning device ( 47 ) for removing reaction products from the electrolyte is arranged.

23 . The battery according to any one of the claims 19 to 22 ,
characterized in
that in the return ( 43 ) a gas separation device ( 48 ) for removing gases from the liquid electrolyte is arranged.

24 . The battery according to claim 23 ,
characterized in that the gas separation device ( 48 ) by way of a gas line ( 49 ) is fluidically connected to a conversion device ( 50 ) for converting the chemical energy of the separated gas into electric and/or thermal energy.

25 . The battery according to claim 24 ,
ch

Assignees

• Mahle Int Gmbh

Inventors

• Englert Peter

Classifications

• B60L50/70

  using power supplied by fuel cells (in combination with batteries B60L50/75) · CPC title

• H01M4/661

  Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings (H01M4/669 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M6/5022

  Arrangements for moving electrodes or separating elements · CPC title

• H01M4/381

  Alkaline or alkaline earth metals elements (H01M4/40 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M2300/0014

  Alkaline electrolytes · CPC title