Metal air electrochemical cell architecture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025125451-A1
Application number	US-202418988337-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 19, 2024
Priority date	Jun 29, 2018
Publication date	Apr 17, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods of the various embodiments may provide metal air electrochemical cell architectures. Various embodiments may provide a battery, such as an unsealed battery or sealed battery, with an open cell arrangement configured such that a liquid electrolyte layer separates a metal electrode from an air electrode. In various embodiments, the electrolyte may be disposed within one or more vessel of the battery such that electrolyte serves as a barrier between a metal electrode and gaseous oxygen. Systems and methods of the various embodiments may provide for removing a metal electrode from electrolyte to prevent self-discharge of the metal electrode. Systems and methods of the various embodiments may provide a three electrode battery configured to operate each in a discharge mode, but with two distinct electrochemical reactions occurring at each electrode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A battery comprising:
a vessel; an air electrode; a metal electrode; a current collector supporting the metal electrode within the vessel; an electrolyte within a portion of the vessel; and a pump fluidically coupled to the vessel, the pump actuatable to pump the electrolyte into the vessel to a first level submerging the metal electrode, and the pump actuatable to pump the electrolyte out of the vessel to a second level removing the metal electrode from the electrolyte.

2 . The battery of claim 1 , wherein the current collector is rigid and porous.

3 . The battery of claim 1 , wherein the metal electrode includes iron or an iron-alloy.

4 . A battery comprising:
a vessel; an air electrode; a metal electrode; a current collector supporting the metal electrode within the vessel; an electrolyte within a portion of the vessel; and a bladder inflatable to a first size displacing the electrolyte in the vessel such that the metal electrode is submerged in the electrolyte when the bladder, the bladder inflatable to a second size removing the electrolyte from contact with the metal electrode in the vessel.

5 . The battery of claim 4 , wherein the bladder is an air bladder.

6 . The battery of claim 4 , wherein the metal electrode is comprised of iron or an iron-alloy.

7 . A battery comprising:
a vessel; an air electrode; a metal electrode; a current collector supporting the metal electrode and the air electrode within the vessel; an electrolyte within a portion of the vessel; and a lifting system coupled to the current collector, the lifting system actuatable to raise and lower the metal electrode out of and into the electrolyte in the vessel.

8 . The battery of claim 7 , wherein the lifting system includes one or more motors and one or more drive elements coupled to the one or more motors.

9 . The battery of claim 7 , wherein the metal electrode includes iron or an iron-alloy.

10 . A battery comprising:
an anode; a first cathode; a second cathode; and an electrolyte, the electrolyte flooding a first surface of the first cathode, a second surface of the second cathode, and a third surface of the anode when the battery is operating in a discharge mode, and the electrolyte spaced apart from contact with the second cathode when the battery is operating in a recharge mode.

11 . The battery of claim 10 , wherein the first cathode is operable to evolve oxygen in the recharge mode of the battery and to reduce oxygen in the discharge mode of the battery.

12 . The battery of claim 11 , wherein the anode includes iron or an iron-alloy.

13 . The battery of claim 11 , wherein the first cathode comprises a hydrophilic portion and a hydrophobic portion.

14 . The battery of claim 13 , wherein the second surface of the second cathode is hydrophilic.

15 . The battery of claim 14 , wherein the second cathode includes a substrate coated with nickel.

16 . The battery of claim 15 , wherein the substrate comprises carbon, titanium, or copper.

17 . The battery of claim 10 , wherein the anode includes iron ore in a form comprising taconite, magnetite, or hematite, reduced iron ore comprising iron metal (Fe0), wustite (FeO), or a mixture thereof.

18 . The battery of claim 10 , wherein the anode includes reduced taconite, direct reduced (“DR”) taconite, not-yet-reduced “DR Grade” taconite, direct reduced iron (“DRI”), or any combination thereof.

Assignees

• Form Energy Inc

Inventors

• Milshtein Jarrod David
• Westwood Mitchell Terrance
• Woodford William Henry
• Chiang Yet-Ming
• Jaramillo Mateo Cristian
• Mckay Ian Salmon
• Mumma Rachel Elizabeth
• Weber Eric
• Su Liang
• Kharey Amelie Nina
• Ferrara Marco
• Wiley Theodore Alan

Classifications

• H01M50/60

  Arrangements or processes for filling or topping-up with liquids; Arrangements or processes for draining liquids from casings · CPC title

• H01M12/02 Primary

  Details (of electrodes H01M4/00; of non-active parts H01M50/00) · CPC title

• H01M50/691

  Arrangements or processes for draining liquids from casings; Cleaning battery or cell casings · CPC title

• H01M10/42

  Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells (H01M10/60 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M6/32

  activated through external addition of electrolyte or of electrolyte components · CPC title