Patent · US Expired

Power storage system using sodium-sulfur batteries

US4578325A · kind A · utility

11Cited by
6References
26Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 17, 1984
Grant dateMar 25, 1986
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 17, 2004

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E60/10
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A sodium-sulfur battery comprising molten sodium as an active material for a minus pole and molten sulfur as an active material for a plus pole, the molten sodium and molten sulfur being partitioned from each other by a sodium ion-permeating solid electrolyte such as .beta.-alumina as a boundary is provided with a sodium storage tank communicated with the molten sodium in the battery cell, a draining mechanism for withdrawing the molten sodium, when desired, from the battery cell into the sodium storage tank, and a circulating mechanism for purifying and returning the sodium from the sodium storage tank to the battery cell as the molten sodium, sodium can be discarged urgently from the battery at an accident of direct contact between the sodium and sulfur, with the result of improved safety. A power storage system comprising a plurality of the sodium-sulfur batteries connected to one another in series and further connected in parallel can be provided with common sodium storage tanks and relevant draining mechanisms, purifying and circulating mechanisms in equal potential level rows of the batteries, resulting in improved economy and safety.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.