METAL-AIR FUEL CELL BATTERY SYSTEM EMPLOYING HYDROSTATIC FORCES TO ENABLE SIMULTANEOUS TRANSPORT OF METAL-FUEL TAPE, MOVABLE CATHODE STRUCTURE, AND IONICALLY-CONDUCTIVE MEDIUM THERETHROUGH DURING SYSTEM OPERATION
US6403244B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 12, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jun 11, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 12, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E60/50
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In an air-metal fuel cell battery (FCB) system, wherein a movable cathode structure is mounted within a housing through which metal-fuel tape is transported along a predetermined path while an ionically-conductive medium is disposed between the metal-fuel tape and the movable cathode structure. In illustrative embodiments, the movable cathode structure is realized as a rotatable cathode cylinder, and a transportable cathode belt. The ionically-conductive medium is realized as a solid-state ionically-conductive film applied to the cathode structures and/or metal-fuel tape, as well as ionically-conductive belt structures. During system operation, the metal-fuel tape and/or the ionically-conductive medium are wetted in order create sufficient surface tension, and thus sufficient hydrostatic forces, between the metal-fuel tape and ionically-conductive medium and between the ionically-conductive medium and the movable cathode structure, to enable the movable cathode structure, ionically-conductive medium and metal-fuel tape to move at substantially the same velocity at points of contact therebetween while only one or these three moving system components are being actively driven by a tr…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.