Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus – product – and – With heat exchange feature
Patent
1989-02-28
1991-07-23
Kalafut, Stephen J.
Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and
With heat exchange feature
429130, 429153, 429159, 429160, 429247, H01M 214, H01M 222
Patent
active
050342908
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to batteries, and in particular to composite batteries comprising a plurality of interconnected cells.
Many forms of battery are known, from a single cell, to arrangements comprising a plurality of interconnected cells as necessary to give a required energy storage capacity.
Batteries can also be divided into two main types; primary batteries which have a relatively short life and which are discarded when exhausted, such batteries often being a single cell and used for torches, radios and toys; and secondary batteries which are rechargable when exhausted and thus have a relatively long life, such batteries being used for starting automobiles, powering fork lift trucks and electric vehicles, and providing standby power for buildings and telephone exchange equipment.
Both primary and secondary batteries of dry alkaline type are known, as are secondary batteries of lead acid type.
Recently secondary batteries of sodium sulphur type have become known, such batteries having the advantages of light weight, high storage capacity and relatively quick recharging time. Further, such batteries use sodium and sulphur both of which are cheap and abundant materials.
Unlike conventional lead acid batteries in which a liquid electrolyte--dilute sulphuric acid separates two solid electrodes, in a sodium sulphur battery a solid electrolyte--beta alumina separates two liquid electrodes, namely liquid sulphur and sodium electrodes.
Such a sodium sulphur cell is shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, which is a perspective view of the cell with part broken away.
As shown the cell comprises a pressed steel case 1 in the form of a right circular cylinder containing a solid electrolyte cup 2 of beta alumina, the cup 2 containing a sodium electrode 3, while a space between the case 1 and the cup 2 contains a sulphur electrode 4. For use, the cell is maintained at a temperature of about 350.degree. C. such that the sodium and sulphur electrodes 3 and 4 are in liquid form.
The open end of the cup 2 is closed by an insulating disc 5 of alpha alumina, while the case 1 is closed by an annular steel disc 6.
The case 1 serves as a terminal for the sulphur electrode 4, while the sodium electrode 3 contains an elongate metal current collector 8 which extends axially of the case 1 out through the disc 5 where it is connected to a center terminal disc 7 mounted on the disc 5, the necessary connections being made by welding.
The atomic structure of beta alumina is such that it acts as a selective ion filter. When the cell is discharging sodium ions pass from the sodium electrode 3 through the electrolyte 2 to react with the sulphur electrode 4 to form sodium sulphide. The chemical energy of this reaction is converted directly to electrical energy.
When the cell is charged, sodium and sulphur are regenerated from the sodium sulphide, the input electrical energy being converted into chemical energy.
To provide a battery capable of powering a vehicle it may be necessary for about 3000 cells as described above to be assembled together in arrays of series-connected arrangements of cells, the arrangements in each array being connected in parallel, and the arrays of arrangements being connected in series.
According to one aspect, this invention provides a battery comprising a plurality of cells or series arrangements of cells arranged between a pair of electrically conductive bus plates each serving to interconnect corresponding terminals of the cells or series arrangements therebetween, each terminal of each cell, or the end terminal of each series arrangement, being connected to the adjacent bus plate by means of a conductive metal strip welded to the terminal and having free ends passing through a hole in the bus plate and welded to the side of the bus plate remote from the terminal.
According to another aspect, this invention provides a battery comprising a plurality of parallel cells or parallel series arrangements of cells, including electrically insulating separators between adjacent cells or series arrangements, the separato
REFERENCES:
patent: 2185829 (1940-01-01), Burgess
patent: 3992225 (1976-11-01), Sykes
patent: 4091186 (1978-05-01), Ott et al.
patent: 4478277 (1984-10-01), Friedman et al.
Abstract of U.S. Pat. No. 1215004, 2/1917 (Decker), class 204/52.
Abstract of Japanese 61-110974, 5/1986 (Kagawa).
Abstract of Japanese 61-110973, 5/1986 (Kagawa).
Bindin Peter J.
Dawson Walter A.
Molyneux John
Sands Gilbert
Chloride Silent Power Limited
Kalafut Stephen J.
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