Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus – product – and – With pressure equalizing means for liquid immersion operation
Patent
1993-03-22
1995-05-30
Kalafut, Stephen
Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and
With pressure equalizing means for liquid immersion operation
429 34, 429 38, H01M 808
Patent
active
054199794
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a chemical reactor with a gas separator, more specifically a fuel element that uses a gas as a reaction component.
The invention further relates to a frame that may be set together with an identical frame to form an element to be used in this reactor.
As indicated above, the present invention relates to a chemical reactor where gas is generated in a liquid stream and where gas bubbles may have an unfavorable effect on the intended reactions, or where for other reasons it is desirable to separate out the gas. In particular the present invention may be utilized in connection with electrochemical reactions such as in the interconnection of galvanic cells (electrolyzers, batteries and fuel cells) where gas is formed by unwanted side reactions in the electrolyte, which for example is the case in systems using a gaseous component such as oxygen or air as an oxidation agent, a metal as a reduction agent and a liquid electrolyte.
One area of utilization for the present invention is a galvanic system of the type using aluminum/air fuel cells.
Today, reactors are used where the liquid may only pass through the reactor until a certain upper limit is reached for the gas content in the liquid. When the ratio gas:liquid has become so high that it hinders the flow of liquid in the apparatus, the liquid must be removed from the reactor and led into a separate gas separator or similar device.
Another problem that arises with the current reactor systems that use a plurality of parallel fluid inlets to the reactor is that they are subjected to an uneven supply of fluid in the individual inlets, particularly when the liquid also contains a gas phase or even contains solid particles. To alleviate this problem it is necessary to have separate pumps for each inlet or to provide in some other way for adequate security against clogging and for sufficient balance for the stream of material in the individual inlets.
Part of what is particularly accomplished by the present invention is that the invention enables fluid transport through the reactor even with a high emission of gas in the reactor; furthermore, the invention alleviates problems of uneven supply of liquid to the reactor with parallel inlets, and the invention's subject reduces the problems of electrical short-circuiting between the cells in electrochemical reactors.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to chemical reactors for reactions involving gas generation, comprising feed lines, reaction chambers and outlet lines, and the reactors are characterized in that the outlet lines include separate gas removal devices.
More specifically, the invention relates to a reactor as mentioned above for use in metal/air systems, and these reactors are characterized in that the reaction chambers are composed of two identical frames with means for attachment of an air electrode, depressions forming openings for conducting air past the air electrode, a recessed opening for means to removed the current from the air electrode, a slot for a means for conducting current from the anode, grooves running diagonally through the thickness of two interjoined frames along a side of the frame, grooves along the lower and upper frame sides for transporting electrolyte, and narrow through-going holes provided in each corner of each frame for transporting hydrogen through the holes provided at the upper side of the frame. The invention also relates to frames of the type described in the preceding paragraph.
In the following, for the purpose of simplifying the description of the invention and its applicability, a system comprising aluminum and air will be used as an example of the utilization of the invention.
It should be pointed out, however, that the invention is not limited to the use of an aluminum/air system; in principle it may be used in all types of reactors where a gas phase occurs in a liquid stream and it is desired to remove the gas, and where the liquid stream is to be conducted through the reactor, and where the reactor consists of two or more cham
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patent: 4842963 (1989-06-01), Ross, Jr.
patent: 4871627 (1989-10-01), Strong et al.
patent: 4927717 (1990-05-01), Turley et al.
patent: 4950561 (1990-08-01), Niksa et al.
patent: 5190833 (1993-03-01), Goldstein et al.
Bjordal Oddvar
Garshol Tor
Johansen Kjell H.
Mollestad Ole
Forsvarets Forskningsinstitutt
Kalafut Stephen
Nuzzolillo M.
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