Space Systems/loral, LLC

Carl R Halbach

John C Hall

Stephen J Lenhart

A bipolar rechargeable battery comprises a vessel with an insulated liner and an interior region for bulk storage of a gas which serves as an electrode active material. A plurality of cells are nested within the vessel, each including a metallic bipolar cup having a circular base and an integral insulated hydrophobic upstanding side wall of truncated conical shape diverging with increased distance from the base. A positive electrode overlies the base. A dielectric separator separates the positive electrode and a negative electrode sized to fittingly engage the side wall such that any gas generated at the positive electrode must pass through the negative electrode to escape the cell to thereby recombine the generated gas with the active material gas within the cell. The upstanding side wall of each cell is oriented to enable gas passage from each of said cells to the bulk gas storage region. The upstanding side walls of the adjacent cells mutually define a gap enabling gas communication between the adjacent cells and between each of the cells and the bulk gas storage region. A gas screen of porous conductive inert material may overlie the gas electrode, providing an interface between the cell and an adjoining cell in the battery and passage of gas between the bulk gas storage and the gas electrode current collector.

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Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Carl R Halbach