Ovonic Battery Company, Inc.

Ovonic Fuel Cell Company LLC

Texaco Ovonic Fuel Cell LLC

Chevron Texaco Technology Ventures, LLC

Rajeev Puttaiah

Stanford R Ovshinsky

Lin R Higley

Marshall D Muller

Dennis A Corrigan

Philippe Gow

Anthony Osgood

Srinivasan Venkatesan

Subhash K Dhar

Boyko Aladjov

Hong Wang

Zdravko Menjak

Ronald Himmler

John Smaga

Latchezara M Gradinarova

Zdravjo Menjak

Joshua Payne

The present invention discloses a fuel cell having at least one bi-cell. The bi-cells may be stacked in series to achieve a desired power output. Each bi-cell is a unit cell comprising two hydrogen electrodes, two air/oxygen electrodes, two electrolyte distributors and a gas diffuser. The hydrogen electrodes are disposed adjacent to one another and the air/oxygen electrodes are disposed on the outside ends of the hydrogen electrodes. An electrolyte distributor is disposed between each adjacently set hydrogen electrode and air/oxygen electrode. A gas diffuser/distributor is disposed between the hydrogen electrodes. An elastomeric material is injected between the electrodes and distributors to provide mechanical stability. Further, the entire bi-cell is overmolded with an elastomeric material. Ribs are set in the distributors to prevent the elastomeric material from flowing into areas designed for electrolyte flow, hydrogen flow and mechanical restraints and to promote uniform spacing between the various components. When the bi-cell units are stacked and secured, sufficient openings for air are formed to allow air to contact the air/oxygen electrodes.

Air breathing fuel cell having bi-cell unit cells

A battery having at least one group of electric power-generating elements each comprising at least a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator; and a battery case containing the group of electric power-generating elements. The battery case is formed from a mixture which includes a matrix material selected from the group consisting of plastics, polymers, resins or combinations thereof. The mixture further includes a thermally conductive, electrically insulating material distributed throughout the matrix material. The thermally conductive material has a thermal conductivity at least one order of magnitude higher than the thermal conductivity of the matrix material. The present invention also includes battery cases (lids and containers) used in making the batteries and formed of the mixture.

Battery employing thermally conductive polymer case

A fuel cell utilizing parallel flow of a hydrogen stream, an oxygen stream, and an electrolyte solution with respect to the electrodes, while maintaining mechanical support within the fuel cell. The fuel cell utilizes electrode assemblies having a frame overmolded around the electrode to maintain a flow rates and low pressure throughout the fuel cell. The fuel cell is also designed to maintain mechanical support within the fuel cell while the electrodes expand and contract in response to the absorption of oxygen and hydrogen.

Fuel cell with overmolded electrode assemblies

A multi-cell monoblock battery in which a plurality of electrochemical cells are disposed in a battery case. The battery case includes one or more cell partitions which divide the interior of the case into a plurality of cell compartments that house the electrochemical cells. Preferably, one or more coolant channels are integrally formed with at least one of the cell partitions. The coolant channels may have inlets and outlets disposed in the walls of the battery case so as to provide a cross-flow cooling design.

Monoblock battery assembly with cross-flow cooling

A multiple cell monoblock battery in which a plurality of electrochemical cells are disposed in a plastic or metal case and each of the cells includes an enclosure providing for gas to exit while preventing electrolyte to exit the enclosure. A novel integral system of flow channels allows liquid coolant to flow between adjacent cells. Other special features, such as cell interconnections are described.

Monoblock battery assembly

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Troy, MI, United States of America

Rajeev Puttaiah