Electric Fuel (e.f.l.) Ltd.

Electric Fuel Limited

Yaron Shrim

Yoel Gilon

Mariano Abramson

Vladimir Schneider

Jonathan Goldstein

Robert B Dopp

Menachem Givon

Neal Naimer

Sergey Kimberg

Tzvi Rosenberg

Alex Gutkin

Mark Slutski

A high capacity primary (single-use; non-rechargeable) battery pack for high current portable appliances such as cellular phones employs electrochemical cells that use ambient oxygen for one of the electrodes. The pack makes possible a simple low cost design by providing for oxygen supply in a completely passive yet compact configuration. Cells may be arranged inside a housing in a tightly packed arrangement by providing internal spaces that are sized to permit diffusion and, if possible, bulk air flow. The highest volumetric energy density is achievable by permitting bulk flow of air into the housing. It has been found that in practical use, in applications such as cellular telephones, that bulk air flow can play a significant role in gas exchange required for operation. A number of design criteria are developed for providing for a mix of molecular diffusion and bulk flow in the design of battery packs according to the invention. Most of these criteria relate to providing for gas exchange to portions of cells that are housed deep within the housing structure without requiring large amounts of physical space that would undermine the design goal of compactness. These criteria permit portions of cells to be positioned remotely from openings in the housing while still providing adequate oxygen delivery.

Battery pack design for metal-air battery cells

The invention provides a metal-air electrochemical cell, having a leak-proof, metal prismatic casing comprising a pair of interfacing interengaging rectangular tray-like casing components, a first substantially rectangular tray-like casing component having a first major surface and contiguous side walls for encompassing a cathode of the cell and a second inverted substantially tray-like casing component having a second major surface and contiguous depending side walls for encompassing an anode of the cell, the side walls of one of the casing components being of a height to facilitate the curling and crimping of an upper portion thereof over a peripheral edge area of the major surface of the other casing component to form a leak-proof, closed prismatic casing.

Prismatic metal-air cells

The invention provides a modular zinc air cell for use in an electrochemical zinc-air multi-cell battery, each cell being of the type provided with a housing having, two outer major surfaces, and two spaced-apart inner walls, the inner walls defining a first inner chamber for containing therein a zinc electrode, and in conjunction with the outer major surfaces defining two outer chambers for receiving reaction air; two generally planar, gas-permeable, but liquid-impermeable air electrodes, each of the electrodes being installed in a window-like opening provided in each of the inner walls, an electrolyte in contact with the zinc electrode and the air electrodes, and means for directing a flow of the reaction air into a first inlet provided in a first outer side surface of the housing through both of the outer chambers substantially in a uniform flow distribution across the outer faces of both of the air electrodes, and out of a second outlet provided in an opposite outer side surface of the housing.

Cell for a metal-air battery

The invention provides An electrochemical zinc-air multi-cell battery, each cell being of the type provided with a housing having, two outer major surfaces, and two spaced-apart inner walls, the inner walls defining a first inner chamber for containing therein a zinc electrode, and in conjunction with the outer major surfaces defining two outer chambers for receiving reaction air; two generally planar, gas-permeable, but liquid-impermeable air electrodes, each of the electrodes being installed in a window-like opening provided in each of the inner walls, an electrolyte in contact with the zinc electrode and the air electrodes, means for directing a flow of the reaction air into a first inlet provided in a first outer side surface of the housing through both of the outer chambers substantially in a uniform flow distribution across the outer faces of both of the air electrodes, and out of a second outlet provided in an opposite outer side surface of the housing, and cooling air flow directing means for causing cooling air to flow between two adjacently positioned cells, along the outer faces of the major surfaces of two interfacing adjacent cells, the surfaces respectively being arranged to be in contact with and to cool the reaction air in each of the outer chambers bounded by the respective surfaces.

Air-cooled metal-air battery

The invention provides a mechanically rechargeable, electrochemical metal-air battery of the type having a plurality of metal-air cells, each of the cells comprising a housing having a base, two major surfaces and two minor surfaces, defining an interior space for containing therein a metal electrode, the electrode having an electrically conductive skeletal member encompassed by a rigid static bed of active anode material and the skeletal member including a heat-conductive, plate-like portion extending above the bed of anode material. The battery further comprises air flow directing means positioned adjacent to the extending plate-like portion, for directing a flow of air towards the surfaces of the plate for the removal of heat therefrom by forced convection.

Growing community of inventors

Jerusalem, Israel

Yaron Shrim