Air-cooled metal-air battery

Abstract

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.