A crosslinked PVA element is produced by (1) providing an aq. mixt. of (a) film-forming PVA, (b) a dialdehyde crosslinking agent in an amt. of 1-20 wt.% of the theoretical amt. required to react with all the OH gps. of the PVA, and (c) a water soluble acid-aldehyde contg. an aldehyde gp. capable of reacting with OH gps. in the PVA and in an amt. of 1-50 wt.% of the amt. required to react with all the OH gps. and contg. an ionisable acid H atom sufficient to produce the pH of the mixt. to not more than 5; (2) shaping the mixt.; and (3) heating to form a self-supporting polymeric article and to simultaneously crosslink (a) with (b).    The process is a 'one-step' process in which the article is formed as it is crosslinked. It is for mfg. alkaline battery separators.
A sheet comprises sintered particles of terpolymer consisting of linear ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer backbone with grafted segments to PVC in an amt. of at least 60% of terpolymer wt., the backbone providing the sheet with toughness and flexibility.    Before sintering the terpolymer particles are pref. smooth-surfaced hollow spheroids less than 60 microns in dia. The terpolymer is pref. 2-40 wt.% copolymer with the balance consisting of PVC, the sheet also including sintered particles of PVC and the sheet can be folded around a plate at room temp. and heat-sealed at the plate edges without damage.
The electrochemical generator has, between metal electrodes a solid superconducting electrolyte, an active solid body which generates negative material, and a semi conducting polymer doped to be conductive and also the active positive material for the electrochemical reaction. The solid generator of negative active material may be a metal such as silver or pref. a conducting polyacetylene or paraphenylene. The positive active material is pref. polyacetylene doped with iodine. The solid materials allow complete sealing and allow the battery to function at all orientations and accelerations, and over a wide operating temperature range.
An electrochemical source involving the mass of anodic material contd. in a thin wall positive electrode having an external current collector involves a positive electrode shaped like a ball or a finger stall, i.e. a tubular form closed at one end and divergent towards the only open end.    For construction of metal/air dry cell batteries, pref. alkaline, to minimise the difficulties of obtaining an effective seal between the anode and the insulating cap supporting a coaxial cathode. More reliable than use of cylindrical tubular anodes with a coaxial cathode passing through disc-shaped plugs at each end of the anode.
The normally hydrophobic synthetic fibres in an electrolyte-resistant mat made without binders and used as a separator for electrochemical energy stores (battery cells) and containing labyrinthine pores of 0.2-50 microns radius are made hydrophilic by plasma treatment, esp. in a chamber contg. air or a gas whose molecules include elements with high electro-negative activity. The fibre surfaces have a final O:C ratio, as measured by electron spectroscopy of approx. 0.3-0.4.    For acid electrolyte the fibres are pref. polyester, polyolefin, polycarbonate or polysulphonate, while for alkaline electrolyte they may be polyamide, polyolefin, or polysulphonate; the mat may be strengthened by spot welding. After plasma treatment the mat may be treated with unsaturated organic acids such as acrylic acid to increase wettability by the electrolyte.    Used for Ni-Cd etc. cells made by rolling thin strips of active positive and negative material with an intermediate separator to absorb electrolyte. Surfactants, which could contaminate the electrolyte, are not needed.
Plastic is recovered from waste plastic containers esp. electrical accumulators. The container is rinsed by jets to remove remaining electrolyte, granulated and dried with hot air. This hot air is provided by the friction heat generated in the granulator and possibly by the drive source of the fan unit.    The cases (17) pass through the washing arrangement (10) where the remaining electrolyte is washed off. They then pass up the conveyor (20) to the granulator (30). The granulated material drops to the collection chamber (37), passes the fan unit (32), to the cyclone (34). Here the granules are sepd. from the air end and drop to the vessel (35). The air returns to the granulator. (Provisional Basic previously advised in Week E40).
A solid electrochemical element is claimed n which an opposite electrode having an electricity-collecting electrode is provided via a 1st solid electrolyte layer consisting of ion-conductive solid electrolyte on a face of a working electrode having electricity-collecting electride, a reference electrode having electricity-collecting electrode is provided via the 2nd solid electrolyte layer on another face of the working electrode, and the potential of the working electrode against the reference electrode changes almost linearly depending on the amount of electricity passed between the working electrode and the opposite electrode. The opposite electrode, the working electrode, the reference electrode and the 1st and the 2nd solid electrolyte layers composing the element contain thermosetting resin (e.g. epoxy resin or polyester resin) and lubricating agent (e.g. fluorine resin powder), and the electricity-collecting electrode of the working electrode is arranged near the boundary face with the 2nd solid electrolyte layer so as to expose part of it. Solid electrochemical element of stable characteristics, long life and high reliability can be easily obtd. in good yield.
A cap of battery case and die for moulding it are claimed. The case has openings for pouring the electrolytic soln. The cap is fitted over each opening after pouring in the soln. and requires a strict fitting allowance. The die has identical cavities.    The cap has a centre opening, whose inner dia. is tapered towards the lower end, with which a deformable sleeve, is integrated to form a tapered fitting section to be fitted into the opening of the case. The die has a spring-loaded pin mounted on a core inserted in the cavity, to form the fitting section and make the moulding easily releasable.
Paper made from a mixt. of (1) 0.5 to 90 pts. wt. strong acid soluble fibre and (2) 10 to 99.5 pts. wt. strong acid and strong alkali insol. fibre, is heat treated at 120 to 130 deg. C and then (1) is dissolved out with strong acid to form holes in the paper. (1) are of cellulosic pulp, Manila hemp pulp, linter pulp, bagasse pulp, etc. (2) includes polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinylidene chloride and polyvinyl chloride fibres. The size of holes and number are controlled by the size and amt. of (1). Acid treatment is e.g., by dipping in 75% sulphuric acid for 1 to 3 mins.    The paper has optimum gas and liq. permeability. It is useful for filters, battery separators, etc.
Battery includes an integral frameless biplate structure (21) including spaced biplate walls having top edge faces, oppositely directed side faces, side walls and bottom walls defining a chamber (44) therebetween. Lead stripes (34) are provided on both side faces, each stripe on one side face being connected at the top edge face with stripes on the other side face. A separator plate (23) carrying active material (25) on opposite faces is provided within each chamber, the biplate device being compressed and retained about the separator.    The separator is pref. of a microporous thermoplastic mat with active material carried by scrim fabric attached to the mat.    Used in bipolar battery particularly for electric vehicles. Provides a lightweight quasibipolar battery with improved power and energy density, which is easy to manufacture by partly automated processes, which uses non-metallic materials to reduce substrate corrosion with improved containment (cf.51573 D/28).
Battery separator comprises a piece having two opposed faces (115,116) each having upper (118) and lower (117) edges, at least one of the faces having a number of sinusoidal ridges at least some of which are enclosed between adjacent ridges. The ridges do not form more than one complete wave per 45 mm vertical distance. They show a deviation from the vertical of the order of 5-25 deg. and a total horizontal deviation distance of 3-50 mm.    The separator is placed in a battery near a certain no. of battery tubes aligned horizontally in a tubular battery plate each tube having an individual tubular width of 7-15 mm in alignment with the horizontal alignment of the batterytubes.    The battery plates can be arranged close together than in prior art, with corresp. saving of space, while allowing sufficient room for gaseous prods. to removed from the battery.
Multiple junction photovoltaic cell comprises (a) a first conductivity type, first semiconductor having a first bandgap; (b) an opposite conductivity type, second semiconductor having different bandgap; where one semiconductor is partly transparent and absorbs part of the spectrum of incident radiation and the other absorbs other parts of the spectrum; and (c) a transparent, thin dry solid film polymer electrolyte between the semiconductors, capable of transporting electric charges between them.    Polymer electrolyte is pref. a polymer matrix contg. a redn.-oxidn. couple. The matrix is pref. a polyalkene oxide, esp. polyethylene oxide, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene oxide, polypropylene glycol; and the couple is pref. a polysulphide, esp. Na2S4.    Cell can be easily mfd. in large areas, of good quality at low cost, and is corrosion free. Theoretical efficiency and output voltage are higher than for single cells, e.g. for pref. (CdTe-CdS) cell theoretical efficiency is 35% output voltage 0.625V with 100mW/sq. cm Xe light source.
A matrix for carrying fuel cell electrolyte comprises a first layer between second and third layers, where the first and second layers expand to different degrees on electrolyte addn., so the layers tend to curl, and the third layer expands on electrolyte addn. to cancel the curling of the first and second layers. The degree of expansion of the second and third layers is pref. equal.    Pref., the dimensional expansion of the second and third layers is less than that of the first layer on electrolyte addn. The first layer pref. comprises C and the second and third SiC particles; and all three layers contg. a binder, esp. 1-10% PTFE. Alternatively, the dimensional expansion of the first layer is less than that of the second and third layers.    The matrix does not require restraining in the cell, or flattening before insertion.
A fuel cell comprises (a) an elongate container; (b) a pair of flat, vertical, longitudinally spaced, ion permeable fluid barrier membranes defining a central anode compartment between two cathode compartments; (c) a flat, vertical metal fuel anode plate in the anode compartment spaced from and parallel to the membranes; (d) a flat vertical electron distributor cathode plate in each cathode compartment, spaced from and parallel to the membrane; (e) a base electrolyte soln. in the anode compartment; and (f) an acid cathode soln. in the cathode compartments.    The membranes are pref. (i) wettable cation permselective reactors of perfluorosulphonic acid polymer; (ii) porous poly-sulphone polymer or porous fluoropolymer establishing wettable acid-base reactor interfaces between cathode and electrolyte solns. The anode and cathode plates are connected through an electric circuit, so electrons are conducted from the anode to the cathode plate for introduction into the cathode soln.    The membranes permit use of liq. cathode soln.
A preformed cathode for a primary electrochemical cell is made by (a) mixing C black particles with 1-10 wt.% fibrous additive and sufficient liq. to form a uniform slurry; (b) adding mechanical binder inert in the cell to the slurry, as at least 1 wt.% resulting cathode; (c) remixing to uniformly disperse the binder; (d) sheeting the slurry; (e) drying; and (e) curing for long enough to remove all the liq. and stabilise the binder, forming a self-supporting reinforced cathode.    Alternatively (I), (a') comprises mixing C black particles with graphite and liq.; and (c') remixing and simultaneously adding 1-10 wt.% fibrous additive and remixing to blend the materials. The mechanical binder is pref. a fluorocarbon polymer.    cathodes are esp. useful in e.g. Zn-C cells, and cells having alkali metal anode and nonaq. electrolyte including liq. depolariser, e.g. Li anode, oxyhalide electrolyte. They are simply fabricated in automatic machinery, are homogeneous and reproducible and provide reinforcement in the cell, which may use a thin or no separator.
Improved reliability of securing batteries in the container housing and simplified operation of potting are ensured with the connector sealed from outside before the operation. Part of the inner volume of the connector which is to be free from the potting compound is filled with an inert fluid, and the hardened compound allows the seal of the connector to be removed and the inert fluid to be drained off. As an inert fluid, ethanol is used.    The placement of the seal (6) with tube (7) on the connector (4) which is tied to the battery cells by wires permits the alcohol to flow into the free space of the connector to guard the floating contacts. The alcohol is poured in through the tubes preventing the ingress of the compound (8) towards the contacts. The method results in complete filling of all cavities with the compound without affecting the floating contacts. Bul. 47/23.12.81.
Method for sealing facing surfaces of a microporous battery plate separator and insulation material comprises (a) feeding the facing surfaces edgewise towards a pair of sealing surfaces, at least one of which includes a pair of axially spaced, rotatably mounted sealing wheels, the other sealing surface acting as an anvil against which the wheels are pressed; and (b) sealing at least two edges of the facing surfaces by compressing the edges into one another between the sealing surfaces.    Used in batteries with acid electrolyte using battery plate separators in the form of envelopes. The separator envelopes are mounted more efficiently and more expeditiously than in prior art.
Dry cell consists of an expendable anode pot (of Zn), electrode having a current collector (partly) embedded in a depolariser mixt. (of MnO2 and carbonaceous material) and a separator between this and the pot and a closure fixed to the current collector and top edge of the pot. The novel feature is that a heat shrink tape is fixed to the upright wall of the pot and heat shrunk onto it and onto at least the edge of the closure, so that this is sealed to the pot.    The seal prevents leakage and allows the cells to be made with a larger internal vol. The sealed cell can be made easily and without great cost.
Tubular body comprises a lattice work of spaced apart tapes selected from among thermoplastic material, and unpolymerised phenolic, polyester, epoxy or furan resins, the tapes having reinforcement included internally therein. The tapes are interwoven to define interrupted rows of spaces, a foraminous material selected from among glass fibres, polyester and mixtures thereof providing means for retaining active material and arranged to fill the spaces in the rows, the reinforced tapes being such that they may be integrated one with another in response to an externally applied agent.    Used particularly for forming the positive plate of a tubular lead-acid battery. Permits the derivation of formulations for mathematically selecting components and associated parameters for fabricating tubular bodies in accordance with varying customer requirements and specifications, preservation of dimensional stability, retention of active material over an extended periods and provision of adequate communication between the active material and electrolyte via controlled predetermined porosity of the body.
An electrochemical cell comprises (a) an anode of oxidisable material; (b) a cathode current collector; (c) an electrolytic soln. contacting anode and cathode current collector, comprising a reducible liq. cathode material and dissolved electrolyte solute; and (d) an additive dispersed throughout the electrolyte soln., including a material that is insol. in the soln. at normal operating temp. but becomes soluble above normal operating temp. to limit current flow through the cell. The additive is pref. insol. below 70 deg.C and soluble above 100 deg.C. It is pref. a partly halogenated alkane polymer, mol. wt. over 500, esp. polyvinyl chloride; polyvinylidene chloride-vinyl chloride copolymer (Saran B); or chlorinated polyethylene. The additive is esp. a gel of the reducible liq. cathode and polyvinyl chloride, esp. also contg. the electrolyte solute dissolved in the liq. cathode component.    Prevents rise in cell voltage, current and temp. on overheating, e.g. under short circuit conditions. With pref. Gel contg. electrolyte solute, subsequent return to normal operation is possible.
Separator comprises a hydrophilic film which consists of a resin compsn. contg. an ethylene copolymer and has sulphone gps. with an exchange capacity of 0.2-4 milliequiv./gr. and an electric resistance of 0.01-20 ohm.sq.cm in a dil. H2SO4 soln., or a composite hydrophilic film comprising the hydrophilic film reinforced by cloth or nonwoven fabric.    The ethylene copolymer is produced by copolymerisation of 82-97 mol.% of ethylene and 3-18 mol.% of monomers of formula (I) (where R1= H, -CH3; R2= -OCOR, -COOR4; R3= 1-5C hydrocarbon; R4= H, 1-16C hydrocarbon gp. or an ion capable of forming salt with alkali metal or other carboxylic gp.).    The separator has H or hydronium ion conductivity, and low electric resistance in an alkaline electrolyte.
Hydrophilic polyolefin resin porous membranes have sulphonated pore and outer surfaces, sulphonyl grps. in exchange equivs. of 0.05-1, pref. e.g. 0.1-0.7, milliequiv./gram, porosity of 30-85, pref. e.g. 50-80, % and the ave. pore size of 0.05-1, pref. e.g. 0.1-0.8, micron. The membranes are prepd by sulphonating porous membranes of inorganic fine powder and polyolefin resins with fuming sulphuric acid and then the powder is extracted.    The polyolefin resin are pref. polyethylene and polypropylene because their excellent workability, chemical resistance and mechanical tenacity-elongation.    These membranes have high water permeability, excellent capturing efficiency, chemical resistance, etc. and can be used as precise filters, plasma-separating membranes and battery separators.
Electrochemical generator comprises, between the usually metallic conduction electrodes at least one solid electrolyte consisting of a solid, generator body of negative active material and a semiconducting polymer rendered conducting, by doping, which is a conductor of electricity, and a generator of the positive active material of the electro-chemical reaction. Specifically the solid electrolyte consists of an ionic superconductor.    The negative active material generator is a semiconducting polymer, such as polyacetylene or polyparphenylene esp. poly-acetylene doped with iodine. The superconductor is AgI or RbAg4I5 or its deriv. by substitn. with alkali or halogen, or beta alumina doped with Na, Li or Ag.    The generator utilises properties of superconductors to make cells and accumulators of electrical charge capable of operating at ordinary temps. and delivering steady reproducible current densities.
Electrochemical cell system assembled in a closed housing comprising (a) a container having its open end closed by a cover; and (b) a terminal electronically insulated from and hermetically sealed to the housing by a layer of insulating material; has the exposed exterior interfaces between the insulating material and terminal and housing, and pref. the whole exposed external area of the insulator, coated with an adherent, nonconductive, water-resistant polymeric material layer. The protective layer is pref. a halocarbon wax, asphalt or a fluorocarbon polymer.    The protective layer is esp. useful in nonaq. cells, e.g. Li-oxyhalide or Li-MnO2 system cells operating at high voltage above water decomposition potential. It prevents deterioration and corrosion in high humidity environments, preventing corrosion that could result in electrolyte leakage and wasteful discharge. Sample cells showed no corrosion after 21 days exposure at 100% humidity, 71 deg.C.
A shaped article of porous carbon comprising carbon fibres has a compression strength higher than 50 Kg/sq.cm., a porosity of 50-80% and with not less than 60% of the pores having a size distribution range of 20 microns between the maximum and minimum pore dia.    The article is made by adding 20-100 pts.wt. of a soluble granular substance (PVA, PVC, polystyrene, starch) with not less than 70% of the granules having a size variation of 30 microns, to 100 pts.wt. of a mixt. of 100 pts. short carbonaceous fibres and 20-100 pts. resin. After hot shaping, the granules are removed by dissolving in a solvent and the shaped mass is baked.    Used as filters, and as base plates for electrodes in fuel cells. Controlled porosity and pore size distribution is provided.
Separator for Pb-H2SO4 accumulators consists of a diaphragm of particles of an inert binder (I) with min. 0.5 (5-30) wt.% particles of active organic cpd(s). (II) contg. min. 20 (23-38) wt.% combined S, which are insol. in aq. medium. The particle size of (II) is max. 250 (25-120) microns and the diaphragm has a porosity of 30-65%.    (II) contains divalent S and pref. is ebonite, thiourea resin, polyalkylene- or polyarylene-polysulphides or thioplastics. (I) is PVC or polyethylene, esp. a mixt. of PVC and pptd. SiO2. In particular, the separator consists of 50% PVC, 40% pptd. SiO2 and 10% ebonite.    (II) absorb or react chemically with Sb dissolved in the battery acid in large amts., retarding Sb poisoning of the negative plate.
Mfr. of a sealed cell comprises coating on cell substrate or members, an adhesive having an epoxy resin whose mean molecular wt. is more than 500, a hydrazide cpd., filler and solvent. The adhesive is predried and thermally hardened while the cell substrate or members are in contact with the adhesive.    Epoxy resin pref.has more than two epoxy radicals. The hydrazide is pref. e.g. hydrazide salicylate or p-oxy benzoate. The solvent is pref. e.g. hydrocarbon such as n-heptane, n-decane or n-octane having b.pt. 70-250 deg.C. The filler is pref. e.g. an inorganic type such as calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate and aluminium silicate, or organic type such as polyethylene powder, polystyrene powder or PVC etc.    Process provides sealed cell with high temp. hardening. The adhesive has long pot life and is suited for screen printing, and is workable, and stable both chemically and physically.
Lead acid battery electrode is formed by joining together two perforated synthetic resin sheets through the apertures in an intervening perforated support sheet to form an indented structure, a lead acid battery paste is caused to penetrate the indented structure so that paste completely covers at least one of the synthetic resin sheets, and prior to drying the paste a vibrating sonotrode is used to remove part of the paste from the sheets to expose the outermost regions of the sheet to which portions a porous resin cover sheet is joined.    Used partic. in lead acid batteries for traction purposes. Provides a fast economical method of encapsulating the active material paste in a battery.
A fuel cell comprises (a) a pair of gas diffusion electrodes; and (b) a matrix retaining phosphoric acid electrolyte between the electrodes, comprising one or more electronically insulating metal oxides, insol. in phosphoric acid, pref. able to form a phosphate; and binder, pref. PTFE. The matrix pref. comprises 85 wt.% or more, esp. 95-98 wt.% metal oxide; 15 wt.% or less, esp. 2-5 wt.% binder. The oxide is pref. a complex oxide contg. Zr, esp. zircon (ZrSiO4).    The matrix has better stability in hot (190-200 deg. C) phosphoric acid than conventional SiC matrix, and has large phosphoric acid retention capability and good insulating properties.
Prepn. of hydrophilic membranes (I) with excellent durability comprises reacting films composed of resin compsns. contg. at least 1 ethylene copolymer with sulphonating agents and then treating these with oxidising agents (II) to reduce their electric resistance. The copolymers are formed of 97-82 mol.% ethylene and 3-18 mol.% monomers of formula CH2=CR1R2 (I) (where R1 is H or -CH3; R2 is -OCOR5 or -COOR4; R5 is 1-5C hydrocarbyl; R4 is H, 1-6C hydrocarbyl, alkali metal or other salt-forming ions. The electric resistance in alkali of (I) after treatment with (II) may not exceed 3/4 or 1/2 of that before treatment.    (I) are useful esp. as diaphragms for galvanic cells such as an Ni-Zn alkali cell, diaphragms for electrolytic dissociation, etc.
Appts. for enveloping battery plates in fibre sheaths designed to retain active material on the plates, has plates which are fed into a series of connected envelopes open at one end. The envelopes contg. the plates are passed through an oven to heat shrink the envelopes tightly onto the plates and then through a cutting device in which individual heat shrunk plate contg. envelopes are sepd. for removal to a storage area.    A continuous automatic high speed process is achieved.
A holder for a battery lid during its welding to a base comprises a plate having an aperture to which a vacuum line is connected. Located within the holder is a cylinder operated by vacuum and also connected to the line. The cylinder is connected to bars located at the side of the plate and movable over its surface.    In use, when a lid is raised into contact with the plate it blocks off the aperture and thus actuates the cylinder to move the bars inwardly to firmly grip the lid at the edges.    The holder is usable with lids of varying size without adjustment and ensures a tight hold.
Higher quality microporous materials is obtd. more simply by sintering, for 1.5-2 min. at 180-220 deg., a PVC powder stabilised with 0.1-1.5 pts. wt. of NH4NO3 (I). Use of (I) improves the chemical and thermal stability of the material which is used in the mfr. of Pb accumulators as the electrode separator.    Tests show that addn. of 0.1 pts. wt. (I) in the form of a 5% soln., increases the stability of the 12-15 microns PVC powder from 1 to 8 min. at 180 deg. C. Bul.43/23.11.81. (3pp)
Sealing material which can be obtd. by extrusion, esp. for use in fuel cells using phosphoric acid electrolyte, comprises non-filled, oil-free PTFE having a mol.wt. of over 1 x 10 power 6 and a particle size of above 1 micron, which maintains its sealing properties in the presence of phosphoric acid at differential pressures of over 0.35 MPa and temps. over 204 deg.C.    The PTFE gives good sealing between separate flat cells in a stack of these forming the fuel cell, and can seal relatively large surface irregularities, e.q. up to 0.127 cm which are present due to the tolerances resulting from fabrication of the individual elements.
Two-step process for preparing an open celled hydrophilic polyolefin microporous film comprising (I) coating the surface of the micropores of (A) a normally hydrophobic polyethylene or polypropylene open celled microporous film with at least (B) one hydrophilic organic C2 to 18 hydrocarbon monomer and (II) chemically fixing to the surface of the micropores of the film, an amt. of the micromer sufficient to preserve the open celled native of the micropores by irradiating the film with ionizing radiation of from 1 to 10 megarads. The precursor film has an average pore size of from 200 to 10,000 Angstroms and a surface area of at least 10 sq.m. per g. The add-on wt. of the micromer is from 0.1 to 10% wt. (pref. 0.5 to 2.5% wt.) based on the wt. of the uncoated film. The film contains at least one double bond and are polar functional grp.    The films are used as gas-liquid transfer mediums and battery separators and avoid the problems produced by conventional plasma treatments i.e. pore plugging and simple surface wetability.
A laminar electrode is made by laminating under pressure a conductive plastics base layer and a cellophane (RTM) cover layer between which is an electrode layer comprising an aqueous zinc particle dispersion containing a binding agent. The dispersion is dried by transpiration through the cover layer.    In a preferred embodiment, the electrode layer is applied to the base layer before laminating between rollers followed by hot air drying. In another embodiment, the base layer, the cover layer, and the electrode material are fed to a laminating roll pair nip simultaneously.    The electrode is useful in cells and batteries and the drying by transpiration through the cover layer prevents drying and wrinkling of the cover layer.
The mass is made using a mixt. of lead dust, water, and sulphuric acid. The mixt. also contains a threefold combination of electron conducting substances which form pores and increase the mechanically stability of the mass. The pref. mixt. includes the three substances:- (wt.%) (a) 0.5-2%, esp. 1% soot; (b) 0.05-0.2%, esp. 0.1% carboxymethyl-cellulose; and (c) 0.1% max. of short, acid-resistant fibres improving the mechanical strength of the mass.    As compared with conventional batteries, the ampere hours/kg battery wt. is increased by 10%.
Appts. for modifying the between ribs spacing of a thermoplastic battery casing (2) has a wiping member (40) of non circular cross section which is heated to softening temp. of the casing material and an arrangement (28,30,32) for rotating the wiping members.    This allows a battery casing (2) to be moulded with ribs (14) to accomodate the thinnest battery element and the ribs reduced in size, without creating waste material to accomodate a thicker battery element, enabling a common casing to be used for a range of battery capacities.
A film of TFE/CF2=CFOCF2 CF3 -CFOCF2CF2SO2F copolymer is hydrolysed to the salt form on one or both side of a controlled depth. Cations of a catalytically active metal such as Ni, Pd or Pt are introduced by ion exchange and reduced to the metal. The film is then hydrolysed throughout its thickness and may be put in the SO3H form with hot acid. The depth of the catalyst layer is determined by the duration of the first hydrolysis step.    The prod. may be used as a metallic catalyst, supported by a chemically and thermally resistant support which can opt. be in the SO3H form, which is a very strong acid. The prod. can also be used as a solid polymer electrolyte for use in a fuel cell or electrolysis cell.
The battery separator consists of alkoxylated starch paste layer and has excellent discharge characteristics and shelf life.    In an example, poly(oxyethylene) was graft polymerised with oligostarch (ave. mol. wt. 55%) at a grafting rate 25% to obtain a polyethoxylated oligostarch. A slurry of the polyethoxylated starch, ether cross-linked starch 45, and H2O 52% was pasted on kraft paper and dried. The paper was placed into the Zn-anode container with the paste side facing the container, and C-cathode was placed into the cathode mix. The discharge capacity with 2-ohms load after 3 month storage was 425 min, and that of a conventional battery was 375 min. (J50161638)
A battery consists of an anode, cathode and electrolyte which comprises a cpd. capable of being ionised into anion and/or cation dopant(s). The anode and/or cathode comprises, as its electrode active material, an acetylene high polymer having a fibrous microcrystalline (fibril) structure and a bulk density of 0.7-1.2 g/cc which is dopable to a more highly oxidised state by the anion dopant, or an electron-accepting cpd. consisting of a molecule of the anion or dopable to a lower oxidised state by the cation dopant or an electron-donating cpd. consisting of a molecule of the cation.    The battery has a long discharge time with a high energy density, level discharge curve and good cycle life. It is light in weight and cheap to produce.
The cell has a cathode (20) supported by a bottom peripheral shoulder (16) of a conductive metal can (12) and below a separator (34), an anode (26), a J-shaped grommet (30) adhered to the can inner surface, and a conductive cover (28) sealingly inserted into the grommet. A thermoplastic ring (44) is sandwiched between separator and grommet.    The ring is pref. of polyethylene or polystyrene and its outer edge lies tightly against the can surface with the inner edge contacting the anode. The cathode is pref. a laminate of zinc, an activating layer (38) of activated carbon and PTFE, a Ni screen current collector (36), and a PTFE hydrophobic layer (40).
Laminar cathode assembly for a metal-air button cell comprises an activating layer, a foraminous metal current collector adjacent to or embedded in the activating layer, and a hydrophobic layer. Specifically, the current collector is etched.    The current collector (28) is a Ni or stainless steel screen of which 0.3-1% of the metal has been etched away. The activating layer comprises activated carbon and a hydrophobic polymer (30) in proportions of 50-80 and 20-50% respectively. The polymer is pref. PTFE.    The cells using such assemblies exhibit reduced impedance and increased capacity (lifetime).
An electrochemical cell comprises a cathode, a Li anode, a thionyl chloride depolariser and an electrolyte salt. The cathode is carbon mixed with a polymeric Co phthalocyanine complex and is heat treated at a temp. of at least 500 deg.C.    Pref. the amt. of complex used is 0.5-20 esp. 2-10 wt.% w.r.t. carbon and the cathode consists primarily of carbon esp. Shawinigan C-black. The cell is pref. made by heating the mixt. at a temp. of at least 500 deg.C for at least 2 hrs., cooling, forming a slurry with a non-aq. liq., and shaping into a cathode. The slurry pref. contains a binder esp. 'Teflon' (RTM) powder or emulsion.    The cell has higher voltage at large discharge currents and low temps. The specific cathode capacity was improved esp. at low temp. discharge.
Mould for injection moulding a battery container having a compartment for the components of the battery, with thin resilient ribs projecting from the end walls into the compartment to position the battery components. The mould has a female and core bearing portions coacting to define a mould cavity corresponding to the container. The core (28) has a number of dovetail like mortices in which slide complementary shaped ejector bars (30) for movement between a retracted moulding position and an extended container-release position. A recess (88) in each side face of the ejector bar is provided to define a rib forming cavity (90) between the enector bar and mortice side wall while the ejector bar is in the retracted position. After moulding a container the ejector bars are moved to the extended position such that they travel with the ribs to free the ribs from the rib forming cavities at the time the container is stripped from the core.    Used for moulding containers for multicell lead acid automotive batteries. Mould core allows easy removal of the battery from the core without likelihood of tearing the ribs.
A porous material contains voids formed by eluting and removing hydrogel. Prepn. of porous material comprises (1) the components synthetic resin and hydrogen are mixed and moulded into afixed shape, followed by curing; and (2) the cured substance is heated in water-contg. solvent to elute the hydrogel. Pref. after elution of the hydrogel, the cured substance is irradiated with radiation to crosslink. The mixed ratio of the resin to hydrogel is 30-70:50-30 by weight.    The porous material has specific gravity of 0.47-0.65 and void rate of 29-46%. The resins are e.g., polyethylene, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, etc., pref. super high-mol. wt. polyethylene. The hydrogel is esp. pref. of vinyl alcohol-acrylic acid salt copolymer series.    The porous substance has complete through holes. The porous material is useful for air filter, separator of electric battery etc..
An alkaline galvanic cell having (a) an anode sealing plate of layered construction having a Cu innermost layer, accommodating an anode active substance (C); (b) a cathode container contg. a cathode active substance (A); and (c) an insulating packing round the peripheral edge of the anode sealing plate which fits into the cathode for hermetically sealing the cell, has (d) two layers of sealing agents between the innermost Cu layer of the anode sealing plate and the insulating packing.    The sealing layer (6) contacting the Cu layer is an epoxy adduct polyamide amine, pref. having an amine valence 50-400 and pref. contg. 2-20 wt.% C powder. The sealing layer contacting the insulating packing is chlorosulphonated polyethylene. The anode sealing plate is pref. a 3-layered clad plate construction with Cu innermost layer.    The two layer seal reduces electrolyte leakage by creeping along the boundary of the Cu layer and the seal. (First major country equivalent to J58109254)
Mfr. of solid electrolyte thin sheet comprises adding at least 1 binder selected from polyethylene, polypropylene and ethylene-propylene copolymer to substance contg. Li3N, heating it, and moulding under pressure.    Sheet useful for solid electrolyte cell, electrochromic display device, etc. can be made without adversely affecting of ion conductivity.    Polyethylene, polypropylene or ethylene-propylene copolymer used as the binder does not react with various solid electrolytes such as Li3N, Li N-LiI, Li N-LiI-LiOH, etc., and hard sintered matter can be obtained in high yield. Amt. of binder added is 0.5-10 wt.% in the case of polyethylene powder.
Anode for Li-halogen cell of the type comprising a cathode material contg. a halogen is described in which the anode has an electrical conductor disposed between two plates of Li which form opposing Li surfaces terminating at a peripheral edge. Specifically the anode has the major part of its perepheral edge is uncovered, while the minor part is covered with an element of insulating material. Also claimed in 34 claims are a method of mfg. the anode and Li-I cells utilising such an anode.    The cells are used to provide electrical energy in devices which are inaccessible in the human environment e.g. in implated cardiac stimulators. For a given volume of cell, the internal volume distined to contain the depolarising material is increased thus increasing the nominal theoretical capacity. Alternatively, for a given capacity the cell volume can be reduced.
Vented stopper for screwing into the mouth of a wet accumulator cell includes a porous diaphragm beneath which is clamped a spacer to act as a condensation chamber for volatile vapour, with openings to drain condensate back into the cell away from the central vent through the spacer. The spacer is supported by an annular seal on a land within the cell neck and clamped by the (sandstone) diaphragm as the stopper is sufficiently tightened.    Used to inhibit escape or corrosive fumes from conventional lead/ acid accumulator cells, whilst allowing dissipation of e.g. hydrogen via aan anti-flush diaphragm.
A bifunctional air electrode for use in electrochemical energy cells includes a hydrophilic composite of (a) 1 pt. wt. C particles, total surface area 30-1500 sq. m/g, with at least 50 wt.% particles having total surface area 30-300 sq.m/ g, pref. 0.005-0.13 micron particle size; (b) 0.1-1 pt. wt. elemental Fe as 25-700 micron particles; (c) up to 1 pt. wt. O2 evolution material; (d) an effective amt. bonding/ nonwetting agent, pref. PTFE; and (e) an effective amt. catalyst for O2 redn. and perhydroxide decompsn.    The electrode comprises (i) a hydrophilic layer of the above composite and a metal current collector formed it; and (ii) a hydrophobic layer pressed to the hydrophilic layer. It is pref. capable of nondestructive charging. A metal-air cell comprises an air electrode as above; an Fe, Zn or Cd metal electrode; and an alkali hydroxide electrolyte contacting the electrodes.    The hydrophilic composite is lightweight and inexpensive, and provides third cycle charging potentials of 510-575 mV, with inexpensive Fe replacing (part) conventional oxygen evolution material.
Cell cathode material comprises at least 97 wt.%, pref. at least 97.5 wt.%, but below 100 wt.% I2, with the balance poly-2-vinylpyridine. The polymer is complexed with some of the I2 and the mixt. is treated by heating it at below 150 deg.C, pref. 60-150 deg.C.    Used in Li-I pacemaker cells etc.. High proportion of I2 compared to prior art enhances cell capacity and life without increasing all resistance excessively or impairing cell performance.
H2 absorbent for electrochemical cells compries a mixt. of Mn oxide, pref. MnO2 or MnOOH, or Pb oxide, pref. PbO2, with powdered Fe,Co or Ni, pref. Ni. The amt. of metal in the mixt. is pref. up to 25 wt.% of total. The absorbent may also include a hydrophobic, H2-permeable binder, pref. 0.05-5 wt.% PTFE. In a typical embodiment, the absorbent is disposed in a cell in the form of agglomerates of average size 2.2mm.    Used in H2-generating cells; a specific cell is a Zn/aq. KOH/MnO2 cell.
A spacer for an accumulator, esp. a lead-acid battery, is inserted between the last plate (4) of the battery and the end wall of the casing (6). The spacer consists of a plate (5) bearing against the electrode plate (4) and of an elastic spring member (11) having its edges (7,8) bearing against this plate (5). The elastic member is pref. arc-shaped with its edges curved inwards.    This arrangement enables batteries of various numbers of plates to be made up without the need to have a casing of the exact dimensions for each battery; instead the spring-acting spacer is fitted at the end of the stack of plates. Moreover, the arrangement shown is adaptable to different widths of battery.    Prefd. material for the arc-shaped spring (11) is a sulphuric acid-resistant plastics, such as polyolefin or PVC, and the plate (5) may be of the same material. The plate (5) has stops (9,10) into which the ends of the spring can be engaged.
A selectively permeable fluoropolymer membrane is (a) irradiated with high energy radiation, to produce free radical sites in the membrane, and (b) treated with an unsatd., fluorinated carboxylic acid monomer or deriv. so that the monomer takes part in a graft copolymerisation with the polymer to form a copolymer component in the latter.    The fluoropolymer membrane pref. contains sulphonate, carboxylate or phosphonate cation-exchange gps., and is partic. a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluorovinyl sulphonyl fluoride. The monomer esp. has the formula CF2=CF-X-COOR, where X is (CF2)a or O-(CF2-CF2-O)b-(CF2)c, in which a= 0-6, b= 0-4, and c=1-6; and R is H or 1-6C (1-3C) alkyl. Claimed monomers are perfluorobut-3-enoic acid and its (m)ethyl esters.    The membrane is used in electrolytic cells, as solid separator and/or electrolytes in accumulators, and in fuel cells. The resistance of the membrane to back-migration of OH ions in chlorine-alkali cells is improved. The presence of carboxylic acid radicals increases the number of active sites in the membrane. The monomer cannot be leached out of the membrane.
Zn electrode for use in an alkaline Zn-NiOOH cell comprises a conductive grid embedded in Zn rich particles bound to the grid with hydrophilic polyethylene fibres. The fibres are made hydrophilic pref. by treatment with polyvinyl alcohol.    A wet mixt. is formed of Zn (hydr)oxide powder and 0.5-20 wt.% pref. 4-7 wt.% of hydrophilic polyethylene fibres (2-3mm. length) on total wt. of powder + fibres. The mixt. is then dewatered into sheets which are pressed onto a grid of e.g. expanded Cu. Other additives such as HgO may be included.    The electrode is durable and has good electrical properties: it may be charged and discharged a large no. of times and has high discharge energy. It also contains no asbestos fibres of the prior art.
A bipolar current collecting, fluid distributing separator element for an electrochemical cell comprises a pressure moulded aggregate of a random distribution of reinforcing graphite fibres in a matrix of C graphite particles and thermoplastic fluorocarbon polymer resin particles in a wt. ratio of 2.5:1 to 16:1. The flexural strength of the fibre reinforced structure is from 2300 - 6200 p.s.i. over the temp. range 300-72 deg.F with bulk resistivity less than 4 x 10 power -3 ohm. inch.    Used as C fibre reinforced fluorocarbon-graphite bipolar current collector-separator for an electrochemical cell. The element has excellent corrosion resistance to a variety of feed stocks, such as brine, aq. HCl and products, such as Cl2, H2 and caustic. The element has very good conductivity and improved physical strengh.
PbCl2 positive plate of parent patent, useful in seawater activated batteries, is not preod. by: forming a paste of PbCl2 and liq. resin binder; spreading it uniformly on an open conductive grid such that the grid remains exposed on one surface; applying a mixt. of water and a reducing metal powder (I) to the surface where the grid is still exposed to convert PbCl2 adjacent the grid to metallic Pb; and drying.    (I) is one of Zn, Fe, Mn, Ti, Al and Mg, pref. Zn.
A seal is formed by securing between manifold (18) and stack (10) a plastics frame (15) with a sealing element such that the frame creeps with the stack as the stack creeps under compression with sliding between frame and manifold without losing the seal. One manifold end is fixedly secured to the stack and the manifold is biased (24) against frame and stack to give a seal loading.    The method prevents damage to the seal by sliding against the rough stack surface. The rough stack surface (23) is pref. dressed with a caulk/grease in the area facing the frame before locating the frame to increase the sealing effect. For a manifold with overlapped sections, one end of each is secured to the stack and a seal provided between overlapping areas. The parent patent claims the seal.
Appts. for relieving tensile strength in a longitudinal seam in a container comprises means for supporting the container and a pair of rollers movable into the container to roll along and compress the seam.    Pref. the container has two opposed seams and there are two pairs of rollers. The rollers which engage the inner surface of a seam are fixedly mounted upon a common support movable into and out of the container whilst the rollers which engage the outer face of a seam are pivotally mounted upon the support to exert the required pressure.    The pressure roller relieves the stem in the seam and prevents inward and outward lowering of the walls. The invention is of particular use with battery boxes made from two halves.
Supporter is digested in soln. of synthetic resin dissolved in good solvent (A), then the soln. stuck to the supporter under vapour atmos. contg. mixed solvent of (A) and poor solvent (B) is coagulated by removing the solvent (A). Pref. the solvent (A) is water-soluble solvent such as THF or acetone and b.pt. of (A) is 100 deg. C. or less. The poor solvent (B) is water. The solvent used for dissolving the synthetic resin contains the solvent (A) and 0.1-10wt.% of water. The mixed solvent consists of 95 - 30mol% of (A) and 5 - 70mol% of water vapour. The synthetic resin is vinyl chloride polymer or copolymer, esp. copolymer of acrylonitrile (content: 30-55wt.%) and vinyl chloride and/or vinylidene chloride.    The sheet having fine holes of 0.5-5 micron uniformly is produced by the simple process and it is useful as filter or separator for battery.
A fuel cell electrode is provided with a catalytic layer contg. a noble metal pref. Pt on C, where the C has a low specific surface are less than 100 (pref. less than 50) m2/g and C having high specific surface area over 150 (pref. 200-1200)m2/g; and the wt.% noble metal on the high surface area C is up to the wt.% noble metal on the low surface area C.    Pref., the low specific surface area C is graphite, esp. etched and is provided with 1-10 wt.% noble metal. The high specific surface area C has been subjected to thermal treatment and is esp. activated C, and pref. is provided with o-10 wt.% noble metal. The wt. ratio between the two types of C is 10:1-1:10. The layer also contains binder, pref. 3-30 pt.wt. per 100 pt.C., pref. PTFE.    The electrode is made by intimately mixing the two C powders, having pref. amts. metal, with binder, and forming into a catalytic layer of required dimensions.    The electrode has good performance and better stability than conventional electrodes, e.g. in H2/KOH/air cell an inventive electrode used as air electrode gave current density 128 or A/cm2 initially, 115mA/cm2 after 5000 hr. A conventional electrode gate 125mA/cm2 initially, 22mA/cm2 after 5000 hr..
The frame of the battery plate is moulded from a thermoplastic material and has dividing elements which form the plate into paste-receiving areas of equal width. The corrugations are formed, to extend parallel to the sides and division elements of the frame, by passage of the frame between a pair of rollers.    Each roller has six axially-spaced sections with annular recesses defined between them. The centre-centre spacing of the annular recesses equals the spacing of the divisional elements of the frames. Peripheral ridges on the upper roller are offset relative to those on the lower roller so that, in use, they interfit.    The stretching of the mesh due to the formation of the corrugations removes any buckling which have arisen from expansions and contractions during moulding of the frame about the mesh. As a result the mesh is disposed accurately relative to the plane of the frame, for posting with active paste material.
The battery sealing method increases productivity. Welding of the thermoplastic cover to the thermoplastic electrode container by heating is used. The container (1) upper part (5) and the cover (3) lower part (6) have trapezoidal cross-sections.    During the sealing process, a hot electrode (4) is introduced between the container (1) and cover (3). The electrode (4) softens the thermoplastic material of the container upper part (3) and the cover lower part (6). After the electrode (4) removal, the frame (1) and cover (3) are pressed together by applying a force perpendicular to the seal. The joined parts form a seam with lugs of both sides of the weld. The welding seam strength is 120 kg/sq. Bul.33/7.9.81
A gas depolarised electrochemical cell has a casing which allows the ingress of oxygen; an anode and a cathode in the casing; a separator between the anode and cathode; a current collector; and an electrolyte. The cathode comprises a unitary member having a hydrophobic surface portion and a hydrophilic surface portion consisting of an ion-exchange portion contg. dispersed catalyst particles in an amt. sufficient to carry out the desired oxygen redn., the hydrophilic surface portion being positioned to contact the ingressing oxygen.    Pref. the cathode is 0.0005 to 0.003 inch thick; the hydrophobic surface portion is of sintered PTFE or fluoroethylenepropylene polymers; the ion exchange portion is anionic or cationic; and the catalyst is chosen from silver, platinum or oxides of manganese. Pref. the catalyst particles are located sufficiently close together to serve as current collector for the cell.    The cathodes can be made very thin (0.0005-0.003 inch thick) and can be made by continuous production methods. The cathodes can be incorporated into metal/oxygen cells giving a limiting current density in the range 5-20 microamperes/sq.cm. of cathode area. Esp. useful in the prodn. of thin button cells e.g. for use in electronic watches.
A macromolecular solid electrolyte comprises an electrochemical generator salt, pref. di perchlorate, solvated in an elastomeric polyester copolymer derived from dimethylterephthalate, a polyglycol and a diol. Amt. of salt is pref. 5-75 wt.% w.r.t polyester.    The polyglycol is polytetra(m)ethylene-ether-glycol or polypropylene ether-glycol. The diol is butane-diol or ethylene-glycol. Amt. of dimethylterephthalate in the mixt. of monomers is 20-70, esp. 45% by wt. Pref. 0.5-2 wt.% Li phthalocyanine is also incorporated in the copolymer.    Used in generators having Li-based negative electrode. Applicns. are esp. for low vol. energy storage sources which can be subjected to vibrations.
The parent patent described on electrochemical generator comprising a positive electrode and a negative electrode in contact with a liq. electrolyte, the positive electrode comprising an active cpd. of formula AxMySz, where A is Li, Na or K, M is a transition metal, 5 is sulphur or selenium, x is 0-2, y is 1-2 and z is 1-4.    In the addn. the active cpd. is of formula LixMS2 or LixMS1.5,1.5, where M is Ni, Co or Cu. Pref. areLi2CuS 1.5, Li2CoS2 and Li2NiS2. Also claimed is a process for producing a positive active material for electrochemical generator, which comprises prepg. a mixt. of Li2S with a sulphide of M, heating the mixt. in a sealed ampoule and under vacuum at 700-1000 deg.C for 3 weeks to give the cpd. Li2MS2 or Li2MS1.5.    The cpds. has high and stable capacity even after several charge/discharge cycles as well as good reversibility. They are used in portable generators for watches, pacemakers,etc.
Rechargeable electric storage cell comprises (a) a housing with an internal chamber; (b) a selectively permeable partition sepg. the chamber into two compartments and establishing a liq. seal between them, the partition permitting selective passage of a desired chemical species; (e) a liq. anode contained in one of the compartments the membrane being in continuous contact with the liq. anode; (f) an electrical communication for passing current from between the anode and the outside of the housing; (g) a cathode inside the second internal compartment; (h) a fluid at least partly fillig the cathode compartment for conducting charged chemical species between the partition and the cathode; and (i) appts. for equalising the pressure between the internal compartmets.    Specifically, the liq. anode consists of Na or Li dissolved in anhydrous liq. ammonia and the catholyte is S or alkali metal polysulphides dissolved in ammonia. The cation exchange membrane is polyethylene or polypropylene based, having functional gps. selected from sulphonic and carboxylic acids and their mixts.
Button cell comprises a positive can and a negative collector fitted in the opening of the can with a gasket between them to prevent leakage of contained liquid, the gasket being made of a synthetic resin filled with glass beads. Specifically, the synthetic resin may be polyamide, nylon 11, nylon 12 or a polyolefin esp. polypropylene.    The glass beads are 2-60 microns average dia. The resin contains 5-50 (20-40) wt.% glass beads, which are pref. treated with a coupling agent at the surfaces. The cell is pref. one utilising an alkaline or an organic electrolyte. More than one resin may be used. Storage periods of up to 80 days have been achieved without leakage compared with 20 days for prior art cells of this type.    The gasket provides leak-proofness for a long period of time.
Electrochemical cell cathode array consists (partly) of a mixt. of halogen component (I) and an O-contg. organic component (II), comprising an ether, alcohol, ketone, (poly) vinyl ester, salt, anhydride, propylene oxide, poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone), propylene carbonate and/or triphenylphosphine oxide. It is connected functionally to the anode array of the cell.    The cell is useful for inaccessible equipment, e.g. heart pacemakers. The cathode is more generally useful in numerous batteries and cells, esp. prim. cells, giving relatively high voltage and high energy over a long period with low current take-off. Pref. (I) consists (partly) of I2 and (II) (partly) of polyethylene oxide (PEO), a monomer or a polymer-monomer mixt., esp. polyvinyl methyl ether, THF, diethyl ether, butyl methyl ether, PEO, polypropylene oxide (PPO), polyvinyl butyral, PVA, EtOH, PhOH, methylcellulose, starch, acetone, polymethyl vinyl ketone, MEK, polyvinyl succinate, polyvinyl acetate, vinyl acetate, polyacrylic acid, acetic acid, oxalic acid, Na and ammonium polyacrylates, Na acetate and/or acetic anhydride.
A fluoropolymeric permselective membrane is irradiated with high energy radiation to generate free radical sites in it and treated with a monomer material comprising a fluorinated carboxylic acid or its deriv. to effect graft copolymerisation.    Pref. perfluoro-but-3-enoic acid or its Me or Et ester is used as the monomer material; and a membrane derived from a copolymer of tetrafluoro-ethylene and perfluoro-vinul sulphonyl fluoride.    The membrane may contain sulphonate, carboxylate or phosphonate cation exchange gps. Gamma- or X-rays or electron beams can be used for the irradiation. The wt. increase in the membrane after graft copolymerisation is suitably less than 12, pref. 3-5,%.    The membrane is also used in batteries and fuel cells. The process improves the resistance of the membrane to back-migration of hydroxyl ions when it is used in a chloralkali electrolysis cell. The treatment can be applied to the whole depth of the membrane; and the modified is not subject to leaching problems.
Electrode plate mfr. is by impregnation electrolysis process with the electrode plate washed with water. Waste water draining away contains cations e.g. K(+) or Na(+) and anions e.g. NO3(-). The cations are removed from the waste water by cation exchange resin. The anions are removed from the waste water by anion exchange resin. The cation exchange resin is regenerated by a HNO3 aq. soln. The anion exchange resin is regenerated by a KOH or NaOH aq. soln. A waste soln. produced in regenerating the ion exchange ions contains KNO3 or NaNO3. The waste soln. is added to an electrolysis reduction soln. in the electrolysing and reducing step. (J50032449)
An alkaline galvanic cell comprises an anode sealing plate consisting of (a) a layered clad plate having an innermost copper layer, contg. an anode active substance, (b) a cathode container contg. a cathode active substance; (c) an insulating packing round the peripheral edge of the anode sealing plate which is fitted into the cathode container for hermetically sealing the cell; and a layer of epoxy adduct polyamide amine (I) situated at a sealing portion of the a-node sealing plate between the innermost copper layer and the insulating packing, the (I) being thermoplastic with a tack even after assembly of the cells and having an amine valence of 50-400. The (I) is made by addn. polymerisation of an epoxy resin with excess amine in a mixed solvent of alcohol and at least one aromatic hydrocarbon chosen from benzene, toluene and xylene.    Prods. are flat-type alkaline batteries in which the (I) adheres closely onto the surface of the copper layer to retard excessive amalgamation of the copper and thus preventing creeping of the alkaline electrolyte and giving improved sealing and leakage prevention. The cells have high reliability and can be manufactured on a large scale at low cost. (First major country equivalent to J57074966-A).
Lead/acid battery has separators (4) separating the negative plates (2) from the positive plates (1) in the packet (3) of plates. The edges of the separators project beyond the edges of the plates and are bent over through 90 degrees to lie parallel to the wall (8) of the battery's casing.    The bent separators are welded together. They may also be attached (6,7) to the top plate in the stack by bending over inwards through a further 90 degrees. The separators are made of thermoplastic and each may consist of a pocket into which its plate is inserted.
Flexible porous separator for batteries having an alkaline electrolyte comprises (a) a thermoplastic rubber-based resin (I) which is insoluble and unreactive in the alkaline electrolyte; (b) a polar organic plasticiser (II) which is reactive with the alkaline electrolyte to produce a reaction prod. contg. a hydroxyl gp. and/or a carboxylic acid gp., and (c) a mixt. of polar particulate filler materials which are unreactive with the electrolyte, the mixt. comprising at least one filler (III) with a surface area of greater than 25 m2/g and at least one filler (IV) with a surface area of 10-25 m2/g, the vol. of the filler mixt. being less than 45% of the total vol. of fillers + binder; the total filler surface area per gram binder is ca. 20-60 m2/g; and the amt. of plasticiser is sufficient to coat each filler particle.    The separators are cheap and easily fabricated on automated machinery. They are highly flexible and resistant to damage from alkaline electrolytes. They strongly inhibit zinc dendrite formation in Ni-Zn alkaline batteries and greatly extend the life of Ag-Zn and Ni-Zn batteries. The separators have a continuous defect-free surface with an interior composed of particles and voids with uniform size and distribution, to achieve uniform current density over the surfaces of the
A battery has an electrodic container formed by a plastics tube (4) with a metal layer (5) on its inner surface, pref. of zinc so that the container is cathodic. The tube lower end is pref. closed by a circular end piece affording electrical connection to the metal and sealed to the tube by adhesive, ultrasonic welding or heat sealing.    The container is pref. located in a casing and its top is closed by a cap (3). The tube is pref. filled with electrolyte and an anode (1) extends into the electrolyte. The metal is pref. sprayed onto a plastics sheet which is then cut and formed into a tube. The arrangement reduces cost and the danger of electrolyte leakage.
The electrode consists of a carrier or grid which is made at least partly of an electrically-conducting material. On the carrier is an electrochemically active mass consisting mainly of lead oxide, plus thermoplastic polymer fibres which resist attack by the electrolyte or by oxidn. The fibres have a split and branched structure and are pref. fibrids made of polythene or polypropylene and treated so they are hydrophilic. The pref. active mass contains by wt. 0.03-1.0%, esp. 0.1-0.15% or 0.03-0.05% fibrids. The term fibrids refers to fibres which are highly oriented in the longitudinal direction and have a length of up to a few mm.; they have a strongly branched or dendroid structure resembling cellulose. Under the electron microscope the structure resembles the Arab meat dish "shich-kebab", i.e. meat on skewers.    The fibrids require neither a coating nor a heat-treatment before providing adequate reinforcement for the active mass, and their cost is lower than that of PTFE.
An alkali battery having positive and negative electrodes has a separator sheet between electrodes comprising at least one membrane less than 10 mils thick, formed from a uniform mixt. of (a) 30-70 wt.% polyolefin synthetic pulp; (b) 16-65 wt.% alkali resistant organic filler; (c) 1-35 wt.% synthetic fibres at least 0.25 in. long; (d) 0.01-1 wt.% combination of cationic and anionic agents to retain the filler; and opt. (e) 1-5% alum.    Pref. (a) is polyethylene and/or polypropylene; (b) is TiO2, Al2O3, MgO, CaO, Ca(OH)2, CaTiO3, K2TiO3, Zr hydroxide and/or Mg(OH)2; (c) are polyester, polyolefin, polyamide, polyacetate, polyacrylate or polyacrylic; (d) are acrylamide polymers. The sheet pref. has max. pore size less than 35 micron, average pore size less than 10 micron; electrical resistance less than 25 mohm/square.    The sheet can be prepd. on conventional paper machines; has tensile strength over 200 lb/in in machine direction; low resistivity; sufficient flexibility to be formed round the electrode plate; and exhibits good wicking.
Cement for sealing electric storage batteries is made from bitumen, mineral oil, antioxidant and a thermoelastoplast. The cement is more elastic and frost-resistant, if it is made from the formulation contg. (in pts. wt.): bitumen 32-53, mineral oil 32-48, butadiene- and alpha-methylstyrene thermo-elastoplast (I) 12-20 and antioxidant 0.1-2.0.    Typically, sealant cement was made from compsn. contg. (in %): bitumen 52.8, mineral oil 35.2, (I) 12 and anti-oxidant 1: it possessed the following props; rel. elongation 500% (against 300% for present sealants); temp. of vitrification minus 56 deg.C (against minus 46 deg.C for present material). Bul.29/7.8.81 (2pp)
Accumulator sealing mastic contains isomethyl tetrahydrophthalic anhydride (I) additive to increase adhesion to battery material. The proposed mastic contains (in pts. wt.): bitumen 55-65; mineral acid 20-25; butadiene-styrene thermoelastoplast 15-20; proposed anhydride (I) 0.2-5. The components are mixed at 200 deg.C and homogenised for 3 hrs.    Typically, the proposed compsn. contg. (in pts. wt.): bitumen 55; mineral oil MT-16p 25; thermoelastoplast DST-30 20; anhydride (I) 1, gives properties: brittle pt. 55 deg.C; softening pt. 102 deg.C; adhesive strength to ebonite 1.53 kg/sq.cm. Bul.29/7.8.81 (2pp)
An injection mould for making a multicompartmented plastics battery casing includes a female die with which a multi-membered core cooperates, the gaps between the core members difining the compartment walls and the gap between the end of the core and the adjacent wall of the cavity defining the base of the casing.    The core members are provided with undercut slots in which slide ejection rods of complimentary shape. The sides of the rods are provided with recesses which are each separated from the free ends of the associated rod by an angled projection, the edge of which is sufficiently close to the cavity wall to prevent the passage of working material there between.    In this fashion, the projecting fins which are formed by the recesses are not attached to the base wall of the casing and thus have enhanced resilience over the prior art. Thus battery elements of different sizes are more readily accomodated.
Battery contains as an electrically conductive agent carbon material produced by immersing carbon black in an alkaline aq. soln. contg. oxyacid salt manganese e.g. potassium manganate or sodium manganate and heat-treating.    In an example, 30 g acetylene black was immersed in alkaline aq. soln. produced by dissolving 2wt.% potassium permanganate in a 5-30wt.% KOH aq. soln. and heat-treated at 60 deg.C for 5 hrs., 5 pts.wt. of the acetylene black treated were mixed with 95 pts.wt. of manganese dioxide. The mixt. was compacted into a cathode mix. The anode comprised a gel-like mixt. of zinc powder and an alkaline electrolyte contg. KOH or NaOH and powder of a gelling agent, e.g. sodium polyacrylate or carboxymethyl cellulose. The separator consisted of cellophane or microporous polyethylene.
A cover (2) for a battery fitted with bosses contg. the lead bushes welded to respective lead plate poles (5) has at least one boss (4) connected to the cover surface by an elastic flexible zone (7) formed by a number of single or multiple concentric rings.    The zone around the boss may have a convex or concave arcuate profile and the cavities formed by the rings are covered by perforated diaphragms (8) with rims resting on the cover surface and the boss slidable in the perforation. The zone and diaphragm are pref. of the same thermoplastics as the cover, e.g. polypropylene. Diaphragms may have a different colour for each pole. The cover is pref. fusion welded to the battery case and is welded to the pole straps or is clamped to each pole by a threaded locking ring.
Recombinant electric storage battery has at least two cells, each including a cell pack (2) comprising positive and negative electrodes interleaved with compressible absorbent fibrous separator material and contg. substantially no free unabsorbed electrolyte. Each cell pack (2) is enclosed in a respective plastics bag (6) and all the cell packs are sealed in a further common outer plastics bag (14) provided with a vent (20) adapted to vent gas from the bag but to prevent air entering it. The whole assembly is accommodated in an outer protective casing. Pref. bags are of polypropylene or other electrolyte resistant plastics.    Used in lead acid storage batteries. Conventional flooded batteries use expensive compartmented polypropylene casings. New arrangement provides a cheap battery easily assembled using conventional machinery.
Glass braid sheaths (28) for tubular battery plates are made by (a) saturating the braid with photocurable resin; (b) curing the braid by exposing to a light source so it becomes rigid; (c) shaping the braid into a sheath; and (d) sizing the sheath to preselected lengths. Alternatively, the braid is part photocured in (b), and fully cured until it becomes rigid between (c) and (d).    The battery plate is of the type having an electrically conductive cross piece (12) with a number of conductive spines (14) extending from it; a glass braid sheath (28) enveloping each spine to form a tube; active materials (21) in the tube; and a second, nonconductive cross piece (22) fixed to and sealing the tube. It is assembled by placing the sheaths over the spines, filling with active material, and sealing with the second cross prece.    The sheaths are made using reduced amts. energy, no resin waste, and avoiding problems of waste and flammability associated with conventional use of alcohol solns.
Composite charged membrane comprises (1) porous polysulphone film and (2) a high molecular ion exchange layer graft- polymerised on the surface of (1). (1) is produced from a high molecular cpd. contg. a sulphone bond (-SO2-), eg. polyhexamethylenesulphone, polyethersulphone derived from bisphenol A and PP'-dichloro-diphenylsulphone. The monomers forming (2) include (meth)acrylic acid, perfluoroacrylic acid, vinylpyridine, allylamine, vinyl-pyrrolidone.    As (1) has a pref. pore dia. below 1000 Angstroms, the graft- polymerised layer, having a thickness above 1000 Angstroms blocks the pores of (1) and permeates ions selectively. (2) is formed pref. by discharge graft polymerisation.    The charged membrane has low membrane resistance and good oxidn. deterioration and mineral acid resistance, and is used as a diaphragm for prim. and sec. battery, fuel battery, and as an electrolytic diaphragm.
Electrode active layer is comprised of an intimate mixt. of 60-85 wt.% active carbon and a remainder of unsintered fibrillated PTFE. The active carbon pref. has a particle size of 1-30 microns, an ash content of less than 4 wt.% and a BET surface area of at least 1000 sq.m/g. The active carbon may also contain a precious metal catalysts such as Ag or Pt.    The layers are made by adding a dil. aq. PTFE dispersion to a suspension of larger active carbon particles so that the latter become discontinuously coated with the PTFE, then fibrillating the coated particles to form an intimate mixt., comminuting the mixt. to form a granular mix and forming this into a sheet, e.g. by rolling at 60-90 deg.C. A pore-forming agent may be added to the suspension prior to fibrillation.    The layers are esp. useful in the prodn. of laminated electrodes in which the active layer is laminated on its working surface to current distributor and on its opposite surface to a porous coherent hydrophobic PTFE-contg. waterproofing layer. The electrodes are useful oxygen (air) electrodes in chlor-alkali cells and fuel cells having long service life and low rate of decline in operating voltage.
Electrode active layer comprises active carbon particles in an unsintered network or matrix of fibrillated carbon black/PTFE. Pref. the active carbon particles have a size of 1-30 microns and may contain a catalyst metal such as silver or platinum. The carbon black is esp. acetylene black with a particle size of 50-300 Angstroms and a surface area of 25-300 sq.m/g. The layer may also contain a pore-forming bulking agent.    The matrix active layers are made e.g. by mixing carbon black particles with an aq. dispersion of PTFE particles, mixing the resulting PTFE/carbon black component with active carbon particles, fibrillating the mixt. and forming the mixt. into an active layer contg. active carbon particles in an unsintered network of fibrillated carbon black/PTFE.    The active layers can be laminated to a backing (wetproofing) sheet and a current collector to form an oxygen (air) cathode having high durability and resistance to degradation by the corrosive environment in chlor-alkali cells, fuel cells etc.
An ampoule, for use as an activation element containing an electrolyte for an electrochemical (lithium) cell, has at least one concave section which facilitates the destruction of the glass shell when a mechanical force is applied. The concave section can be arranged in the neck section, the bottom section or on the cylindrical part of the ampoule.    This ensures that the entire contents of the ampoule are available when the cell is to be activated.
Battery separator which inhibits dendrite formation comprises a sheet formed from a uniform mixt. of a thermoplastic rubber (I); an inert filler (II) with an av. particle size of 0.01-10 microns; a thermoplastic rubber modifier (III) and a processing agent (IV) chosen from stearic acid, stearic acid metal salts, stearic acid amides and natural or synthetic waxes. The vol. ratio (I) to (II) is 10:1.5 to 10.6 and the content of (III) and (IV) is 2-10 wt. % and 0.5-5 wt. % respectively on total mixt.    (I) is pref. a styrene/elastomer/styrene triblock copolymer contg. 15-40 wt. % styrene, esp. styrene/butadiene/styrene, styrene/isoprene/styrene or styrene/ethylene-butylene/styrene rubbers in which the number av. mol. wt. of the elastomer segment is 40,000-100,000 and of the styrene end blocks, 10.000-20,000. (II) is eg. a metal (hydr) oxide such as magnesium oxide, titanium dioxide, aluminium oxide or mixts. of these. (II) is eg. polymeric low mol. wt. polyolefins, polyesters, polyterpenes, polystyrenes, etc. (IV) is pref. stearic acid or a metal stearate. The separators are easily mfd. and are economical. They are esp. useful as separators in nickel-zinc sec. alkaline battery to give improved battery life.
A sealed Ni-Zn cell comprises (a) an Ni-Ni (OH)2 cathode; (b) a Zn-ZnO anode; (c) a mass transport separator; (d) alkaline electrode; and (e) a source charging the cell by interrupted current, with charge frequency above 0-16 (pref. 5-10)Hz and rest interval at least 71ms. The anode comprises (i) up to total 10% corrosion inhibitor of 0.5-10.0wt.% PbO and/or Sn02,and/or over 0-1.0% (total) T1203 and/or In(OH)3; (ii) 0.5-10% (total) slight corrosion accelerator of CdO, Bi203 and/or Ga203; and (iii) Zn active material; % being of i+ii+iii in uncharged state.    The mass transport separator pref. comprises (iv) a barrier layer of microporous polyolefin membrane; coated on one side with 2-5:1 wt. ratio mixt. of fine particles of material of lower H2 overpotential than Zn and cationic electrolyte- absorbent polymeric resin; (v) a cationic electrolyte absorbent semipermeable membrane of hydroxy-contg. polymer contacting the barrier on the anode side: and (vi) two protective microporous polyolefin membranes sandwiching (iv) and (v).    Cycle life is increased by a factor 2 or more in maintenance free battery, with H2 gassing prevented, no Zn dendrite shorting or Ni shedding and min. shape change in Zn electrodes.
An anhydrous battery or cell comprises an anode and cathode and an electrolyte soln. in anhydrous solvent inert w.r.t. anode and cathode, where the cathode is a mixt. of polyacetylene which is p-doped before assembly or becomes p-doped on contact with the electrolyte, and 5-75 wt.% electrically conductive material. It is pref. formed from an intimate mixt. of polyacetylene powder and powdered conductive material.    Pref. the conductive material has a conductivity at least 1 x 10 power-6 ohm-1 cm-1, and is esp. C black, graphite and/or acetylene black. The anode is pref. Li, Al, Na or Mg. A pref. cell has Li anode and electrolyte of Li hexafluorophosphate in sulpholane solvent.    The cell may be a prim. or sec. cell. The cathode exhibits stable electrical conductivity, and high energy density and is capable of high drain rate, e.g. with cell voltage dropping from initial 3.85V to 3.55V over 7 hr. at 250mA/sq.cm drain, and 72.62W-hr./lb. cathode energy density.
A fuel cell having at least one gas diffusion electrode of an electron-conductive, gas-permeable substrate having an electrode catalyst uniformly deposited on it, uses a catalyst comprising colonies, each comprising not more than 20 prim. particles of noble metal, each 10-30A in size, uniformly distributed and deposited on a carrier. The cell is pref. a methanol or phosphoric acid fuel cell.    The electrode catalyst is pref. prepd. by adding reducing agent, and opt. a C fluoride, to an aq. soln. contg. noble metal (complex) ions, a protective colloid and carrier powder, and esp. heating, to deposit noble metal on the carrier. Pref., the noble metal is from gp.VIII, esp. from Pt, Pd, Rb, Ru, Ir; the carrier is carbonaceous powder, esp. graphite, C black or activated C; and the protective colloid is PVA, polyvinyl-methyl ether, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, PMMA, alkyaryl polyester alcohol, gelatin, or gum arabic. Less noble metal is required, and electrode performance is improved, e.g. at 50mA/cm2, potential vs. H2 electrode was 0.80V for the present electrode, 0.68V for conventional.
A spacer for rigid electrode plates in accumulators, esp. lead batteries, where the plate spacing is at least 5 (10-20) mm, consists of an electrically insulating plastics foil with projections having gaps between them into which the edge of a battery plate can fit. Two such plates are mounted opposite each other and the electrode plates slid into the slots formed in them. The width of each projection determines the spacing of the plates.    The projections may be rectangular box shapes, cylindrical, conical etc. Alternatively, they may be formed of continuous vertical ribs.    Pref. materials for the projections, which may be bonded onto the foil, are PVC or polyethylene of 0.5 mm thickness. Alternatively, the projections may be produced by deep-drawing foil of these materials.
An anode has a peripheral frame (30) of material non-reactive with the cell contents and with a metallised surface area (32) on the part of the frame contacting the anode. The frame is pref. a wrap-around band of fluoropolymer and the metallised surface is aluminium which alloys readily with the Li and forms a strong sealed joint.    The anode pref. consists of a pair of Li elements (14,16) with a collector (18) between them and with a peripheral frame metallised along only a central surface area along the band. The cell containing the anode has the anode lead (22) sealed from the other cell contents and has a halogen-containing cathode, e.g. of poly(2-vinylpyridine) mixed with iodine.
Storage battery is produced by placing two or more cell packs each consisting of positive and negative plates interleaved with compressible fibrous absorbent separator material, into a battery container transferring the container to a station where plate straps and inter cell connectors are moulded around the plate lugs in a number of mould cavities, and transferring the container to a station where the inter cell connectors, while still hot, are dipped into a fluidised bed of organic polymer particles, which adhere to the inter cell connectors to form an impervious layer around them.    The layer of polymer forms an electrolyte creepage barrier and prevents the surface of the inter cell connectors acting as an electrolyte wicking surface allowing inter cell ionic leakage. Applying the polymer by dipping in a fluidised particle bed while the connectors are hot saves time and causes the resin to adhere only to those components, where it is required.
An anhydrous battery or cell comprises a cathode, a metal or alloy anode and an electrolyte in soln. in an anhydrous solvent inert w.r.t. both anode and cathode. The cathode is composed of polyacetylene which is p-doped either prior to assembly or in-situ. in the presence of the electrolyte.    Pref. the anode is of Li, Al, Na or Mg and the electrolyte is Li perchlorate, hexafluorophosphate, hexafluoroarsenate, trifluoromethane sulphonate or fluoro-sulphonate. Pref. the solvent is a sulphone, ether, organic carbonate, ester, lactone or organic sulphite esp. propylene carbonate, sulpholane, 3-methyl sulpholane, THF, etc. The cathode may be doped with hexafluoroarsenate, hexafluorophosphate, trifluoromethane sulphonate, fluorosulphonate, or perchlorate. Claimed cells comprise Li anode with Li hexafluoroarsenate electrolyte and sulpholane solvent or Li perchlorate electrolyte and propylene carbonate solvent. The polyacetylene may be a film or foam.    The battery has high drain capacity, and improved efficiency. In partic. it has high energy density (watt-hrs./kg of cell). It may be fabricated in a variety of shapes such as helix, layered, rolled up upon itself.
Primary cell, esp. miniature button batteries, consist of an open ended cathode cup holding the positive active material, and an anode cap with a folded-back rim holding the negative active material. Both the cup and the cap are made of sheet metal and are coated on the inside with an 0.03-0.2mm plastics coating pref. of polyolefin, polyamide or PVC.    Both the cathode cup and the anode cap carry a plastic coating. The contact with their active material is ensured by mechanical or thermal local removal of the layer. During the assembly, a gas and fluid-tight joint is achieved by welding, fusion or bonding. In the latter case the folded-over rim receives a coating of an adhesive.    This prevents any creeping electrolyte leakage. A gas and fluid-tight button battery can be produced by simple methods at a high rate.
A vent, partic. for a sealed recombination battery, comprises a valve with a valve member of foamed closed-cell ethylene- propylene elastomer. The member is pref. a disc (19) in which partly-closed cells (25) at the disc closure surface contain petroleum jelly filler (24) to provide a continuous smooth surface.    The valve is pref. in a wall which has a surrounding upstanding rounded rim (16), the opening (13) being ribbed and a porous disc covering the opening upstream of the member. The member is pref. engaged and slightly deformed by a central post (18) on a perforated outer closure to provide good contact between disc and rim. The vent may be integral with or fitted removably in the battery lid.
A vent, partic. for a sealed recombination battery, has an elastomeric disc (10) normally resting on a rounded shoulder (16) around an opening to act as a valve member closing the opening. The disc is pref. of foamed closed-cell ethylene-propylene elastomer and a porous disc covers the opening upstream of the disc.    There is pref. a valve closure (17) with vents (21) for escape of gas passing the disc, and the closure has a post (18) to engage and slightly deform the disc to give better contact with the shoulder. The opening is pref. in a wall which has a surrounding upstanding rim having the shoulder spaced from the wall, the opening being ribbed. The vent may be integral with the battery lid or formed as a plug fitting removably in the lid.
Elastomeric compsn. comprises (a) a particulate chalcogenide material chosen from sulphides, selenides and tellurides of Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Mo and V; and (b) less than ca. 10 wt.% of a neutralised sulphonated elastomeric polymer formed from an EPDM terpolymer, polystyrene or a butyl rubber and having less than ca. 6 mole % neutralised sulphonate gps. per 100 g polymer. Pref. chalcogenide is TiS2.    Pref. elastomeric compsn. comprises 0.5-5 wt.% of the neutralised sulphonated polymer (on total wt. of chalcogenide material) and 20-80 wt.% of a solvent (on total wt. of chalcogenide material) being a cosolvent system including one or more solvents chosen from normal and aromatic hydrocarbons and one or more solvents chosen from alcohols, amines, amides, nitrides, nitro cpds., lactones and acetols.    Allows simplified prodn. process for prodn. of cathode-active materials than using PTFE binders. Prods. are esp. useful in the prodn. of high energy density batteries or voltaic cells, esp. for cells with Li anode and TiS2 cathode cell.
A charge transfer complex cathode for a solid state cell is the reaction prod. of an organic electron donor and a halogen electron acceptor contg. a minor amt. (pref. 5-30, esp. 15-20 wt.%) dispersed, chemically inert, particulate, high surface area, electrically nonconductive material, pref. Al2O3, SiO2 and/or TiO2.    A solid state cell comprises an anode (pref. Li, Na, K, Rb, Mg, Ca); a solid electrolyte (pref. LiI or LiBr); and a cathode as above, pref. having an organic electron donor of poly-2-vinylpyridine, mesophase pitch, poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone), anthracene or naphthalene and an electron acceptor of I2 or Br2. The impedance is reduced, and rises less during discharge than cells not contg. the particulate material, giving greater discharge rate capacity, e.g. for similar cells with and (without) Al2O3, impedance at 75 days was 13,500 (52,000) ohm; at 272 days 37,000 (234,000) ohms.
Nonaq. cells comprise a metal anode, an Fe sulphide cathode and a liq. electrolyte comprising Li trifluoromethane sulphonate (I) dissolved in a mixt. of propylene carbonate (II) and dimethoxyethane (III).    The anode metal can be Li, K, Na, Ca, Mg, Al or their alloys. The cathode material pref. comprises FeS2, a conductive agent (esp. carbon or graphite) and a binder (esp. PTFE or an ethylene/acrylic acid copolymer). The concn. of (I) can be from 0.5 M to its satn. concn. (pref. ca. 1 M). The (II):(III) vol. ratio is pref. 80:20 to 20:80 (esp. 50:50).    The cells have good cathode utilisation efficiency, pulse discharge capabilities and stability against electrolyte decompsn.
An electrochemical cell having active components assembled in a container closed by a cover, includes at least one vent orifice, pref. in the cover, with a safety vent closure comprising a deformable ball or similar, force fitted into the orifice to provide a normally fluid-tight seal which can be (partly) expelled from the orifice on build-up of a predetermined gas pressure to form a permanent vent.    The deformable material is pref. PTFE, fluorinated ethylene propylene polymer, perfluoroalkoxyethylene polymer, ethylene tetrafluoroethylene polymer, nylon, polypropylene, polycarbonate or acrylic polymer. The cell is assembled by (a) placing solid components in the container; (b) sealing a cover contg. a vent orifice to the open end; (c) feeding liq. components through the vent orifice; and (d) fitting the deformable ball into the vent opening.    The cell is pref. a high energy density cell having liq. oxyhalide cathode-electrolyte. The seal allows venting of rapidly generated gas, preventing cell rupture, and is filled without corroding crimping equipment or contaminating cover gasket interfaces.
A Zn electrode comprises a current collector and a Zn active material layer bonded to the current collector by pressure. The Zn active material layer consists of 100 pts. wt. of mixed very small particles and 2-13 pts. wt. of fluororesin. The mixed particles consist of 2-3 wt.% of Bi2O3, 5-20 wt.% of Ca(OH)2 and the balance Zn and ZnO. (J49076044)
A primary cell comprises (a) an anode (12) of Li, Na or their dischargeable alloys, m.pt over 80 deg.C.; (b)an inert porous cathodic current collector(14), pref. PTFE bonded C or graphite, opt. loaded with S; and (c) an electrolyte solvent of suitable m.pt and b.pt. dissolving polysulphide at concn. over 0.01M and electrolyte salt to make a soln. at least 0.1M, contg. a polysulphide M2Sn, where M=Li or Na.    The solvent has an EMF against the anode which is low enough not to prevent reaction of anode material with the polysulphide to form an M2S solid electrolyte interphase; and polysulphide concn. is high enough and n low enough to provide a predetermined low self discharge. The cell pref. includes a porous glass paper or polypropylene sheet separator(13).    The cell is a high energy density, low rate cell, with volumetric energy density up to 1.2Whr/cm3, compared with 0.6Whr/cm3 for Li-SOCL2 or LiI cells. It has low self discharge, only 2-3% per year, giving shelf life (to 80% capacity) over 6 years at room temp.
Gaseous H2 and O2 combining and condensing device, comprises an inverted, cup-shaped casing (1) having a partition (46) dividing the casing into an upper, condensing chamber (4) and a lower catalyst chamber (6), the partition having passages (48) for draining and distributing condensed water from chamber across the chamber. The chamber is partly filled with an H2/O2 combining catalyst assembly (10) which permits upward gaseous flow and downward flow of condensed water. The catalyst (10) comprises a support coated with a porous matrix of PTFE. and exposed partially platinised carbon particles of high surface area. The ratio of PTFE to carbon particles is 1.5-6:1.    Temp. of operation reduced to below 100 deg.C thereby retarding thermal degradation of catalyst and reducing risk of hot spots which can cause explosions from H2 ignition. Catalyst poisoning reduced to washing by condensate. Recombination of H2 and O2 from storage batteries.
Sea comprises a pot shaped formation in the resin cover (2) for the hole (3) in the area of the terminal (1), a lower, coated resin layer (5) pref. of an acid resistant two component resins on the floor of the pot, an intermediate, thermopplastic, permanently elastic and acid resistant polymer layer (6) on (5) pref. made of a hot melt adhesive e.g an ethylene-acrylic copolymer or similar prod. or of bitumen, wax, resin or fat and a top, cast resin layer (7) on (6) pref. of a two component, acid resistant resin. The accumulator esp. head accumulater has a resin housing, in particular of polyethylene or polypropylene.    The seal remains tight under all conditions of use such as fluctuating temp., fluctuating miner pressures, shaking or axial terminal movement.
Porous conductive electrode system (I) comprising an electrode active material and a porous, fibre-contg. polymeric compsn. is made by subjecting (a) a support-contributing polymer, (b) a fibrillatable polymer, (c) an electrode active material, and (d) a major amt. of a removable polymeric pore-former to conditions for converting (b) to fibres by a dry processing technique and for forming a precursor electrode compsn. comprising discrete fibres developed from (b) throughout an intimate mixt. of (c), (a) and (d).    (I) is used to produce polymer-bonded cell electrodes, esp. thin flexible electrodes. (I) gives max. access to the active particles.
Porous conductive cell electrode system (I) comprising (a) electrode active particles and (b) a fibrillated polymeric material is made by subjecting (b') a fibrillatable polymer, (a) and a major amt. of (c) removable, polymeric pore-former to conditions for fibrillating (b') by a dry processing technique and forming a precursor electrode compsn. comprising discrete polymeric fibres throughout an intimate mixt. of (a), conductive carbon, and (c).    (I) may be used as a thin, flexible cell electrode. The processing can be carried out in standard polymer processing equipment, such as mills, extruders and moulding machines. Component (c) also serves as a processing agent.
Box-like prods. e.g. battery support to be used in automobile are formed from a laminated sheet consisting of resin layers and glass fibre layers. The laminated sheet is pressed using an upper die and lower die to form prods. of desired shape having projections serving as ribs.    The projections (ribs) has a uniform structure of resin layers and glass fibre layers compared with those formed by pouring, resulting in an increase in strength, redn. in variation, increase in workability, etc.
A zinc electrode comprises a zinc active material in which a cement additive is distributed. The cement additive comprises 70-80% calcium silicate, 1-10% calcium aluminate, 5-12% calcium aluminium ferrite, and 6-10% other constituents including calcium sulphate. Also claimed is a secondary battery using the zinc electrode as the negative electrode.    The electrode is suitable for use in secondary batteries such as silver-zinc, zinc-oxygen, and partic. nickel-zinc. The electrode is resistant to shape change and dendritic growth, and so resists drying caused by positive electrode swelling. The electrode does not dissolve in the electrolyte, can be used for a larger number of battery charge-discharge cycles.
Battery has an inert container housing a number of hollow, box like cathode elements (1) each having at least one gas permeable porous cathode (4) in at least one wall, and at least one consumable metal anode (5) separate from and removably supported opposite the porous cathode wall. The cathode and anode of adjacent elements are disposed in spaced facing relation and an electrolyte is maintained in the spaces between the anodes and cathodes. A depolariser gas is fed through the interior of the box like cathode elements to the porous cathodes and pptd. material is collected below the cathode and anode elements. The cathode and anode elements are electrically connected to an external load.    Used as a rechargeable battery. Consumable portion of the anodes are easily removed and renewed outside the cell container, or the consumable portion may be removed and replaced without removing the box like cathodes from the battery.
The cathode is self-supporting or contains a carrier grid; and consists of porous carbon, a binder, and a transition metal oxide (I); it pref. also contains graphite. The pref. cathode contains by wt. 40-99% carbon with porosity 30-70%; 0.5-20% binder, esp. PTFE; 0.1-40% oxide (I); remainder graphite. The carrier grid is pref. made of Ni; stainless- or Ni coated- steel; or Al.    Oxide (I) is pref. obtd. by coating the cathode with a nitrate of Co, Ni, Fe, Cu, Mn, and/or Cr, and then heating to decompose the nitrate. The pref. battery includes a sealed casing contg. a lithium anode, the above cathode, a separator, and a destructible glass ampoule contg. the electrolyte, esp. SOC12, SOBr2, and/or SO2Cl2.    The battery has a high energy density, and is rapidly activated by the cathode to produce a high current.
A catalyst (I) comprises an activated Gp VIII metal supported on a porous metal. The surface of the support is covered by carbon fluoride or styrene-diphenyl benzene copolymer. Pref. to prepare the catalyst the surface of the metal support is coated with hydrophobic thermosetting resin, and introduced into a fluidised bed of carbon fluoride or styrene-diphenyl benzene, being heated at a temp. higher than their melting point. In order to support the catalystic component on the support, the support is soaked in chloroplatinic acid, dried and reduced in hydrogen-stream.    (I) is used for production of water from hydrogen and oxygen in a battery. When a closed-type battery is charged, oxygen and hydrogen generating by the electrolysis of water must be converted to water again. Platinum or palladium catalyst supported on alumina has been used, but once the surface of this catalyst gets wet with the water formed, its activity decreases. The support of (I) is hydrophobic, its surface hardly gets wet, maintaining its original catalytic activity.
Catalyst (I) of an activated metal from gp. VIII supported on carbon fluoride or styrene-diphenyl benzene copolymer is new.    (I) is used for prodn. of water from hydrogen and oxygen in a battery. When a closed-type battery is charged, oxygen and hydrogen generated by electrolysis of water must be converted to water again. Pt or Pd catalyst supported on alumina has been used for the conversion of hydrogen and oxygen into water in such a battery, but once the surface of this catalyst gets wet with formed water, its activity decreases. Since the new support is hydrophobic, its surface hardly gets wet, maintaining its original catalytic activity.    Suitably carbon fluoride is prepd. by heating carbon material in fluorine gas. To support the catalytic cpd. on the support, the support of carbon fluoride or styrene-diphenyl benzene copolymer is soaked in chloroplatinic acid, dried and reduced in hydrogen-stream. The amount of platinum supported should be 0.5-1.0 wt.% on (I).
Current generating cell consists of a fluorinated plastics film (I), a metal mesh (2) with a coating (3) of oxidn. catalyst, binder and activated charcoal powder, an electrolyte carrier (4) and a metal foil (5).    The cell is pref. 0.04-16 mm thick. The plastics film (1) pref. consists of PTFE, TFE/hexafluoropropylene, PVDF, TFE-mipo- TFE-ethylene and/or mipo-TFE-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether and is 0.01-2 mm thick. The wire mesh (2) is pref. 0.01-2 mm thick. The electrolyte carrier (4) pref. consists of an absorptive and flexible fleece or foam material and is 0.01-10 mm thick. The metal foil (5) pref. consists of Al or Al, Zn, or Fe sheet and is 0.01-2 mm thick.    The cell is light, thin, flexible and flat and gives a very high capacity and current density. It is useful in model) sail planes and heatable life jackets.
A high density, self-healing cathode for use in electrochemical cells having an active metal anode comprises a (semi) solid mass having a useable degree of electronic conductivity and consisting of (a) a charge transfer complex and (b) one or more materials from oxides, halides, chalcoenides, or oxyhalides of B or P that are liq. or solid at ambient atmospheric temps. Pref., the charge transfer complex is a complex of I with poly-2-vinylpyridine, and the cathode also contains PI5, PBr5 or POBr3.    The cathodes have lower vapour press., than known I-polymer charge transfer complex cathodes and therefore, with a given anode, a higher voltage and higher energy density.
A packing is interposed between a metal case contg. a battery element and a metal closure. The packing has on the total surface a coating film of polyisobutyrene having an average mol. wt. of 2000-10000 and fine powder of alkali-resisting material deposited on the coating film. The fine powder has low friction coefft. and a grain size smaller than the thickness of the coating film. (J51095252)
Electrochemical high temp. cell, comprising solid positive and negative electrodes and a separator of finely divided ceramic material, having molten electrolyte fixed in the electrodes and separator, is made by (a) mixing finely divided separator or electrode material with electrolyte powder and a heat decomposable, residue-free plastics material; (b) rolling into a coherent plate of uniform thickness; (c) incorporating the plate(s) into the cell; and (d) heating the assembled cell to above the decomposition temp. of the plastics material.    The plates may be assembled individually in the cell, or may be rolled together as an electrode/separator composite before assembly. The plastics material is pref. a polyhydrocarbon having quat. C atom., esp. polyisobutylene.    Separators can be simply made with desired porosity, based only on loose particulate fillings and packings. Very thin electrodes can be made, and the whole structure may be very compact. The cell is e.g. an Li-Al/LiCl.KCl/FeSx system.
A shaped carbonaceous article comprises at least 1 porous carbon felt secured to at least 1 impervious vitreous carbon member. The article pref. comprises a sandwich of alternate layers of carbon felt and vitreous carbon and is made by casting or centrifuging a furfural, phenolic or polyimide resin onto the carbon fell and baking to carbonising or graphitising temp.    Used in electrodes for Zn/halogen or Na/S cells or fuel cell separators.
Air electrode has an active mass contg. a binder; carbon powder (I) with a graphitisation index above 0.2 and a specific surface (SS) of 10-60 sq.m/g.; 15-25 wt.% Ni and 15-25 wt.% C (II) with a low density. (I) is pref. obtd. by pyrolysing CO contg. 0-30 vol.% CO2 at 550-700 deg.C on an Ni or Fe-Ni catalyst; or by using the same process to pyrolise CH4 contg. 0-30 vol.% H2; or by milling graphite. The air electrode is pref. coated on one surface with 10-30 g/sq.m. of Ni providing protection, and on the other surface with a porous hydrophobic layer of PTFE. Two such electrodes are pref. used in a sec. cell with a middle Zn electrode and an outer polymer frame.    This electrode resists anodic corrosion caused by the release of oxygen, and also expansion during repeated charging and discharging.
Electrode comprises an active material based on iron, pref. magnetite, with the addn. of Zn or ZnO in an amt. of 5-15% Zn and up to 10 wt.% binder, (pref. 2% PTFE). The electrode is used as cathode in an accumulator using as anode nickel (hydr)oxide, and as electrolyte, KOH soln.    Accumulators using this cathode do not suffer the same inconveniences as the electrode of the 1950 modification of the Edison accumulator which utilised dendritic copper which while improving behaviour under rapid discharge, caused poisoning of anode if it was allowed to get into soln. in the electrolyte, and by virtue of its wt. lowered the specific capacity of the active mass.
The casing of a battery or accumulator having several shallow cells stacked between a pair of clamps is reinforced by a combination of layers of webbing and/or straps made from strong fibres and wound about the core under constant tension using a jig capable of biaxial rotation. The reinforced layers are enclosed in an external casing of moulded resin.    Esp. for mfr. of cells which are stored or installed dry and are 'self-charging' when they are subsequently primed with electrolyte. Suitable for power systems in weapons, satellites etc. where loss of electrolyte could cause damage and the casing must be strong enough to withstand hydrostatic pressure from enclosed electrolyte subject to temp. variations. The reinforced casing is compact with a high strength/wt. ratio.
Separator for an electrochemical cell is formed by (a) dissolving polystyrene in a solvent; (b) placing a predetermined amt. of the soln. on the surface of a cathode; and (c) removing solvent to leave a thin continuous coating. Pref. a reinforcement, esp. of (non)woven polypropylene, nylon, polyethylene, PVC or cotton or microporous sheets of PVC, polyethylene or PTFE is placed on the cathode before applying the soln. Steps (b) and (c) may be repeated to form an ionically permeable separator of greater thickness. The cathode is pref. Hg (II) oxide or Ag oxide.    Polystyrene does not degrade in the presence of alkaline inorganic electrolytes.    The reinforcement is esp. woven nylon. Pref. the solvent is methylene chloride, THF, ethyl acetate, acetone, benzene, toluene, or trichloroethylene. Pref. up to 100 g esp. 0.5-7.5 g of polystyrene are dissolved per 1 of solvent. Also claimed is a cell comprising an anode, cathode, and polystyrene separator separating the anode and cathode which prevents migration of reaction prods. of the cathode and anode.
A hydrophilic open-celled microporous membrane comprises (a) a normally hydrophobic microporous membrane, on at least one surface of which there is (b) a coating of a cellulose ester or polyvinyl alcohol, with a dry thickness of 1-25 mu. The coated membrane contains (c) a sufficient amt. of a surfactant to render the substrate membrane hydrophilic.    Use of the coated membrane as a battery separator is claimed. The wettability of the membrane in aq., esp. alkaline aq., solns., is improved, and theelectrical resistance is reduced. The membrane is dimensionally stable in an alkaline soln. The plugging of the pores by ions derived from an electrode, e.g. ZnO in a Ni-Zn battery is reduced. Migration of Ag ions through the membrane in a Ag-Zn battery is retarded.
Hydrophobic electrode on which is deposited an electrocatalyst bonded by a hydrophobic binder (I) is produced by applying on an electrode substrate (II) a coating of a mixt. of (a) a homogeneous soln. of the cpds. of (i) Fe, Co and/or Ni and (ii) Mo, W and/or V each cpd. being thermally decomposable to the metal oxide opt. in the presence of an oxygen-contg. gas; and (b) a dispersion of a hydrophobic binder. This is heated to 100-350 deg.C to decompose the cpds. to oxides; and cured at above 300 deg.C in a reducing atmos. Also claimed is (II) having an electrocatalyst of cpds. of (i) and (ii) bonded by (I).    The electrode is partic. useful for fuel cells. It has good stability and low overvoltage esp. when used as an anode.
Solid electrolytic cell has an alkali metal (Li or Na) anode solid cathode and solid electrolyte (of Li3N or Na3Zr2Si2PO12) and can be discharged at room temp. In the charged state, the cathode consists of Sb and/or Bi or their oxides and chalcogenides (Sb2O3, Sb2S3, Bi2O2, Bi2S3) and in the discharged state of a reversible intermetallic cpd. of Sb and/or Bi with the alkali metal of the anode.    A very high coulombic yield is obtd. and the cathode has a high energy density.
A solid state cell comprises an anode, a solid electrolyte and a charge transfer complex cathode in which the complex is the reaction product of a first electron donor and an electron acceptor. Improvement is that a minor amt. of a second electron donor in particulate form is at least partially embedded in the anode. The second electron donor is at least partially exposed to the electron acceptor so that it effectively provides a network extension of a complex cathode into the anode.
Electrochemical cell is made by (a) applying a uniform layer of dry powder comprising C particles and hydrophobic polymer particles on the surface of a porous electrode substrate, with virtually no powder in the pores by (a') dispersing the powder as a cloud in a chamber over the substrate surface; and (a") continuously drawing a vacuum under the substrate to pull the powder onto its surfaces; (b) compacting the applied layer; and (c) sintering.    The substrate is pref. graphitised C paper made from C fibres, esp. having an open porosity at least 60%. The polymer is pref. PTFE and the C particles are pref. pre-catalysed, esp. with a Pt catalyst. The powder may be formed by blending dry C powder and dry hydrophobic polymer particles.S The electrode is useful for fuel cells, esp.having phosphoric acid electrolyte. They are made more rapidly, reproducibly and economically then previous electrodes, using unskilled labour where a blended powder is used. When a C-polymer flock is used performance is better than best previous electrodes, otherwise it is comparable, but has min. cost.
In a silver oxide battery, a separator is interposed between a cathode and an electrolyte-holding sheet. The separator comprises a grafted film having carboxyl terminal gps. and a cellophane film laminated on the grafted film. In the separator, the grafted film is in contact with the cathode. The grafted film is mfd. by graft-polymerising a polyolefin film with (meth)acrylic acid.    Separator has low internal resistance and good workability. In an example, a low-density polyethylene film was graft-polymerised with methacrylic acid. The 30 micron-thick graft-polymerised polyethylene film was immersed in a 1 mol/l H2SO4 aq. soln. for 10 minutes, washed with demineralised water and dried. A 40 micron-thick cellophane film is laminated on the graft-polymerised polyethylene film to form a separator. A cathode consists of 93 pts. wt. Ag2O and 8 pts. wt. flaky graphite.
Anode assembly for a lithium-iodine anode comprises an anode current collector (26), a pair of lithium elements (22,24) bonded together and against the current collector between the elements, a seal element (78) surrounding the peripheral edges of the lithium elements to seal the edges and an electrical conductor (30) connected to the current collector and extending through the seal element. At least one opening is provided in the seal element to receive lithium forced therein during forming the assembly so as to increase adherence between the seal element and the lithium elements.    Used in conversion of chemical energy to electrical energy, when implanted with a cardiac pacemaker etc. Cell construction prevents electrical short circuit from migration of iodine contg. cathode material (88) into the anode assembly through the pressure bonded seal, the seal being enhanced by the strap (78).
The electrochemical cell has an electrolyte consisting of water together with a halogen and pref. its corresponding halide, with the exclusion of fluorine and fluorides, and a stable saturated organic nitrile or dinitrile containing from 2-5C or a mixture thereof. This electrolyte exists in two phases, the first phase being halogen and nitrile rich with the second phase being water rich and containing halide salt.    The cell has an inert electrode in the halogen and nitrile rich phase and an electrode containing or contacting halogen oxidisable material in the water-rich phase. Zinc is a preferred suitable halogen oxidisable material.    If the cell is to be recharged, it is advantageous to circulate the zinc halide water-rich phase during charging to improve the electro deposition of zinc. Some hydrogen is formed on charging, so that a vertical arrangement of electrodes and seperator is preferred. The two phases are sepd. by an inert porous polymeric separator, more pref. micro-porous polyethylene or polypropylene.
A coated article is claimed comprising a photo labile substrate contg. a coating of an addition polymerised copolymer of a monomer mixt. comprising (a) an acrylic ester of formula CH:C(R1)-COOR2 in which R1 is H or 1-6C alkyl and R2 is 1-6C alkyl; and (b) 0.1-5% of a hydroxy-benzophenone of formula (I) in which R3, R4, R5, R3', R4' and R5' are H, OR6 or Z where R6 is (m)ethyl or propyl and Z is -(CH2)m-CH=CH2 where m is 1 or 2 and at least one but no more than two of Re, R4, R5, R3', R4' and R5' are Z. In a pref. system, R1 and R2 are methyl, R3 is Z and at least one of R4 and R4' are alkoxy esp. where R3', R5 and R5' are H and R4 and R4' are both methoxy, and m=1.    The addn. copolymers of (a) and (b) are claimed in parent patent (08041 E/04), and may be cast into hard, weather resistant, transparent films which exhibit strong absorption throughout the UV range present in sunlight at ground level. The coating is e.g. 1mm-1cm thick and is esp. useful as a protective coating on photovoltaic solar cells, and solar reflectors.
Efficiency of the prepn. of the thermoelectric semiconductor batteries is improved when the p and n elements cut from the crystal are coated, directly after cutting, with a compsn. contg. (in wt. %): epoxide resin (I) 60.2-62.9, KOH (as alcoholic 10% soln.) (II) 0.8-1.9 and additional polynaphthol (III) 35.2-39.0. After hardening the elements can be worked and assembled into batteries.    Application of the coating directly after cutting increases the output of defect-free devices by 30-40%. Bul.14/15.4.81. (2pp)
An insulating packing is interposed between a cathode container and an anode container with a sealing cpd. between the packing and the anode. The sealing cpd. contains fatty acid polyamide having an amine value of 10-400 and 2-20 wt.% of C powder having a grain size of 0.01-0.1 microns.    In an example, the sealing agent consists of polyamide resin having an amine value of 75-95 and 10 wt.% of C powder. An anode closure 7 has a folded portion coated with the sealing agent 8. An insulating packing 5 is interposed between a cathode container 1 and the coated portion of the anode closure 7. The C powder prevents amalgamation of a Cu layer constituting the anode closure in the presence of amine gps.    Leak-proof characteristics of an alkaline battery are improved.
Method comprises (1) forming a positive electrode from a pressed body consisting of an activator of manganese dioxide, conductive agent and binder, (2) heating the pressed body at 250 to 450 deg.C and (3) heating the disk at reduced pressure at below 200 deg.C for 4 to 50 hours. The battery also comprises a negative electrode of Li and an electrolyte contg. organic solvent. The positive electrode effectively stabilises discharge voltage.    In an example, manganese dioxide powder (100 pts.wt), graphite powder (10 pts.wt) and PTFE (1 pt.wt) are mixed and placed on a nickel net. The mixt. is pressed with the net under a pressure of 3 ton/cm2 to form a disk. The disk is heated at 400 deg.C for 4 hours. Then the disk is heated at 80 deg.C at 0.1mmHg for 24 hours. The electrolyte consists of propylene carbonate and 1 mol/l lithium perchlorate.
Method comprises (1) forming a positive electrode from a pressed body consisting of an activator of manganese dioxide, conductive agent and binder, (2) heating the pressed body at 250 to 450 deg.C and (3) immersing the heated body in organic solvent such as n.hexane, cyclohexane, benzene, toluene, acetone or heptane. The battery also comprises a negative electrode of Li and an electrolyte contg. organic solvent. The positive electrode effectively stabilises discharge voltage.    In an example, manganese dioxide powder (100 pts.wt), graphite powder (10 pts.wt) and PTFE (1 pt.wt) are mixed and placed on a nickel net. The mixt. is pressed with the net under a pressure of 3 ton/cm2 to form a disk. The disk is heated at 400 deg.C for 4 hours. The disk is immersed in solvent of 50 vol.% propylene carbonate and 50 vol.% 1,2-dimethoxyethane for 2 days. Then the disk is dried. The electrolyte consists of propylene carbonate and 1 mol/l lithium perchlorate.
The electrode comprises Zn activator, zinc oxide, cadmium oxide, binder of fluorine contg. polymer and PVA or polyethylene oxide.    The PVA or polyethylene increases discharge capacitance.    In an example Zn powder (100 g), Zn oxide powder (750 g) and the Cd oxide powder (100 g) were mixed. PTFE (250 g) and an aq. solution (200ml) of 5 wt.% PVA were added and the mixt. was pressed to form the zinc plate of thickness of 1.0mm, width 55mm and length 90 mm. Ni positive electrode plate of thickness 1.0mm, width 55mm and length of 90mm was laminated on the zinc electrode plate. Polypropylene porous separator was inserted between the plates. Electrolyte of an alkaline soln. of KOH was impregnated in the separator to form a battery.
In an injection mould for making a battery case divided by internal walls into compartments for reciving the electro-chemical components of the battery, the compartments are defined by a plurality of spaced elongated cores (24). Each core has on its surface elongated grooves (26) of mortice shape within which are slidable ejector bars (30) of complementary shape.    The leading ends of the bars are provided with recesses (32) and in the retracted position of the bars the walls (88) of the recesses and the walls (90) of the grooves define cavities in which fins which project from the compartment defining walls are formed. The fins, act to resiliently receive and hold in place electro-chemical components of varying size.    During initial movement of the ejection rods the moulded case is pushed from the cores, the fins being withdrawn without undue stress longitudinally from the cavities, in which they are moulded.
In an injection mould, for making multi-compartmented battery casings by injection moulding around a plurality of spaced elongated cores (24) each having a groove (26) of mortise shaped cross-section along which complementary shaped ejector bars (31) are slidable, each bar having fin defining recesses (32) (See GB2080723), the leading ends of each bar is provided with an angled lip (33).    The lips define undercuts at the ends of the fins and prevent material from flowing between the ends of the bars and the base wall of the mould, thereby forming fins which are not attached to the base wall and which are more flexible.S The angle of the tip is preferably at (30) to the axis of ejection to facilitate deflection of the fin around it without damage during ejection.
Catalyst for the recombination of H2 and O2, esp. gases formed in the operation of electric accumulators, consists of an active catalyst supported on a mixt. of PTFE and activated charcoal. The catalyst consists of a first mat of a roller PTFE-activated charcoal mixt. (I), which is provided with a catalytically active metal, hydrophobised and sintered after rolling, and a second (I) mat, free from catalytically active material, in close mechanical contact with the first.    The PTFE:activated charcoal mixing ratio is pref. 40:60 to 10:90 (25:75) wt.%. The first mat contains 0.1-5 (0.3-1) wt.% Pd and the second can be impregnated with CuO.    The second mat detoxifies gases contg. SbH3 and acts as diffusion barrier. Difficulties in combining the 2 mats are avoided. The catalyst is also useful for eliminating radiolysis gases in nuclear power stations and in heat generation from H2 and O2 and air.
Laminar electric cell comprises (a) an anode comprising a solid deposit of Zn powder in binder on a conductive plastic substrate; (b) a cathode comprising a mixt. of MnO2 and C particles; (c) a cellophane (RTM) separator between the contacting anode and cathode; and (d) an electrolyte soln. of 1-3 (pref. 2)% NH4Cl and 20-29 (pref. 25)% ZnCl2, based on soln. wt., balance water, permeating the anode cathode and separator.    The cell is useful for photographic electronic flashlamps, giving improved performance in high drain, variable cycle environment, e.g. 40 or more pulses at 30s rest intervals, 53 or more pulses at 600s rest intervals, compared with 39 pulses at 30s, 16 at 600s for best conventional electrolyte contg. 10% ZnCl2, 23% NH4Cl.
A battery separator (10) for an alkaline battery cell comprises a flexible fibrous absorber (12) having a moderately used polyvinyl alcohol coating (14). The absorber is resistant to strong alkali and oxidation. The coating (14) is applied from an aqs. dispersion of non-crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol soln., inert hydrophobic fillers, a dispersing agent, a water soluble plasticiser, a low m.wt. alcohol, a crosslinking agent and a catalyst, the crosslinking being achievable at a desired temp. The polyvinyl alcohol forms a semipermeable membrane (14) which is mechanically bonded by entanglement to the absorber (12) in a thin region (16) of the coating.    The separator provides low resistance to electrolyte ion transfer but substantial resistance to electrode ion transfer during cell operation. Transition from hydrodynamic flow to diffusional flow is effected with very little delay. It is used in high energy density secondary alkaline batteries such as Ni-Zn batteries.
An alkali electrolyte soln. is gelled by addn. of 0.47.0% carboxymethylcellulose (at least 0.8 substitution degree) to the electrolyte. The use of CMC increases the discharge capacity of the battery and prevents leakage of electrolyte.    In an example, batteries assembled from ZnO-satd. 30% NaOH electrolyte contg. 7.0% CMC (0.8 substitution degree) were stored at room temp. for 18 months. The percentage of leaked batteries was 0.2, whereas that of leaked conventional ones was 1.2%. (J50148829)
Battery has an anode of Ca (alloy), and an electrolyte produced by dissolving hexafluorophosphate in a mixed solvent of acetonitrile and DMF. Pref. the hexafluorophosphate is lithium hexafluorophosphate, sodium hexafluorophosphate or potassium hexafluorophosphate.    Typically, an anode is fabricated by pressing a Ca sheet on a Ni net. A Ni lead is spot-welded to the anode. A cathode is fabricated by depositing on a Ni mesh a mixt. consisting of 10 pts.wt. MnO2, 1 pt.wt. acetylene black and 0.1 pt.wt. polytetrafluoroethylene resin powder. A Ni lead is bonded to the cathode. A separator consists of nonwoven fabric of polypropylene. An electrolyte is contained in a vessel and produced by dissolving 0.8 mol/l of KPF6 in a mixed solvent contg. 1 pt. vol. of acetonitrile and 1 pt. vol. of DMF.
Prim. cell includes a cathode using PbO2 as a main active material, an anode using Zn as active material, and an electrolyte consisting of an alkaline soln. contg. 0.5-3.0 mol/l of alkali hydroxide and 0.05-0.5 mol/l of sulphate gps. The cell has improved leak-proof characteristics.    Specifically a cathode is produced by adding 10wt.% of graphite to PbO2 powder. An anode is fabricated by adding CMC to 10% amalgamated Zn. A separator comprises a graft-polymerised polyethylene film and a cellulose film. An electrolyte-holding sheet is fabricated by impregnating non-woven fabric with an alkaline electrolyte contg. 1.0 mol/l of NaOH, 0.2 mol/l of Zn and 0.2 mol/l of Na2SO4. A gasket is interposed between a cathode container and an anode container. The solubility of PbO2 is reduced by having a low-concn. NaOH electrolyte at the cathode side.
A prim. cell includes a cathode using PbO2 as a main active material, an anode using Zn as active material, and an alkaline electrolyte contg. 0.5-2 mol/l of alkali hydroxide. The permeability of a prim. cell having high capacity density is improved.    Specifically a cathode is fabricated by adding 10wt.% of graphite to PbO2 powder. An anode is fabricated by adding CMC to 10% amalgamated zinc. A separator comprises a graft-polymerised polyethylene film and a cellophane film. An electrolyte-holding sheet is fabricated by impregnating non-woven fabric with an alkaline electrolyte contg. 0.5-2 mol/l of NaOH and 0.05-0.2 mol/l of ZnO. A gasket is interposed between a cathode container and an anode container. By using the low-concn. NaOH soln. at the cathode side, the solubility of PbO2 is reduced. Therefore, self-discharging is prevented.
Primary cell includes a cathode using PbO2 as main active material, an anode using Zn as active material, and an electrolyte consisting of alkali hydroxide soln. contg. phosphate. The cell has improved lifetime.    Typically, a cathode is made by adding 10 wt.% graphite to PbO2 powder. An anode is made by adding carboxymethyl-cellulose to 10% amalgamated zinc. A separator comprises a graft-polymerised polyethylene film and a cellophane film. An electrolyte-holding sheet made by impregnating nonwoven fabric with alkaline electrolyte consisting of 2 mol/l NaOH, 0.2 mol/l Na3PO4 and 0.2 mol/l ZnO. A gasket is interposed between an anode container and a cathode container. By adding phosphate to alkaline electrolyte, the solubility of PbO2 in it is reduced.
Prim. cell includes a cathode using PbO2 as main active material, an anode using Zn as active material, and an electrolyte consisting of alkali hydroxide soln. contg. chromate ions. The working lifetime of the cell is improved.    Typically, a cathode is made by adding 10 wt.% graphite to PbO2 powder. An anode is made by adding CMC to 10% amalgamated Zn. A separator comprises a graft-polymerised polyethylene film and a cellophane film. An electrolyte-contg. sheet is fabricated by impregnating nonwoven fabric with an electrolyte consisting of 2 mol/l NaOH, 0.1 mol/l Na2CrO4 and 0.2 mol/l ZnO. A gasket is interposed between a cathode container and an anode container. By adding chromate ions to alkaline electrolyte, the solubility of PbO2 in it is reduced. Self-discharging is thus prevented.
Battery has cathode active material consisting of a mixt. of MnO2 and PbO2. This battery has high discharge capacity and excellent voltage stability.    Typically, an anode is fabricated by adding 0.08 carboxymethyl- cellulose to 10% amalgamated zinc. The anode is placed in an anode container. A cathode is fabricated by adding 10 wt.% graphite to a mixt. of 0.1 g MnO2 and 0.23 g PbO2. The cathode is placed in a cathode container. A separator comprises a graft-polymerised polyethylene film and a cellophane film. An electrolyte-holding sheet is made by impregnating nonwoven fabric with ZnO-satd. 5 mol/l KOH aq. soln. as an electrolyte. A gasket is interposed between the anode and cathode containers. This battery has an open-circuit voltage of 1.55 volt and flat discharge voltage characteristics.
Battery has a two-layer cathode comprising a MnO2 layer and a PbO2 layer. The MnO2 layer is in contact with a separator and the PbO2 layer is in contact with a cathode container.    It is possible to improve working lifetime of the battery because PbO2 is prevented from contacting a large amt. of alkaline electrolyte.    Typically, a cathode comprises a PbO2 layer contg. 10 wt.% graphite and a MnO2 layer contg. 10 wt.% graphite. A separator comprises a graft-polymerised polyethylene film and a cellophane film. An electrolyte-holding sheet comprises nonwoven fabric impregnated with ZnO-satd. 5 mol/l NaOH aq. soln. An anode consists of 10% amalgamated Zn and 0.1 g carboxymethylcellulose. A gasket is interposed between an anode container and a cathode container. Water-repellent material may be added to the MnO2 and PbO2 layers.
Battery contain Li as anode active material packed into an anode and (I) complex as cathode active material packed into a cathode, a gasket being interposed between the anode and cathode containers. A water-repellent agent having a surface tension of less than 20 dynes/cm is coated on a sealed portion of the battery.    In an example Li anode active material is placed in an anode stainless steel container. Cathode active material of iodine complex consisting mainly of iodine and phenothiazine is put in a cathode stainless steel container. A solid electrolyte layer is formed between the anode and cathode active material. A polypropylene resin gasket is interposed between the anode and cathode container. A water repellent agent of silicone oil having a surface tension of 19 dynes/cm is coated on a sealed portion of the battery. Inversion of water from the exterior into the interior of a battery can be prevented.
Prodn. of a lead acid accumulator separator comprises making an aq. dispersion (I) of a blend of cellulosic fibers, and olefin polymeric fibrils in a ratio of 20:80 to 40:60, with a degree of freeness from 40-75 deg. SR(II), 20-25 wt.% of an inorganic powdery material soluble to less than 5 wt.% after 72 hrs immersed in 30% sulphuric acid at 71 deg.C, and from 0.01-0.3 wt.% of a wetting agent. The dispersion (I) is formed into a sheet by a paper making method.    (I) contains up to 50(10-20) wt.% of glass fibers of dia. not exceeding 15 microns. The separator sheets are pref. heated under substantial absence of pressure to a temp. at least equal to the mpt. of the fibrils (II). (I) also contains pref. up to 50(10-20) Wt.% of a vinyl(idene) polymer, an ethylene propylene copolymer, or a copolymer of a vinyl(idene) monomer with ethylene contg. up to 50 mol.% copolymerised ethylene.    The separator sheets produced have pores of very small dia., a high total proosity, and a satisfactory ionic permeability. When subjected to a consolidation process involving heat, the sheets have increased dimensioned stability, and resistance to moisture and humidity.
Electrochemical generator comprises anode, cathode and a liq. electrolyte which includes phthalocyanine(s), porphine(s), porphyrine(s) and/or arene(s), in an amt. of 10 power minus 8 to 1/10 mole/l.    The pref. cpds. are Li phthalocyanine, H phthalocyanine and mesotetraphenyl porphine. The electrolyte pref. comprises an organic solvent in which is dissolved an alkali metal salt. Solvent is pref. propylene carbonate, dioxolan, dimethoxyethane, THF, nitromethane, polyoxyethylene or cyclic ester. Salt is pref. a perchlorate, hexafluoroborate, hexafluoroarsenate, nitrate or methylchlorosulphonate. The positive electrode pref. comprises an active mass of NiPS3, TiS2, LixFeS2, (x is 0.1-4) embedded in an electron conductor of C, graphite, Cu, Ni, Fe or a transition metal.    The additional organic cpds. act as depolarising agents increasing the energy stored in the cells obtd.
An electrochemical cell comprises (a) positive and negative electrodes; (b) a separator between them, comprising a container (2,2') of microporous material contg. a liq. polymer soln. (5,5'); and pref. (c) an electrolyte between the electrodes.    The container pref. has opposing sides, each comprising a layer of the microporous material, esp. comprising a polymer based film from nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride. The polymer in the polymer soln. is pref. from cellulosic polymers, vinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, and polyethylene oxide. The soln. is pref. contained in a porous support in the container.    The cell is pref. an alkaline cell having a Zn electrode. The separator gives increased cycle life and reduces dendritic growth and electrode shape change.
Electrochemical cell contains an aq. electrolyte and a separator comprising a 5-50 mil thick microporous sheet of a linear copolymer of ethylene and 40-90 esp. 20-90 wt.% of vinyl alcohol. Pref. the sheet comprises 10-60 vol.% of the copolymer and 10-60 vol.% of a filler and is prepd. by forming a sheet from a mixt. of the copolymer, filler and a plasticiser and removing the plasticiser. Pref. the linear ethylene portion of the copolymer is unbranched.    The separator can be used in lead/acid or any alkaline type of battery. It has good physical and chemical properties.
A chloride anion transport membrane is made by forming a layer of a mixt. of a rubber, a solvent for the rubber and a powdered ion transport material (I). Solvent is removed to produce a dried sheet comprising 50-80 vol.% rubber and 20-50 vol.% (I). (I) is a phosphonium, tert. ammonium or quat. ammonium chloride salt, a metal oxide, a silicate or boric acid and has particle size 0.01-10 microns. The sheet has pores less than 100 Angstroms dia.    The membrane (6) is used in an oxidation-reduction electrical accumulator cell (4) having anodic (1) and cathodic (2) fluid tanks with pipelines (3) to the cell (4) which also contains inert electrodes (5). After passing through cell (4) the fluids are returned to the tanks (1,2) by pumps (7). The membrane (6) is permeable to chloride ions but not to the cations, e.g. Fe, Ti or Cr, of variable valency which are used as the redox couple in the cell. The membrane (6) has low ionic resistivity, high selectivity for anions and low electronic conductivity.
The process is suitable for prodn. of lead storage batteries. It has advantage of uniform mixing, which is achieved by covering the fibre with lead powder to the length corresp. to the length binding cpd. fibre.    The binding fibre e.g. polypropylene fibre 3-5mm long is fed onto the tape (1) of the conveyor using loading unit (2) made of the electric material. The bottom wall of the dosing unit is covered with metallic grid (3) with mesh sides 0.6 x 0.6mm to which voltage high voltage is applied. Earth electrode (4) is located under the conveyor tape. The tape moves at the rate of 0.05-0.1 m/sec. The intensity of electric field between the bottom of the dosing unit and the earth electrode (4) is set within 2-2.5 kV/cm, with the sepn. between the items equal to 10cm. Due to low conductance of the fibre the direction is maintained until the exit from the electric field zone. After the exit, the fibres are covered with lead powder fed by the vibrating feeder (5) set so that the height of the covering will not exceed the mean length of the fibre orientation. The mixt. thus prepd. falls into the receiving vessel (6). Bul.33/7.9.81.
Electrode for batteries, accumulators, etc. comprises a current collector, an active mass and a plastic reinforcing binder consisting of dispersed flakes of fiberised, oriented mono- or multi-layer (co)polymers which are stable under the electrode working conditions, e.g. polyethylene or polypropylene. The amt. of polymer binder/reinforcer is 0.1-20 wt.% on active mass wt.    The electrode may be made by dry mixing or wet mixing using up to 50 wt.% liq. on dry wt. of the mixt. The mixt. is then applied to the current collector by e.g. rolling or pressing.    Electrode has superior mechanical and electro-chemical properties and a prolonged service life.
Cathode mixt. is made by flowing and agitating a powder mixture of MnO2 and conductive agent (e.g. graphite), supplying into the mixt., by spraying, a binder soln. prepd. by dissolving polystyrene or PVC, in amt. 0.2-3 pts. per 100 pts.wt. of powder mixture, in THF, and then drying the mixt. by hot air. Granules are obtd.    The obtained cathode material dried by hot air (pref. 45-66 deg.C) gives excellent flowability and is easily to be shaped into discs. Uniform mixing and excellent granule formation are carried out by using hot air blowing.
Cell uses an unwoven cloth for impregnation with alkaline electrolytic soln. The cloth is a mixt. of a short fibrous carbon fibres (pref. backed at above 1000 deg.C) and a hydrophilic fibres (pref. cellulose, polyamide, PVA or polyacrylonitrile fibres).    The cloth is pref. used for impregnating an alkaline electrolyte solution (KOH or NaOH) in e.g. a silver oxide cell, an alkaline manganese cell, or a mercury cell. The carbon fibres serve to give conductivity to the cloth to lower the inner resistance and discharge properties at a lower temp. and at heavy load conditions. Excellent mechanical intensity and improved durability are also given by using carbon fibres.
Electrochemical cell has a metal container for housing cell components and a self sealing septum for closing an opening through which a fluid component can be introduced into the container by means of a hypodermic-like needle. The septum has a metal sleeve (42) carried in the opening, and inner and outer closure areas, the self sealing septum (44) closing the inner closure area (36) and a metal plug (46) closing the outer closure area (48).    Pref. the self sealing septum (44) can be silicone, fluoro-silicone, or fluoro-carbon rubber. After insertion of the component through the self sealing septum the metal plug (46) is inserted in the sleeve (42) and welded in position.    Used in lithium halogen batteries or cells.
A thin electrochemical cell separator plate is produced by moulding a mixt. of 45-65 wt.pts. high purity graphite powder and 55-35 wt.pts. a carbonisable thermosetting phenolic resin at a press. and temp. which melt and partially cure the resin and give material flow such that a density of 97-99% the max. theoretical density is obtd. and heating the moulded plate at least 2100 deg.C. to carbonise and then fully graphitise it.    The graphite powder consists of substantially 100% fully graphitic particles having density at least 2.0 g/cm3, average aspect ratio less than 0.40 and distribution of particle sizes up to a max. of 230 microns, with 31-62 wt.% of the particles having size less than 45 microns. The resin has a C yield of at least 50%.    The finished plate has an initial threshold corrosion potential measured at 400 deg.F of at least 1,000 millivolts, a max. initial through-plane electrical resistivity of 0.009 ohm.-cm., an initial flexural strength measured at 400 deg.F of at least 4,000 psi. and an electrolyte take-up no greater than 5-0% it is partic. useful in phosphoric acid fuel cells, and can have thickness less than 0.150 in., pref. less than 0.100 in.
An anode for an Li-halogen cell is made by (a) forming a film of organic electron donor material, pref. polyvinyl pyridine, of predetermined shape and thickness; (b) providing an Li element having a surface adapted for operative association with a cathode; (c) placing the film on the Li element; and (d) placing film and element between mould sections and applying press. (e.g. 2000lb for 6s) to the sections to bond the film to the element.    Pref. two films and elements are provided, and are assembled with an anode current collector and lead; and (c) bonds the films to the elements and the elements together and to the current collector and part of the anode lead. In another embodiment, for single element or pair, the film is an envelope and the element(s) is inserted in it.    The film provides a uniform, bubble free anode coating, and allows rapid assembly with min. exposure to the atmos. of the Li element, avoiding nitride formation. Cells using the anodes have reduced impedance, e.g. 21.8 ohms compared with 26.5 ohms for brushed on coatings. The cells are useful for implantation in the human body, e.g. for cardiac pacemakers.
Method comprises (1) depositing Pt particles covered by protecting colloid layers on carbon particles, (2) removing the colloid layers from the Pt particles by proteolytic enzyme and (3) bonding carbon particles to an electrode base with a binder. The colloid layers consist of protein. The protein is albumin or gelatin. By the presence of the colloid layers, the platinum electrode is uniformly formed.    In an example, acetylene black (5g), albumin (1g) and H2PtCl6. 6H2O (3g) are added in a soln. consisting of 50 wt.% water and 50 wt.% of methanol at 70 deg. C to form the colloid layers on the Pt particles deposited on the acetylene black particles. The soln. is filtered to separate the acetylene black particles. The particles are dried. The particles are immersed in a pepsin soln. to decompose the colloid layers to form the catalyst powder. The powder is bonded to the Nb net electrode plate by the binder of polyvinyl chloride.
The battery comprises a positive electrode activator of nickel oxide, a negative electrode activator of cadmium and an electrolyte of aq. soln. of alkali. A positive electrode comprises a porous steel plate and a nickel oxide paste coated on the plate and dried. The porosity of the positive electrode is 40 to 60%.    In an example, nickel carbonyl powder is added to an aq. soln. of 3 wt.% CMC to form the paste. The paste is coated on the steel plate having through-holes of dia. 1.7 mm. The plate has a thickness of 80 microns. The paste is dried and sintered at 900 deg.C. for 5 minutes in a reducing atmos. to form a positive electrode of thickness 0.65 mm. and a porosity of 60%.
Positive electrode comprises an activator body and a MnO2 layer contg. metallic silver formed on the surface of the body. The layer is contacted with a separator placed between the positive and negative electrodes. The positive electrode consists of 5-50 wt.% MnO2 and 50-95 wt.% Ag2O. The layer is more porous than the body.    The manganese dioxide layer prevents expansion of the positive electrode body effectively. By preventing expansion, the discharge voltage is stabilised.    In an example, a positive electrode disc consisting of 66 wt.% Ag2O and 34 wt.% MnO2 has the MnO2 porous layer including 5 wt.% Ag metal. The disc is placed in a Ni plated iron case. A polyethylene separator is placed on the layer. An electro- lyte impregnating sheet and the zinc negative electrode are laminated on then in order.
Positive electrode comprises an activator body and a MnO2 layer contg. metallic silver formed on the surface of the body. The layer is contacted with a separator placed between the positive electrode and a negative electrode. The positive electrode consists of 5-50 wt.% MnO2 and 50-95 wt.% Ag2O. The manganese dioxide layer prevents expansion of the positive electrode body effectively. By preventing expansion, discharge voltage is stabilised.    In an example, positive electrode disc consisting of 66 wt.% Ag2O and 34 wt.% MnO2 has an MnO2 layer including 5 wt.% Ag metal. The disc is placed in a Ni plated iron case. A polyethylene separator is placed on the layer. An electrolyte impregnating sheet and the zinc negative electrode are laminated in order.
Silver oxide battery comprises (1) anodic mixed. agent, (2) cathodic agent corresp. to the anodic mixed agent and (3) separator between (1) and (2). First separator has higher permeability to Ag ion and lower redn. amt. and 2nd separator has a lower permeability to Ag ion and higher redn. amt. separators are piled or laminated.    In an example, the 1st separator was obtd. from acrylic or methacrylic acid graft-polymerised polyethylene film, where the polyethylene film was of high, middle or low density, the thickness and graft ratio were changeable. The 2nd separator was obtd. from cellulose film, polyvinylalcohol film or polypropylene film.    Internal short-circuit due to separator deterioration is prevented.
Alkaline battery comprises (1) anodic mixed agent, (2) cathodic agent corresp. to the anodic mixed agent and (3) separator laid between (1) and (2), composed of two polyethylene films graft-polymerised with acrylic or methacrylic acid. The two films are laminated so that shrinkage direction and expansion dimension of the films in alkaline electrolyte liq. mutually meet at right angles.    In an example, two polyethylene films which were graft- polymerised with acrylic or methacrylic acid, were laminated so that shrinkage and expansion directions of both films met at right angles. Shrinkage ratio and expansion ratio of one film were 42% and 5.8% and those of the other film were 4.8% and 5.2%. Wrinkles in the separator were prevented and separator contact with anodic mixed agent was stabilised.    Dimensional stability is obtd. and contact to anodic mixed agent is stabilised.
Alkaline battery comprises (1) anodic mixed agent, (2) cathodic agent corresp. to the cathodic mixed agent and (3) a separator which is laid between both agents and composed of (meth)acrylic acid graft-polymerised polyethylene film being apt to shrink from periphery of the film in alkaline electrolyte liq.    Wrinkling of the separator is prevented and contact to anodic mixed agent is stabilised. In an example, separator was composed of acrylic or methacrylic acid graft-polymerised polyethylene film. When the film was immersed in alkaline electrolyte liq. dimensional change occurred owing to shrinkage turned back from tensile strength given in the periphery of the film in the mfg. process. In the case of the film having both traverse direction shrinkage of 13.2% and lengthwise direction shrinkage of 8.5%, the discharge characteristics of the battery was improved.
Alkaline battery comprises (1) anodic mixed agent, (2) cathodic agent corresp. to the anodic mixed agent and (3) separator which is laid between the both agents and composed of a laminate of (meth)acrylic acid graft-polymerised polyethylene and nonwoven cloth made from synthetic fibre.    Mechanical strength of separator is increased and yield of punching process is raised. Open-circuit voltage stability is improved. In an example, (meth)acrylic acid graft-polymerised polyethylene film was laminated on nonwoven cloth made from synthetic resin, e.g. nylon, polypropylene, vinylchloride, vinylidene chloride etc., which were incorporated in a body to give a separator. Obtd. battery had good yield in punching process, improved open-circuit voltage stability and good battery storage characteristics.
Alkaline battery uses, as the separator between cathodic agent and anodic mixed agent, a laminate of polyethylene film graft-polymerised with acrylic or methacrylic acid and paper mainly composed of natural fibre or the deriv. fibre. Internal impedance is lowered and high-current discharge, low-temp. properties are improved.    In an example, acrylic or methacrylic graft-polymerised poly- ethylene film was laminated on a natural fibre paper (e.g. wood pulp, cotton, cotton linter, layon etc.), where the poly- ethylene film was put on a side of anodic mixed agent. In another example, natural fibre paper was sandiwhced between two polyolefine films. The battery had good processability in the mfg. process and good open-circuit voltage stability.
Alkaline battery uses as the separator between cathodic agent and anodic mixed agent, a polyethylene film laminate in which acrylic acid or methacrylic acid is graft-polymerised with a high density polyethylene and a low density poly- ethylene and both films are laminated and incorporated in a body. Impedance is lowered and the battery storage characteristics are improved.    In an example, acrylic or methacrylic acid graft-polymerised high density polyethylene film was laminated with acrylic or methacrylic acid graft-polymerised low density polyethylene film. The high density film was used on the side of the anodic mixed agent to prevent influence of anodic oxide. In another example, high density film was sandwiched with two low density poly- ethylene fioms.    Battery had good closed-circuit voltage stability and good long storage characteristics.
Alkaline battery has as the separator between cathodic agent and anodic mixed agent, a laminate of multiple poly- ethylene films having graft-polymerised acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, having different graft ratio which are laminated and incorporated in a body.    In an example, a film of higher graft ratio was laminated on a film of lower graft ratio, or a film of higher graft ratio was sandwiched between two films of lower graft ratio. The higher graft ratio was pref. 45-90% and the lower graft ratio was pref. 20-40%. Obtd. battery had good closed-circuit voltage stability (at 60 deg. C, long storage) and improved discharge characteristics (at 15 k ohms load, 60 deg. C for 40 days).    Impedance is lowered and the battery storage characteristics improved.
Alkaline battery uses, as the separator, between cathodic agent and mixed anodic agent, a polyethylene film which is graft-polymerised with (meth)acrylic acid. The graft ratio in central part on the film is reduced compared with that in the surface part. The graft ratio is (wt. after graft-polymerising-wt. of polyethylene film) 100/(wt. of polyethylene film).
Battery separator for sepg. anode and cathode, is composed of porous hollow yarn having fine pores of ave. dia. 5 or less microns. (Examples of the yarn are polyolefin, fluorinated polyolefin, polytetrafluoroethylene).    In an example, 300 micron dia. zinc wire was inserted into polypropyrene hollow yarn having outer dia. of 400 microns x inner dia. of 350 microns x fine pore of ave. dia. 0.13 microns x porosity of 45%. Obtd. yarn (3 m) was wound around a cylindrical porous carbon electrode of 1 cm phi which was immersed in KOH aq. soln. (s.g. 1.22) to give air-zinc battery. The hollow polypropylene yarn was preliminarily treated (hydro- philised) with dodecylbenzenesodiumsulphonate. Open-circuit voltage was 1.51 V durable lamping time was 10 hrs. in 5 W small lamp.    Area per unit wt. is increased and battery output is improved even in small vol. Prodn. process is simplified.
Battery has a separator between active material, produced from porous material moulded from (1) non-electroconductive inorganic cpd. such as alumina, silica, titania, zirconia, molybdenum oxide, tungsten oxide or tantalum nitride, etc. and/or (2) non-electroconductive organic cpd. such as polyester, polystyrene, etc.    Separator has improved insulating properties. In an example, silver oxide (anode active material) was press-moulded using a die under 0.5 ton/sq. cm., onto which alumina powder 0.02 g was filled. They were press-moulded under 0.5 ton/sq. cm to give tablet composed of anode active material + alumina separator.
Prior art fuel cells have relied on external connection of the electrodes of a fuel cell stack. In the case of certain stack constructions, e.g. phosphoric acid types, the cell separators are electrically conducting, enabling current to be passed through the cell stack, and thus build up into appreciable voltages by connecting cells in series. Where conducting separators are not practical, e.g. in lightweight alkaline cells where thin polymer sheets or films form the divisions between cells, the conducting path is normally formed by joining the edges (or portions of the edges) of the electrodes outside the stack assembly.    The necessity of making these connections is avoided by introducing an electrically conducting path within the thickness of the stack assembly. Where the construction of the fuel cell is built up from a series of gasket structures, suitable holes are left in the separator gaskets and conducting materials inserted in these holes.    The electrical connection may be in the form of springs, washers or compressible, conductive masses of materials such as metal sponge or bonded graphite powder. Alternatively, an electrode may have a conductive nodule formed on it, or may have a convex/concave deformation formed in it to make electrical contact with an adjacent electrode or with a corresp. nodule or deformation formed on it.
Zinc anodes for MnO2/Zinc cells can be made using various types of epoxy dry powdered binders which are simply cured at specified temp. and time ranges. The anode can be formed into a predetermined shape using pre-amalgamated zinc and epoxy dry powdered binder. A curing process follows the forming to provide a hard and rigid anode which can be stored and then assembled into cells.    A benefit of using the uncured epoxy dry powdered binder with amalgamated zinc powder is that an anode can be formed at low pressures and cured to provide a final and rigid anode which can be stored and processed with conventional equipment.
The scrap accumulators are pre-crushed to permit the sepn. of acid, and then the scrap is washed with the min. possible amt. of water, which is pref. alkaline. The scrap is next subjected to a combined milling and drying operation before being sorted in the dry state into three fractions, viz. (a) Pb poles etc.; (b) Pb cpds., esp. oxide and PbSO4; (c) other materials, which are mainly polymers.    Combined milling and drying pref. uses a 2-rotor hammer mill where the rotors travel at ca. 40 m/s and form grids through which non- crushed Pb parts (a) can fall; and gases at 300-350 deg.C are fed through the mill.S A very simple process requiring little manual labour and the min amt. of water.
A mechanically strong, thermally stable inorganic-organic composite, wettable in and chemically resistant to aq. alkaline solns. comprises (a) an inorganic substrate formed from porous fragile metal oxide fibres, chemically inert w.r.t. aq. alkaline soln., pref. having irregular surfaces; physically reinforced with (b) a discontinuous coating of sintered crystalline high mol. wt. fluoroplastic particles that have been absorbed on the substrate surface.    A structural material for use in making separators for alkaline storage cells, where evolved gases recombine to form elevated temps. in the presence of aq. alkaline electrolyte, comprises a composite as above, using a woven fabric substrate having interstices permitting gas flow. The fluoroplastic is pref. PTFE; fluorinated ethylene propylene; chlorotrifluoroethylene; polyvinylidene fluoride; or polyvinyl fluoride.    Composites are gas permeable, strong and lightweight, and are esp. useful in spacecraft power systems, providing long life in normally sealed cells operating in electrolyte starved conditions.
Ion exchange film comprises a film consisting of a polymer having -CF2- gps. in the skeleton structure, and the film having a surface layer contg. crosslink structure. The ion exchange film is used in a fuel cell, and has high proton conductivity, and a barrier property to methanol.    Specifically fluororesin film having fluorinated sulphonyl gps. is placed in a discharge graft polymerisation appts., which is evacuated to 10 power (-4) Torr. Ar gas is introduced into the appts. in which a pressure is maintained at 1 Torr. The film is attached to a drum. The film is exposed to glow discharge by applying a power of 900 watts to the appts. to activate the surface while the drum is rotated at a peripheral speed of 1m/min. The film thus treated has a resistance of 1.92 ohm.sq.cm., and a barrier property of 2.0 mg/sq.cm.hr.
A cover and a sealing member e.g. a cpd. which seals between the cover and a battery casing are often cracked during operation of the battery. The crack causes leakage of O2 and H2 gas during the operation and explosion of the battery. The crack is repaired by applying a sealing agent to the cracked portion of the cover or the sealing member, and drying the applied sealing agent.    The sealing agent consists of a polymer chosen from a normal butene polymer, an isobutylene polymer and a copolymer of normal butene and isobutylene, and a rosin system tackifier.    The crack can be easily repaired at room temp. without heating.
Matrix is composed of moulded silicon carbide powder with which fibre substance having phosphoric acid resistance is mixed. The matrix is arranged between a fuel electrode and an oxidising agent electrode. Phosphoric acid electrolyte is kept in the matrix.    The fibre substance is at least one of quartz glass fibre, phenol resin fibre, polyimide resin fibre and silicon carbide system fibre. A binder may be added to the moulded silicon carbide powder with the fibre. The binding agent consists of fluorocarbon resin, polyimide resin or phenol resin.    The matrix has improved bending stress resistance. Cracking of the matrix during fabrication of the fuel cell can thus be prevented.
Plate is mfd. by (a) applying a paste to a core plate to form a cathode body, the paste consisting of NiO, a paste and a small amt. of conductive agent; (b) drying the applied paste and (c) subjecting the cathode body to a Ni plating treatment so that the conductive agent is mutually connected by a Ni coating deposited by the plating treatment.    Since the paste of sodium alginate or sodium polyacrylate has an improved binding strength, the swelling of the cathode plate during repeated charging and discharging can be prevented. Cuts in the Ni coating can be prevented.
In an Ag peroxide battery, a separator contains a hydrophilic film produced by graft-polymerising an alkali-proof, oxidn.- resistant porous film with (meth)acrylic acid. The silver peroxide battery has large battery capacity and excellent preservability.    Specifically a cathode mix consists of Ag peroxide and is placed in a cathode container. An anode consists of amalgam and is placed in an anode container. A gasket of polyethylene, neoprene or nylon is interposed between the anode container and the cathode container. A separator comprises three hydrophilic films and one electrolyte-holding layer. Each hydrophilic film is produced by graft polymerisation of a porous polyethylene film with methacrylic acid. The graft polymerisation rate is 20-40%.
The storage battery comprises (1) a negative electrode of alkali metal, such as Li or Na, (2) a positive electrode consisting of activator, conducting agent and binder and (3) an electrolyte with organic solvent. The activator consists of manganese dioxide and below 25 wt.% solid fluorocarbon cpd.    The fluorocarbon cpd. stabilises discharge voltage.    In an example, a positive electrode is placed in a metal case. The electrode consists of activator, the carbon black and the styrene butadiene rubber binder. The activator consists of 75 wt.% manganese dioxide and 25 wt.% fluorocarbon cpd. (CFx)n. Li plate negative electrode is placed in a propylene nonwoven cloth separator placed on the positive electrode. The electrolyte consists of a solvent of propylene carbonate and 1 mol/l. of lithium perchlorate. The electrolyte is impregnated in the separator.
The storage battery comprises (1) a negative electrode of an alkali metal, such as Li or Na, (2) a positive electrode consisting of a positive electrode activator, a conducting agent and a binder, and (3) an electrolyte with an organic solvent. The positive electrode activator consists of Mn dioxide and below 25 wt.% of solid carbon fluoride. The Mn dioxide is heated at 400-490 deg.C.    The carbon fluoride in the positive electrode effectively stabilises a discharge voltage. In an example, the positive electrode is placed in a metal case. The electrode consists of the activator, the carbon black and the binder of styrene-butadiene rubber. The activator consists of 75 wt.% Mn dioxide and 25 wt.% carbon fluoride ((CFx)n). The Mn dioxide is heated at 400-490 deg.C. The negative electrode of Li plate is placed on a polypropylene nonwoven cloth separator placed on the positive electrode. The electrolyte consists of the solvent of propylenecarbonate and 1 mol/l of Li perchlorate (LiClO4). The electrolyte is impregnated in the separator.
The battery has an electrolyte-preserving sheet placed between a positive and a negative electrode. The sheet is an alkali-proof porous body including 0.1 to 3.0 wt.% nonionic surfactant and 0.1 to 30 wt.% wetting agent. The sheet preserves the alkaline electrolyte effectively.    In an example, the sheet consists of a polyamide nonwoven cloth having a thickness of 0.4 mm. The cloth is immersed in a soln. consisting of surfactant (0.3 g.), carboxymethyl cellulose (0.1 g.) and water (100 g.). Then the cloth is dried at 40 to 60 deg.C. The content of the surfactant and the cellulose is 0.003 to 0.007 g. per/g. cloth. The zinc negative electrode had a thickness of 0.4 mm. and the positive electrode consisted of nickel. The electrolyte consists of KOH aq. soln.
The battery is placed in metal case sealed by a sealing ring and a sealing plate. The battery has a projection extending inside of the case near the opening part. The ring has sectional L-shape, and is covered by a sealant. The ring is placed on the projection part on which the plate is placed on the ring. The ring is of thickness of 0.3-1.2mm.    Leakage of an electrolyte of the battery is prevented.    In an example a case used as a positive electrode collector consisted of nickel plated steel plate of thickness of 3-6 microns. A ring shaped projection part was formed, and polyethylene sealing ring was placed on this part. Sealing plate used as a negative electrode collector consisted of Ni and Fe clad copper plate. The sealing plate was fitted on the ring and alkali-manganese storage battery was enclosed in the case.
A battery separator material comprises discrete polyolefin pulp fibres bound by an organic polymeric binder to form a sheet material. The polyolefin fibres are in sufficient amt. to enable the sheet to be heat sealed. A separator made from the material is described in the drawings.    The separator has excellent filtering, electrical, chemical, and physical properties and can be folded before heat sealing.
A bipolar fuel cell collecting plate is made by blending 25 wt.% phenol formaldehyde resin with 75 wt.% graphite, using an amount of hexamethylene tetramine and a furfural wetting agent. The blend is charged into a treated mould and heated under pressure. The pressure is released to allow gases to escape, then the mould is heated further before being cooled. The formed plate is removed and postcured.    The resin has a phenol formaldehyde mole ratio of 1.0:0.6-0.9 (pref. 0.77-0.81) or is a styrenenated resin having a mole ratio of 4 moles phenol to 0.1-4,0, pref. 0.9, moles styrene to 3.2 moles formaldehyde.    Collecting plates are used in hydrogen air fuel cells to connect adjacent cells in a stack, to distribute incoming gases around the electrodes and to provide rigidity. The claimed plates have the required electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, hydrogen impermeability, and resistance to conc. phosphoric acid electrolyte at 200 deg.C.
A device for holding a cantilevered core in the desired position within an injection mould comprises a locking cam which is movable into a recess at the end of the core and which is rotatable to a core straightening and holding position.    In an example several cams are actuated by a single slidable bar to engage and lock several cores. The recesses, cores, and cams are of elliptical cross-section, the cams being rotated within the recesses to a wedging position in which the major axes of the cams lie along the minor axes of the recesses.    Accurate holding and straightening of the cores is achieved. The invention is of particular use in moulding multi-compartment battery boxes.
Silver oxide secondary battery uses a cathode mix contg. more than 5 wt.% inorganic fibre of asbestos, carbon or glass. It is thus possible to increase the amt. of electrolyte in a cathode mixt because the porosity is increased by liq.-absorbent inorganic fibres. Reversibility of charge and discharge in the battery is thus improved.    In an example, asbestos is immersed in a 36 wt.% HCl aq. soln. for 5 mins. and then removed from it. The treated asbestos is dried for 24 hrs. and crushed in a mortar. 96 mg silver (I) oxide and 24 mg asbestos are mixed and compacted into a cathode mix at a pressure of 5 ton/cm2 to fabricate a cathode mix contg. 20 wt.% of asbestos. An anode contains 39 mg of zinc. A separator comprises a Kraft film and polyvinyl alcohol-rayon mixed paper. A packing is interposed between a cathode container and an anode closure.
A low-porosity membrane, formed by laminating a porous membrane with a perforated non-porous membrane, or by partial compression of areas of the porous membrane, can have its porosity characteristics controlled by variation in the proportion of open area of the perforated membrane or by caviation of the ratio of compressed area to non-compressed area.    The membrane is for use in the construction of miniature batteries which rely on oxygen diffusion to the active positive constituent. It is desirable to regulate the rate at which O2 can diffuse to the positive material; by interposing a membrane of the type described based on PTFE, such regulation can be obtained and controlled by variation the perforations in the PTFE sheet. In the manufacture of batteries the positive of the container can be perforated to pass an excess of O2 which is then regulated by the membrane, thus eliminating the need for precision drilling of holes in the container itself.
Battery separator material comprises discrete polyolefin pulp fibres to heat seal the separator material to itself, the fibres being bound by an organic polymeric binder to form a sheet. Pref. the fibres are present at 30-100 wt.% esp. 70-90 wt.% based on the non-binder content of the material. The polyolefin fibres pref. have a length of up to 1.27cm. and a dia. of up to 20 microns.    The compsn. may also contain up to 60 wt.% on non-binder content of glass fibres; a particulate filler such as silica with a particle size of 0.02-20 micrometres; and 5-15 wt.% on non- binder material of polyester and/or polyolefin staple fibres. Pref. binder is a self crosslinking acrylic polymer.    The separators can be folded and heat sealed along the edge to form envelope-type separators for lead-acid batteries of the 'maintenance free' type. The separators have the required porosity and resistance to acids, oxidative and reductive chemical reactions.
A Ni-Co oxide impregnated Ni plaque is prepd. by (a) providing an oxide-free sintered Ni plaque, pref. cleaned to remove any surface oxide; (b) dipping in an aq. soln. of Co(NO3)2, pref. concn. 200-800 (esp. 800) mg/ml; (c) drying, pref. at 125 deg.C in air for 12 hr.; and (d) heat treating at 200-350 deg.C for 1-8 hr., pref. at 250 deg.C for 4 hr. in a drying furnace. The plaque is pref. wet proofed by (i) including PTFE in the aq. Co(NO3)2 soln. as wet proofing agent; or (ii) dipping the Ni-Co oxide impregnated plaque in aq. PTFE and drying and/or (III) covering one side of the impregnated flat-plate plaque with PTFE membrane and hot pressing the membrane onto the plate.    The plaques are useful as O2 oxidn. and/or redn. electrodes in fuel cells, metal/air cells or electrolysis. The low heat treatment temp. allows higher current densities to be supported, and the process is simple and reasonably fast.
Fuel cell electrode comprises a gas diffusing electroconductive sheet substrate with continuous pores and a catalyst layer consisting of a mixt. of (a) conductive submicron particles having a catalyst (b) electroconductive material particles each having a vol. 10 power 3-10 power 10 as large as the vol. of the largest of the submicron particle, and (c) a binder.    The catalyst layer is provided on that face of the substrate facing the electrolyte, and is made water repellant at least on the electrolyte side.    The submicron particles and the electroconductive particles are provided in a mixing ratio of 95-50 to 5-50 pts. by vol. Generation of cracks in the catalyst layer during drying or baking after applications of the layer to the substrate, is prevented. (First major country equivalent to J57168473-A)
Method is suitable for manufacture of diaphragm plates used in the direct conversion of chemical energy into electrical, to prevent mixing of the fuel with oxidiser. It has advantage of chemical and thermal stability in aggressive media, achieved by treating the comminuted asbestos fibres with hydrogen peroxide. The binder is polytetra-fluorethylene. The hydrogen peroxide and asbestos are in the ratio 7:9:1.    Laboratory preparation is as follows: 8g of comminuted and purified asbestos is immersed in 140ml of 30% hydrogen peroxide and kept for 30 minutes. Then one litre of distilled water is poured in. The resulting suspension is intensively mixed for 30 minutes and then left to stand for 10 minutes. The asbestos fibres have diameter of 1-2 microns. Bul.10/15.3.81. (2pp)
Noble metal catalyst (I) is prepd. by addn. of reductant (II) to an aq. soln. contg. noble metal ion or its complex ion, protective colloid, and powdery carbon (III), to accumulate the noble metal on the surface of the carbon powder.    Examples of (III) are graphite, acetylene black, carbon black and active carbon. As (II), an alcohol such as methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, 2-methyl ethanol and 1,2-dimethoxyethane are used. As the protective colloid, a hydrophilic polymer such as polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polymethyl methacrylate, gelatin or gum arabic is used. The carbon powder supporting noble metal ion is pref. heat-treated at 50-350 deg.C after the foregoing treatment. As the noble metal, platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium or iridium is used. Pref. amt. of noble metal supported on the carbon powder is 1-10 wt.%.    (I) is used as an electrode-catalyst in a battery. The new method can accumulate more noble metal on the carbon powder than known methods.
A battery separator paper comprises a blend of poly-olefinic pulp fibres (I) and alkali-resistant fibres (II) which reinforce (I). (I) are not heat-bonded to each other or to (II) but are bonded to each other and to (II) by an alkali-resistant hydrophilic binder (III) which is additional to any binder present in (I) or (II). Also claimed is the prepn. of the paper by forming a wet-laid web of a blend of (I) and (II) and drying the web by heating without heat bonding the fibres and with the incorporation of (III).    The paper is used in an alkaline battery, e.g. an alkaline Mn battery, providing good storage and shelf life and good discharge rate. The separator is cheap.
A gelled anode for an electrochemical cell comprising a powdered active metal anode, an aq. alkaline electrolyte and a gelling agent is described in which the gelling agent is a rigid anionic polysaccharide. The polysaccharide is pref. xanthan gum or galactomannan and is pref. used in an amt. of 0.2-10 wt.%. Pref. the anode contains a polyalcohol. The powdered metal is pref. zinc or zinc amalgam and the aq. electrolyte is pref. an aq. soln. of KOH.    An electrochemical cell comprising the above anode and a cathode formed of Mn, Ag, Hg, Ni, Pb or Cd oxide or nickel hydroxide or air is claimed.    The gelled mixt. is easily handled and the obtd. cell has reduced internal gas formation is compared to cells with non-gelled anodes or cells using cellulose or vegetable starch as gelling agnet. The internal resistance of the cell is not effected by the agent.
A potassium pased cpd. (I) is claimed which is a white powder of fine granular structure comprising more than 60 wt.% up to 95 wt.% beta-double-prim. alumina. The cpd. is prepd. by mixing together cpds. of Na, K and/or Mg and Al sulphate, dissolving them in water, atomising the soln., freezing the spray and freeze drying and calcining the particles formed.    Cpd. (I) is pref. of formula K+-beta"-Al2O3. It is esp. prepd. by mixing together (by wt.) 1-3% Na2CO3, 8.2-11.5% K2CO3, 2.0% MgSO4 and 85.2-86.9 Al2(SO4)3, forming a soln., atomising it, freezing and freeze drying at 195.8 deg.C or below, pref. in liquid nitrogen.    The potassium of the cpd. (I) can readily be exchanged for hydroxonium ions to form hydroxonium beta-double-prim. alumina (II) which is useful as a proton conductor in fuel cells. (II) is obtained in polycrystalline form which is preferred for fuel cell use and which is difficult to obtain by other methods.
A liq. fuel cell has an anode of electroconductive porous material, supporting an electrode catalyst, and having a 3-dimensional reticular structure, with all pores connected together. The pore size is sufficient to retain a mixt. of electrolyte and liq. fuel within the anode. pref. 0.1-4 mm average pore size, porosity 85-98%; and the anode thickness is sufficient to support the necessary amt. electrode catalyst for the cell reaction.    The fuel cell comprises (a) the anode, to which liq. fuel is supplied, pref. from a reservoir; (b) a cathode of electroconductive porous material supporting an electrode catalyst, to which oxidising agent is supplied; (c) an electrolyte between the electrodes; and (d) barrier contg.electrolyte and preventing liq. fuel transfer to the cathode side.    The anode structure allows qas generated by the cell reaction in the anode to ascend and escape; ensures a smooth supply of fuel and provides a large area for reaction. The mechanical strength is higher than for a conventional porous structure of similar porosity, and the anode has lower resistance than a sintered electrode. The graph shows output of the present cell (A), and a cell using porous Ta anode, 60% porosity, pore size 30 microns (B).
A matrix for carrying fuel cell electrolyte comprises a first layer between second and third layers, where the first and second layers expand to different degrees on electrolyte addn., so the layers tend to curl, and the third layer expands on electrolyte addn. to cancel the curling of the first and second layers. The degree of expansion of the second and third layers is pref. equal.    Pref., the dimensional expansion of the second and third layers is less than that of the first layer on electrolyte addn. The first layer pref. comprises C and the second and third SiC particles; and all three layers contg. a binder, esp. 1-10% PTFE. Alternatively, the dimensional expansion of the first layer is less than that of the second and third layers.    The matrix does not require restraining in the cell, or flattening before insertion.
A fuel cell comprises (a) an elongate container; (b) a pair of flat, vertical, longitudinally spaced, ion permeable fluid barrier membranes defining a central anode compartment between two cathode compartments; (c) a flat, vertical metal fuel anode plate in the anode compartment spaced from and parallel to the membranes; (d) a flat vertical electron distributor cathode plate in each cathode compartment, spaced from and parallel to the membrane; (e) a base electrolyte soln. in the anode compartment; and (f) an acid cathode soln. in the cathode compartments.    The membranes are pref. (i) wettable cation permselective reactors of perfluorosulphonic acid polymer; (ii) porous poly-sulphone polymer or porous fluoropolymer establishing wettable acid-base reactor interfaces between cathode and electrolyte solns. The anode and cathode plates are connected through an electric circuit, so electrons are conducted from the anode to the cathode plate for introduction into the cathode soln.    The membranes permit use of liq. cathode soln.
Separator comprises a hydrophilic film which consists of a resin compsn. contg. an ethylene copolymer and has sulphone gps. with an exchange capacity of 0.2-4 milliequiv./gr. and an electric resistance of 0.01-20 ohm.sq.cm in a dil. H2SO4 soln., or a composite hydrophilic film comprising the hydrophilic film reinforced by cloth or nonwoven fabric.    The ethylene copolymer is produced by copolymerisation of 82-97 mol.% of ethylene and 3-18 mol.% of monomers of formula (I) (where R1= H, -CH3; R2= -OCOR, -COOR4; R3= 1-5C hydrocarbon; R4= H, 1-16C hydrocarbon gp. or an ion capable of forming salt with alkali metal or other carboxylic gp.).    The separator has H or hydronium ion conductivity, and low electric resistance in an alkaline electrolyte.
Fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell including an anode section for receiving fuel process gas and a cathode section for receiving oxidant process gas, and appts.-receiving a supply of fuel and gas exhausted from the cathode portion for oxidising part of the fuel and converting it to fuel process gas with at least the water in the prod. of the exhaust gas and in the oxidised portion of the fuel. The oxidising and converting appts. includes a partial oxidising appts. and a steam reformer for carrying out the conversion.    The system can be used in mobile applications and is much lighter in wt. than conventional systems.
Fuel cell comprises a number of unit cells each comprising a fuel electrode plate, an oxidising plate and a matrix, the plates being disposed face-to-face throughout the matrix. The unit cells are stacked through separators. A gas flow passage is provided on one side of each electroce plate on separator and manifolds are provided for gas supply and discharge to the gas flow passages at the sides of the stacked assembly.    The gas flow passage has at least one gas inlet and one gas outlet at one outer edge of the electrode plate or separator, isolated by at least one partition wall extended along a gas flow direction and open at the furthest position from the inlet and outlet, forming a U-passage. The gas flow passages for the fuel electrode and for the oxidising agent electrode are arranged in countercurrent.    The design does not require the high precision of prior art. Boiling water pipes are not likely to come into contact with corrosive chemicals and hence the material for these pipes is not restricted. The structure is not as complicated as that of the prior art system. (First major country equivalent to J57138782-A).
A fuel cell system comprises (a) a fuel cell (10) having anode (2) and cathode (3) sections; (b) a supply (6) of oxidant process gas at a first pressure, pref. 30-200 psia, to the cathode; (c) a supply (5) of fuel process gas at a second pressure; at least 1 psi below the first pressure, pref. 10-50 psi lower, to the anode; and pref. (d) an electrolyte, esp. phosphoric acid, between anode and cathode sections; and (e) a matrix (50) contg. the electrolyte, capable of preventing fuel and oxidant gases crossing it at the operating pressure.    The system pref. includes (f) a fuel processing system (27) receiving fuel and steam and converting them to the fuel process gas at the second pressure; (g) a heat exchanger (13), receiving exhausted oxidant gas from the cathode and heat exchanging it with a quantity of water to produce steam at a pressure greater than or= second pressure, and supplying the steam to (f). Operation of a fuel cell with fuel gas at pressure at least 1 psi below oxidant gas is also claimed.    Reduced fuel gas pressure allows use of lower pressure steam in the reforming reaction, hence lower requirements for exhaust oxidant gas temp., e.g. for oxidant gas at 50 psi, fuel gas at 30 psi operating temp. is 350 deg.F, whereas operating temp. of 385 deg.F is required to produce the same quantity of steam at 50 psi. The reduced operating temp. increases fuel cell life. The lower pressure reforming also reduces the CH4 content, increasing system efficiency.
A fuel cell comprises (a) a pair of gas diffusion electrodes; and (b) a matrix retaining phosphoric acid electrolyte between the electrodes, comprising one or more electronically insulating metal oxides, insol. in phosphoric acid, pref. able to form a phosphate; and binder, pref. PTFE. The matrix pref. comprises 85 wt.% or more, esp. 95-98 wt.% metal oxide; 15 wt.% or less, esp. 2-5 wt.% binder. The oxide is pref. a complex oxide contg. Zr, esp. zircon (ZrSiO4).    The matrix has better stability in hot (190-200 deg. C) phosphoric acid than conventional SiC matrix, and has large phosphoric acid retention capability and good insulating properties.
A fuel cell comprises (a) a fuel metal anode (A); (b) a cathode soln. spaced from the anode, comprising a selected element and O, where the element is one which, when compounded with O, produces OH- ions and establishes positive cathode half reactions when free electrons are supplied; specifically being an N cpd. soln; (c) an OH- ion transfer membrane (M') between anode and cathode, carrying a metallic catalyst for the cathode soln; (d) an electrolyte (E) between anode and membrane; and (e) an electric circuit conducting free electrons from anode to cathode.    Pref., a second OH- transfer membrane (M) is provided between the first membrane and the anode. A first electrolyte (E1) between the membranes is formulated for efficient ion conduction; and a second electrolyte (E2) between second membrane and anode is formulated for efficient ion conduction and for min. corrosion reaction on and with the anode.    Use of two electrolytes allows the reactions at both anode and cathode to be optimised.
Sealing material which can be obtd. by extrusion, esp. for use in fuel cells using phosphoric acid electrolyte, comprises non-filled, oil-free PTFE having a mol.wt. of over 1 x 10 power 6 and a particle size of above 1 micron, which maintains its sealing properties in the presence of phosphoric acid at differential pressures of over 0.35 MPa and temps. over 204 deg.C.    The PTFE gives good sealing between separate flat cells in a stack of these forming the fuel cell, and can seal relatively large surface irregularities, e.q. up to 0.127 cm which are present due to the tolerances resulting from fabrication of the individual elements.
A stack, partic. in a battery, electrolyser or fuel cell, has each cell (10) with an integral separator and spacer (28) between adjacent electrodes (29) each consisting of a plastic sheet with a coextruded electrically conductive mid-portion and non-conductive side regions.    The separator-spacer and electrodes are pref. assembled by male and female connections which are hollow and form fluid conduits for the cells. The separator-spacer may have a microporous central area (30) and non-porous border (31), and may have projections on each side for spacing the electrodes and forming fluid compartments. The electrodes may be bipolar to operate in a zinc-bromine system.
Fuel cell module has a stack of fuel cells under compression between end blocks the stack and blocks forming outwardly facing planar surfaces, parallel to the axis passing through the contre of all the cells, one of the surfaces being covered by a reactant gas manifold which is provided with edge sealing means to prevent leakage of gas from the manifold. The end blocks are forced toward each other to apply a compressive force on the stack to maintain a stack height of X at room temp. The stack has a max height Y at which the load on the stack results in acceptable electrical resistance and thermal conductivity through the stack and adequate reactant gas sealing between the cell components, and the thermal expansion characteristics of the module are such that at max operating temp, the axial distance between the end blocks would increase by an amt Delta X, where X+Delta X is less than or equal to Y. Z is the lowest axial load on the stack which at any stack height less than or equal Y will ensure acceptable resistance, thermal conductivity and gas sealing. The creep characteristic thermal expansion, and spring rate of the stack are such that if the compressive force at time zero is F at room temp the red in force F over the life of the module is such that tahe value F - Delta F is greater of equal Z.    Arrangement prevents any substantial change in stack height due to creep characteristics of the stack during the design life of the module, with the stack spring rate, creep, and thermal expansion of the stack coupled with the thermal expansion of the constraint system always maintains a sufficiently high compressive force to ensure acceptable characteristics and sealing.
Liq. CHF2SO3H (I) (or an aq. soln. of (I)) is new. (I) is prepd. by heating an alkali metal (pref. K) difluoromethane sulphonate with a strong mineral acid (H2SO4). Pure liq. (I) is conveniently prepd. from readily available starting materials. (I) is useful (cf. CF3SO3H) as a catalyst or promoter for Friedel-Crafts reaction, cationic polymerisations, and alkylations claimed etc. (I) is sepd. from reaction prods. and organic phases more easily than CF3SO3H. (I) is also a potential electrolyte for fuel cells, and is non-wetting towards PTFE.
Fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell with a cathode section for receiving oxidant process gas and anode section for receiving fuel, and steam producing appts. responsive to exhausted process gas and gas at a higher temp. via a heat exchanger, whereby the temp. of the exhausted gas is increased, the high temp. gas being derived from gas of the system, in such a manner that steam is produced at a predetermined pressure.    The steam generating capability of the fuel cell system is increased so that steam is provided at increasing pressures and is usable for process gas reforming without having to increase fuel cell temp.
Method for industrial mfr. of a fuel cell electrode having a finely perforated or porous support structure of good conductivity metal is described in which the metal is copper and the pores are large enough to receive by chemical deposition at least one sealing layer of Ni of uniform thickness 10-20 microns.    The fuel cells are used in electric traction vehicles. The copper provides the necessary high conductivity to the Ni, while the Ni coating is sound enough to withstand the rigorous conditions of use without exfoliating due to oxygen bubble formation.
In a new procedure for accelerating electrode processes on electrodes modified by conductive films, (A) a metal electrode covered with a conductive film is brought into a solution containing (1) a low molecular substance with negative redox potential which is to be reacted and (2) a dehydrogenase or oxidase; and (B) the reaction is carried out in a conventional manner by connecting with a counter-electrode; the resulting electrical current being used for the determination of the lower molecular substance, for preparative substrate conversion, or as a source of power.    Carrying out the coated-electrode electrochemical redox reaction in the presence of a dehydrogenase or oxidase enzyme gives an increased reaction rate. The procedure can be used in electrochemical analysis, in electrochemical synthesis, and in fuel cells.
A seal is formed by securing between manifold (18) and stack (10) a plastics frame (15) with a sealing element such that the frame creeps with the stack as the stack creeps under compression with sliding between frame and manifold without losing the seal. One manifold end is fixedly secured to the stack and the manifold is biased (24) against frame and stack to give a seal loading.    The method prevents damage to the seal by sliding against the rough stack surface. The rough stack surface (23) is pref. dressed with a caulk/grease in the area facing the frame before locating the frame to increase the sealing effect. For a manifold with overlapped sections, one end of each is secured to the stack and a seal provided between overlapping areas. The parent patent claims the seal.
High temp. solid electrolyte fuel cells use a natural or synthetic fuel gas such as those containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane and a suitable oxidant such as oxygen or air to directly convert the chemical energy of the fuel into direct current electrical energy by means of electrochemical combustion with byproducts of water vapour and heat.    A fuel cell stack comprises a number of elongated annular fuel cells. The fuel cells are preferably tubular and are electrically connected in series. Each cell of the battery generates an open circuit voltage of approximately one volt and hundreds of cells can be connected in series to achieve the desired system voltage.    Surrounding the outer periphery of the cathode is a layer of gas-tight solid electrolyte comprised of yttria stabilised zirconia approx. 20 to 5 microns thick.
A high temperature solid oxide electrolyte fuel cell converts chemical energy directly into D.C. electrical energy when operating at temperatures in excess of 700 deg.C. The high temperature renders the electrolyte sufficiently conductive to achieve a low level of ohmic loss.    The device constitutes a gas-tight housing surrounding multiple chambers which include a generating chamber and a combustion product, or preheating, chamber which extends between the porous barrier and a tube support structure. The oxidant inlet chamber extends between the support structure and the end wall of the housing.    Electrochemical reaction takes place whilst the oxidant traverses the insides of the fuel cells. Depleted oxidant, discharged from the open ends, and hot depleted fuel diffusing through a porous barrier, are directly reacted in the combustion product chamber to preheat incoming reactants and to facilitate combustion of the remaining fuel.
Porous catalyst electrodes are disposed on both surfaces of an electrolyte layer of phosphate glass consisting mainly of phosphorus oxide and oxide of gp.-II A element. A hydrogen chamber and an oxygen chamber are disposed at the outer sides of the electrodes. The phosphate glass pref. consists of 20 to 55 mol.% MO(M is Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, or Ba) and 45 to 80 mol.% P2O5.    In an embodiment a porous hydrogen electrode film contg. Ni, Co, Cr, or Pt as a catalyst is formed on a porous ceramic substrate. A solid electrolyte layer consisting of 50 mol.% CaO and 50 mol.% P2O5 and having proton conductivity is formed on the electrode film. A porous oxygen electrode film contg. catalyst is formed on the solid electrode layer. Hydrogen is introduced into a hydrogen chamber in contact with the substrate. Oxygen is introduced into an oxygen chamber in contact with the oxygen electrode. Current is passed through an outer load.
A pin amorphous Si type photovoltaic cell has, on at least one of its sides (p and/or n type) exposed to incdent lght, an amorphous semiconductor having an optical band gap of at least 1.85 eV, an electric conductivity of at least 10-8 per ohm-cm at 20 deg.C and a pin junction diffusion potential of at least 1.1 V.    The amorphous seiconductor is pref. of formula a-Si(1-x)Cx or a-Si(1-y)Ny (where x and y are each between 0.05 and 0.8 (not inclusive)).    The cell is useful as a photo-electromotve cell in solar cells, photoswitches, etc. The amorphous semiconductor layer improves the photovoltaic conversion giving greatly increased shortcircuit current and open circuit voltage.
An electrode-electrolyte assembly for use in a high temp. fuel cell comprises an anode, pref. metal; a cathode, pref. metal or metal oxide; and an electrolyte between them having an inner region and first and second outer regions facing anode and cathode respectively. The first region has a thermal expansion coefft. between those of anode and inner region; and the second region has a thermal expansion coefft. between those of cathode and inner region.    The inner region pref. contains alkali carbonate electrolyte. A filler, inhibiting gas crossover, is pref. provided in the inner and esp. one or both of the outer regions. Pref. a set of regions having suitably graded thermal expansion coeffts. is provided between anode and first region, and esp. also between cathode and second region.    Electrode-electrolyte contact is improved and resistance to cracking during thermal cycling is increased avoiding cell failure due to gas crossover.
The catalyst consists of metal complex cpd. of formula (I). In (I), R1-R5 are each H, F, Cl, Br, 1-22C alkyl, 1-22C alkoxy, 6-28C aryl, nitro, cyano, amino, carboxyl or carboxy- (1-6C)alkyl; M is Co, Fe, Ni or Mn.    A cathode equipped with (I) is obtd. by mixing 10 g of carbon powder with 10 mg of the catalyst in the presence of an aq. soln. of PTFE, spraying the mixt. on a titanium mesh, covering the resulting mesh with a film of porous PTFE, and heating the resulting covered mesh at 300-400 deg.C in an atmos. of nitrogen.
Device comprises a unitary seamless deformable body with a through opening and a ring bonded to the opening periphery. The ring is pref. a gasket to engage a flow system, the fluid is combustible and the body is located within an enclosure of slightly larger dimensions.    The body is pref. of polyurethane and is bonded to a liner of ballistic nylon cloth which has seams which are fused together before bonding to the body. The ring pref. has spaced slots around its per outer periphery and part of the body extends through each slot and is bonded to the liner. The cell is lightweight and highly puncture resistant.
A transportable storage system conformed to transfer H2 and O2 produced in the course of photovoltaic electrolysis of water comprises a movable platform (i.e. a trailer); two insulated coolant storage chambers, a container housing (hydride forming) metal fibres; a tank for storing O2 gas under pressure, a means for transferring H2 and O2 to the container and tank; a heat exchanger in the container; and a circulating system for passing water through the heat exchanger during its transfer from one storage chamber to the other.    The system is used in conjunction with a large solar energy collection array and provides an efficient means of storing and/or transporting power, the fuel cell being periodically rechargeable at the collection array. The appts. is safe.
A catalyst (I) comprises an activated Gp VIII metal supported on a porous metal. The surface of the support is covered by carbon fluoride or styrene-diphenyl benzene copolymer. Pref. to prepare the catalyst the surface of the metal support is coated with hydrophobic thermosetting resin, and introduced into a fluidised bed of carbon fluoride or styrene-diphenyl benzene, being heated at a temp. higher than their melting point. In order to support the catalystic component on the support, the support is soaked in chloroplatinic acid, dried and reduced in hydrogen-stream.    (I) is used for production of water from hydrogen and oxygen in a battery. When a closed-type battery is charged, oxygen and hydrogen generating by the electrolysis of water must be converted to water again. Platinum or palladium catalyst supported on alumina has been used, but once the surface of this catalyst gets wet with the water formed, its activity decreases. The support of (I) is hydrophobic, its surface hardly gets wet, maintaining its original catalytic activity.
Catalyst (I) of an activated metal from gp. VIII supported on carbon fluoride or styrene-diphenyl benzene copolymer is new.    (I) is used for prodn. of water from hydrogen and oxygen in a battery. When a closed-type battery is charged, oxygen and hydrogen generated by electrolysis of water must be converted to water again. Pt or Pd catalyst supported on alumina has been used for the conversion of hydrogen and oxygen into water in such a battery, but once the surface of this catalyst gets wet with formed water, its activity decreases. Since the new support is hydrophobic, its surface hardly gets wet, maintaining its original catalytic activity.    Suitably carbon fluoride is prepd. by heating carbon material in fluorine gas. To support the catalytic cpd. on the support, the support of carbon fluoride or styrene-diphenyl benzene copolymer is soaked in chloroplatinic acid, dried and reduced in hydrogen-stream. The amount of platinum supported should be 0.5-1.0 wt.% on (I).
An inorganic brittle monolithic hollow fibre is claimed which has at least one segment self-supportingly disposed as a coil. The fibre is produced by (i) extruding organic fibre-forming soln., contg. uniformly dispersed inorganic material, through a hollow fibre spinneret, (ii) forming polymeric precursor hollow fibre laden with inorganic material, (iii) shaping at least part of the fibre into coil, (iv) treating to remove polymer, (v) sintering the resulting inorganic material.    The hollow fibres are useful e.g. in fluid sepn. devices, fuel cells, filters, catalyst applications, and partic. as solid electrolytes in secondary storage batteries.
A fuel cell including an electrolyte matrix contg. alkali metal carbonate electrolyte which is molten during cell operation and having a spaced anode and cathode contacting the electrolyte-matrix has an anode of molten-carbonate compatible, oxidn. resistant, structurally stable, catalytically active, electron conductive ceria. Pref., the anode has a pore size over 1 micron, porosity greater than 40%, and the electrolyte comprises Li2CO3, K2CO3, Na2CO3 or their mixts.    The ceria anode performs better than known anodes, esp. having greater structural stability, i.e. sinter and creep resistance, than e.g. Ni and no phase instability in over 5000 hr operation.
A molten carbonate fuel cell electrolyte-matrix material consists of alkali metal carbonate electrolyte intimately combined with a ceria matrix material that undergoes no crystalline phase change or reaction for at least 2000 (pref. at least 5000) hr. under the fuel cell operating conditions. A fuel cell comprises the above electrolyte-matrix material contacted by a spaced anode and cathode. Pref., the electrolyte-matrix comprises 20-70 vol.% ceria and the electrolyte is Li2CO3, K2CO3, Na2CO3 or their mixts.    The ceria matrix has better stability under molten carbonate fuel cell operating conditions than other known matrix materials.
Fuel cell has an anode plate (10) of metallic fuel, cathode plate (11) of microporous electrocatalytic material, arranged in an elongate case, with the anode plate (10) transverse the inner space and shiftable axially therein, the cathode plate (11) transverse the inner space in fixed position with its outer surface spaced from one end of the case and defining an air chamber (Y), and its inner surface spaced from the opposing surface of the anode plate to define an electrolyte chamber (X). A positive terminal is connected to the cathode and extends through the casing. An electric collector (12) is provided in the electrolyte chamber together with a dielectric insulator (I) through which electrolyte is free to flow positioned between the collector and the cathode, maintaining their spacing. A negative terminal extends through the casing from the collector and a flexible diaphragm (14) is provided spaced from the other end of the case defining a second air chamber (Y) and engaging the outer surface of the anode plate.    Electrolyte is conducted into the electrolyte chamber (X) at a predetermined pressure, and air is conducted, at greater pressure that that on the electrolyte, into the first air chamber (Y) to supply oxygen to the cathode plate, and into the second chamber (Y) to urge the diaphragm and anode plate axially toward the collector and the cathode plate.    Fuel cell is simple, practical and economical to make and use and includes an arrangement to effectively put the cell into or out of operation as desired, extending the service life of the cell, and the anode plates can be quickly and easily changed when they are consumed without replacement or rebuilding the cells.
Saturatable absorber for a laser contains a soln. of a bleachable dyestuff (I) in a solvent (II). (I) consists of a Ni dithiene of formula (A). (II) is 1,2-dichlorobenzene, CHC13, chlorobenzene, bromobenzene, diphenyl sulphide, iodo-benzene, CH2Cl2, C2H4Cl2, quinoline, CS2, toluene, benzene, thiophen, chlorobicyclo(2,2,1)-heptane, MeI, 1,4-dichlorobutane, acetophenone, pyridine, nitroanisole, iodoaniline, CC14, C2H2Cl2, CBr4, tetrahydrothiophen, 1,6- dibromohexane, acetylacetone, CH2I2, DMA or benzonitrile. The absorber is used between a laser oscillator and enhancer and/or between 2 consecutive enhancers; as quality switch; and for passive mode coupling. It is used esp. in an iodine laser array (emission wavelength 1315 nm). Pref. the absorber consists of a 1,2-dichlorobenzene (IIA) soln. contg. up to 5 x 10 power-4 mole (I)/l.
The electrochemical cell has an electrolyte consisting of water together with a halogen and pref. its corresponding halide, with the exclusion of fluorine and fluorides, and a stable saturated organic nitrile or dinitrile containing from 2-5C or a mixture thereof. This electrolyte exists in two phases, the first phase being halogen and nitrile rich with the second phase being water rich and containing halide salt.    The cell has an inert electrode in the halogen and nitrile rich phase and an electrode containing or contacting halogen oxidisable material in the water-rich phase. Zinc is a preferred suitable halogen oxidisable material.    If the cell is to be recharged, it is advantageous to circulate the zinc halide water-rich phase during charging to improve the electro deposition of zinc. Some hydrogen is formed on charging, so that a vertical arrangement of electrodes and seperator is preferred. The two phases are sepd. by an inert porous polymeric separator, more pref. micro-porous polyethylene or polypropylene.
Fuel cell has a hydrogen contg. fuel supplied to its anode and an oxidant, in an amt. in excess of the stoichiometric ratio relative the fuel supplied, is supplied to the cathode. Reaction prods, including excess oxidant and water vapour, are conveyed from the cathode, cooled and fed to a flow constriction having a flow injector. Downstream of the flow constrictor the prods. are sepd into a vaporous portion having a large oxidant and small coolant and water content and a liq. portion having a large coolant and water content and a small oxidant content, the vapour portion being fed via a conduit back to the cathode, the flow injector and constriction providing sufficient pressure head to flow the vapour portion through the conduit to the cathode.    Used for removal of heat of electrochemical reaction to prevent cell temp. rising to damaging levels. Provides a system which effectively removes heat from the cell stack with simplified components and without detracting from system efficiency.
Self supporting matrix for use in a fuel cell is made of electrically insulating interlocking long fibres having vacant spaces for filling with electrolyte. A fuel cell comprises anode, cathode and electrolyte retaining matrix as above between them, with electrolyte retained in spaces formed among the fibres.    The fibres are pref. 100 micron or more long, have length:dia. ratio 10 or more, pref. 100 or more. The fibres are pref. Li aluminate, prepd. by contacting fibrous Al2O3 with a powdery or liq. Li salt, heat treating and esp. sintering. The fuel cell electrolyte is pref. molten carbonate.    The matrix may be formed as a thin plate and adheres well to electrodes giving high power output. It resists cracking and breaking in cell construction or use.
A thin electrochemical cell separator plate is produced by moulding a mixt. of 45-65 wt.pts. high purity graphite powder and 55-35 wt.pts. a carbonisable thermosetting phenolic resin at a press. and temp. which melt and partially cure the resin and give material flow such that a density of 97-99% the max. theoretical density is obtd. and heating the moulded plate at least 2100 deg.C. to carbonise and then fully graphitise it.    The graphite powder consists of substantially 100% fully graphitic particles having density at least 2.0 g/cm3, average aspect ratio less than 0.40 and distribution of particle sizes up to a max. of 230 microns, with 31-62 wt.% of the particles having size less than 45 microns. The resin has a C yield of at least 50%.    The finished plate has an initial threshold corrosion potential measured at 400 deg.F of at least 1,000 millivolts, a max. initial through-plane electrical resistivity of 0.009 ohm.-cm., an initial flexural strength measured at 400 deg.F of at least 4,000 psi. and an electrolyte take-up no greater than 5-0% it is partic. useful in phosphoric acid fuel cells, and can have thickness less than 0.150 in., pref. less than 0.100 in.
Prior art fuel cells have relied on external connection of the electrodes of a fuel cell stack. In the case of certain stack constructions, e.g. phosphoric acid types, the cell separators are electrically conducting, enabling current to be passed through the cell stack, and thus build up into appreciable voltages by connecting cells in series. Where conducting separators are not practical, e.g. in lightweight alkaline cells where thin polymer sheets or films form the divisions between cells, the conducting path is normally formed by joining the edges (or portions of the edges) of the electrodes outside the stack assembly.    The necessity of making these connections is avoided by introducing an electrically conducting path within the thickness of the stack assembly. Where the construction of the fuel cell is built up from a series of gasket structures, suitable holes are left in the separator gaskets and conducting materials inserted in these holes.    The electrical connection may be in the form of springs, washers or compressible, conductive masses of materials such as metal sponge or bonded graphite powder. Alternatively, an electrode may have a conductive nodule formed on it, or may have a convex/concave deformation formed in it to make electrical contact with an adjacent electrode or with a corresp. nodule or deformation formed on it.
Ion exchange film comprises a film consisting of a polymer having -CF2- gps. in the skeleton structure, and the film having a surface layer contg. crosslink structure. The ion exchange film is used in a fuel cell, and has high proton conductivity, and a barrier property to methanol.    Specifically fluororesin film having fluorinated sulphonyl gps. is placed in a discharge graft polymerisation appts., which is evacuated to 10 power (-4) Torr. Ar gas is introduced into the appts. in which a pressure is maintained at 1 Torr. The film is attached to a drum. The film is exposed to glow discharge by applying a power of 900 watts to the appts. to activate the surface while the drum is rotated at a peripheral speed of 1m/min. The film thus treated has a resistance of 1.92 ohm.sq.cm., and a barrier property of 2.0 mg/sq.cm.hr.
The surface layer of a metal substrate is activated to destabilise its atomic configuration. A second metal element is injected into the activated surface layer before the surface layer looses its activity. The second metal element is partially removed and the surface layer of the substrate is reactivated so that its atomic configuration is again destabilised. The second metal element is again injected into the activated surface before the surface looses its activity, so that the active state of the surface layer is maintained by the second metal element.    The material is useful as an electrode for a fuel cell or electronic device.    In an example, a Pt sheet was electrolytically oxidised in 2N-H2SO4 soln. contg. 0.56 g/l., as Sn ion, of SnCl4.5H2O with a voltage of 1.8V. The voltage was lowered to an electrodeposition level of -80 mV and the Pt sheet held at the voltage for 18 sec. to deposit Sn. The Sn deposit was partially removed by applying a triangular-wave voltage to the Pt sheet. The treated Pt sheet was subjected to Sn electrodeposition in the same way.
A bipolar fuel cell collecting plate is made by blending 25 wt.% phenol formaldehyde resin with 75 wt.% graphite, using an amount of hexamethylene tetramine and a furfural wetting agent. The blend is charged into a treated mould and heated under pressure. The pressure is released to allow gases to escape, then the mould is heated further before being cooled. The formed plate is removed and postcured.    The resin has a phenol formaldehyde mole ratio of 1.0:0.6-0.9 (pref. 0.77-0.81) or is a styrenenated resin having a mole ratio of 4 moles phenol to 0.1-4,0, pref. 0.9, moles styrene to 3.2 moles formaldehyde.    Collecting plates are used in hydrogen air fuel cells to connect adjacent cells in a stack, to distribute incoming gases around the electrodes and to provide rigidity. The claimed plates have the required electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, hydrogen impermeability, and resistance to conc. phosphoric acid electrolyte at 200 deg.C.
Matrix for retaining an electrolyte of molten carbonates in a fuel cell, comprises supporting particles of submicron size of a material compatible with the electrolyte under the operating conditions. Specifically at least 5 (above 20) vol.% of fissure attenuating particles, the balance being supporting particles, so that the matrix contains a multitude of microfissures but no large ones, when it is cooled to ambient temp. Specifically, the fissure attenuating particles are at least 25 microns dia. and are particles of ceramic or metal. The preferred support particles are lithium aluminate and the large particles are pref. Al2O3 or LiAlO2.    The matrix is reinforced adequately so that fissures do not develop and the cell remains operational.
An organometal cpd. contg. divalent or trivalent metal ions is mixed with a tetravalent metal ion-contg. organometal cpd. The mixt. is diluted with an organic solvent. This soln. is coated on a substrate for a fuel cell to form a film of the organometal cpd. mixt. The film is heated and dried to form a thin film of oxides. A thin film of oxides having desired thickness is easily fabricated.    In further detail (C6H11COO)4Zr and (C6H11COO)3Y are mixed in such a manner that the ZrO2-to-Y2O3 mole ratio is 9:1 after pyrolysing. This mixt. is mixed with a 30% kerosine soln. The soln. thus obtd. is coated on a glass substrate and dried to form a mixt. film. The mixt. film is heated at 600 deg.C for 10 mins. to form a thin film of ZrO2-Y2O3 having excellent transparency and homogeneity.
Na+ion-conductive compsn. comprises firing a mixt. of Na2O, P2O5 and TiO2 in a ratio in the range surrounded by point A(57.5, 30 and 12.5 in mole %), point B(57.5, 20 and 22.5), point C(35, 20 and 45) and point D(35, 30 and 35) shown in the triangular diagram.    The compsn. can be obtd. by sintering a material mixt. at 1000 deg.C or lower.    The compsn. is stable to liq. and gaseous alkali metal, molten sulphur, etc. and exhibits high mechanical strength. The compsn. is useful as a solid electrolyte for thermoelectric generators, batteries, etc. and ceramic film made from the compsn. is useful for extracting selectively Na+ ion from NaCl, etc. The compsn. has a very high Na+ ion-conductivity.
The impulse turbine system (10) includes a rotatably mounted turbine wheel (12) and a speed sensing system (40) to sense the speed of the turbine wheel. A flow diversion nozzle (14) normally provides a jet of driving fluid to power the turbine wheel (12). The nozzle includes an internal flow diverter (30,38,58,74,76,88,90,94,104,110,118) which operates under the control of the speed sensing system (40) when the turbine wheel (12) reaches an overspeed condition to angularly divert the jet of driving fluid issuing from the nozzle opening (26).    The cylinder is mounted upon a streamlined strut which extends from the wall of the flow passage and includes a portion of the bypass line terminating at the outlet port. The outlet port is positioned behind the piston, so that when the valve is opened in response to the speed sensing device, fluid will pass from the fluid passage, through the bypass line and the valve to a point in the chamber behind the piston.
The system consists of a source such as wind or water with mechanical energy, which is coupled to an electrical generator. It consists of a liq. pump, which is connected to the energy source. The liq. is sucked out of a reservoir via a pipe. The drive shaft of the pump is connected to the mechanical energy source via a gearbox.    The pump motor is regulated. There is also a choke and a heat exchanger. The flow regulator contains an electrically controlled regulator valve, whose control current is proportional to the speed of the liq. motor or the generator.
The array comprises solar cells which are composed of a conductive film, a semiconductor film having a junction, and a second conductive film. The cells are arranged on a substrate at desired intervals. The first conductive film contacts the substrate, and either the substrate and the first conductive film or the second conductive film is made of a light transmitting material.    All of the solar cells are connected in series by respectively connecting the first conductive film of a cell to the second conductive film of an adjacent cell in turn, and the first conductive film of a cell at one end of the series and the second conductive film of another cell at another end of the series are connected to one terminal. The second conductive film of a cell is disposed a predetermined number of cells from a predetermined end which is connected to another terminal.    ADVANTAGE -   Prevents reverse biasing of solar cells and the circulation of reverse current and as diode is produced on substrate with the solar cells at the same time, reduces manufacturing costs. (First major country equivalent to J57157579)
The plant uses a number of turbine sets positioned in a high velocity underwater flow (f). The turbine sets are connected in series and/or parallel via hydraulic couplings in accordance with the width, depth and length of the flow (f). The turbine sets are installed so that the low voltage of the turbine blades is about 0.5m above the water bed with the upper edge of the turbine not projecting above the water surface.    The turbines are coupled to underground generators providing an electrical power output of between 25 and 100 MW. The plant does not occupy valuable land space and allows a natural water race to be utilised.
Photosensitive material (14) is carried on an electrically conductive case (12) of the photodetector (10) and is connected with an electrode (16). The window (22) is sealed hermetically into the case at its end opposite to the photo-sensitive material. An electrically-conductive layer (24) on the outer surface of the window, is in conductive contact with the case so that a complete conductive barrier surrounds the photo-sensitive material. The window, is pref. made of glass or quartz and the metal layer is of gold, sputtered onto the surface of the window. Alternatively, a transparent glass substance which is electrically conductive may be used.    The conductive layer may be formed of tin oxide obtained from vapours of stannic chloride. The detector may be a photodiode, photovoltaic cell, photo-transistor or photo-varistor.
The power system includes a pair of spaced-apart pontoons, stationarily anchored in a moving body of water, a channel thus being formed between the pontoons for a portion of the water to flow through. A row of rotatable paddle wheels in the channel are fixed on shafts supported between the pontoons, so that the water turns the paddle wheels. An electric generator is driven by the paddle wheels. An endless belt surrounds the row of paddles, extending above and below the paddle wheels.    The belt comprises a pair of spaced-apart, endless chains and a number of curved vanes secured between the chains. A lower run of the belt is in the water of the channel, so as to move the belt. A number of gears are positioned beyond each end of the row of paddles, the belt chains being rotated around the gears, and an electric generator is driven by the gears.
The assembly includes a main body component having an internal draft tube and is provided with external guide and support elements allowing displacement of the assembly alternately in a vertical direction or angularly about a vertical axis. One sub-component body includes a water flow conduit containing a turbine generator set having a fixed-vane distributor and is insertable within the main body component in axial alignment with one end of the draft tube. Another sub-component body includes a shiftable flow-controlling gate and is insertable adjacent another end of the draft tube.    Water-tight chambers in the main body component as well as the sub-component bodies are selectively filled with air or fluid to controllably float, sink or tilt the assembly and allow the installation or removal of the sub-components from the main body component.
The hydroelectric generator is located in the basement of a high-rise building and connected in series in the clean waste-water line of the building, to produce electrical power in response to the flow of the waste water from the building. An automatically controlled valve in a bypass line serves to direct excess water flow around the hydroelectric generator unit and maintain the flow through the generator unit at a predetermined maximum level.    An automatic switch-over device disconnects the generator output terminals from the electrical output terminals of the unit when the voltage and/or frequency of the generator output is unsatisfactory, e.g., too low.
The water engine has a working chamber (3) and a water-driven double acting piston member (6) arranged for horizontal reciprocal movement in the working chamber. Water is admitted from the upstream side of the barrage into the working chamber to two working faces of the piston member in turn, and water is allowed to flow to the downstream side of the barrage from part of the working chamber on the side of the water-driven member (6) opposite that on which water is being admitted. This causes the water-driven member (6) to reciprocate in the working chamber (3).    The device for admitting water includes a valve having two positions, one for enabling water to pass from the upstream side to the chamber, and one enabling water to pass from the chamber to the downstream side of the barrage.
The power station generates electricity for the power grid by running water down from a high level to a low level and passing it through a turbine (2). The water at the low level is then electrolysed (7) or otherwise dissociated, and the hydrogen produced is piped up to a high level. The oxygen is released.    At the top level of the power station the hydrogen is burned in a fuel cell (1) which produces electricity. The oxygen for combustion is drawn in from the air. The fuel cell produces electrical power to run the hydrogen prodn. plant (7). The water vapour produced by the fuel cell is condensed and the water is run down to the lower level to drive the turbine (2) and feed water to the hydrogen prodn. plant (7).
A hydraulic motor, especially for generating power from a flow of water, consists of a series of vanes in a flow duct, linked to a power take-off mechanism.    The motor is designed for a greater capacity by having the power take-off mechanism located across the flow duct and made in the form of two parallel beams which can reciprocate relative to one another. The vanes are flexible and are located one above the other across the duct to form variable-volume chambers with inlet and outlet apertures connected to supports. The centres of the vanes are pivoted to the beams, and the outlet apertures are covered alternately by reciprocating shutters. Bul. 41/7.11.81.    (3pp)
A water collection tank (16) is made integral with the housing enclosure (A) for collecting the water discharged from the nozzle (14). The water reservoir and collection tank (16) may be connected to any suitable supply of water (17) and is provided with a level control (18), e.g float valve, for maintaining a min. amount of water to make up for water loss due to evaporation, etc. A pump (20) delivers water from the collection tank (16) to the water discharge nozzle (14). An electrical generator has its drive shaft connected to the waterwheel.    A large gear member (28) is fixed for rotation with the hub. An inner wheel unit (29) includes a rim (30) carried on the hub (26) by means of adjustable spoke support members (32) and an outer rim (34) is concentric and carried on rim (30) and hub (26) by means of spokes (36). The fin elements (10) are carried on the rim (34).
The bulkhead assembly is provided for association with damming or analogous structure defining a water passageway through either non-navigable dams, movable-type dams, chambers at locks defined for navigation procedures, canal drops or auxiliary locks. It includes a selectively displaceable body to achieve asynchronous electric generation when disposed in an operative position relative the damming structure.    Flow controlling devices such as tainter gates, chanoine wicket gates, miter gates, and the like are included and operable to permit overhaunting of the assembly or when in an idle status. Alternatively, a number of asynchronous generators may be spliced together in any one bulkhead assembly to enhance the generation quality, dependent upon the requirements imposed by extreme, highly variable hydraulic heads.
The detector includes a vacuum-tight body which contains a multiple vacuum feed through conductive track component, the latter comprising a ceramic/metal/ceramic/metal multiple track plane overlap structure. The body also contains a multi-element photosensitive array assembled on a carrier substrate onto which a pattern of conductive strips is applied.    The substrate is mounted in the cooled centre part of the body with the terminals of the strips interconnected with the conductive tracks of the vacuum feed-through component. This arrangement has a high electrical feed-through package density. Metal pins consisting of a nickel-bobalt-iron alloy are brazed onto each of the vacuum feed-through conductive tracks.
The frequency regulator includes a frequency transducer that is responsive to the generator output, and which provides a signal proportional to the generator output frequency to a voltage level detector and to a zero voltage detector. The voltage level detector provides a number of digital outputs according to the generator output frequency and the zero voltage detector provides outputs indicative of zero generator output voltage crossings.    Two pulse networks and a reset control provide pulses to a sequential switching control in response to the digital outputs from the voltage level detector. The sequential switching control and a bandwidth control, which is responsive to the voltage level detector and the zero voltage detector, provide control signals to several switchable local load elements to adjust the power consumed. The load element power consumption is increased if the generator output frequency varies above a predetermined frequency bandwidth range and is decreased if the generator output frequency varies below the bandwidth range.
The flow energy between water at differing levels may be converted to electric energy by installing a large diameter siphon tube spanning the separator between the two water levels. If reversible turbines are used energy can be extracted from flow in both directions. The siphon tube (1) is installed spanning the dam wall or earth bank separating the two water levels (9,10).    At the bottom of each water storage, the screened mouth of the siphon tube allows water to pass turbines, one at each end of the siphon tube. The turbines may have a reversible radial blade configuration, or an Archimedean screw configuration, and are coupled to an electric generator.
In a Francis type pump turbine, the body (1) comprises a runner (3) mounted on the shaft (2) inside a casing (5) which diverts water from the pipe (4) into the blades (7) of the runner. The guide vanes (6) adjust the amount of water whilst below the runner is a draft (7) through which the water is eventually discharged.    The control includes a speed detection device, a load rejection control device (17) and a load rejection detector (19) connected to receive the rotation speed for comparing with a first prescribed value. If found to be in excess of that value it produces a load rejection signal. Further controls include a governor state detector (20) with an inlet valve open order device (23) and an inlet valve close order device (22). An inlet valve control device (18) is connected to receive open and close order signals.
The appts. is used to feed steam towards the rotor blades tangentially. The energy in the steam turns the rotor until the blade is opposite an exhaust port where the steam is extracted, again tangentially. The same principle can also be used with water or wind in place of steam. Inlets and exhausts are spaced alternately round the rotor.    The blading must be designed to prevent escape of steam axially parallel to the rotor shaft, and the clearance to the turbine casing must be sufficiently close to prevent any significant leakage circumferentially.
The system automatically reduces the driving position for a nonlinear copying system and is used in a control loop regulating the speed of a hydraulic turbine driving a generator. A regulator receives the real value of the quantity to be controlled, and a reference value. Proportional circuits derive a global value indicating the setting of the adjustable component. A nonlinear copying system receives the value and the real position value and produces a difference signal applied to the servomechanism.    When the copying system works outside its area of linearity, the global signal is adjusted to the real value by action on the two saturation thresholds of the proportional circuits. The values of these saturation thresholds are themselves determined as a function of the real position of the adjustable control component.
Dynamic characteristics of turbine bearings are measured, as in Parent Cert., by exciting horizontal and vertical vibrations in each bearing.    For more accurate determination of the vibration characteristics of the system comprising the stator and the foundations, the amplitude and phase of bearing displacement along the turbine axis are also measured during each vibration process. The stator-foundation characteristics are then calculated using a given formula at each excitation frequency from the measured values.    The vibrations are generated by a double-shaft machine fitted in turn to each bearing. The vibrations are produced in the horizontal and vertical directions in turn, and the amplitude and phase are measured in the horizontal, vertical and axial directions at each excitation frequency. Bul.36/30.9.81 (2pp)
The rotary blade hydroturbine regulating device is more accurate since, in addition to guiding appts. position sensor (1) pressure or electrical power sensor (2), non-linear converter (3), multiplier (4), second non-linear converter (5) and blade turning mechanism (8), the device also contains at least one extra non-linear converter (6) and a linear interpolator (7).    Guiding appts. position signal from sensor (1) is fed to multiplier (4), whose other input is connected via non-linear converter (3) to pressure or electrical power sensor (2). Multiplier (4) output is passed to non-linear converters (5,6), which generate base ratios between blade angle and guiding appts. position, and sends them to linear interpolator (7), with output from sensor (2). Interpolator (7) output is used to regulate blade turning mechanism (8). Bul.36/30.9.81
The appts. includes a receptacle which is a large open-mouthed bucket, connected by a chain or cable to bearings and a pivot, biassed by a counterweight. The pivot is offset relative to the bucket centre of gravity and is attached to a carriage mounted on a guide rail.    The bucket is placed under a downwardly directed discharge pipe connected to a water reservoir. The bucket fills with water, overcomes the bias and carriage descends, so bucket empties and returns to raised rest position, by means of the counterweight. Linear movement of bucket rotates flywheel and generates electrical power.
The power generation or multiplication plant consists of a pump fitted partly below the surface of a liquid. It has a drive for a turbine such as a Pelton wheel. The Pelton wheel is linked to the output of the pump via a pipe. The turbine drives an energy converter such as a generator. The turbine is fitted with a return flow pipe. The whole pump or only its intake pipes are located inside the liquid. The output of the pump (3) is connected to a pressure pipe (6), whose end terminates in a nozzle (7) discharging on to the blades of the turbine (8).
The appts. has a vertical axis carrying horizontal arms each supporting a vertical vane pivoted at one edge and having a stop limiting its travel, so the vane is held across the wind or water flow while turning with the flow, and is free to turn edge on to the flow as the return motion brings the vane into the flow. The vertical axis (A) carries a rigid structure (B) having horizontal arms each with a vertical shaft mounted near the end.    This shaft is attached near one vertical edge of a vane. Fluid flow tends to align the vane with the flow direction. A stop (D) fixed to each arm limts the travel of the vane in order that it presents a component of area to the fluid flow while the arm moves with the flow. As the rotation carries the vane into opposition with the flow the vane is free to rotate to present only an edge to the flow.
The tidal power plant comprises a concrete island - of about 100m dia. - anchored to the seabed at a position where the water is only moderately deep, and a steel buoyancy body that extends around the island and can move vertically w.r.t. it.    The rise of the body during high tide is used to life heavy steel beams. These are retained when they reach the highest level and released in sequence as the water falls. Their potential energy is used to drive generators in tunnels provided in the island.
The control system for double regulation has a regulator, affecting control deflectors by forming a function of the deviation between the actual and rated speeds, this deviation being derived over a time period. Over a circuit, comprising a coupler, the regulator affects second type of control members, such as injectors. The regulator is supplied with parameters fitted exclusively to the control deflectors.    The coupling containing circuit comprises also a correction circuit whose parameters are chosen so as to obtain an optimum change for the control injectors. The correction circuit consists of a differential amplifier with a counter-reaction circuit with a low-pass filter, a differential circuit, and a limiting circuit. In this manner, the system attains the optimum double control using control deflectors and injectors.
Hydro-turbine regulating appts. contg. an adder (1), rotational speed sensor (2), power setter input (3), guide position feedback circuit (4), amplifier (6) and the drive (7) for the guide appts. of the hydro-turbine (8) has the quality of regulation improved from the point of view of reduced intensity of hydraulic shock at hydro-electric power stations with highly inertial delivery water passages in systems for automatic regulation of hydro-turbines.    An actual power sensor (10) is introduced at the input to an isodromic coupling unit (5). The signals from this sensor and from the guide position sensor (9) at inputs of opposite sign to the isodromic coupling unit have the effect of increasing the speed of the guide appts. as the opening is reduced when the guide moves to close the opening and vice versa. The actual power sensor increases the intensity of the isodromic coupling in the initial period of transient behaviour. Bul.33/7.9.81
Hydraulic power plant, used in micro power stations, has automatic control of generator speed. This is achieved by incorporating a spring loaded bracket and damper on the base with freedom of movement relative to the stator. The generator is mounted on the bracket. With no load on the unit initial torque is balanced by spring (8) and the impeller axis is offset from stator (3) axis.    As load increases to nominal value the increased torque reaction compresses spring (8), the arm pivoting to align the stator and impeller axes in the position required for generating the required power. Bul.32/30.8.81
The turbine allows the effects of variable turbine geometry to be simulated with a fixed geometry turbine by using the turbine output to drive a hydraulic pump whose (controllable) output drives a hydraulic motor, and hence an electric generator.    The fixed geometry turbine has an entry cone which spreads the oncoming wind or water flow outwards onto the multiple blades which are evenly spaced round the turbine rotor. The blades are shaped so that the fluid flow passes through a convergent zone before being turned inwards to be carried to the centre of the rotor and exhausted behind the entry cone.
The cylindrical tube turbine with axial water circulation has an off-drive shaft connected, via a gear to the turbine shaft.    In order to avoid losses in the water channel, such as downstream of the turbine rotor wheel, hollow ducts (22) are provided on the turbine tube (20) for insertion and pass through of the off-drive shaft (19) and its bearing and connections, such as flanges on the turbine shaft or gear in the turbine tube.
This invention concerns hydroelectric generating technology, in particular, the design of hydro-accumulating power stations. Conventionally in such stations, the motor generators are required to operate at 2 different rotation frequencies for generating and for pumping. This is difficult and in practice, operation in the pumping mode is inefficient. Efficiency is improved by including a frequency transformer switched into use during pumping.    The unit consists of motor generator (1), power transformer (2) connected via switch gear to the power lines, frequency transformer (3) and switches (4,5) and (6). In the generating regime switch (4) is closed and switches (5,6) are open, so isolating the frequency transformer (3).    In the pumping regime the switches are reversed so that frequency transformer (3) is switched in series between the power transformer (2) and the motor generator (1). The use of this unit reduces the voltage difference between the 2 operating regimes and greatly increases the efficiency of pumping. Bul.32/30.8.81
The hydroelectric machine operated by the flow of water in a river includes an upper chamber housing a grill (3) to prevent the entry of foreign bodies, below the water level (1). The turbine has its axis vertical, and lies at the bottom of a vertical sleeve (5). The sleeve may be raised or lowered by a servomotor, so that is either seals the turbine inlet, preventing the ingress of water, or it is raised allowing water underneath it. The sleeve is of sufficient length to stand just above the water surface when in its lowered position.    The turbine blade is linked to an electrical generator (29) by its vertical shaft (12), the generator being positioned above the level of the water. This method of blocking the flow of water has the advantage that there is still access to the turbine blade simply through the sleeve whilst it is not working.
The appts. can function as a prime mover for generation of electricity or as a pump driven from the electric supply network, with the water flow being in the same direction in both cases. The appts. has partic. application in irrigation schemes when a high reservoir head can be used to generate power and a low reservoir requires a pump to move water up to the canals.    The axial flow pump/turbine has inlet screens (1) and director vanes (2). The blades (3) of the rotor (7) are orientable for turbine or pumping action. The rotor shaft (8) couples to an electric motor/generator unit, and passes through the wall of the outlet duct (5), which turns upward, the rotor being below both reservoir and canal levels.
The energy generator has a cylinder (1) positioned with its longitudinal axis perpendicular to the air stream or water flow (3), so that the cylinder (1) is rotated by the latter and is used to drive the rotor shaft (7) of a current generator (8) lying along a parallel axis. The cylinder (1) and the generator rotor and the generator rotor shaft (7) are perpendicularly offset and joined by crank (6) allowing the cylinder (1) to move in a circle (9) with a radius corresponding to the perpendicular offset, the direction of rotation of the cylinder (1) changing at least twice as it moves around the circle (9). The reversal points (II,IV) both lie in a plane perpendicular to the direction of flow (3).    The circle (9) around which the cylinder (1) rotates lies in a horizontal plane and the cylinder rotation is braked prior to each reversal by an energy store allowing the stored energy to be added to the cylinder rotation after the reversal point (II,IV).
Conventional cooling systems use the evaporation of a fluid in a closed system to cool another medium in a heat exchanger work as follows. The fluid flows into the heat exchanger (d) where the heat causes it to evaporate. The vapour is then allowed to ascend through a cooling tower (a), condense back into liquid form in a condenser (c) and is returned (f) to the heat exchanger (d).    A turbine (d) may be used at the bottom of the fluid return channel (f) which will be turned by the potential energy of the falling liquid. The turbine can be employed to drive an alternator without the need for a steam system.
The hydromotive assembly pipe is horizontally disposed and axially aligned with the dam body pipe. An energy generation unit has at least one component disposed, within the hydromotive assembly pipe and is actuated by fluid flow. The generation unit includes a generator direction connected to a turbine runner. The hydromotive assembly pipe has two open ends for discharging fluid flows entering the first open end.    The hydromotive assembly includes a gate within the hydromotive assembly pipe operable to controllably vary the volume of fluid flow discharging through the pipe second open end. The hydromotive assembly can be displaced towards and away from the dam pipe when the hydromotive assembly is positioned at or removed from the dam body.
Emergency stopping of a hydro-electric set operating as a synchronous condenser by matching the reference frequency of a regulator with the max. permissible power system frequency and feeding signal from an emergency stop relay (2) to a regulator (5) to open guide appts. (12) pending removal of air from a working wheel chamber, and then applying a brake, has greater speed over a wider range of network frequency for use in applying automation in hydro-electric engineering.    To match the frequencies, the emergency stop relay abruptly increases the reference frequency to a value exceeding the max permissible frequency in the power system. For greater reliability the degree of opening of the guide appts. is set beforehand and the reference frequency is abruptly reduced to its initial value when the degree of opening is as set.    As the emergency stop relay operates, contacts (20) open. The converter (7) resoonds to a signal from the detector (11) and the reference frequency unit (17) amplifies the signal from the frequency circuit (9) above the frequency of the frequency-change mechanism (10). On expiry of the time lag of the time relay (4), air has been removed from the chamber and the mechanism (6) initiates closure by the slide (8). Bul.27/23.7.81
The appts. is used for generating hydroelectric power and comprises a portable collector tube assembly which can be transported to the site of a water source having a water-fall sufficient in magnitude to provide a pressure head for driving a turbine generator. The tube assembly comprises telescopically arranged inner and outer tubes.    A mechanism rotates the tube assembly and extends the inner tube so as to place its upper, extended end in a position within and below the top of the waterfall so as to take advantage of the resulting hydrodynamic and hydrostatic forces. A pair of hydraulic cylinder is provided to raise or lower the tube. The pistons of the cylinders engage a flange or bracket which is secured to the bottom of the outer tube.
A metal tube is placed along the centre of the bed of a river. It has an open end at a point at a high level in the river course. Some way downstream the tube is taken into a power house in which it rises to a height just less than its entry point. Water falls the height of the power house and drives a water turbine.    The discharge of the turbine enters another similar metal tube which enters a further power house further downstream. The arrangement is repeated along the course of the river in a series of local power stations.
The circuit provides gain stabilisation of an instrumentation avalanche photo diode to be used for attenuation and band pass measurements in optical fibres. Gain stabilisation is provided by varying the applied bias voltage as a function of an error voltage derived by comparing the avalanche photo current to the primary photocurrent in the ratio of the desired avalanche gain. The primary photocurrent is measured and stored at unity gain by temporarily lowering the reverse bias voltage on the photo diode or by using an auxiliary photo diode under the same conditions illuminated by a fraction of the incident flux.    The diode (10) is connected to a variable bias supply (30) controlled by a feedback loop and to a current amplifier with the desired gain (23). A two input comparator (26) is connected to the photo diode and the amplifier output and its output in the error signal which controls the bias voltage. An auxiliary supply (31) is connected to the diode by a switch (32) and the photocurrents connected by switches (21,29) to two storage condensers (22,25) storing voltages proportional to currents. Sequential control of the field effect transistor switches is effected by a time base circuit.
The installation includes a continuous belt mounted partially under the surface of the flowing water. The belt has a number of blades attached to it, half of which are immersed and pushed along by the water while the other half are above the surface. Each blade has a nett weight equal to the weight of water it displaces when fully immersed, and is made of light alloy with two panels in a chevron shape. The chevron points in the direction of the water-flow.    Hydraulic pumps are situated in a line parallel with the upper side of the belt, with spacing equal to that between the blades. Blades which are returning above the water are arranged to strike operating levers on the pumps. The pumps raise hydraulic fluid from a low pressure reservoir to a high pressure reservoir. The fluid returns via a hydraulic motor driving an alternator.
An opto electronic semiconductor system uses a luminescent diode in a dual mode, both as a display and as a means of monitoring the ambient light intensity for brightness control.    For a single element, the diode (5) is located within a plastic housing (4). The diode is coupled to the integrated semiconductor circuit (6) and two connecting strips (1,2) pass externally. The circuit has a drive stage that is coupled over a switch with the diode. Alternatively light received is detected by a photo amplifier that is coupled to the drive stage. A clock source is used to alternately switch between the transmission and reception modes continuously.
Signal forming appts. for a hydro-turbine control system and including the winding (1) of an electrohydraulic converter connected via resistor (2) to the source of electrohydraulic regulator signals has greater reliability at hydro-electric stations. The intensity of hydraulic shock is reduced by adding another resistor (4) correcting circuits (5,6) and voltage- stabilising diodes (21,22).    Each correcting circuit is the same except for the polarity of the supply sources (13,20). The other parts are non-linear elements (e.g. dynistors 7,14), rectifying diodes (8,15) resistors (9,16) capacitors (10,17) resistors (11,18) and diodes (12,19). Hydraulic shock is reducible in delivery water lines by more accurate control.    One of the voltage-stabilising diodes limits the signal to open the hydroturbine regulator, and the other limits the closure signal. The latter is fed to the first correcting circuit where it is added to the discharge of capacitor (10). The non- linear circuit is made conducting and the signal passes to the converter winding for the control action. Bul.24/30.6.81
The wind or water powered turbine has mobile vanes mounted round a frame so they pivot to present a large area to the flow on one side of the axis then align themselves with the flow to reduce resistance as they return against the flow. The frame may be circular or have several radial arms, and is mounted on an axis perpendicular to the direction of the fluid flow. At regular intervals along the frame small, the vanes are mounted on the frame (or vanes designed to overlap each other) in order that the oncoming fluid forces the vanes round till they reach the stop. As the frame rotates, the closed vanes begin to move in opposition to the flow and the vanes pivot to align themselves to the flow, so offering minimal return resistance.
The kinetic energy of a river can be used to generate electricity in the following way. A water-wheel is mounted on a pontoon extending across the river. The water-wheel rotates at a relatively low speed and drives a double acting piston pump. The pump draws water from the river and delivers it to a pressure vessel. The high pressure water flowing from the pressure vessel is then used to drive a turbine which, in turn, drives a relatively high speed electric generator.    Groups of such water-wheels may be mounted behind one another and beside one another on pontoons. The rear pontoons are so shaped, and have sufficiently wide gaps between one another, that the flow of water from the sides to the middle is hindered as little as possible.
The appts. is used in conjunction with a low total energy supply of water and includes a rotor (18) exposed to ambient atmospheric pressure and mounted for rotational movement about a central vertical axis. Vanes (20) are fixed about the rotor at equi-angularly spaced locations, each vane extending radially outwardly from the axis and having an upright rear face (21) and an oppositely directed front face (22). A water discharge (24) is positioned beneath the rotor in span hydraulic communication with the inner vane ends for freely receiving water from these ends.    An infeed volute (14) is in hydraulic communication with the water supply and surrounds the rotor for delivering moving water through descending ambient pressure chutes to the rotor periphery at a flow rate, velocity and angle such that the water flowing along each vane is in a supercritical flow condition that results in super elevation of water across the rear face of each vane and minimises contact of water across the front faces. This arrangement utilises principles involved in both reaction and impulse type turbines and efficient power transfer is accomplished under head requirements not practically suitable for existing turbine designs.
The photoelectric semiconductor device exhibits a reduced spectral sensitivity in a desired wavelength zone. An N(P) type impurity region is formed in a P(N) type semiconductor substrate to establish a first PN junction functioning as a first photodiode. A P(N) type impurity region is shallowly formed in the N(P) type impurity region to establish a second PN junction functioning as a second photodiode.    When the first PN junction is shunted, the photoelectric semiconductor device shows a spectral sensitivity which is reduced in the longer wavelength zone. Similarly, when the second 02|junction|is|shunted,|the|photoelectric|semiconductor|device shows the spectral sensitivity which is reduced in the shorter wavelength zone.
The water holding basin is positionable in a stream or river bed at one edge and comprising an end wall with a side wall connected and extending upstream. The upper surface of the side wall maintains a first constant elevation. A second side wall connected to the end wall is lower than the end wall, extending upstream and across the stream. The upper surface of the second side wall maintains a second constant elevation. Elongated water chutes are longitudinally disposed in the stream bed downstream of the basin end wall, the upper ends being connected to the base of the end wall, each chute being inclined 3-7 deg. to the horizontal.    At least rotary turbine is journalled in each chute, with a generator connected to each turbine. Each turbine comprises an elongated shaft journalled in the chute parallel to the inclined chute and with ribbon flight blades secured to the shaft in a helical pattern. The angle of said blades w.r.t. the longitudinal axis of the shaft is 28-35 deg. A gate and movable closure are disposed between the base of the basin end wall and the upper end of each chute to provide selective flow of water through the chute.
The combination may consist of three main variations, i.e. a wind driven power plant, a thermal power plant, and a hydraulic power plant. They all have a common element determining the construction concept. This is embodied by a vertical design with special dynamic, provided by a matching movement resistance. The construction enables increased stability, permitting exploitation of strong wind and water movements.    The changing directions of wind or water flow are unimportant for the operation, as the power plant converts each movement into a uniform rotation. In the conception the wind driven rotor is completely rotatable on a centre post, or the centre post with the rotor is rotatably mounted in the earth. Alternately, the inner part of the wind rotor is rotatable in a stationary outer part.
The blading (4) of sinusoidal or helical profile constitutes the paddle wheel or wheels of either a single-hulled boat, or pref. of a catamaran having two or more hulls (15,16) of rectangular section arranged below and to the sides of an upper fixed horizontal trellis framework (17). The framework (17) maintains the hulls in constant spaced relationship and their angled inner faces (15',16') symmetrically form a V-shaped inlet venturi for the water wheel (14).    The shaft (18) may drive an electric generator, hydraulic pump or other appts. for power generation via a speed-multiplying gear fixed to the corresp. lateral beam. The continuous symmetrical profile of each blade ensures optimum efficiency by allowing the direction of current to vary over a wide range, prolonging the pondermotive action of the water.
The equipment can be used for digital computer hydroturbine- generator set control in hydroelectric plants and makes the system more economical by taking account of the individual loading characteristics of the machines. The signal from the power setting unit (1) is fed to the control winding (3) of the compensating magnetic amplifier (2). The hydroturbine set load current signals, measured by sensors (10), are fed to the feedback winding (4) of the magnetic amplifier (2) and also to the feedback windings (9) of hydroturbine set magnetic amplifiers (7). The output current of the magnetic amplifier (2) is distributed between the parallel connected control windings (8) of the hydroturbine set magnetic amplifiers (7). The digital computer (13) control system sets the potentiometers (5) coupled with the step motors (11) so as to obtain the optimum power distribution between the hydroturbine sets in accordance with the equal relative load increment values. These values are corrected by the computer following the changes of power system total power demand. Bul.19/23.5.81
Hydromachine wheel's blade contains rigid lead in (1) and elastic trailing (2) parts. The length of an elastic part chord is between 0.05 and 0.25 of that of a rigid part.    During the working cycle of an hydromachine working wheel's blades are enveloped by a stream of water. Using of blades with elastic part being between 0.05 and 0.25 of a rigid one lowers turbulence by allowing bending the former in direction of a stream and thus improving power output properties of the blade. Bul.17/7.5.81
The hydroelectric plant has a number of turbines driving respective alternators and supplied from a distribution chamber via narrow conduits each containing a flow control valve. The distribution chamber has a horizontal floor and communicates with a vertical or identical shaft of limited dia. which is open to the atmosphere. The cross sectional area of the shaft is at least equal to the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the outlets from the distribution chamber leading to each turbine conduit to maintain a normal water flow.    Pref. the water is recovered and returned to the top of the shaft via a pumping system, so that the plant is autonomous. The plant uses the water press due to its height, not its vol. allowing its use in a wide range of geographical locations.
The Self Commanded Hydrostation arrangement for a fluidic storing dam or gated engineered structure, includes a siphon layout conduit, with a movable ascending branch having a hydromotive set and a fixed descending branch embodied with the damming structure inducing a fluidic flow through the hydromotive set to produce the actuation. The movable branch is relatively displaceable w.r.t. fixed damming structure to stop or to start the hydromotive power generation set.    Movable arrangements are alternatively included helping in both starting and stopping procedures sequences. The siphon layout conduit wall is surrounded by hermetic chambers, serving respectively as buoyancy compartments, chambers for machinery utilisation, and self-commanding chambers; all them being in turn embodied by the peripheral wall which forms the self-commanded movable hydro-electric set.
The turbine shaft is coupled through a speed multiplier to the alternator rotor shaft drilled for insertion of a tube through which the angular position of the blades is transmitted to a control device. A crosspiece supports a circular rim carrying inductive pole pieces with connections for AC induced by the armature of the exciter rotating within a fixed coil.    Cooling by water contact with the frame is augmented by convection in air driven by fans through opensings in the end wall of the alternator housing. External cooling tubes extend from two planes ahead of the stator winding, through the rear coupling flange into the cylindrical intermediate housing. This arrangement reduces overall length of the set without impairing mechanical robustness or accessibility.
Blades (20) are pivotally attached to arms (22) via attachment brackets (24). The upper end of the blade (20) is welded to a rectangular aluminium casting (26). The centre hub consists of steel plates (34) that sandwich the arms (22) and a large reinforced gear-belt pulley (38). The blade-arm-hub assembly is connected to a speed increaser (40) having its output connected via a coupling (41) to a d.c. generator (42).    The entire turbine is supported by a pair of aluminium tubes (44). The pitch of each blade is controlled independently by linkage and spring mechanism. A rod slides within a supporting tube welded to the arm (22). Two compression coil springs are mounted on the rod inside stops. A connecting rod is pivotally connected between one end of the rod and a pin on the blade support bracket (24).
Stream cutter of the supply nozzle (1) in Pelton Wheel turbine (2) has spring-actuated knife (3) with drive. The knife is placed with its sharp edge towards stream. Knife's (3) drive consists of a pump (4) put on the turbine axis and having flow rate limiter (5). The pump (4) is hydraulically connected via hydraulic line (6) with hydraulic cylinder (7) having working member (8) connected with knife (3) spring actuated by spring (9). Liquid is drained to tank (10). Bul.15/23.4.81
The pump comprises a chamber having an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is arranged to receive a supply of liquid under pressure, and a device for periodically opening and closing the valve in the inlet. The arrangement is such that, in use, pressure surges are created in the liquid supplied to the inlet as a result of the periodic closing of the valve. The surges force liquid into the chamber as the valve is periodically opened. The liquid enters the chamber and compresses gas inside and is forced out of the outlet as the gas expands. The pump includes an impeller for supplying the liquid under pressure to the inlet. Pref. the inlet is connected to a source of liquid under pressure. The pumps are used in a hydroelectric plant to pump water up to a reservoir.
The fluid director vanes are made up of two thin parallel vanes, rather than the usual single heavy vane, ensuring easier movement of the vanes and better sealing when closed together to cut-off the water supply to the turbine wheel (2). The vanes are placed between the turbine wheel (2) the outer fixed vanes (5) in the outerpart of the water supply volute (1).    Two parallel vanes (6,7) are fixed to a single positioning shaft (8) so that the outside profile of the pair lies along the profile (9) which would be used for a single heavy vane. The thinner edges of the double vanes provides better water sealing when the vanes are in the closed position (6 and 7 (primed and double primed)).
The detector responds to variations with time in the intensity of radiation incident on an operative surface region of the detector much larger than the area of a major face of the element (1). A thermal diffusion device (10) e.g an Al layer is provided to conduct thermal energy to the element (1) from remote parts of the region.    The element (1) is resiliently supported on one or more flexible films (2,3) and the thermal diffusion device (10) is a thermally conductive layer on one of the films (3). The element is made from e.g lead lanthanum manganese zirconium titanate (PLMZT), and has at least one pair of opposing faces for generating electrical charges when the element temp. changes. An electrode extends over at least one face for detecting generated charge.
The frequency regulator for a low head hydro-electric generation plant supplying an isolated electrical network and using a turbine with adjustable blades positioned by a frequency responsive speed regulator, has additionally an energy sink coupled to the generator terminals, under control of the regulator.    The energy sink can dissipate up to 20% of the nominal power rating of the installation. The regulator normally controls the energy sink so that around 10% of the rated output is absorbed. If load changes suddenly the regulator alters the power absorbed by the sink to maintain correct frequency until the turbine blade angle has had time to adjust.
The system includes one or more underground hydroelectric pumped-storage units connected by one or more penstocks with the ship lock. This serves as the upper reservoir to the pumped storage units so that water can be drained from the ship lock through the penstocks to drive one or more reversible pump- turbines of the pumped-storage units which generate electrical energy, particularly during high demand hours for electrical energy. A lower reservoir adjacent to the pump- turbines is used to store the water which drives the turbines.    The lowering of the water in the ship lock permits ships which entered the lock at the upper water level to leave the lock at the lower water level. By a pumping action, the pump-turbines can pump the water from the reservoir upward into the ship lock through the penstocks, particularly during periods of low power demand.
The pumping system uses flowing water to operate a pump or pumps intermittently, each pump having a vertically expansible chamber established by piston and cylinder members of which one is fixed and the other float supported. Each pump chamber is filled and expanded to a predetermined extent by flowing water and is discharged, with the water flow interrupted, under a heat greater than the flowing water affords. The discharge of the chamber water of each pump may be used for various purposes including the operation of another pump to further increase the head on its chamber water, increase the volume of such water, or both.    The head afforded by the flowing water is usually inadequate to effect wanted expansion of a pump chamber only by the delivery of the flowing water thereto and most situations call for each pump being within a reservoir which can be flooded by the flowing water to lift the float to a desired height and later drained.
Oil chambers (24,25) are provided in the upper and lower stay vanes (12,13) respectively. The oil chambers wholly or partly occupy spaces of the stay vanes. Further, first and second oil supply conduits (26,27) are connected between the upper and lower oil chambers through bearing portions (18,19) respectively in order to coolingly lubricate these bearings. A return conduit (29) is connected between the upper and lower oil chambers. The return conduit is provided with a pump (28) housed in one of the second set of stay vanes (21) to return the oil in the lower oil chamber (25) into the upper oil chamber (24).    Furthermore, an overflow conduit (30) is connected between the upper and lower oil chamber to directly introduce oil in the upper oil chamber into the lower coil chamber when the oil level of the upper oil chamber exceeds a predetermined level. Such oil level is detected by a float switch (31).
The turbine has an efficiency of the order of 94%, with a rotational speed of 1500 rpm, and has a centrally mounted inlet cone (8) within the inlet tube (1). Both the outer casing (2) and the hub member (11) are tapered, converging in the direction towards a turbine wheel (6), the hub (13) of which is mounted on the shaft (4).    The guide vanes (5) are adapted to give the water flow a significant rotational component about the turbine wheel axis. The shape of the outlet cone (9) also contributes to the effect of the discharge part of the turbine. The turbine is esp. intended for using the hydraulic power of small rivers and brooks, having a relatively small amount of water and a low water head. The turbine may also be used as a pressure reduction device.
The appts. includes an elevated body of water having connection to a hydraulic generator positioned at a lower elevation. The water flows from the reservoir to the hydro-electric generator through a penstock. A fuel powered gas turbine generator is adapted to use combustible fuel and compressed air to generate electricity.    A hydraulic air compressor is adjacent the body of water. A penstock has a water inlet connected to the body of water and a water outlet. The hydraulic head of the outlet is below the water inlet. An air outlet is connected to the gas turbine generator. A device selectably diverts the water flow to the hydro-electric generator and/or the hydraulic air compressor so that electricity may be generated selectably utilising the energy source of water power and combustible fuel according to availability and economics.
The hydraulic dynamic electric machine comprises an electromagnetic provided on an upper portion of a vertical rotary shaft. A water wheel is connected to a lower portion of the rotary shaft and is adapted to be driven by water pressure produced by a water head of a dam.    A thrust bearing is provided on a lower end of the rotary shaft below the water wheel for bearing a thrust load on the rotary shaft. The thrust bearing is of a hydrostatic type making use of a pressurised water as a lubricant. A water passage communicates the thrust bearing with the dam in such a manner that a bearing force of the thrust bearing is produced by a difference of the water head between the dam and the thrust bearing.    ADVANTAGE -   Does not require use of lubrication oil. (First major country equivalent to J57170040)
The dam includes a hydromotive body containing one or more hydromotive assemblies each having a fluid conduit provided with an energy transformation unit. The function of the dam is selectively transformed by controllably displacing the hydromotive body to alternately position its respective conduits relative the main dam body and fluid path whereby either a sluicing action or an energetic transformation is achieved by fluid flowing through the dam.    The alternate functions are obtained by fluid flows operating in either a pure hydroelectric mode, a combined reversible pumped-storage manner or a tidal powered mode. The dam uses the flexibility associated with the development of the horizontal-axis hydroelectric turbine generator set which employs turbine runners of 10 metres, to give greater powered output per machine.
The optical coupler includes a photodetector (R) transforming the light information coming from an optical fibre. Objectives and/or lenses focus and transmit over the optical fibre the light information generated by a source (SS). The photodetector has in correspondence with its centre a hole inside which a microlens (LS) is inserted. The photodetector has a surface much wider than the cross-section of the microlens.    Pref. the light source is placed, at the focus, at an end of the microlens. The parallel light rays emerging from the other end of the microlens is focused by the objective (OB) and injected, through the end face (a), into the fibre (FO). Pref. the microlens consists of a cut-down size of optical fibre with a refractive index gradually varying along a radial direction.
The high pressure water turbine, is used to generate electricity. It can be used in small, medium size and large power stations. It consumes five to ten percent of the energy and uses the remainder to produce the electricity.    The turbine consists of a turbine wheel with cups and two cylinders functioning as a suction and compression system. There is a hydraulic installation at the front section. The cylinders operate independently in antiphase to maintain a constant angular velocity. There is also a system of non return valves in the suction pipes for the water driving the turbine. The pressure of the water is regulated.
An infrared sensitive device comprises (a) a CdTe substrate having a (111) Cd oriented surface that has been mechanically and chemically polished; (b) an epitaxial layer of n-Hg(1-x)Cd(x)Te; where x=0.3-0.5, grown on the CdTe surface by liq. phase epitaxy, pref. 10-20 micron thick; and (c) a p-CdTe layer epitaxial layer grown on the HgCdTe layer by liq. phase epitaxy, pref. 1-2 microns thick, forming a heterojunction with the HgCdTe.    The n-HgCdTe serves as infrared detector for the heterojunction the CdTe layer serves as the signal processor for the heterojunction; and the CdTe substrate is transparent to infrared radiation, so the heterojunction can be illuminated from the backside. The heterojunction is pref. sensitive to 2.8 micron radiation at 77 deg.K.    The device can provide monolithic detectors and CCDs, with the large wide band gap of CdTe (1.6eV) providing low dark current. It is the first device sensitive to 2.8 micron radiation at 77 deg.K.
A self-powered nuclear radiation detector assembly has a current generating detector portion connected to a cable portion. The detector portion includes an emitter wire, one end of which is electrically connected to the cable wire.    The wires are placed in a tubular metal sheath with insulator between them. The dia. of the assembly is reduced while the sheath and wires are elongated and the insulator is compacted. The end of the emitter wire is trimmed and the sheath is hermetically sealed at the adjacent end, with insulator between the wire and the seal.    The detector produces signals as a function of incident neutron or gamma radiation flux, without requiring a drive potential. The method of prodn. allows accurate determination of emitter dia. and length, thereby controlling radiation sensitivity.
A multicolour tunable light filter comprises (a) a light transmitting substrate (10); (b) a number of epitaxial layers (14) on the substrate for filtering selected wavelengths; (c) a predeterminedly variable voltage applied across substrate and layers; (d) a detector (42) measuring the amt. light passing through substrate and layers; (e) a lock-in amplifier (44) set to the predetermined voltage variation and electrically connected to the detector to extract a particular colour signal as a function of change in detector output; and (f) a cathode ray tube(46) displaying the actual colours present in the light.    More specifically, the voltage source provides (i) a negative sweep bias voltage for depleting the epitaxial layers, reaching a final voltage that depletes across all the layers; and (ii) an AC modulation voltage superimposed on the negative sweep bias voltage.    Filter provides selective absorption of colours in each different epitaxial layer, with a unique voltage associated with each colour that can be absorbed.
Photosensor is manufactured by forming a photoconductor film (I) of amorphous material chiefly of silicon and contg. hydrogen on a substrate, forming a transparent conductive film (II) on film (I) by sputtering, and heating the coated substrate at 140-280 deg.C, pref. 170-250 deg.C.    The substrate may be treated, before formation of film (I), by forming a number of opaque metal electrodes to form a one-dimensional array electrode on the insulating substrate, or by forming switches arranged in a two-dimensional array, each switch having a ternal exposed on the surface of the semiconducting substrate.
The parent patent described a method of forming ferroelectric or pyroelectric body by depositing sodium nitrile in liq. form onto a substrate and allowing it to crystallise by drying or cooling. In this continuation patent, is described sensing element made from a substrate coated with a pyroelectric or ferroelectric layer claimed in the parent patent with a further coating forming at least one electrode in contact with the sodium nitrile layer.    The element is used for detecting energy changes e.g. various types of radiation energy changes, changes of electrical energy applied to the device etc., esp. as a radiation detector, a target in a TV camera or a MISFET.
Photoconductive article comprises (a) a support; (b) an amorphous photoconductive layer on the support, comprising a matrix of Si ats., pref. with H and/or halogen ats., having a layer region contg. 0 ats.; where the 0 content is distributed unevenly in the direction of layer thickness; and pref. (c) an intermediate, esp. barrier, layer between the support and amorphous layer; and/or (d) an upper, esp. barrier, layer over the amorphous photoconductive layer.    The article is useful as an image-forming plate for electrophotography, or solid state image pick up devices or reading devices. It has stable photoconductive, optical and electrical characteristics, with high sensitivity over a wide spectral range and no deterioration on repeated use. It provides excellent electrophotographic images, with clear half tone and high definition, even in high humidity.
Arsenic sulphide semiconducting films are used in microelectronics, holography, etc. They are prepd. by evapn. of the Cpd. AsS(l-x), where it is 0.3-0.45, and passage of the vapours through a layer of copper at 300-350 deg., followed by pptn. of the prod. on a substrate. The process gives a semiconductor which on irradiation with light has the capacity both to increase and to reduce optical transmission, depending on the light intensity, and which has a high light sensitivity.    The semiconductors produced by previous methods could only increase or decrease transmission, but not both. The effect obt. with the improved compsn. is about 10 times greater than before, and is due to a shift of the transmission to the long wave region with low intensity light, or to the short wave region with high intensity light. Bul. 10/15.3.82. (3pp)
The photoconductive component comprises a support and a photoconductive amorphous a-Si(H,X) layer. This amorphous layer comprises a lattice of silicon atoms which contains at least one hydrogen and halogen atoms. This amorphous layer has at least one zone containing oxygen atoms whose concentration is irregularly distributed along the direction of the thickness of the component.    This photoconductive component is designed to have stable electrical, optical and photoconductive characteristics. It can be used in almost any environment, resists very well the fatigue due to light, can be used repetitively without deterioration and does not give residual potentials.
An epitaxial integrated E-dE solid state detector telescope is described comprising (i) a semiconductor having a complex structure consisting of (a) a high purity semiconductor substrate providing an E-detector; (b) a low resistive heavily doped semiconductor layer on the substrate; (c) a slightly doped semiconductor layer on the low resistive layer produced by epitaxial growth, providing a dE detector; (ii) rectifying electrodes on both sides of the semiconductor wafer; (iii) appts. for reverse biassing the electrode whereby depletion layers extend from outside towards the low resistance layer.    The low resistance layer isolates the dE detector from the E detector, preventing loss of thickness of the dE detector. The detector is mfd. without laborious etching techniques of prior art.The telescope is used to identify heavy and low energy charged particles and for measuring incident energy of the particles.
A ruthenium complex-coated electrode has an electrode body coated with a ruthenium complex of formula (I) where L is 2,2'-bipyridine or 1,10-phenanthroline, R is 5-25C long-chain alkyl gp. and X is an anion.    In an example, 4,4'-bipyridine and stearyl bromide are dissolved in acetone. This soln. is stood for 5 days to ppte. brominated N-stearyl bipyridinium, which is dissolved in 70 cc of a H2O-ethanol mixed soln. Bis(2,2'-bipyridine) dichlororuthenium and NH4PF6 are added to the soln. to produce a Ru complex of formula (II).    This Ru complex-coated electrode is used as a solar battery or a photosensor, and has excellent photosensitivity.
A CdS target body comprises a CdS target and metal e.g. In, Ga, or Al regularly arranged on the surface of the CdS target. The metal serves to decrease resistivity of a CdS film. An amount of metal to be doped is determined in accordance with the surface area ratio of CdS to metal. Used to form a CdS film for a thin-film photoelectric conversion device.    In an embodiment CdS target body comprises In wires deposited on a CdS target in a lattice-like manner. A CdS film is formed on a substrate by the sputtering process using the CdS target body. A CdTe film is vacuum-deposited on the CdS film. Both the films are heat-treated at 500 deg.C to fabricate a thin-film photodiode.
A semiconductor device comprises a substrate having on one side two amorphous films of H-contg. Si(1-x)Cx of different x values; where x is 0 to less than 1; and a pair of transparent electrodes contacting the films. One film may be (partly) doped with p-or n-type dopant. The substrate is pref. transparent, with one electrode between substrate and first film.    The device is a photoconductive/photovoltaic device. It has high mechanical strength and is esp. useful as a photosensitive layer in electrophotography. It has high room temp. resistivity, small dark current, excellent photoconductivity, eg. dark current density less than 1x10 power -10A/cm2, ratio photocurrent:dark current 1000.
Sensor comprises (a) an infrared detector (14) mounted on a support (10); (b) a single element infrared transmitting, negative meniscus lens (25), pref. of Si, mounted so radiation impinging on the lens is directed onto the detector and having the lens surface nearer the detector of greater radius of curvature than the remote surface; and (c) an antireflective coating, pref. SiO, applied to each lens surface. The detector, support, lens and lens holder (20) pref. combine to provide a hermetically sealed housing surrounding the detector, with conductive leads (17,18) from the detector provided through the support for detection of electrical signals in response to detected radiation.    The sensor is useful as a helmet sight system, using lowest single element lens. It has field of view to +/- 100 deg., axial symmetry and is free from the cosine losses normally associated with planar detectors.
Appts. for increasing the velocity of water or liqs. contg. water consists of a structure positioned in the water path or liq. flow. The water flows at a variable velocity as a result of relative movement between the water and the structure.    The structure has at least one side wall which is longitudinally curved from a diverting point at its outer end to a gradually flattened curve at its inner end. Thus a vertical plane through the edges of the wall is more perpendicular to the flow path with the curvature of the wall continuous from its outer to its inner end. The wall is also transversely curved from a planar surface at its outer end to a curvature approaching circular at its inner end.    The appts. can be adapted so that is can be used for generating electrical energy from wave action; tidal action or uni-directional water flow or a combination of these forces. Also, it can be used to separate oil from water.
A multi-layer semiconductor diode laser, which is electrically biased to the point at which a light input causes it to commence lasing, comprises crystalline semiconductor layers of (a) a first substrate layer; (b) a second layer of predetermined band gap; (c) a third layer of smaller band gap than (b); (d) a fourth layer with band gap similar to (b); (e)a fifth layer with band gap intermediate those of (b) and (c); and (f) a sixth layer having a band gap similar to (b).    When the bias is slightly less than the breakdown voltage of the back biased junction between (d) and (e), and external light is supplied to (d) or (e), the back biased junction becomes forward biased to stimulate emission of laser light from the third layer.    The diode functions as an optical repeater, providing a large output (pulse) in response to a input(pulse).
Photoconductive film comprises a photoconductive layer mainly of Se and comprising in the thickness direction on region (b) contg. Te is described in which at least one of (i) a portion in a direction of hole flow of the region (b); and (ii) a portion in the hole flow direction of a further region (c) which is located adjacent to (b); is doped with at least one oxide, fluoride or element of gps. II, III and VII elements which can form negative space charge in Se, at a concn. of 10 ppm to 1% by esp. 30-5000 ppm.    The dopants are selected from CuO, In2O3, SeO2, V2O5, MoO3, WO3, GaF3, InF3, Zn,Ga, In, Cl I and Br. The region (c) has a thickness of 50-5000 Angstroms and contains at least one of As, Bi, Sb, Ge and Si at a concn. of 1-30 wt.%.    The film is for use as a target for an image pick-up tube esp. for a rectifying contact type photoconductive layer, in which the "after-image phenomenon" due to light of high intensity is reduced.
A semiconductor wafer (a) is placed in an ampoule and covered by a spacer ring, and a second semiconductor wafer (b); both wafers (a,b) are monocrystals, and pref. consist of silicon. A dopant is also placed in the ampoule, which is then sealed and heated, so the dopant condenses in the free space between wafers (a,b). A temp. gradient of max. 1 deg.C/mm is then maintained between the two wafers, so wafer (a) acts as a source of semiconductor material and forms an epitaxial layer (b1), contg. the dopant, on wafer (b).    Used for mfr. of a thick epitaxial layer (b1), e.g. over 0.5 mm thick, on a wafer (b), e.g. when mfg. a detector for infrared rays.
The device has a number of adjacently positioned tapered solar energy passageways having solar energy reflecting walls. These tapered solar energy passageways are disposed in an arcuate array to form a solar energy concentrating device. The convex side of the concentrating device is the outer surface of the concentrating device through which solar energy eneters the tapered solar energy passageways, and the concave side of the concentrating device from which concentrated solar energy emerges from the concentrating device.    A solar collector is located to the concave side of the concentrating device so that the concentrated solar energy leaving the concentrating device will impinge on the solar collector.
The barrage is designed for deployment in regions where ocean currents and prevailing winds flow in the same direction. Its submerged part (2) consists of horizontal caissons (3) through which water is directed from inlet apertures into turbines coupled to electric generators. The freeboard part (8) has similar apertures each admitting wind to an air turbine or faired windmill coupled to a generator.    The useful surfaces may be e.g. 1000 sq.m for waves and 5000 sq.m for wind. The barrage is anchored by chains (17) to a movable ring surrounding the anchor mass (13), which may be of concrete or steel depending on the nature of the sea bed (14). A lifting chain (18) is connected to a surface buoy (19). The generated power is abstracted via a submerged cable (20).
The generation plant uses a float held by a number of mooring lines secured to the seabed or to an underwater installation. The float is free to oscillate with the movement of the waves, with each mooring line payed-out and taken-in by a self-tensioning cable drum, so that the line is maintained taut while the float oscillates with the rotation of the cable drum transferred to a drive shaft for the current generator.    Pref. the plant uses several current generators each contained in a water-tight housing secured to the seabed with a cable drum for a respective mooring line secured to the outside of the housing.
The system has a pivotted mirror (8) that is located on a co-ordinate carriage to allow the position to be adjusted in order to track the sun. The mirror has a centre support (B) that lies on a semicircular ring gear (7). The ring gear teeth mesh with a rack (6) fixed to the main housing.    The complete assembly is capable of being pivotted about and vertical axis (A) using the force generated by a linear induction motor (2) interacting with a semi circular conductor track (1). Braking shoes (41,91) are controlled by electromagnetic actuators to settle the position of the mirror in the two planes. The mirror directs the solar emission onto receiver cells.
The appts. comprises a tubular pump to air-lift cold subsurface water to the surface and is open at the surface and open at the colder subsurface water. A vertically adjustable air jet assembly is arranged within the tube and connected to a compressed air source to release bubbles from the air jet assembly which rise within the tube, entraining cold subsurface water, making it buoyant and cooling the surface.    When compressed air is released through the air jet assembly, it rises in the tube from a level which is most efficient entraining water and causing cold subsurface water to rise to the surface and utilizing the temperature gradient between the cooled surface of the water and the normally warmer surface of the water to generate electricity.
The array comprises solar cells which are composed of a conductive film, a semiconductor film having a junction, and a second conductive film. The cells are arranged on a substrate at desired intervals. The first conductive film contacts the substrate, and either the substrate and the first conductive film or the second conductive film is made of a light transmitting material.    All of the solar cells are connected in series by respectively connecting the first conductive film of a cell to the second conductive film of an adjacent cell in turn, and the first conductive film of a cell at one end of the series and the second conductive film of another cell at another end of the series are connected to one terminal. The second conductive film of a cell is disposed a predetermined number of cells from a predetermined end which is connected to another terminal.    ADVANTAGE -   Prevents reverse biasing of solar cells and the circulation of reverse current and as diode is produced on substrate with the solar cells at the same time, reduces manufacturing costs. (First major country equivalent to J57157579)
The plant has a central unit (30) generating electric energy using a steam driven turbine (40) to power the generator and having a condenser (32) on the turbine exhaust. A second unit (10) produces electricity by transformation of marine thermal energy, using a turbine (18) and an evaporator (16).    Low temperature water is brought (14) from the ocean to the condenser (12) in the marine thermal energy transformation unit (10), and the cooling water (T52) from the condenser is mixed (54) with the evaporator water (T58b). The mixed water is circulated through the condenser (32) of the steam powered generation unit (30) and through the evaporator (18) of the marine thermal energy conversion unit (10).
The combined wind and wave energy installation has a bridge like cantilever system for supporting the oscillating floats pumps and water connections, by using strong wire ropes taken from the cantilever to the structure. On the upper deck of a tanker, steel frames constructed to allow the wind to pass through easily, are built to a height of forty metres or so and support the wind vanes.    The whole impeller shaft passes through the deck and drives the pump with a direct crank mechanism without using bevel gears. The configuration of the blades of the impeller and the oscillating floats, are of a new design to ensure maximum transfer of power to the turbogenerators, which are built on floating supports.
The solar collector to be protected can be of the parabolic mirror type or consist of a Fresnel lens (1) whose focus falls at the absorber (2). A frame (9) forming a window is placed in front of the lens or mirror, and supports a protective transparent foil (5) housed in a cassette type container (6) at the top of the frame (9).    A second cassette type container (7) at the bottom of the frame (9) is used to house the protective film when it is on. At the exit slot of the upper storage cassette (6), there is a washing system (8) to clean the film as it is drawn across the frame. This is done when the opacity is obscured by environmental influence and a clear sheet of film is required over the collector.
The system includes a reflector having an internal structural frame covered by a thin deformable film at the front and a membrane cover enclosing the remainder of the structure. The front film has a reflective surface deformable into the desired configuration by the creation of a partial vacuum within the reflector. The reflector is driven by a two axis tracking mechanism directed by controls including a microprocessor programmed with data providing the position of the sun.    The sun's rays are reflected from the reflective surface into an absorber through which working fluid circulates and which has a low radiation loss tube matrix design. The tubes are supported from a heat exchanger plate at one end of the absorber by means of rods carried by the plate which trap a beaded lip at the end of the tubes.
Heliostat has rotating mutually perpendicular faces, and hinged carrying plates fitted on bearings and kinematically connected to drive mechanism. In order to increase the solar energy concentration factor the carrying panel is made of rods and is connected to the faces by springs. The leg brace bearings are orificed. The kinematic connection is made as two parallel flat shafts which pass through the bearing orifices. Displacement cams are fitted on the shafts, and the cams of each shaft interact in pairs with each face. Bul.46/15.12.81.
The solar power plant has paraboloid concentrators (1) and a radiation receiver (2). In order to widen the functional possibility of the plant, it is provided with counter-reflectors (3), each one placed at an angle to the optical axis (4) of the corresp. concentrator. The radiation receiver is placed in the concentrator focal zone. The sun rays focused by concentrators (1) are collected by means of counter-reflectors (3) on to the radiation receiver (2) and are evenly distributed on the latter's working surfaces. Bul.46/15.12.81.
The device converts wave energy and wind energy to mechanical and electrical energy and comprises a floating or fixed installation having a deformable four bar linkage. Pivoted from the support structure. The linkage carries a counter weight float which rises and falls the swell. The oscillatory motion of the four bar chain is converted to rotary motion by a gear train which couples the mechanical motion to high inertia flywheels through a free wheel mechanism.    The flywheels are coupled to rotary electric generators. Two of the linkages in the four bar chain are adjusted in length so the normal rise and fall of the waves can be tracked. A wind turbine (22) with a propellor blade driven generator is mounted at the top of the support structure.
Solar radiation is concentrated by a parabolic reflector connected to a solar tracking system. The radiation is reflected onto a heat absorbing conduit circulating a heat exchange medium through a steam generator having a burner as an auxiliary source of heat. The steam generator operates a turbine electrical generator.    The electrical energy output of the generator in excess of load demand, is converted into and stored as chemical energy from which fuel for the burner is derived. The solar tracking system has two movable signal generating cells; the first generates a signal in response to solar energy in any position, the second generates a signal controlling a servomotor for tracking.
A heavy base with stabilising fins at the edges, is submerged at sufficient depth to be in calm water. The base carries a vertical column and an enclosure, floating on the water surface, slides up and down this column as the waves rise and fall. The relative motion is used to drive an electric generator, or pumps, to convert the mechanical motion to a convenient energy form.    The appts. is designed to float above the sea bed and is anchored to the sea bed by a chain, fixed at one end to the lower end of the vertical column, and at the other to a spike driven into the seabed. The length of the chain is such as to allow the appts. to rise with the tide.
A lens system is used to focus a beam of sunlight onto the end of an optical fibre cable. In order to select the desired light wavelengths, one end of the optical fibre is positioned on the focal position of the lens which corresponds to the selected light wavelength or colour.    If several selected wavelengths are to be transmitted simultaneously then a multicore optical fibre cable is used with fibre end faces positioned at each appropriate focal position. A fresnel lens (1) focusses light on to the optical fibre or light guide (2). When focussed by the lens the size of the image of the sun and its focal length varies with the light wavelength (e.g. D1,P1 to D3,P3) etc. If the optical fibre or light guide diameter is increased to Do then it will transmit all wavelengths in the beam.
The energy plant uses two or more pairs of convex and planar mirrors arranged so that they do not obstruct light from one another and so that they direct the received light to a common focus lying within the heating chamber of a hot air engine converting the solar energy into mechanical work.    The planar mirrors of each mirror pair are guided so that they follow the movement of the pin via a light direction sensor employing a pair of coupled planar mirror carriers, one of which carries a number of sensors and the other carrying the planar mirrors. Pref. the sensors comprise photocells which respond to the slightest variation in the intensity of the received light and used to maintain the planor mirrors so that the reflected light travels North-South, parallel to the common axis of the mirror pairs.
The tracking device comprises a pair of heat responsive boilers and a pair of heat responsive branch elements extending in an outward direction in relation to the heat responsive boilers. An image device is included for focussing the rays of the sun simultaneously against both of the heat responsive boilers for heating the latter when the assembly is correctly aimed at the sun.    A controller is responsive to any differentials in the heated conditions of the heat responsive boilers to impart motion to the assembly to cause the imageing device to follow the sun and hence continuously focus its rays simultaneously against both of the heat responsive boilers.
Optical appts. contg. an ellipsoidal mirror with a focal point aligned with the focal point of the parabolic mirror (1) has wider scope for use in concentrating radiation in helio-technology. In the ellipsoidal mirror (2) an orifice (3) is made coaxial to the mirror optical axis so that the concentrated radiation is a parallel beam.    Parallel solar rays are concentrated by the parabolic mirror at the focal point (f) of the ellipsoidal mirror. By virtue of optical properties of the ellipsoidal mirror, the rays are multiply re-reflected. They gradually approach the optic axis (4) and leave the orifice as a parallel beam (8).    The beam is incident on a rotary mirror (7) and reflected onto a receiver (9). A cooling unit (11) is fitted because of the heat in multiple reflection. The sun is tracked by means of a drive (6) coupled to the mirrors. A constant luminous spot is maintained at the receiver. Bul.47/23.12.81
Energy is gathered from the swell of the sea by the oscillation of floats (8) supported on arms (6,7) pivoted from a stationary support. The oscillation of the arms pressurises a hydraulic working fluid, and the pressurised fluid drives a hydraulic motor having its output coupled to an electric generator.    The support (1) comprises a floating enclosure (1) which houses the hydraulic motor and the electric generator. The enclosure is anchored by weighted (3) cables (2). The two lengths (6,7) are used, one half the length of the other. The longer arm length is the average wavelength of the marine swell, so that the choice of arm length ensures one arm is usually up while the other is down, ensuring sustained pressurisation of the hydraulic fluid.
In an ocean thermal energy conversion system (OTEC) the power plant is based on the utilisation of the temperature difference between warm surface seawater and cooler subsurface seawater. Pref. warm surface seawater is used to vapourise a working fluid. The vapour is used to drive turbine generators. After the vapour has passed through the turbines, cool subsurface seawater is used to condense the vapour thus completing the working fluid cycle.    The underwater land formation (10) in addition to being composed of a hard stable material, in order to permit the system to be adopted there should be sufficient clearance between the bottom opening (86) of the conduit (50) and the seabed such that an accumulation of rubble (42) will not block theening. Pref. the opening (86) should be located approximately 500 to 1000 metres in depth.
The mechanism includes a buoyant body which is adapted to float on a body of water and to roll and pitch in response to the wave motion of the water. A gyro-wave energy transducer is mounted on the buoyant body for translating the pendulum-like motions of the buoyant body translating the pendulum-like motions of the buoyant body into rotational motion. The gyro-wave energy transducer includes a gimbal comprised of two frames, with the first frame being pivotally mounted to the second frame and the second frame being pivotally mounted to the buoyant body.    A gyroscope is mounted to the first frame for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the axes of rotation of the first and second frames. A motor-generator is coupled to the gyroscope for maintaining a controlled rotational velocity for the gyroscope.
The device directs concentrated radiant energy in a first direction through or to a plane of limited area. An energy absorbing fluid is passed through the plane in the opposite direction so that the concentrated radiant energy is absorbed directly by the fluid. The converter may be used in connection with conventional collectors and concentrators to provide more efficient conversion of radiant energy.    The velocity of the energy absorbing fluid through the exit may be controlled as desired to control the temperature of the heated fluid. The fluid may even be thermally dissociated or ionized and accelerated sufficiently to generate electrical energy directly by magnetohydrodynamics.
A variable prism is used as its wavelength dispersing medium. The prism is incorporated as an analog device with two methods of varying the intensity of solar irradiance striking the photovoltaic material. As solar irradiance decreases due to cloud cover, cyclic, or other irradiance reduction process, the prism can either rotate its orientation or reduce its distance to the photovoltaic material. This has the effect of increasing the range of wavelengths that strike the cell.    This is an automatic process directed by a photocell sensor or thermostate together with a calibrating calculator and motor unit. A multiple axis tracking mechanism is incorporated for constant orientation of the parabolic through to the sun.
Two spaced piers are constructed on a tidal beach extending from the shore into the water a predetermined distance to meet the first breaking waves at low tide. A carriage is movably supported on the piers on an inclined path. The carriage has a frame supporting a pair of spaced sprocket wheels on each end over which an endless belt is passed. The ends of a number of blades are secured to the chain in spaced relation.    Each sprocket wheel closest to shore is connected to a gear train for transmitting the torque generated by the wave action to a power belt extending along each pier to a transducer at the shore end of the pier. A drive appts. moves the carriage on the pier on an inclined path in and out from the shore to meet the level of the changing tide to continuously generate power.
The machine consists of a housing (16) with pairs of parallel guides (3) projecting downwards. Floats (2) driven by the motion of the waves slide up and down these guides.    Each float has a pair of toothed racks attached to it and which slide inside the guides (3). Each rack engages a pinion fitted with a free wheel and mounted on a shaft inside the housing (16). The upward motion drives the shaft through one set of pinions and the downward motion drives the other set so that the shaft is driven continuously in the same direction.
The tracker for use on a sun following device such as a concentrating solar collector. The sun tracker includes two spaced apart photosensitive elements which are separated by an opaque splitter plate so that when the splitter plate points directly at the sun the photosensitive devices are uniformly excited.    The west facing surface of the splitter plate is reflective so that movement into alignment with the sun can be achieved even after long periods during which the sun is obscured by clouds. The outer edge of the splitter plate is arcuately formed so that excitation of the photocells is independent of the angular orientation of the sun tracker.
Method of adjusting units in 1-10 MW range of concentrators involves setting up each adjuster unit on a test rig in its design position, irradiating the mirrors by a beam of light from a source at the design focus of the adjuster unit and correcting the position of each mirror by matching the autocorrelated image of the source with the plane mirror.    Accuracy is increased by correcting the position of each central mirror of the adjustment unit with the aid of an additional source of collimated light in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the concentrator and then rotating the unit relative to the apex of the central mirror to match the image of the additional source with the focus of the unit and rotating the plane mirror to match the autocollimated image of the source with the image of the additional source. Bul.44/30.11.81.
The unit converts wave energy directly into rotary motion for the generation of electrical power. It comprises a sectionalised rotor and an inlet hopper both supported by girders forming a boom which spans two pontoons. In use the boor is set at about 30 degrees to the crests of the approaching waves. Each wave enters the hopper via flap valves and is then deflected by wall surface so that the foremost section of the wave is directed downwardly into the rotor where the rest of the wave is directed upwardly to momentarily provide a potential energy store before passing down through the rotor.    The water is discharged from the rotor into the wave trough via flap valve. The rotor sections are interconnected by flexible couplings and drive a DC generator through a gearbox system. Several units may be linked together and function additionally as a barrier or breakwater.
The generator uses the power available in the waves on the sea in order to produce electricity for industrial purposes. The assembly includes two floats on either side of a rectangular housing. Inside the housing is divided vertically into three main sections, the central section housing a turbine and electrical generator.    The two outer sections each have a series of inclined shelves, with their free ends close together in the middle of each section. There are a series of anti-return valves on the edges of the shelves, so that as the sections rock to an fro, water moves from one shelf to another. The water is gradually lifted up through the section in order to fall back down through the central turbine.
The solar collector has an absorber with a four-sided collection surface defined by parallel, semi-transparent glass or plastics plates (5a,5b) spaced apart by the wavelength of the solar radiation, to act as the end mirrors of an optical Fabry-Perot laser resonator. The intermediate space between the plates (5a,5b) is divided by further similar glass plates (9) into compartments (6,8) containing a laser liquid or gas or a heat transfer medium.    Pref. the compartments (6,8) within the absorber contain double-sided solar elements (10) arranged with their small edges facing the light incidence direction. The absorber is contained between two angled reflector surfaces across which a glass plate extends to form a sealed unit. The absorber provides amplification of both the received light and the solar heat energy.
The power station generates electricity for the power grid by running water down from a high level to a low level and passing it through a turbine (2). The water at the low level is then electrolysed (7) or otherwise dissociated, and the hydrogen produced is piped up to a high level. The oxygen is released.    At the top level of the power station the hydrogen is burned in a fuel cell (1) which produces electricity. The oxygen for combustion is drawn in from the air. The fuel cell produces electrical power to run the hydrogen prodn. plant (7). The water vapour produced by the fuel cell is condensed and the water is run down to the lower level to drive the turbine (2) and feed water to the hydrogen prodn. plant (7).
The motor uses a continuous chain with spherical or cylindrical masses equally spaced along its length. The chain runs over two sprockets, one vertically above the other, and also meshes with grooves cut on the inside of an annular ring whose centre lies midway between the tow sprockets centres.    The chain is positioned so that the masses mesh with the annular ring on the outgoing side, but passes directly between the edges of the sprockets on the return side, thus no longer meshing with the annular ring. The centre of gravity of the ring/chain combination is then off the centre of the ring, causing rotation of the ring. This rotational energy may then be applied to do e.g. production of electricity.
The wave energy converter uses an array of oscillating beams held in open rectangular frames. The beams have floats at either end and are of a length corresponding to the average wave peak to trough span. Each oscillating beam (1) is pivoted from one side of the rectangular support frame, with half the oscillating beam width inside the frame and half outside. The suport frame (4) is fixed by adjustable length supports to the sea or lake bed so that it lies horizontally.    Multiple units may be coupled side by side to increase the working area and so increase the total energy gained from the waves. A mechanism to convert oscillatory motion to a more convenient energy form is incorporated with each oscillating beam.
The generation plant has a float which can move along vertical guides and which is coupled to a piston moving within a cylinder filled with a flow medium. The cylinder has exit and inlet apertures above and below the piston coupled via a circuit containing a generator turbine which is rotated as the flow medium circulates through the circuit, to drive the generator.    The generation plant may employ a number of floats each of which is coupled to a respective piston for circulating a flow through a respective turbine circuit.
The device comprises a heliostat having an axicon-shaped geometry with a cylindrical captor coaxial to the axis of the axicon. A heliostate supporting cradle is mounted on a fixed frame in such a manner that it can rotate about an axis parallel to the earth polar axis. The heliostat is pivoted to the cradle in such a manner as to be able to turn around about an axis perpendicular to the cradle rotation axis.    A cradle operating reversible synchronous motor with a reduction gear and a heliostat operating threaded rod engaging in nut are interlocked with in order to impart to the heliostat a combined movement in directions perpendicular to each other, according to a pre-set program.
The appts. comprises a weight mounted for rotation about a vertical shaft with its centre of gravity offset whereby any non-vertical motion of the floating structure causes orbital movement of the weight about the shaft.    An arcuate lost-motion coupling or a hydraulic circuit serves to transmit movement of the weight to the rotor of the electrical generating part of the appts. Energy storage such as a coil spring in a spring drum can be provided to smooth the flow of energy from the orbital weight to the rotor. This incorporates control to govern the output of energy to the rotor such that the alternator output voltage is maintained between minimum and maximum limits.
The tracking system uses four heat-sensitive actuators consisting of a cylindrical casing containing pistons and a fluid with a coefft. of thermal expansion. The length of these actuators increases with temp. and they are used to produce a force with the same temo. dependence. In use, the actuators are placed between the frame of the collector and the support structure on which the frame is articulated.    The collectors optical system is arranged so that in a non-aligned condition, the solar radiation is mainly directed onto the actuator whose elongation will restore alignment. The system uses photovoltaic cells with transfer of heat generated in them to a liquid.
The reflector (1) is steerable in elevation and azimuth on its base (2). Identical square or rectangular plane mirrors (7) are arrayed on a pref. paraboloidal rigid concave honeycomb or trellis structure (6). A block of photovoltaic cells (8) is provided near the focus, the shape and size of its photosensitive surface being identical with those of the mirrors (7).    The block four support arms (10), based at points (11) where orthogonal axes (12,13) through the centre (0) of the reflector intersect its edges, carry electrical and hydraulic connections to the block (8).    Each mirror's dimensions are such that the square root of their product equals approximately the ratio of the focal length to the square root of the concn. rate.
The hydraulic generation plant using the tidal motion of the sea uses two basins separated by a barrier wall which incorporates a flow passage housing a turbine, driven so water flows from one basin to the other. The water flows into the first basin via a gate operated by the water press when the water level rises due to the incoming tide. At this point the other basin is empty, so that it gradually fills up via the flow passing incorporating the turbine. The second basin communicates with the sea via further gates to allow the water to be returned.    The water flows from the first basin at a slow enough rate for the tide to have turned and reached the next high level before the turbine motion ceases, so that the turbine can be driven continuously.
The solar energy system employs a carriage mounted bank of solar energy cells that are moved to track the rays of the sun focussed by a water lense. The solar cell array (BSo) is mounted at the base of a pivotted (DA) carriage (Stb) and receives sunlight focussed by the water lense (H2O) via a parabolic reflector (Pbr).    The carriage is moved vertically under the control of counter weights (SwV1) and a magnetic brake (MBV1). The entire carriage assembly may be moved horizontally by a separate cable (Gtr) frame with weights (AGH1,AGH3) and magnetic brake (MBH1). The path of the carriage is controlled by a relay circuit in such a way that the array is kept in a position to best receive the sun's rays.
The arrangement involves supporting a rotatable turbine and sphere containing trapped air, submerging the turbine and sphere to a deep-sea working depth, and admitting water at the working depth into the sphere to drive the turbine and compress the trapped air. Admitted water is bled, using the trapped air, from a lower portion of the sphere to a surface location via a flexible conduit extending from the bottom of the sphere to a point adjacent the surface location.    The continuous flow through the housing sphere, and conduit generates power which can be used via a shaft to drive a seabed auger or other power equipment.
The electrical generator comprises stator (12) and reciprocating shaft (22), one of which carries a device for producing or completing a magnetic field and the other of which carries a coil. Pick-up coil (14) may be wound around permanent magnet (16) with pole pieces (18), and shaft (22) may be ferromagnetic, e.g. of steel, or non-magnetic material into which ferro-magnetic materials are set.    Alternatively the generator may include a permanent magnet carrying shaft and stator with coils only, or coils on the reciprocator and only a permanent magnet on the stator. The generator may be pivoted between floats in the sea or rivers, or used in vehicle suspension systems, railway carriages or for speed or rate of change of speed sensing. Used in combination with an arrangement of floats, the generators can be used to produce electricity from the wave motion of the sea or rivers. The generator may also be used in connection with vehicle suspension systems.
The device includes bearings for location in a liquid-filled gap between confronting surfaces of two reciprocal moving liquid-filled hollow bidies, which are located in the gap. The hollow bodies are extensible/compressible in the transverse direction and have restricted inlets/ outlets for liquid flow to/from the interior of the hollow dimension of the gap in the transverse direction.    A number of magnets are supported by the hollow bodies to closely confront and repel magnets on either side. The hollow bodies are placed in a close-packed array in the gap so that there is no possibility for unrestricted flow of liquid within the gap.
The device has a hollow rigid body with ports each associated with a corresponding funnel which terminates in an outlet and an inlet communicating with a respective conduit. A flexible diaphragm extending across each port is oversize for its edge and, in repose, its central portion has a concave-convex cross-section. A wave impacting on the diaphragm deflects it inwardly and pushes air up to the corresponding funnel to the outlet. This air movement drives a generating device.    Air is returned to the body through conduit and inlet. The shape of the diaphragm maximises the displacement of air behind it and the diaphragm has an optimum maintenance free life.
The automatic tracking system uses two solar detectors providing electrical outputs. The two detectors are mounted on planes at right angles and connected so that the difference between the potentials that they provide is applied to the terminals of a galvanometer. The galvanometer needle is moved in one direction or the other according to the relative intensities of light received by the two detectors.    On the face of the galvometer there are four electrical contacts which may be joined in one of two ways according to the position of the galvanometer needle. The contacts turn on an electric motor which adjusts the positions of the controlled object in order to track the sun.
The parabolic mirror forms a primary mirror whose open side faces the solar radiation. It has further central aperture and a convex secondary mirror. The focal point of the primary mirror (4) lies approximately in the front plane (E1), bounded by its outer edge (8). A hyperbolic mirror (6) forms the secondary one, whose one focal point coincides with that of the primary mirror, while its second focal point (P2) lies in the rear plane (E2), bounded by the inner edge (12) of the central opening of the primary mirror.    The rays, reflected from the secondary mirror and directed to the second focal point, pass through an optical boundary surface (16) of spherical shape, which forms a part of a surface of a housing for a radiation collector (10). The housing pref. forms a support (18) for the radiation collector.
A liquid-to-liquid heat pump is used for supplying sufficient heat to generate steam from the condensate of a steam turbine. A liquid coolant is circulated through the condenser of the steam turbine for absorption of heat from the steam as the steam forms condensate. The liquid coolant is then circulated through the heat pump for recovery of the heat absorbed by the coolant during condensation of the steam.    Sufficient heat is transferred to the coolant to permit the heat pump to extract sufficient heat from the coolant to regenerate steam from the condensate. The transferred heat is supplied by a number of heat sinks buried in the earth to a sufficient depth so as to be in heat exchange relationship with the subterranean water system of the earth.
A number of individually adjustable flat mirrors on a common bed of a solar collector assembly reflect the sun's rays into a tubular collector where water is converted to steam for driving a motor of refrigeration system. Coils in the cool water tank supply coolant for room heat exchangers. The exhaust of the motor heats a hot water tank and is then recirculated to produce more steam. Coils in the hot water tank preheat tap water for a hot water heater and other coils supply heat for the room heat exchanger.    The mirrors are in rows and are individually swivelly mounted and the frame of the collector assembly is pivotally mounted to track the sun. The collector assembly pivots about two divergent axes to track the sun and is counter balanced with respect to both axes.
Heliostat, comprising a frame with front and rear walls together with mirror facets, each of which is equipped with a central rod and is ball-jointed hinged to the front face of the frame. The design is simplified and the range of operation extended by the directing mechanism taking the form of a board mounted in the frame and capable of moving in three mutually-perpendicular directions. This board is furnished with uniformly distributed holes. The pitch of these holes is greater than the distance between the hinges of neighbouring facets. A cable passes through each hole, fixed at one end to the rod of a facet and at the other to the rear wall of the frame. By suitably positioning the board in space, in relation to the facet rods and the rear wall of the frame, the solar radiation can be brought to a focus from a wide range of positions in the sky. Bul.40/30.10.81 (5pp)
The heater forms a thermally insulated enclosure (C) with a transparent face (B) through which solar radiation passes to an inclined absorbing panel (A). An inlet (D) and outlet (E) allow a fan (V) driven by a dc motor to circulate air around the absorbing panel to the outlet.    The motor is powered from an accumulator (31) through a voltage regulator (34), both housed in a case (32) with a removable cover (33), and which permits control of the motor speed. The regulator is controlled from a photovoltaic cell (35) to provide an automatic speed control signal. This ensures that when the sun shines the warm air is circulated rapidly through the absorbing panel which will be very hot and less rapidly as the sunshine decreases. A thermostat and voltage multiplier circuit ensures a supply of warm air at a particular temp.
The appts. has a paraboloidal concave mirror with a thermic or photovoltaic absorber situated at its focus and a tracking mechanism to orientate the axis of the mirror towards the sun. The mirror (2) is formed by a supple reflective sheet (4), similar to a plastic gauze or skin. The edge of this sheet (4) is fixed onto a circular rigid frame (6). At least one envelope (8), formed by a gas-tight supple sheet, is fixed by its edge onto the frame (6) such that it forms with a chamber with the reflective sheet (4). This chamber is maintained at a gas pressure different from the atmospheric pressure, using pref. a gas lighter than air. The tracking mechanism (18,30,32) is connected to the frame (6).
The submerged electricity generator derives energy from underwater currents, either in a river or on the sea bed. It may also be used with a barrage, and comprises two main parts. The first part is a cylindrical frame mounted with its axis horizontal to receive water at one end. The second part is a diffuser, and has a male joint fitting into the female joint formed at the second end of the cylindrical frame.    Inside the cylindrical frame there is an inner pipe, concentric with the frame itself. The pipe is cylindrical on its outer surface, but tapered internally. The water inlet of this pipe tapers slowly towards the position of the turbine. After the turbine, the pipe widens more rapidly towards the diffuser. In an alternative arrangement, the turbine may be situated at the bottom of a sloping inlet pipe.
The system recovers thermal energy stored in hot solute-bearing well water to generate a super-heated fluid from a surface injected flow of working fluid. The super-heated fluid is then used to operate a turbine-driven pump within the well for pumping the hot well water or brine at high pressure and always in liquid state to the earth's surface, when it transfers its heat content in a binary closed-loop heat-exchanger turbine-alternator combination for generating electrical power.    Residual cooled brine is pumped back into the earth, while the clean, cooled working fluid is liquified at the surface-located system and is returned to the deep well pumping system again for generating working fluid.
The appts. includes interconnected air-evacuated warm and cold chambers partially filled with volatile liquid having a large change in saturation vapour pressure per degree of temperature change. The interconnection between the two chambers is located below the levels of the liquid so that when the liquid level in one of the chambers rises, the level in the other drops.    An automatically controlled valve acts in such as way that when the liquid level in the warm chamber drops to a first elevation, the valve opens to cause vapour in the warm chamber to flow into the cold chamber. When the level rises to a second elevation, the valve closes to prevent vapour from flowing between the two chambers. The appts. uses solar and earth heat energy for electricity generation.
The appts. has a parabolic collector mounted on a rotatable vertical axis. The reflector is tiltable about a horizontal axis, so that the axis of the parabola is always directed at the sun. A circular disc heat exchanger is carried at the focus of the parabola, and has a working fluid carried to-and-fro by the hollow supports struts. The heated working fluid then passes through a coil (7) in a water storage cylinder (8).    The parabolic dish (1) is supported on a fixed vertical pillar (2) which contains the working fluid circulation pump. An enclosure containing the two electric positioning motors and their associated gearboxes, along with control circuitry, is pivoted from the top of the pillar. A counterweight is placed behind the parabolic dish, reducing the power required to tilt it.
Electrical power is produced from the energy of seawater movement by means of a floating underwater platform (1) which is anchored to piles (27) driven into the seabed.    A turbine is mounted with its axis vertical in the centre of the platform and is surrounded by vanes which direct the flow of water towards the turbine. The platform has a cover (39) which supports an electric generator which is driven by the turbine. The power output is controlled by gates fitted to the platform which control the flow of water to the turbine.
The converter's absorber is formed by a cylinder whose diameter is identical with the length of the focussing line. Its thickness to diameter ratio equals the tanget of the ecliptic inclination, i.e. the inclination angle of the ecliptic against the sky equator is 123.5 deg. Pref. the cylindrical absorber is stationary with its axis of rotation parallel to the polar axis.    The position of its geometrical centre of gravity always coincides with the centre point of the focal line. The reflection/concentration system, mounted at a parallax, rotates about the rotary axis of the stationary absorber in accordance with the solar angle, pertaining to the respective hour of the day. The focal line lies always geometrically within the absorber, even if the reflection/concentration system swivels against the stationary axis of rotation.
The appts. comprises an optical system for collecting the light energy, a framework for supporting the optical system, a tracking device for driving the supporting framework so as to normally keep the optical system pointed at a light source, and an optically transparent housing enclosing the optical system and the tracking device as well.    A structure supports the housing and if required converts the collected light energy into electrical or thermal energy. The device collects low-energy-density solar energy with a high efficiency and transmits the collected energy to desired places such as underwater farms. The optical system comprises a lens for focusing the solar energy and a photoelectric element.
The apparatus includes a compressible chamber filled with a non-compressible fluid confined in a closed circuit in the path of moving traffic so that the weight of the traffic passing over the chamber will affect a displacement of the incompressible fluid to create a fluid flow through the circuit.    The circuit includes unidirectional flow control valves for directing the flow of displaced fluid through a fluid motor connected in circuit with the compressible chamber. Disposed in the circuit is a rectifier for rectifying the intermittent displacement of the fluid into a generally uniform fluid flow to affect the drive of the fluid motor with the output of the fluid motor being translated into useful work.
The device is located in the sea and has movable parts actuated by the waves to cause relative movement between them and piezo-electric devices connected between the parts. This causes them to be strained by the relative movement and to generate electrical energy thereby. The device comprises relatively movable floats (30,31) or a series of louvres pivotally supported by a structure secured on the sea bed.    Equipment is provided for synchronising the output of the piezo-electric devices with the voltage of a supply grid. The relatively movable parts include a base for securement to the sea bed and a paddle pivoted on the base. The piezoelectric device is of annular form, and is mounted on the shaft and its outer peripheral surface is secured against movement.
The generation system uses the flow of the water to drive a turbine (4) mounted in a flow passage (3) formed in the hull (1). Pref. the flow passage (3) extends from the bow (2) to the stern (7) and slopes downwards, with the turbine (4) located near the rear.    The front end of the passage (3) has an enlarged inlet opening protected by a screen (9) and a partition plate (8) is pref. provided at each end of the passage (3). The ship has a rounded bow (2) and can be anchored in position with the generated electricity fed to the land via a cable (10).
The transducer provides a mechanical frequency corresponding to the earth waves used to control the position of a rotating out-of-balance weight associated with an Edison electric motor or generator.    The transducer may comprise a water container which is embedded in cement, and the waves detected by a microphone for frequencies of between 3 and 5 Hz and fed to a control processor. The transducer can be used for energy generating devices buried in a road surface for recharging the batteries of passing cars.
Control system, comprising two-coordinate solar transducer, which is optically coupled via a solar-energy concentrator with a solar-power installation and electromechanically coupled via an appropriate drive with the input of a heliostat together with a solar-energy distribution transducer, whose input is optically coupled to the output of the solar plant, the output of the transducer going via a regulator to the actuator. Accuracy of control is improved by the introduction of two optical wedges mechanically linked with the corresponding outputs of th e actuator and through which the heliostat is mechanically linked with the two-coordinate solar transducer.    Motion of the Sun relative to the two coordinates of transducer leads to the appearance of signals at the transducer outpt, and a corresponding rotation of the heliostat by drives in altitude and azimuth. The deviation of the solar beam reflected from the heliostat and the consequent variation in solar energy received by solar power plant and its distribution are measured by transducer. Since this forms a closed regulating loop, the distribution of solar energy to the installation is automatically controlled.Bul.36/ 30.9.81 (3pp)
Regulation system for solar-power plant of the concentrator type, in which accuracy is increased by the introduction of an additional actuator mechanis, the input of which is connected to the output of the regulator, hile the output serves the two-coordinate solar transduce which is installed on a moving carrier arm.    Under semiautomatic conditions, the energy from the Sun (12) enters solar plant (1), the signal from control desk (8) to regulator (4) rotates the two-coordinate solar transducer (6) by a given angle with the aid of actuator (11), by applying the altitude and azimuth of the heliostat to drives (9,10) respectively. The two-coordinate transducer therefore operates in the autotracking mode, maintaining the same accuracy characteristics.    Under automatic conditions, the signal from control desk (8) is applied to regulator (4). Comparator (7) compares the preset value of solar energy with that measured by energy transducer (5). The error signal is used to control actuator (11), rotating the two-coordinate solar transducer (6) in azimuth. The scheme then continues in the semiautomatic mode. The proposed regulator offers a significant extension of the limits of regulation, together with an icrease in accuracy for a greater field of view of the two-coordinate transducer.Bul.36/30.9.81
Wave power generator efficiency is improved by additionally incorporating paired reciprocating hydraulic pumps, hydraulically connected to a receiver and accumulator reservoir.    Under pressure of water passing through delivery pipe (1) to receiver (2), pumps (4,5) are operated to deliver water to accumulator reservoir (3). Use of a large number of paired pumps with different piston diamter ratios permits pumping to reservoir under varying ave pressues.Bul.36/30.9.81
Wave power electrical generator efficiency is ipoved by the front float having a length equal to 0.1-0.25 that of the body. Wave movement causes oscillation of front float (1) relative to body (3) which is transitted by mechanism (4) to dive the generator.Bul.36/30.9.81 (2pp Dg.No.1/1)
Wave power electrical generator reliability is improved by reducing hydraulic shock force. This is achieved by motor additionally having an intake pipe incorporating a chamber communicating with the pipe. The hydraulic turbie is located in the intake pipe before the chamber.    Float (6) movement operates a piston (7) to generate a depression in intake pipe (2). Valve (9) is open and atmospheric pressure forces water through to drive turbine (5). Chamber (4) partially empties due to intake depression and fills the pipe initially to reduce hydraulic shock. When the float falls, piston (7) delivers water through valve (9), valve (8) closing, chamber (4) refilling from intake (2).Bul.36/30.9.81
Wave power hydroelectric poer station efficiency is improved by increasing power, using an additional regulator with wave amplitude and pressure pickups, comparison unit and actuator. The pickups feed the comparison unit, whose output feeds the actuato.    Pickup (5) feeds a wave mean amplitude signal to comparison unit (7) hich operates actuator (8) to set optimum system pressure. Pressure pickup (6) indicates set pressure in pipe (3). When pickup (5,6) signals balance, the actuator stops, having generated the required pressure for float (1) submerging by half the mean wave amplitude to give maximum power under the given conditions.Bul.36/30.9.81
The device uses two partially filled containers (1,2): one divided to provide two successive storage chambers (11,12) and the other having at least one storage chamber (16). The former two chambers communicate with the latter chamber (16) via a feed and return line (3,4) respectively.    The return line (4) has a non-return valve (4c) adjacent the second container (2) which is arranged horizontally behind the first container (1). The passage between the two chambers (11,12) within the latter incorporates a turbine (14) driven by the circulating flow between the contains caused by their up and down movement due to the wave motion.
The electrical generator uses waste heat from heating or nuclear plant, solar heat energy or geothermal energy. It is powered by a turbine driven by vaporised Frigen 11 (RTM) circulated around a thermodynamic circuit with a pair of heat exchangers and a condenser and absorber.    The heat obtained by solar heating, waste heat extraction etc. is fed to one coil of each heat exchanger via a circulation pump which is driven by the electricity provided by the generator. The generator is designed for energy conservation. (6bp)
The heat-to-electricity converter, is partic. adaptable for use by high-altitude platforms such as aerostats and space stations, for changing heat energy of radiation from the earth to electric power during day and/or night. The converter includes an array of heat-collector sources and radiator heat sinks interconnected by thermoelectric n- and p-doped material elements. The array is fabricated on thin films of plastic and may be mounted on a high-altitude platform.    The collectors absorb infrared (IR) heat from the earth and conduct the heat to the thermoelectric elements. The elements convert the heat to electricity. The absorbed heat less the heat converted to electricity is emitted to space by the radiator heat sinks.
Radiant energy transmitting body (10) in the shape of a cover or dome has multiple facets or elements (11), each facet having an entry face to receive impingement of such radiation, an exit face to pass energy to the exterior of the body, and an internal reflection face angled relative to the entry and exit faces to reflect radiant energy incident on the reflection face toward the exit face.    For example, a selected facet (11) has, in vertical cross section, an entry face (12) made up of stair-stepped faces (12a and 12b), an exit face (13) facing the zone of target (15), and an internal reflection face (14). Radiant energy such as light is represented by rays (16a and 16b) entering the body (10) at flat face (12a) and normal to it and passing internally of the facet for reflection by face (14). For this purpose, the face may be silvered (17). The reflected rays (16c) then pass toward and through exit face (13), normal to it, and directly toward the target zone. The body (10) may consist of solid transparent material such as glass or plastic. The concentrator is useful in the generation of electricity from solar energy.
A single reflective afocal optical module collects and concentrates solar energy onto a receiving surface extending parallel to the focal axis of the optical system and to the central axis of the module. The reflective surface of the collector is shaped to reflect incoming energy and distribute it uniformly over the full surface of the receiver, with the reflective surface preferably consisting of a number of discrete reflective surface portions each distributing its portion of reflected energy over the full receiver surface so that the energy portions from the respective reflective surface portions are superimposed on one another on the receiver.    The reflector and receiver are housed in a sealed enclosure having a transparent window for admitting incoming energy, and a heat extracting device removes excess heat from the enclosure.
The solar power plant tracking system has radiation receiver made as two bellows filled with thermo-active media and divided by a flat screen, kinematically connected to the hydro-cylinder working liq. distributor, connected to power plant, and an arrangement for working liq. supply to the distributor.    To ensure self contained operation, the liq. supply arrangement is made as two vessels partially filled with liq. and connected to each other in the lower part. One of the vessels contain a diaphragm which divides it into two cavities. The upper cavity is gas tight and has optically opaque walls and is partially filled with low boiling point liq. The upper cavity walls are covered with capillary-porous material on the inside. Bul.35/23.9.81 (3pp)
The solar energy is gathered for heating by laying the working fluid pipes in a bituminous material which may be used as a path or driveway surface. In addition the electrical energy to drive the working fluid circulation pumps is obtained from a photo-voltaic array converting solar energy to electric energy.    The working fluid pipes are laid in a serpentine configuration over a thermally non-conducting base. The pipes are set into a bituminous layer and a surface of heat retaining tiles is laid over the pipes, then covered with a bituminous or decorative (non-reflective) surface coating. A photo voltaic cell array may be laid on the ground or some other suitable surface to obtain electric energy for the working fluid circulation pumps.
A solar cell collector system includes a sensor arrangement and coupled servo to maintain the position of the collector relative to the sum. The main collector panel (4) is located on a base angled towards the sky.    The base is supported on a turntable with a built in motor to allow the sun to be tracked. Sensors are located in a separate unit (48) with two angled surfaces (9,10). The sensor outputs are used to operate a servo motor that maintains optimum postion and at the same time operates contacts to control the main motor.
The power generator consists of a frame with a shaft fitted with blades. There is a mechanism for transforming the energy. It is used to convert the energy from currents in the sea and in rivers.    The frame (1) is in the form of a platform, which floats. The platform is made with ballast chambers (3). The shaft with blades can be fixed to the top side of the platform and transported to the bottom side. The angle between each blade and the corresponding frame member lies between 5 degrees and 30 degrees.
The plant uses hollow floating bodies (11) which move in conjunction with the wave motion to drive an energy generator, e.g. via compression of a working gas.    Pref. the plant has a number of pontoons (10) each formed as an annular floating body (11) and each attached Via cardan linkages (14) and support struts (13) to a housing (15) enclosing the generator (19). Each pontoon (10) is also associated with a number of air compression cylinders (16) supplying compressed air to a tank (18) within the housing (15). The tank (18) supplies compressed air to a turbogenerator (19) for supplying electrical current.
Individual cells (12) may be bolted together to form an array (22) in which the pipes (14) are common to all of the cells (12) comprising the array or the pipes of each cell may be interconnected in a series arrangement by suitable pipe connection. The water or other medium thus passes serially through the connected cells, collecting thermal energy from each cell.    A common sun sensor (23) and drive motor (24) are employed to actuate a rail (25) which is coupled to an extended pivot pin (17) of each of the several lenses (11). The coupling to each of the pivot pins (17) is by means of a control arm (26) which is rigidly secured at a right angle to the end of pivot pin (17). The outer ends of the individual control arms (26) are pivotally connected to rail (25) so that as rail (25) is moved in directions (27), the lenses (11) are rotated about their axes as defined by pivot pins (17). Thus, through the utilisation of sensor (23) and motor (24) which is coupled to rail (25) through a gear mechanism (28), the several lenses (11) are caused to track the course of the sun across the sky.
The internal cavity solar polar converter comprises a solar receiver formed between two concentric, cylindrical sleeves. The receiver is filled with a pool of secondary fluid which changes phase from a liquid to a vapour upon the impingement of solar radiation. An annular seal connects the sleeves at a first end.    A fixed aperture is formed by the annular seal to permit concentrated solar radiation to impinge upon an interior surface of the receiver. A heat exchanger is coupled to an end of the receiver opposite its apertured end, having a first chamber to receive secondary fluid from the solar receiver. The exchanger has a second chamber containing a primary fluid. The secondary fluid undergoes a phase change from vapour to liquid as it gives up heat to the primary fluid within the heat exchanger.
Wave energy is collected by a turbine in the flow path of an auxiliary working fluid placed in a floating pontoon which tilts in alternate directions when placed in the moving swell. The oscillatory motion of the auxiliary fluid requires that the turbine blade pitch be altered to suit the immediate sense of fluid flow if full efficiency is to be obtained. A Kaplan turbine with freely pivoted blades gives the required self adjustment.    The pontoon comprises two cylinders (A,B) and a bridge (C) carrying the turbine. A solenoid valve (7) on each cylinder allows water entry, and compressed air (2) allows the water to be forced out for balance and to set the floating level. A rope (D) anchors the pontoon on the sea bed. The cylinders (A,B) have radio-controlled valves. Auxiliary floats are provided and are articulated at the upper part of the pontoon by dampers.
The appts. includes an electrical generator which is mounted in a combination power house and crew housing disposed at or above the surface of a current of ocean or other water current and a hydraulic turbine for driving the electrical generator is suspended into the water from a supporting platform on which the power house and crew housing are mounted. The power house and crew housing and the supporting platform are anchored to the floor of the ocean or like body of water without the use of walls, ramps or the like.    The supporting platform provides a helipad landing for a helicopter transporting food and supplies for the maintenance crew and repair and replacement parts for the electrical generator and other parts of the appts. A water inlet or intake nozzle is suspended from the supporting platform to direct a maximum hydraulic force of the ocean or other water current in the area into the hydraulic turbine. A fluid pressure responsive water direction and velocity control device is provided for sensing the flow direction of water current.
The solar energy system incorporates a dirigible motor-driven collector and an electronic sensor for turning the collector to follow the sun. The collector is turned progressively during the day to occupy successive positions during predetermined time periods in which it collects solar energy most efficiently, at the end of the day automatically returning the solar collector to its initial, morning position.    The system is controlled by an arrangement which is composed largely of a novel combination of commercially available units, thereby cutting its cost and increasing its reliability.
A wave-driven pump, for use e.g. in a ship to pump water out of bilges or to act as an emergency power source, consists of a spherical weight (2) inside a casing (1) which interacts with the diaphragms (3) of the pump chambers (4).    The pump is designed for simplicity by having the weight able to roll freely inside the casing. When the casing moves under the influence of waves, the weight rolls over the pump chamber diaphragms, squeezing the fluid out of them into the hydraulic system. The fluid flow created in the hydraulic system by the pump can be used to drive a hydraulic propulsion motor (8) and a steering control cylinder (9). Bul.33/7.9.81
A wave pumping plant, for use e.g. in a sea wave power generator, consists of pressure pipes (1) suspended from floats (2) and linked to a main pressure pipe which leads to a hydraulic accumulator.    The pumping plant is designed for greater reliability by having the pressure pipes (1) linked in sets by rigid bars and equipped with horizontal ribber braking plates (7) which are hinged along the sides of the pipes.    The plant is set up in the sea at a point where wave motion is small. The pipes (1) are not lifted by the floats because of the existence of the braking plates, while the rigid bars joining the pipes hold them together in a block. The water is fed into the pressure pipes by pumps and through them into the main pressure pipe and accumulator. Bul.33/7.9.81
A rectangular frame (4) is carried on a weighted base (5). An arm (2), pivoted from the frame, carries a float (1). A curved double sided ratchet (7) bar (6) runs between ratchet wheels (8,9) placed on either side of it and mounted on the top of the frame, clear of the water. The ratchets are arranged so each wheel operates alternately on upward and downward movement of the float, and mechanical coupling is provided to impact unidirectional rotation to a flywheel (16) driving a generator (15).    The floats can be constituted by the hull of a boat. The arm (2) is prolonged to the side opposite to that of the float (1), w.r.t. a horizontal support arm, and this extension bears a toothed section which acts on the gear of a generator.
The plant uses at least one floating body periodically filled with water in synchronism with the wave motion, to obtain a higher water level within the body than the mean level of the surrounding water surface. The resulting pressure is used to force the water through an exit jet for propelling the body through the water or for driving a drive shaft.    The body may be formed as part of a ship's hull, or may be attached to the latter, with the water expulsion jet at the rear for providing forward thrust. The plant can be applied to bodies of liquids other than water e.g. be held in storage tanks.
The solar concentrator has an open framework formed as a geodesic dome. A rotatable support axle extends diametrically across the dome and has the opposite ends supported on the framework. The support axle defines a rotational axis which is oriented to extend parallel with the earth's North-South axis. A support post is hingedly mounted on the support shaft at the mid-point thereof for permitting angular displacement of the support post relative to the support shaft about a second rotational axis which is perpendicular to the first axis.    A dish shaped reflector assembly is positioned within the interior of the framework and fixedly secured to the support post. Two drives effect angular displacement of the reflector assembly about the first and second axes, respectively, to permit tracking of the solar position.
The wave energy converting device is disposed on the wave in the sea comprises a rotary shaft. A rotary hollow sleeve containing the rotary shaft of several partition walls for partitioning the hollow sleeve into compartments, several radial plates each secured to the rotary shaft and rotary sleeve to form water chambers.    There are first ports each formed in the rotary sleeve at the trailing end of each water chamber and adjacent to the radial plate corresponding to each water chamber.
Wave power plant, used in hydraulic power engineering, has improved efficiency and reliability by additionally incorporating a chamber in the base which also contains the extractor pipe.    The approaching wave lifts float (1) and pump (2) feeds water from delivery chamber (3) to regulator chamber (5) and turbine (6), driving it to produce power and returning to extractor pipe (7) and additional chamber (8). When the wave passes below valve (9) it automatically closes, opening again when the wave has passed to drain chamber (8). Bul.32/30.8.81
Wave power generator, also operating on wind power, has design simplified and improved operation. This is achieved by the body being cylindrical with ported end bases. The power take-off is a piston connected by flexible link and springs to pontoon and bases respectively. The turbines are mounted on the bases adjacent to the ports. An air balloon is connected to flexible link between piston and pontoon.    On the open water the pontoon rises and falls with the waves, the generator having neutral buoyancy. This results in piston (7) displacing within the body and generating flow through ports (5,6) to drive the turbines (10-13). Wind gusts also operate the piston via flexible link (8). In high swell the balloon cable is disconnected from the pontoon to prevent the balloon hindering piston movement down. Bul.32/30.8.81
The device has a number of horizontally and laterally disposed narrow strips each having a predetermined angle of inclination and a reflective surface. The narrow inclined reflective surfaces are arranged to multifocally reflect solar energy to an area of concentration spaced upwardly of the inclined strips, pref. to a line above an intermediate strip.    There are two groups of the narrow strips on both sides of and facing towards the intermediate strip. In other forms, the strips form concentric circles or sets of concentric arcs which reflect the solar energy towards one or several points above the intermediate strip. This concentrator is very simple, and can be used in a parabolic cylindrical heliostat.
The energy generator or perpetual motion machine has a wheel with cells (2) distributed around its periphery. The wheel is located inside an airless casing (4) containing a liquid (3).    Each cell has two parts, the first part (10) being entirely closed and the second part (7) open at one end. A piston (8) moves under gravity inside the second part and closes its open end or opens its open end depending on the angular position of the wheel.
The collector is adjustably mounted so that it can be maintained in continuous alignment with the sun. The fairly low intensity of solar radiation at ground level is significantly increased by the use of paraboloid collectors which concentrate the collected energy upon a small point focus target area.    The solar collector (10) consists of a concentrically nested array of four conical frustra (12a,b,c,d,) which are in stepped relationship to each other but separated by air gaps. An arm (20) is attached at one end of the rib (14) on the outer frustra (12a) and the other end of the arm is affixed to the housing (22) of the declination tracking motor. The sun-tracking operation of the device is automatic and needs only a one-time adjustment at the time of installation.
The expanding hydraulic/two-phase velocity pump reaction turbine includes a dual concentric rotor configuration with an inter-rotor annular flow channel in which the inner rotor is mechanically driven by the outer rotor.    In another embodiment, the inner rotor is immobilised and provided with gas recovery ports on its outer surface by means of which gas in solution may be recovered. This velocity pump reaction turbine configuration is capable of potential energy conversion efficiencies of up to 70%, and is particularly suited for geothermal applications.
The solar energy collector has a movably mounted collector for reflectively concentrating solar radiation into a focal point that impinges on an energy absorber. The system has a solar tracking subsystem which includes heat sensor devices that detect movement of the radiation focal point away from the absorber as a result of the diurnal cycle of the sun. Upon sensing such movement will enable controlled movements of the collector to be made so that the radiation focal point will be moved back onto the absorber.    The system also includes a light sensor in a circuit supplying power to operate the motor. The sensor opens the circuit when there is light and closes it when there is no light so that the motor can return to the position of the sun at the start of the diurnal cycle.
The meter is for thermal energy collecting and absorbing devices, for e.g. solar radiation collectors. The measuring result of the rate of flow is converted into pulses whose spacing is inversely proportional to a unit volume flow. A ramp voltage is generated for each such pulse and referenced against the temperature measurements. Clock pulses of constant frequency are counted during a period in which the reference ramp has values between the temperature measuring signals, and these pulses are tallied, i.e. added to a counter which cumulatively meters the pulses.    Since the rate of pulse production is carried out in proportion to volume, which each pulse represents a temp. difference increment, each counted pulse can be assigned a particular BTU unit value so that the sum total as tallied by the counter represents BTU consumption beginning at the time the counter is started on.
The generator includes a floating structure which sits on the surface of the sea, and rocks to-and-fro with the movement of successive waves. Across the middle of the rocker between two end supports (C) there is a channel in which there is a liquid. The liquid flows to and fro along the channel in response to the rocking movement of the structure. In the middle of the channel there is a turbine (9) linked to a generator.    An arrangement of valves ensures that flow through the turbine itself is in one direction only. At the ends of the channel there are two flared ends (12,13) to minimise the splashing effect when water strikes the end wall. The structure is designed to oscillate at the natural frequency of the water waves.
The device (20) has a body (21) defining at least one chamber (22) which is square or rectangular in plan and is open at the bottom to a liquid (13) in which the device (20) floats. A column (24) of the liquid (13) is defined in the chamber (22), and a duct (26) above the chamber (22) houses an air turbine (27) driven by bi-directional air flow, an obturator in the form of a rotatable valve (29) located at the junction of the duct (26) with the chamber (22) controlling air flow through the duct (26).    A wave gauge (31) extends downwardly from the top of the chamber (22), and pressure transducers (32,33) are located at the bottom of the body (21) at the front and the rear respectively. In operation, the wave excitation force 'Fe' from the waves incoming towards the device (20) is sensed by the pressure transducers (32,33) and the velocity 'z' of the liquid column (24) is sensed by the wave gauge (31).
The plant uses a number of floats (1) each of which moves up and down a vertical guide column (2). At least one cog wheel (4) extends at the side of each column (2) and engages a cog rail (3) secured to the float (1) causing the cog wheel (4) to be rotated due to the float movement. This rotation is transferred to a cog wheel shaft (5) via an intermediate coupling (7), the shaft (5) driving a dynamoelectric machine for providing an electrical current.    Pref. a cog rail (3) projects from the float (1) parallel to the column (2) on either side of it, each driving one of a pair of cog wheels (4) mounted on a common shaft (5) via respective one-way couplings (7) acting in opposition so that the shaft (5) is always otated in the same sense. The plant uses existing technology and exhibits a good efficiency.
The installation includes a flat plate solar collector panel (10) which may be of known per se design and construction and of a desired heightH, and is to be positioned with respect to horizontal at an angle G. The collector normal line, is a reference line drawn at right angles to the plane of the collector (10). The collector is oriented to a desired facing w.r.t. the sun.    A flat planar reflector, typically of commercial quality and having a high reflectivity of approx. 80% or better, may be pivotally affixed near the lower edge of the collector (10) by means of a hinge (11). The hinge, while generally in the region of the lower edge of the collector and the innermost edge of the reflector, may be at their actual edges or close to them. Alternatively, the two may be supported and movable so as to move w.r.t each other as if they were hinged without actually being joined together by a hinge per se. Thereby, the angle between the collector (10) and the reflector (12) may be varied, with the reflector remaining at substantially the same general orientation w.r.t. the path of travel of the sun along the horizon as does the collector (10).
Solar heater can be used for steam production and is used in power plants and for salt water desalination. The heater has a liq. filled volume with an optically transparent lid and heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is made as at least one metal rod submerged in the liq. and having optical radiation absorbing head situated at the lens' focal point. The lens' is fitted on the lid. In order to increase the efficiency, the rod is hollow and is provided with perforated pipes situated in the liq. In . order to widen the functional possibilities, the lid slopes and is provided with troughs for distilled water collection. Bul.29/7.8.81.
The device is for converting mechanical power associated with rectilinear reciprocation to mechanical energy associated with rotary motion, comprising a cylindrical body the outer cylindrical surface of which supports one or more parallel threads having a helical outline along a portion of its length. A body having a cylindrical hollow space contains and supports in its interior a screw-threadcomplementary to that of the cylindrical body first named.    The two bodies are arranged coaxially the one within the other as a screw and a nut but without any contact. A magnetic gap, is maintained between the confronting threads; and one or more conductors are arranged in hollow spaces formed through the surface which are not parallel to the axis of the cylindrical bodies of at least one of the threads.
The solar energy concentrator is partic. used for concentrating solar radiation impinging on the working surface of a phototransducer. The concentrator is of prismatic shape with separate surfaces for inlet, reflection and outlet of solar radiation. A film (5) of material with a generated spatial hologram is deposited on the inlet surface (2) and/or on the reflection surface (3).    On the inlet surface the hologram is of transmission type, while on the reflection surface it is of a reflection type. In each case it is so constructed that the radiation impinges into the prism (1) under a total reflection angle (theta). Pref. the angle (phi) between the inlet and reflection surfaces equals at least a half of the angular deviation of the Bragg angle at which the refraction effectiveness of the hologram is at a minimum.
The solar tracking mechanism is used to orient a solar colletor to directly face the rays of the sun using a hydraulic actuator and gear motor to both adjust the orientation of the collector and to stabilise it against spurious movement. One or more hydraulic cylinders are connected to act through at least one crank pin to rotate the collector about an axis. Hydraulic fluid is transferred between chambers in the cylinders by means of a low power gear motor.    The collector itself is constructed without perforations through an insulating shell, but instead mounting brackets are moulded into the shell and are configured to facilitate mounting of the collector. Pref. an electric solenoid is used to control the flow of hydraulic fluid around the gear motor drive to and from a reservoir in order to maintain coordinated movement of the hydraulic cylinder pistons and to prevent the cylinders from locking up.
The collector for electromagnetic radiation, such as the sun's rays or radar signals, comprises a long, straight reflector (11) of parabolic section with a linear collector (14) running the length of the reflector and placed at its focus. The reflector and collector assembly are tiltable on a horizontal axis, and the unit is supported on regularly spaced legs (13).    The surface of the reflector may be metal or silvered glass, and the body of the reflector is formed from reinforced concrete, which is poured into moulds giving a regular braced back structure reinforced with steel or glass fibre, and near the apex a triangular section passage running the length of the reflector for the tilt axle mounting.
The collector (10) is supported upon a platform or base (11) by mounting structure comprising a pedestal (12), a horizontal support arm (13) rotatably mounted by bearings on a vertical axis, a pair of spaced-apart upright supports (14,15) and a shaft (16) rotatably mounted by bearings. Four batteries of photo-voltaic cells (20,21,22,23) are arranged in pairs on opposite sides of solar collector.    Batteries (20,21) sense the sun's rays to the right and left of direct focus upon the solar collector; and batteries (22,23) sense the sun's rays when directed either above or below collector (10). A sun visor or shield (24) is provided to one side of each battery. Such shielding protects the associated battery of cells from contact or exposure to the sun's rays approaching from across collector (10) at an angle.
The system is used for solar energy and includes a first reflector that concentrates and directs sunlight to a high energy band gap first photo-voltaic array. This absorbs and converts high energy pistons into electricity.    A second reflector formed integrally with the first photovoltaic array concentrates and reflects low energy photons back through the first photovoltaic array. This is transparent to the low energy photon, to a low energy band gap second photovoltaic array that absorbs and converts the low energy photons. The photo-voltaic device is a number of aluminium gallium arsenide photo-voltaic cells with integral metallic back surface reflector.
The inlet conduit is suspended from floats so as to be positioned at a relatively shallow depth, but below the more violent action of surface waves. The discharge conduit is positioned on or just above the ocean floor so that the continuously outgoing current or undertow induces outward flow in the discharge conduit as it flows past the discharge opening, as well as past outwardly directed ports in and around the wall of the discharge duct.    Hence, at incoming tide there is a positive flow through the inlet conduit and through a prime mover, such as a water turbine, in the power generating station and then out through the outlet discharge duct. Even at outgoing tide, the flow is induced by the constantly outward movement near the ocean bottom, so that there is a constant and continuous under undirectional rotation of the turbines, which drive the generators to generate electricity.
A dome-shaped atoll structure (12) having a central aperture at its apex is secured to a station-keeping structure (11) positioned on the ocean bottom. The atoll structure is movable through a range of vertical positions relative to the ocean bottom. Sea waves impinging on the structure are refracted as they crest and break, producing spiralling pulses of water that converge toward the central aperture. The central aperture provides entry into a vertical standpipe (14) for the pulses of water, which impart angular momentum to water already present in the standpipe.    A turbine (31) attached to a shaft (28) in the standpipe converts the rotational energy of the water in the standpipe to rotational energy of the shaft, which is coupled to an electrical generator (27). The power output of the generator is measured for various vertical positions through which the atoll member is moved, so that a position of optimum power output can be determined for any given combination of sea state and/or tidal conditions.
The apparatus comprises a positive displacement pump (15) which is driven by the sea waves. The quantity of delivery of this pump is adjustable in accordance with the lengths of strokes made by the ocean waves. This is made possible in that the positive displacement pump comprises pistons (29,30,31) having different volume displacements.    The height of the incoming waves is measured by a diaphragm cell (141) connected to a control apparatus (18) which generates signals such that only that piston of the group of pistons is made to operate, which has by design a volume displacement which gives the optimal recovery of the energy of the ocean waves. The piston(s) pump a working fluid into a storage vessel, which allows the generation of peak load as well as base load electrical energy.
Above the ceiling in the house is a heat storage area with cover. This contains alumina based bricks and a coil for reheating water. A solar panel at the front is orientatable on a horizontal axis and has a double glazed window to allow the solar rays only to pass through.    The living area has a fixed double glazed window with a space behind for forced circulation of air. A tinted window allows only a small penetration of heat into the area. The building is constructed on a reinforced concrete raft on anti vibration mounts on a metallic frame. The frame is mounted on pulley wheels on a circular track and is driven via a motor and reduction gear using electronic control. The services pass through a central duct.
The reflector concentrates solar radiation onto a photoreactor or some form of thermodynamic machine in order to retrieve energy from the solar radiation. The photoreactor and its reflector are carried above the clouds by a balloon.    The reflector consists of a silvered, reflecting foil and a transparent foil joined together gas-tight along their edges. The foils are supported in a support frame that is at least partially enclosed by a thick skin. The silvered foil forms a paraboloid as a result of the lower pressure in the support frame. A holder holds an absorber (photoreactor) at the focus of the paraboloid.
The power generating appts. comprises a tall tank (11) standing upon a base (12) containing a deep body of water (13). An upper cross shaft (14) and a lower cross shaft (15) are supported between opposite side walls (16) of the tank, so as to extend through the water body. Upon each cross shaft, there is mounted a gear (17) and an endless chain (18) extends around both gears, engaging the teeth thereof. Two rows (19) of buckets (20) are mounted along the chain in a rigid manner, so that an open end of each faces a closed end of an adjacent bucket.    A pair of computerised air injectors (23) protrude upwardly, at an inclined angle from the base, each injector aligning with one of the rows (19) so that air from the nozzle of the injector bubbles upwardly in a precise area, therefrom, inside the lowermost bucket, this resulting in closing the flap valve. The air bubbles replace the water inside the bucket, thus giving buoyancy.
The assembly includes a pair of one-way turbines (44,45) symmetrically mounted on a common rotatable shaft (46). The air flows (53,57 and 54,58) due to the up and down motion (51,52) of the water act on the aerofoil section blades (1,1') to cause the shaft (46) to rotate in one direction, so driving the generator (50).    Because of the symmetrical arrangement of the one-way turbines, the rotatable shaft and, therefore, its bearings (48,49) are prevented from receiving excessive thrust forces. Thus, the generator assembly may remain in service for an extended period without requiring replacement of parts.
The appts. comprises a float (6) and a counterbalance (10) both reciprocable vertical. The counterbalance is connected to at least one ratchet drive bar (14) cooperating with a ratchet wheel (15) so as to drive the latter on reciprocating movement of the float due to rise and fall of the level of water (1).    The wheel may drive a compressor (17) which discharges to a store (25), and the compressed air from the store may be used to drive a generator (29) via a buoyancy energy machine (28). The latter comprises a submerged wheel rotated by successive inflation and exhaustion of buoyancy bags attached to the periphery of the wheel.
The cover plate comprises two identical flat-convex lenses with side dioptive elements. The dimensions of the cover plate are as follows; maximum permissible width, 622 mm.; thickness of the substrate (e) common to the two dioptric elements, 4mm.; thickness (ei) of each dioptric element, 7mm. The spacing between two major axes (XY) is about 311mm. The material of the plate is glass and the required configuration is achieved by passing the glass while molten between a pair of rolls, one of which is engraved with the negative profile of that required.    The lens design provides a concentration ratio of 1.6 and its surface is struck by solar energy in a plane of dispersion which lies at some 250mm in front of the plane of the biaxial lens. The thermal insulation provided by the lens leads to a higher temp. of the heat exchanger fluid.
The solar energy collector includes a transparent container and a lens or lenses supported in the container for collecting and concentrating the solar energy. An optical fibre cable is located at the focus of the lens and extends to the outside of the container to transmit the collected sunbeams to the outside. Two independent drive arrangements are provided for rotating the lens respectively about a vertical and a horizontal axis and a solar cell arrangement is connected to energize the drive arrangements. A detector is movable with andsupported by the lens for detecting the position of the sun and is connected to drive the drive arrangements in accordance with the detected position.    The collector is intended to be used in the growing of plants or plankton, or other living things deep in the sea. Such a collector can be driven with a small drive torque and is prevented from being accidentally displaced by the word or waves when the collector is floating in the sea.
A paddle wheel (16) with a vertical axis (14) of rotation is located in the centre between a lower floating platform (1) and a main deck. The platform and deck are connected together by supports (2,3) and are anchored to the seabed. The paddle is coupled to an electrical generator mounted on the deck. The supports have side walls with different curvatures and divide the space between platform and deck into several sectors and concentrate the motion of the sea water towards the paddle wheel. Gates (20) are located around the paddle wheel where the water is incident upon it and are used to control the flow of water to and from the paddle wheel.    The gates slide in and out of certain supports, the supports being hollow. The supports consist of 4 long supports (2) extending from the edges of the deck/platform right up to the paddle wheel and 4 short supports (3). The gates are in the long supports. The gates are moved mechanically or hydraulically. The advantage lies in the system's being large and stable and in retrieving energy from the movement of the water irrespective of ebb and flood. The system can withstand heavy seas.
Breakers dissipating high energy are exploited for power generation. The air, enclosed between the wave ridges is fed, together with water in a pressure container, the enclosed air being used for delivery of the water to a higher level, possibly after compression. For this purpose a wave breaker (10) is used for enclosing the air between the wave ridges (28).    At the breaker end is a passage (14) to a pressure container (16) for water and air. In the passage is mounted a non-return valve (12), preventing back flow. The lower region of the pressure container pref. contains a riser (18) to a water reservoir (20) at a higher level. A second riser (22) may connect to the breaker passage, through which water is entrained by surging air to be lifted to a higher level.
The binary vapour cycle method of electrical power generation is disclosed wherein two refrigerant fluids can be used to operate an appts. for the generation of mechanical power as well as electrical power generation. The method, offers an approach to utilising the advantages of two different refrigerants within a single appts. This advantage is particularly advantageous in the ulitisation of low specific energy sources, such as two water sources which exist in close proximity to each other, but at different temps. Water, which itself is a heat pump fluid, can be used as a means of transmitting heat energy to a second heat pump fluid, or refrigerant, without incurring the disadvantages of water, or water vapours, as a means to produce power, because of its high specific volume and low saturation pressures at low temps. Since the warm water source of energy most commonly available is in the form of reservoirs, such as the ocean waters, and the utilisation of barometric legs to bring the warm water into contact with the process, eliminates the use of expensive heat exchangers, which is the case of ocean water, are subject to fouling and loss of efficiency due to clinging microorganisms.
Simple flat plate reflectors, pref. compound of a panel with a reflector surface layer laminated to it are pivoted to move with the position of the sun and concentrate additional energy on a solar energy collector panel.The array can take a tented or triangular end view shape for closing to protect reflective surfaces from hail or sandstorm etc. Also the surfaces are provided with a periodically operable surface cleaner to assure long term efficiency even when remotely positioned as on roof top.    Low cost present day computers are programmed to track the sun over its seasonal variations by means of simple mechanisms pivoting the reflector plates. The systemis self-energizing by means of batteries charged by solar panels accompanying the system.
The solar panel unit includes a number of lenses for focusing and concentrating the sun's energy onto a heat-absorbing body. An enclosed channel passes through the heat-absorbing body and heat exchange fluid is passed through such channel. Structure is provided for supporting the heat-absorbing body and for supporting the lenses in such a manner that sunlight striking the lenses is focused upon the heat-absorbing body. Devices are also provided for positioning the panel unit so that sunlight falls upon the lenses during normal daylight hours.    In one arrangement the solar panel is associated with a heat exchange fluid storage tank containing heat storage material, such as pieces of granite rock and with piping and a pump so that the heat exchange fluid is pumped from the tank through the heat-absorbing body and back into the tank, or so that the heat exchange fluid may be circulated from either the tank or the heat-absorbing body for immediate use, such as in a furnace or hot water heater.
The solar power plant has a concentrator made as a paraboloid (1) and an axisymmetric spheroid (2) and at least one radiation receiver (3). In order to widen the functional possibility the paraboloid can be displaced along the concentrator axis (4). The radiation receiver is replaceable.    The solar radiation reflected from the concentrator surface is focused on receiver (3) into a common focal zone of the paraboloid and spheroid. The radiation receiver transforms the solar energy into electric energy. When the paraboloid is displaced the concentrator reflects the sun rays into the focal zones. Bul.25/7.7.81.
The appts. includes two Fresnel lenses. These are formed as long rectangles, with their upper surfaces plane, and their lower surfaces having prisms extending along the rectangle. The lenses lie side by side and are sealed together by a joint made of elastomer material. The lenses form the cover of a parallelepiped box supported in a rigid rectangular frame, with a seal around the top edge.    Two metal pipes pass through the bottom of the box and carry a heat transfer fluid. Each pipe lies at the bottom of a V-shaped channel formed by two plane mirrors receiving light from the appropriate Fresnel lens. The upper surface between the mirrors is closed by a thin transparent plate, limiting losses by convection, while an insulating material surrounds the two pipes to prevent conduction losses.
The motor allows gravitational energy to be directly transformed to rotary mechanical motion. A magnetised rod is mounted on a vertical disc so that one end of the rod is at the disc centre and the other end is at the disc rim. The disc is positioned so the magnet is off the vertical and the magnet falls, rotating the disc about its centre. Inertia carries the magnet past the vertical and as it moves upward the magnet experiences an attractive force from a second magnet placed horizontally above the disc rim.    This force is sufficient to rotate the magnet over the vertical. Once over the vertical gravity aids the rotation and additional force is exerted by the repulsive force exerted between the rotating magnet and the like pole of the fixed magnet.
A parabolic mirror for collecting energy produces convergent electromagnetic energy and/or information carrying radiation. It is placed in earth orbit and acts as a sunlight reflector. The construction permits operation under cosmic conditions.    An elastic foil of individual pieces welded together has a mirrored surface. It is attached to two inflatable dishes rotating in opposite directions in space under airless and zero gravity conditions. The foil is stretched and shaped by centrifugal force so as to form a light concentrating curved surface. The oppositely rotating dishes are connected together coaxially via a motor generator to form an inertial energy store and gyroscope. The gas or gas-dust mixture used to inflate the dishes is set into an expansion-contraction cycle by varying the rotation impulse so as to perform an energy conversion.
An externally located heat source causes electrons to be boiled off an electron emissive surface interiorly positioned on one end wall of an evacuated cylindrical chamber. A grid having a small negative potential traps the electron flow and the mass of electrons is then exposed to a laser pulse discharge and at the same time the potential on the grip is removed to permit a bolus of electrons to flow through.S The electron bolus is electrically focused and accelerated through the interior of an air core induction coil located within a transverse magnetic field, and subsequently is collected on the other end wall of the chamber functioning as a collecting plate. The EMF generated in the induction coil by action of the transiting electron bolus interacting with the transverse magnetic field is applied to an external circuit to perform work.
The plant has an expansion evaporisation chamber to which heated water drawn from underground. It is formed by a horizontal cylinder (11) closed by end plates (17,18) at either end one of which is hemispherical. The injection jet (13) for the heated water faces the latter end plate (17). The interior of the cylinder (11) contains a pair of spaced apertured partition plates (22,24) and an apertured horizontal base plate (20) through which the water droplets fall, with a drain outlet (16) in the bottom of the cylinder.    A team outlet (15) near the second end plate (18) feeds the produced steam to a turbine. The evaporisation chamber provides relatively dry steam.
The support structure, has vertical support arms (4) and horizontal support rails (5), with each reflector (6) attached by elastic fixing elements to the support rails (5) and/or the support arms (4). The support structure has determined differing degrees of flexibility at the points of attachment of the reflectors (6) to allow the latter to tip slightly to compensate the deformation of the support structure due to its wind resistance, thus maintaining their original orientation to the sun.    Pref. a rigid mast (1) supports a horizontal cross beam (2) in turn supporting two support arms (4). The reflectors (6) are attached to the latter in pairs via horizontal support rails (5), with springs of differing flexibility attaching the reflectors (6) to the support rails
A series of elongated conduits are embedded across a roadway, with pressure responsive pumps mounted in each and extending above the surface of the road for pumping air through the conduits when a vehicle passes over, while providing a warning to the vehicle. Each of the pressure responsive pumps includes a one way exhaust valve for delivering air of under pressure into one of the conduits.    Each of the pressure responsive pumps includes a one way intake valve to suck air back from the atmosphere. An accumulator is connected to the conduits and a motor connected to the accumulator to be actuated by the air pressure. The motor drives a generator for producing electrical power. Each of the pressure responsive pumps is deformable and includes a dome rising above the surface of the roadway. A spring in each of the pressure responsive pumps restores the shape after depression and draws air back into the pump.
The invention enables the diversion of natural pressurised gas transported via a pipeline to a gas turbine that is coupled to an electrical power generator or alternator. Electrical power thus generated may be delivered to distribution lines in the conventional manner, whereas the natural gas is returned to the pipeline for delivery to a reservoir or distribution centre.    The advantages are that the gas is not consumed, hence resulting in conservation of fuel. Further, since the gas is not being burned, the generation of heat due to fuel combustion is avoided.
The solar energy collector consists of a roof mounted structure (1) with a fixing frame (2) holding an outer transparent insulating dome (3) within which in turn are a number of wound tubes forming the absorber (6). In a representative design, these are arranged in a hemispheral array, although it may be semi-cylindrical or cylindrical.    Each absorber is connected to a liquid storage tank (7), which is coupled to an energy conversion pump (10), which may serve as a turbine to generate electrical power. To improve the energy collection performance of the absorper, the rear surface of each tube is equipped with a concave reflecting surface.
The power generation system comprises a piston-cylinder device having an anchored cylinder (26) and a piston (30) slidable in the cylinder and cooperating with the cylinder to form a pumping chamber (38) above the piston and a low pressure chamber (40) below the piston. The cylinder has an intake port (42) and an exhaust port (44) both formed at an upper portion to communicate with the pumping chamber and each provided with a check valve. A float (36) is connected through a cable to the piston of the piston-cylinder device. A first fluid storage (56) is connected to the intake port; and the exhaust port of the pumping chamber discharges water to the sea.    A waterwheel generator (16) is driven by the fluid flowing from one of the fluid storages to another. A pressure regulating device comprising tank (60) and pump (64) is connected to the low pressure chamber so as to maintain the low pressure chamber (40) at a pressure lower than the pressure in the pumping chamber (38) the difference in pressure causing a constant downward force on the piston to keep the cable in a taut condition.
Tracking is accomplished by a mechanism into which precisely calculated tracking rates are fed. Thus, even when light from the sun is below a chosen threshold value, tracking continues in accordance with a prior knowledge. Tracking rates are modified when necessary by a sensor which may be of known design employing photocells mounted at equal angles to a reference axis as well as an opaque shield at the apex of the cell mounts.    When tracking is accurate within a predetermined error band and light from the sun is above the threshold value, both photocells are equally illuminated and the sensor is inoperative. If tracking fails outside the error band and light from the sun is above the threshold value, one sensing element is then exposed to both direct and diffuse light while the other element receives only diffuse light. The sensor is then operative to cause the precalculated tracking rate to be either increased or decreased in accordance with the direction of the departure from the proper tracking rate.
The heat pipe includes an elongated, heat conductive shell containing heat transfer fluid which is vaporisable and condensable. A cooling device within the shell condenses the heat transfer fluid from the vapour form to the liquid form, to cool the shell to approx. the same temp. throughout its length. The cooling device can include conduits running longitudinally inside the shell of the heat pipe and carrying a circulating coolant which can be a liquid or a gas.    The uniform cool surface temp. of the heat pipe adapts is for use as an efficient solar energy collector with the circulating coolant serving as a heat extracting medium. Alternatively, a row of photovoltaic cells may be mounted on the uniformly cool heat pipe shell and an elongated lens used to refract solar rays to impinge concentrated or high intensity solar energy onto the targets of the cells.
The wave action power plant has a drive shaft rotated by several drive units, each having a lever pivotally mounted on and extending from the shaft and carrying a weight, in the form of a float, which floats on the waves and rocks the lever up and down on the shaft. A ratchet mechanism causes the shaft to be rotated in one direction by the weight of the float after it has been raised by wave and the wave has passed, leaving the float free to move downwardly by gravity and apply its full weight to pull down on the lever and rotate the drive shaft.    There are a large number of drive units so that there are always some of the weights pulling down on their respective levers while other weights are being lifted by waves and thereby causing continuous rotation of the drive shaft in one direction. The levers are so mounted that they may be easily raised to bring the weights into a position where they are readily accessible for cleaning their bottoms to remove any accumulation of barnacles, molluscs and the like. There is also provided a device for preventing the weights from colliding with each other as they independently move up and down on the waves.
Multichannel temp. control system for solar energy and including a radiant energy concentrator, commutators, analog-to-code converters, program control unit, operator desk and sensors has greater accuracy for process control in heat- treating a wider range of materials by solar energy. An angle register is introduced into each control channel and the computing unit is reconnected.    The temp. is automatically regulated in accordance with the melting process. The computing unit compares data from the setter and sensors to track temp. at different points of the solar furnace and so determine the number of heliostats which have to be turned through an angle in order to maintain set thermal conditions.    If the furnace temp. is above the setting, the logic circuit forms a signal for the angle registers of the channels where the heliostats must be turned according to the computations. The register signals are converted for the azimuth drives of the heliostats. These follow the sun according to sensors, but the solar fluxes do not come to the concentrator and the furnace temp. decreases to the setting. Bul.23/23.6.81 (4pp)
The operating system for a circuit for obtaining power from a natural source such as the wind, tides or solar radiation is used for battery charging. The fluctuating voltages from a d.c. generator are applied to a capacitor at the input of a control circuit from which control signals are obtained above and below a determined level to operate a switching unit. This is followed by a further control unit giving a constant output voltage. The first controller includes a hysteresis trigger which establishes the switching levels, and its delay time is regulated by its input voltage. It can include an electronic switch with a FET operated by the presence of a voltage on its control electrode.    The second controller includes a dropper circuit supplying signals to a transformer for passing signals of a required amplitude to rectifier for battery charging. A controller establishes the momentary input signals, equalising them with a reference value, and controlling the output and the operation of the chopper.
The system uses a swing motion of a cybernetic system with a periodical alternation of the magnitude order for flow and rotation energy of acceleration. The alternating motion forms a transition from positive to negative potential causing dampening or even delay. The swing motion must by symmetrical in the applied time cross section.    The space-time-dimension turn of the mechanical energy, the work, and the torque remains in the process region with hyperenthalpy. Thus during each partial period of the swing an energy factor is delivered to the tensor total energy. This requires either heavy rotors or high electric voltages and pulsed, non-linear resistances of electric machines. Mostly also negative resistors or capacitive oscillation circuits can be used with discharges in transformers.
A solar energy absorber which absorbs solar flux is mounted near a flexible reflective surface. The reflective surface concentrates solar flux onto the absorber and the position of the absorber is moved w.r.t. the reflective surface according to the flux distribution of solar flux received. As the relative position of the reflective surface w.r.t. the sun moves due to movement of the earth, the absorber is moved to maximise incident heat flux on the absorber.    As the absorber is moved, the shape of the flexible reflective surface is adjusted so as to obtain optimum solar flux concentration on the absorber. Air pressure differentials across the reflective surface generate and control the shape of the reflective surface, according to computer-generated signals. The pressure in a series of isolated chambers is thus varied to change the reflector curvature.
Controller is suitable for regulation of solar thermal plant and for thermal processing of materials in solar furnaces. It has high accuracy by use of adjusting mechanisms, twin coordinate solar transmitter, signal converter and solar energy transmitter whose outputs are connected to a concentrator.    Before adjustment, the control system is connected and the heliostat (1) follows the sun up from the signals from transmitter (6) passing to the heliostat drives (2,3). Adjustment is done separately for each heliostat. Several transmitters of solar energy (12) are set on the corresponding section of the concentrator (5). Operator (14) brings into motion transmitter (6) in two mutually perpendicular planes.    A mismatch is introduced between the axis of the reflected sunbeam from heliostat (1) and the optical axis of the adjusted transmitter (6). The transmitter produces signal passing to the input of the drives (2,3) which change the position of the adjusted heliostat. The orientation of heliostat is done depending on the energy received from the sun, time of adjustment is short and utility of solar power is a maximum. Bul.21/7.6.81
The electric generator uses large aquatic animals harnessed to an arm for motive power. Whales, dolphins or similar aquatic animals (20) are harnessed inside a yoke (3) and swim in circular enclosure (2).    The yoke is fitted to an arm (10) which is pivoted so the arm rotates as the aquatic animal swims. A ratchet mechanism (21) drives a wheel (11) coupled to the shaft of an electric generator. The installation may be extended by use of multiple arms at the same and at differing radii and vertical levels. The power output can be controlled by the use of different numbers of animals.
The mechanism is used for extending and retracting a solar panel attached to a satellite and includes a swinging arm (9A) to which is attached a V-shaped extension (9B). The panel (1c) is hinged to the free ends of the two arms of the extension so that it can be swung inwards, and housed inside a container along the side of the satellite when retracted.    The arm and extension are designed so that the shadow of the satellite does not fall on the panel when it is extended. The extension is secured by a hinge to the angled end of the arm which is attached at the other end to a control member (8) so that the panel is swung through an angle as it is extended and retracted. The appts. occupies a minimal amount of space when retracted, the articulated elements being fitted inside each other. The coordination of the deployment of the members is assured by a system of cables.
The method is used for controlling a space craft travelling along an elliptical path between the earth and the sun and includes operating a of solar panels extending on opposite side. Each panel is attached to a container, which in the fully retracted position are supported against the body of the space craft. They are extended by a parallelogram linkage with the upper two arms connected to the container and the lower two arms connected to a drive. This operates so that when the drive is rotated to follow the direction of the sun, the panels are raised and lowered.    A drive shaft (5) projecting from a side of the craft (Sp) carries a bevel gear wheel (6) on its end. This rotates against two bevel wheel segments (7,8) formed on the ends of the two lower arms. The system is connected also by a spindle (9) through the drive shaft, connected to a spindle (13) at right angles. The spindle passes through the axes of rotation of the two segments.
The water storage container (2) of the heating system is connected at its outlet (4) to the inlet (5) of the solar heating panel (1) by the temp.-responsive valve (10) and a feed tube (3). The outlet (7) of the panel is connected to the inlet (8) of the water storage container. If the water temp. falls below a given value, say six degrees Celsius, then the two temp.-responsive valves both close to isolate the panel from the storage tank. Should the water temp. in the panel fall to a temp. approaching the freezing point, say three degrees Celsius, then the drain port (12) of the combination valve (10) is opened. Water is then drained from the panel which is thus safeguarded against damage due to ice formation.    When the ambient temp. rises, the drain port closes and, subsequently, the main ports of the valves (10,11) to refill the panel and to permit normal water circulation. The panel drainage valve may be separate from the main shut-off valve at the panel inlet. The exhaust valve (11) may be pressure-responsive to permit flow only from the panel towards the tank (2).
In the geothermal deep well energy extraction appts., solute-bearing water is pumped to a surface station from a subterranean station to drive a primary electrical generator. A working fluid generator at the subterranean station uses the thermal energy of the water for supplying a working fluid to drive a turbine-motor for the pump.    A second turbine-motor is operable to drive a second electrical generator at the surface station and is responsive to the exhaust of the subterranean turbine-motor. The second turbine-motor also drives a surface pump for pumping its exhaust, after condensation, into a subterranean vapour generator, and a surface brine pump operable in cooperative series connection between the subterranean pump and a reinjection well. The subterranean pump, the surface brine pump, the second turbine-motor and the surface fluid pump cooperatively increase the density of the rising exhaust from the subterranean turbine-motor.
A sensor detects the azimuthal and position of the sun in order to position a solar collector to maximum efficiency in trapping radiation. Arrays of detectors are positioned on respective surfaces of a geodesic dome such that each array detects the position for a period of approx. one hour. Each sensor co-responds to a position of the sun and generates a coded position signal. This is compared with the coded position signal of the collector and the result is used to drive, via motors, the collector to the correct position.    During times when insufficient solar radiation is received there are no sensor outputs and the position of the collector remains unchanged. The advantage is achieved that power is not required to change the collector position when solar energy conversion cannot occur, so that there is no chance of a negative power output from the system for example on cloudy days.
The appts. converts the energy of the flow of water into potential energy by pumping it, e.g. for irrigation, or into electrical energy, using direct or indirect conversion systems. It carries several large paddle wheels in rows. The vessel has an open deck allowing the transverse mounting of a number of rotating wheels on axles and drums. These are turned by the flowing water via turbine buckets and side plates.    The wheels carry large gear rings for the transmission of the energy of their rotation and tyres allowing the ship to be moved on land and in shallow water. The ship is anchored by the bow so that it cannot move in the direction of the flow of water.
A membrane concentrator, esp. for a communication antenna or as a solar concentrator, has its contour stabilised by excess pressure or vacuum and/or foam or sandwich construction. The membrane is deformed so that it has a two parabolic contour.    More specifically, the reflector membrane has a varying wall thickness in the radial direction, being thicker towards the edges to give it the parabolic form. These varying thicknesses may be produced by welding or gluing together concentric rings of different thicknesses. Alternatively, the thickness may be varied by galvanic or chemical deposition or removal from the basic membrane. By producing a parabolic instead of a spherical membrane, a much improved concentration factor can be obtained.
Numerous heat-exchange rods (2) are sunk vertically into the ground and spaced apart to form an array. The rods are connected together at their upper exposed ends by header lines (3). A heat-transfer agent is pumped through the rods. The surfaces of the rods have fins to increase heat transfer. A means is provided to convey heat near the surface of the ground back into the ground. This means consists of making the header lines have a low thermal resistance compared to the surface of the ground and in using a switching device (18).    The switching device adopts a position in which the heat-transfer agent is pumped (7) through the header lines and heat-exchange rods even when the recovery system is not being used. Surface heat is thereby stored underground for recovery later when the surface temp. of the ground has dropped. The pump runs at a lower power when surface heat is being conveyed into the ground than when heat is being extracted from the ground for use.
The energy system is for the transfer and utilisation of kinetic energy received by one or more natural kinetic energy receptors from one or more natural kinetic energy source such as for example e.g solar energy, wind energy, water currents and tides, geothermal energy and the like, for powering one or more electricity generating devices. The natural kinetic energy is converted into fluid pressure by receptor(s) coupled with hydraulic fluid pressure pump(s). Back flow of fluid is prevented from flowing through the non-operating fluid pumps by check valve(s).    The fluid pressure is used to operate one or more fluid pressure motors coupled with electricity generating unit(s). When two fluid pressure motors are used a device is provided for directing all of the fluid under pressure through the first pressure motor until it is operating at a desired speed before fluid pressure is permitted to operate the second pressure motor.
The central focus solar energy system consists of one or more arrays of mirrors, a receiver for each array, a sun tracker, a sun tracker acquisition device and a control unit. The mirrors of the arrays are subjected to two-axis control by electromechanical devices actuated by sun-tracking error signals generated by the sun tracker. Mirrors are thus oriented so as to cause reflections of the direct rays of the sun from all the mirrors in an array to converge on a recei ver at a common focus.    The fixed (principal) axes of mirror rotation are parallel to the fixed (principal) axis of rotation of the sun tracker sensor making orientation of the system independent of the earth's spin axis. The system includes a vernier or fine adjustment control for positioning the mirrors that supplements the sun tracker controls.
The prime mover comprises in combination a pair of floats and an articulating mechanism connecting each float of the pair to the other. A linkage fixedly mounted upon each float of the pair and adapted to do useful work upon the relative displacement of either float about the articulating mechanism.    A central longitudinal hollow chamber formed within each float coextensive with its chamber is filled partially with a body of liquid having a free surface coextensive with the chamber. At least two longitudinal air tanks are formed within each float coextensive with and are spaced apart by the central chamber. Upon displacement of one end of a float the liquid contained in the central hollow chamber moves to the opposite end of the float, thereby accumulating energy proportional to the displacement.
The solar energy concentrator comprises a flexible sheet material reflective of radiation from the sun, the sheet forming a V-shaped concentrator having an apex and a pair of free ends. A collector is secured across a number of support members, each of the free ends being secured to a different one of the collectors at opposite support points.    An apex-forming rod articulates with pivots on the supports at points equidistant from the opposing support points. The pivot arms can be moved to shift the apex for varying the angle that a face of the concentrator makes with the sun. The collector then accepts the sun's radiation reflected from the concentrator. The control rods are manually slid into the correct settings several times a year to accommodate seasonal changes.
The wave energy device (10) incorporates at least one stabilising chamber (40) for influencing the motion of the device (10) in response to waves. The stabilising chamber (40) is open at the bottom to the sea, and has a closable port (41) at the top of the stabilising chamber (40) for controlling air flow into and out of the stabilising chamber (40) resulting from changes in level of the seawater inside the stabilising chamber (40).    Appropriate timing of an opening and closing sequence of the port (41) is used to produce air pressure forces in the stabilising chamber acting on the device in a manner to control the heave and pitch components of the motion of the device. Pref. chamber is provided at the bows and/or at the stern of the device, and the chamber(s) might define a water plane area of about 10% of the water plane of the device. The ports may comprise a number of hinged louvres, with electric drive units for controlling the position of the louvres in response to the signal.
The appts. uses a floating converter unit which has a paddle wheel mounted in a frame, and a guide rudder to orient the converter to the water flow. The unit is tethered to the waters edge or to an underwater anchorage. The converter wheel is supported on a frame (1) with a smaller paddle (14) wheel (12) on the lee side of the main wheel (2a) to turn the platform towards the water flow.    A tether rope (19) is used to hold the platform in place. The main wheel (2a) has paddles (3) mounted across its width (parallel to its axis) so the paddles are square on to the water flow. The rotation of the main wheel can drive an electric generator or compress a gas for laser usage. Fins (10) mounted perpendicular to the four paddles at ninety degs. to each other help provide directional stability.
The beam collecting device has a first parabolic mirror (1) which receives the solar beams (2), a second parabolic mirror (2) to reflect the light rays (L1) reflected by the first mirror, and a third parabolic mirror (3) for reflecting the light rays (L2) from the second mirror. The first and second mirrors have a common focal point (F), and the third mirror's focal point may also be disposed at this point (F).    The light rays reflected by the first mirror are converged towards the focal point (F). The second mirror reflects the rays towards the third in the form of a bundle of parallel rays with an enhanced light energy density. Light conductors or guides (10) are placed at the focus (F) to receive and transmit the condensed and converged solar beams, without chromatic aberration.
The sensor includes a mounting base with a plurality of first light detectors mounted in spaced relationship on the base for receiving incident sunlight. An adjustable shade is mounted to the base for selectively shading light directed toward the detectors and a target is positioned on the base between the light detectors and includes elongated recesses each with a recessed additional light detector.    The first light detectors initiate operation of the light tracking device in a direction to orient the target toward the light source and the recessed light detectors terminate operation of the light tracking device once the target is directed toward the light source.
Mechanical rotation is obtained from gravitational force, or alternatively buoyancy, using a group of equal weights (or floats) mounted between two vertical discs whose centres are vertically displaced (D). The weights are cuboid and mounted to discs by pivots (6) mounted one at one corner of the cuboid and the other mid-way down one side.    This form of mounting causes the weights to be held outside the radius of the discs when on one side of the disc centre line and, when diametrically opposite, the weights are held inside the radius of the disc. The weights therefore exert a greater torque on the discs on the down side than the torque required to raise the discs in their upward travel, giving a net rotational torque. The appts. may also be made to function under constant pressure in a liquid.
The float (1) of the power system cannot change its horizontal position in relation to the mainland, sea or river bed, ship, or float frame. Its movement freedom in the vertical direction is not limited. The vertical motions of the float are exploited by appropriate mechanisms of a design such that they are not affected by the wave movement. The exploitation platform is preferably rotatable or vertically movable in such a manner that even with stationary mechanisms matching to the wave movement or to the tide can be attained.    Typically, the extracted power can be used for water craft drive. During storms the vertical stroke of the float may be limited. Only one of both vertical motions of the float (up or down) may be used for energy generation. Several wave driven mechanisms may be combined to form a power plant, and drive a generator (10).
The power generator has a control preventing buoyancy and friction forces to affect the float during its way up to the wave crest and down to the wave valley. The shape, dimensions and specific weight of the float matches the type of waves in question. The down movement of the float is directly used for driving a piston pump. The float has only a vertical translation freedom due to firmly anchored guides.    The loading force, acting against the float own weight is so rated that the float is first held at the peak of its upper dead centre, before moving down with the wave, due to buoyancy forces. The loading force must be also rated to counteract the friction forces in water. The vertical dimension of the float must by smaller than the double height of the expected weight, while its other dimensions must be rated to exclude contact with water during its downwards movement as much as possible.
A fluid current motor (10) includes a vane (12) mounted on a support (14) for movement in a fluid current. More specifically, vane (12) is mounted on support (14) for rotational movement relative to support (14) by action of a wind current on vane (12). The support (14) orients vane (12) for rotational movement in a substantially horizontal plane.    Vane (12) includes a framework (16) in the shape of an equilateral triangle in plan and having three equal angles (18) and three equal sides (20) extending between and forming the angles (18). The framework (16) can be three-dimensional by a duplication of the equilateral triangle and suitable connecting members. Three loops (22) are arranged extending from the apexes of angles (18) so as to bisect the angles (18) and cross one another at a juncture of the bisections of the angles (18) of the triangle forming framework (16). Outer (24) and inner (24') flappers are pivotally mounted on the loops (22) at pivots (25 and 25'), respectively, so as to be arranged along the bisections of the angles (18). The flappers (24 and 24') are so arranged as to orbit about the support (14) as vane (12) rotates. The assembly can be connected to a generator to produce useful mechanical or electrical power.
The method is for extracting heat energy to provide electricity from a geothermal reservoir containing hot formation brine. The brine-containing formation is penetrated with at least one injection well and at least one production well. The well is injected through the injection well. The injection fluid has lower dissolved solids contents than the formation brine.    The injecting of the injection fluid is continued until the subsurface interface between the injection fluid and the formation brine has been displaced beyond the production well. The injection fluid is heated during passage through the formation; and heat energy is extracted from the produced injection fluid.
The assembly includes a waveguide which is open at both ends to electromagnetic radiation, a primary reflector at least partly supported by the waveguide for reflecting electromagnetic radiation towards the front end of the waveguide, and a secondary reflector mounted to the front end of the waveguide for reflecting the radiation into the waveguide. The primary reflector is foldable and is pref. a pre-formed dish reflector of flexible material supported by a radial framework of normally straight resilient spokes, pref. of tapering cross-section. A low noise amplifier may be mounted to the rear end of the waveguide.    The spokes are pref. pivotable by a lever system between a folded axial position and a deployed radial position. The normally straight spokes are stressed upon deployment by a perimeter cable to a curvature of the pliable dish such that the spokes and dish are curved independently of one another to obtain a precisely repeatable dish curvature.
The inner row of petal assemblies consists of rigid centre petals hinged to the centre support at their inner edges and a pair of rigid mating side petals, one side petal on each side of the centre petal. Each row of petal assemblies forms a closed circle concentric with the axis of the dish. Each petal is rigid structure which forms a three dimensional compound curvature surface serving as a portion of the deployed dish.    Each centre petal extends radially from the centre support, is hinged at its inner edge to the centre support and is foldable inwardly from its deployed position. Each side petal is hinged at its mating edge to its corresponding centre petal, such that when the centre petal is folded inwardly, the adjacent side petals rotate into a radial plane. In the folded position, they are disposed face to face on opposite sides of the adjacent centre petal and are contained within a cylindrical envelope of greatly reduced dia. from the deployed dish.
The system includes first light sensor facing the same direction as the solar array and second light sensor facing the opposite direction. A third sensor, this one responsive to gravity, is employed to indicate the direction about a slew axis that the array is tilted. These sensors are employed to determine the initial array slewing direction to ensure that during slewing and subsequent tracking, the array never is rotated through more than a given angle between two fixed limits.    This permits connection to the array by hard wiring rather than slip rings. The system includes also fourth sensor for providing fine tracking signals which assume control of the array position during tracking. A vane structure reduces the sensitivity of various of the sensors to obscuration by foreign particles.
The device comprises a reaction member (29) buoyantly supportable and having at one side devices defining a pumping chamber (26) which is at least partially defined by a flexible membrane so that the chamber is compressed and expanded under the influence of waves to effect pumping of fluid, e.g. air, for driving a prime mover, e.g. a turbine (27). A number of pumping chambers may be provided. A pivoted flap (12) cooperates with the membrane.    Alternatively, the flap may be omitted and the membrane may define a pumping chamber, or a pair of membranes may define juxtaposed high and low pressure pumping chambers.
The energy recuperation system has a rotary turbine driven by wave motion or wind, or an expansion motor associated with a solar collector. The rotational energy is connected into electrical or heat energy via a hydraulic pump directly or indirectly. Pref. the operation of the hydraulic pump causes oil to be extracted from a reservoir and fed around a circuit containing two hydraulic motors, each coupled to an electrical alternator.    The motors are pref. coupled in parallel arms of the circuit either of which can be selectively blocked, one used in summer and the other in winter. The oil is returned to the reservoir via a choke so that it is heated, with a heat exchanger recovering the calorific energy for supplying hot water etc.
The solar mirror comprises contiguous panels (1) supported at their longer edges by flexible elastomer holders (2) carried on a trelliswork arrangement of parallel girder frames (3), perpendicular to the plane of the panels, and integral with a single beam (4) of circular section. The beam (4) is mounted in pivoting fashion at the ends of arms (5) about a horizontal axis (X-X) w.r.t. the upper part of a fixed upright base (6). Stretcher cables (7) equipped with eyelets (8) interconnect the frames (3) to form a rigid structure.    The part of the frame adjacent to the rear face of the panels features a hollow girder with a split yoke engaging the core of a T-section profile, which is bent to suit the curvature of the mirror, and whose branches carry the holders (2). The structure is less costly than prior systems and the positions of joists are more easily adjustable on site.
The system has a cyclonic conversion tower (23) constituted by a group of convectors situated round an axis toward which there are directed vortical membranes of screens contained in trumpet-shaped revolution bodies. At its top or bottom the tower optionally bears deflectors (10) which increase output. Devices such as turbines (9,24) for conversion into electrical or mechanical energy of the flow kinetic energy are provided.    The tower may be situated on a base which permits the passage of solar radiation (21) with the aim of utilising its energy, the assembly being completed by a combustion heating system for alternative use. The base may include a tank (44) supplied with hot water and saturated air from a solar heated pre-evaporator (30), the saturated air being drawn up the tower (23) where desalinated water is separated out at condensers (27).
A circumferentially resilient tube (22) has a port (30) at its upper end and a port (32) at its lower end. A source of fluid (34) is connected through a check valve (36) and one arm of a T-connection (38) to port (30) and through a check valve (40) and one arm of a T-connection (42) to port (32). Most conveniently, source (34) would be the body of water itself delivered to ports (30) and (32) by a pipe extending from support members (10,12) down into the body of water.    The other arm of T-connection (38) is coupled through a check valve (44) to the turbine of an electrical generator (46) and the other arm of T-connection (42) is coupled through a check valve (48) to generator (46). Instead of an electrical generator (46), other energy utilising devices could be employed, such as for example, a reverse osmosis membrane for water designation. Appropriate pressure relief valving (50) is provided for safety. Check valves (36,40) prevent fluid flow from ports (30,32) toward source (34), and check valves (44) and (48) prevent fluid flow from the turbine of generator (46) to ports (30,32).
The device for harnessing energy from the sea waves consists of superimposed wheels of automatically self controlling blades, generating section and compressed air section. A great number of highly stressed spokes hold tightly rims (1), of the wheel of blades. On the spokes are loosely mounted automatically self controlled blades (3) which because of having one edge wider than the other, turn the narrower edge against the water current. A hub (4) of the wheel is firmly secured on the outer tube (5). The outer tube (5) loosely surrounds the inner tube (6), so that it could freely rotate around it.    In the centre of the inner tube (6) is located generator's axle (7).    When water current presses the blades (3), they automatically turn to an angle which forces the current to push them to one side. No matter which way the current flows, it will always push the blades, to one side only. The moving blades (3), turn with the whole wheel and cap (13), with generator's axle (7) embedded in the cap. The inner tube (6) is inside the outer tube (5) but it does not rotate with it. The inner tube (6) is hermetically secured by means of bolts (14), to the generator chamber.
The tube (10) with a central cell (11) extending the length of the tube (10) filled with water which is pressurised to prevent buckling and collapsing of the tube (10). Surrounding the central cell (11) there is a number of cells which alternatively comprise high and low pressure manifold cells (12,13). Outer cells (14) provide a pumping action, as the tube flexes under the influence of wave motion, forcing hydraulic fluid into and out of the manifold cells (12,13) via uni-directional valves (15).    The valves (15) allow fluid to flow from the cells (14) into the cells (12) and out of the cells (13). A reinforcing steel coil (16) surrounds the tube (10). Air or gas entrapped within the tube pump between the cells is pressurised to provide a desired buoyancy for the tube to compress the cells (14) to some extent, and to alter the overall flexibility of the tube.
The plant is placed on the seabed and uses double-action pumps responding to the wave motion acting on a semi-submerged balloon to pump water into a reservoir above sea level. The water can be released from the reservoir to drive a turbine generator group when required. A safety device allows the balloon to be sunk below the water when the amplitude of the waves is excessive.    Pref. the pumps are driven in response to the balloon motion via a pylon lever which can rotate in a vertical plane about an axis at its base. The pumps and the lever pivot mounting are carried by a plate which can rotate through 360 degrees. The plant allows energy to be stored and released when required according to the demand.
The station consists of two floats joined by main deck (3) and an underwater deck (2). The paddles (5) of a wheel are located between the main and underwater decks. The wheel's axis is horizontal. The decks are arranged so that the waves are guided to the the paddles. The paddle wheel drives an electric generator via suitable gearing. The gearing may consist of two sets one at each end of the wheel's shaft and located inside the floats. The generator (or generators) is located on the main deck.    The inside faces of the two floats and the main and underwater decks are shaped so as to form a tapering funnel channelling waves to the paddles. The funnel-shape allows the recovery of acceptable amounts of energy even from relatively small waves. The wheel may be 10 m long and 20 m in diameter. The wheel may be divided into sections along its axis. After rotating the paddle wheel, the water leaves the station through an outlet guide corresponding to the inlet guide.
A vertical column is embedded in the sea bed and extends to above the highest level reached by waves. A float of specific gravity 0.5 can move up and down the column on rollers.    The float is firmly attached to belts or chains which run over wheels at the top and bottom of the column. The upper wheels are connected by a gear train to a dynamo. The float is raised by the waves and falls by gravity. It takes belts or chains with it and thus drives the dynamo to produce electrical energy.
A pair of drag inducing devices is disposed in the sea current, and connected by cables to a windlass at a location upstream of the drag devices. Each drag device has a selectably variable drag resistance in the sea current, and the drag devices are controlled so as to reciprocate toward and away from the upstream location.    The reciprocating movement of the drag devices is converted into rotary motion by the windlass, and the rotary motion is used to perform useful work. Whatever the mode of interconnection at the stationary location, the effective drag resistance of each drag device is reversed approaching one half- cycle of reciprocation, so that the drag device formerly of lesser resistance now commences to be pulled downstream by the sea current, and returns the other drag device toward the stationary location. The force of current past each drag drives turbines and a generator to charge a battery on the floating vessel.
The control system (10) comprises a closed circuit heat pipe (12) including an osmotic pump (13) with solvent and solution reservoirs (18,14) separated from one another by a solvent permeable membrane (20). Heat is inserted into the closed path at an evaporator (22) from high temp. sources and heat is withdrawn from the system by two stage cooling modules (38,40) to withdraw heat.    A further heat input (30) from low temp. sources slightly warms the condensate for return to a solvent reservoir (18). Pref. the high temp. source has at least one travelling-wave table.
The device concentrates radiation, such as sunlight and produces a prescribed distribution of energy over a target surface. The principles of the device have both photovoltaic and photothermal applications, and can be embodied in either a lens or a mirror, having discrete focusing surfaces for redirecting radiation onto a target surface. The angle for each of the respective focusing surfaces, relative to the direction of the radiation being received, is selected to redirect an increment of such radiation to a unique portion of the target surface, so that a superposition of the radiation increments redirected by all of the focusing surfaces produces the prescribed distribution of energy on the target.    A number of focusing segments is provided each having a number of the focusing surfaces for irradiating the target surface with a prescribed energy distribution. Appts. is provided for selectively making predetermined ones of the focusing segments for controllably adjusting the magnitude of light energy concentrated upon the target surface in a known and discrete steps.
The focus improver is for a concave reflector having a circular cross section. It has an array of plane mirrors diametrically across the mouth of the reflector. The angle of tilt of the mirrors is relative to parallel rays incident upon the reflector and each mirror has an angle of tilt such that a central parallel ray reflected from it will focus at a common location.    The focus improver can provide a solar energy collector that employs a cylindrical reflector which may be oriented in an east-west direction. The mirrors are thin strips that are coextensive in length with the cylindrical reflector. The solar energy utilisation device may be located along the focal line that is created.
The floating structure includes a floating body having a platform which floats on the water surface and is connected to a downwardly depending tube in a bending-resistant manner. The tube extends perpendicularly relative to the platform. A chamber is provided in the lower surface of the floating body to provide an air cushion enclosed by an annular wall.    Pref. the floating body and the tube in the region of its connection to the body are constructed of reinforced concrete or prestressed concrete. The weight of the entire structure is carried by the air cushion enclosed in the downwardly open annular chamber located in the lower surface of the floating body. As a result, the load distribution below the platform remains constant independent of the influence of the wave action, so that no significant bending forces caused by the wave action in the open sea are generated in the platform.
The turbine utilising alternating flows, e.g. wave and tidal motion, has fixed blades positioned to allow the turbine to rotate in a single direction about its axis, without it having to be inverted when the flow direction changes. Pref. the turbine (H) is submerged several metres below the water surface and is attached to a flow or a boat, causing it to be displaced vertically due to wave motion.    The turbine (H) has two sets of blades positioned one above the other and separated by a circular plate dividing the turbine into two halves. The blades are enclosed on the opposite side by two plates having inlet openings allowing the sets of blades to be used in alternation as the turbine moves up and down respectively.
The electric power generating apparatus, utilizing centrifugal force and having advantage over hydro-electric power generators with regard to capital installation requirements and geographic availability restrictions, comprises a set of concentric guide tracks (1) one or more trolleys (2) arranged to run around each guide track, and a number of energy generating modules (5) freely moveable in a centrifugal path outwardly over successive trolleys.    Each module carries a battery (8) to be charged by a generator (7) driven by a pinion (6) from ratchets (3) on the trolley surfaces. When the module reaches the edge of the apparatus, energy is extracted, e.g. by microwave transmission and reception (18) and the module is transported back to the centre of the apparatus and placed on the innermost trolley (2A) at a station (4).
The appts. includes a support structure adapted to be mounted in a fixed position relative to the surface of a body of water. A float member is provided movable relative to the support structure in response to the undulations of the surface. An electrical generator is mounted on the support structure for generating electricity, and a nut and lead screw assembly of the type comprising a threaded screw member, a threaded nut member.    The screw member is connected to the float member. The nut member is operatively connected to the generator where movement of the screw member with the float member drives the nut member and generator.
The radiant energy convertor uses an inflatable structure with a transparent face and a reflective rear wall to provide a lightweight collector, for earth mounted or aerial useage, which does not require extensive structures for accurate reflector location and stability. The collector uses a flexible material to form a closed volume with convex front and rear faces when the volume is inflated.    The face is manufactured from a translucent material, while the rear has a metallised layer which reflects incident radiation onto an array of photovoltaic cells or heat exchanger tubes supported on tubes attached to the mounting point of the convertor. The structure possesses a transparent dome of which the base is covered with a reflective layer e.g. of silver or aluminium.
The tracking device for solar collector panels provides simultaneous elevation and azimuth control. An azimuth positioning motor is provided with a support for the collector which rotates round a vertical axis when driven by the transmission from the motor.    A link attached to the lower part of the collector and to another linkage fixed to the support base causes the elevation of the collector to alter as it rotates. The speed of the motor is preset so that the rotation of the collector corresponds to the transit time of the sun, and the tilting linkage is adjusted to provide tracking for different solar elevation.
A reservoir is filled with compressed air by a wind turbine. Its outlet is connected to a water heater which it maintains at pressure. The water heater is partially embedded in a pit containing vegetable matter. The combustion of this waste heats the water.    A set of capillary tubes leads from the water heater to the reservoir of a solar energy collector which is mounted at the top of a tower frame. A regulated outflow passes from the bottom of the reservoir to a receiver from which water returns to the heater. The flow of air and water is controlled by automatic valves.
A cylindrical mass (2) constituting the gyroscopic mass is mounted on a rotating shaft (3) which is able to move three-dimensionally on a universal mount on a fixed base (6). The Earth's gravity (1) acting upon the mass (2) which is rotating in a direction (8) causes it to precess gyroscopically (9). The precession causes movement of the shaft and mass assembly. Consequently, when part of this assembly encounters an energy transfer device (5) such as a reciprocating arm an energy transfer is effected. The energy transferred is available for external use and for meeting internal energy requirements. For external use a clutch (11) may be used to drive a shaft (12).    In another version an alternative device is used to provide the centrifugal force acting upon the gyroscope assembly (2,3), instead of the Earth's gravity. An electric motor driving rotating contra-rotating weights is the preferred form of the alternative device.
The plate consists of a number of prisms each of a fine ridge shape having an oblique surface, the surface is arranged parallel to each other on the surface is used to convert the width and direction of a beam of light. Solar light projected onto the surface of the Fresnel plate with the ridges is reflected from the oblique surfaces and is reduced in width and reflected from the incident light direction toward the reflected direction.    A reflecting device to re-reflect the reflected light to a predetermined position, or a reflected light energy collecting device, is provided in the path of the reflected light. The Fresnel plate can also be used to introduce solar light into a housing. In this case, solar light rays having a narrow width are converted into light rays having a wide width. The Fresnel plate can also be used as a blinker or a reflecting mirror for special purposes.
The solar power unit has concentrator (1), a radiation receiver (3) attached on the concentrator by tie rods (2), zenithal rotation mechanism made as screw-nut transmission (4) and bearing arrangement (5), whose stand (6) is situated in the concentrator slot. To simplify the operation, the unit is additionally provided with shaft (8) hinged at one end to the stand and at the other end to the screw-nut transmission. The shaft has a moving sleeve (9) with stop element (10). Concentrator (1) is attached on the sleeve (9). The bearing arrangement stand has a curved section (11) in the upper part. Bul.15/23.4.81
The sun position detector can be used in solar systems. It has light conductor (1) and radiation receiver (2). To widen the functional possibilities and simplify the construction, the light conductor is made as four U-shaped fibres with various length branches evenly situated along the circumference. The large length branch ends are provided with four photo-receivers. The small length branch ends are provided with shadow screen (4). In this construction the difference between the light currents supplied on to the photo-receiver is max. Bul.4/30.1.82.
A wave power generator consists of a floating platform (1) with the power generator (2) mounted on it, a spiral rotor (3) which is linked kinematically to the generator and has end shafts (4,5) in bearings (6,7) one of which is mounted on the platform.    The power generator is designed for higher efficiency and greater reliability by incorporating a fixed tower (8) housing the generator and platform and a float chamber (9) with deflectors (12,13) and a float (14) for the rotor'sfree end bearing. The two rotor shafts are located in vertical guide slots in the tower and float chamber, and the rotor has a balance weight in the centre. The generator as described is able to rise and fall with the tides, enabling the rotor to maintain a constant semi-submerged position. To guide slots prevent the shafts from skewing and the deflectors protect the equipment from wave impact. Bul.4/30.1.82.
The converter comprises vertical sealed tube (10) open at its bottom in which upward and downward movement of a master column (11) of liquid takes place under periodic hydrostatic pressure variations. A second, U-shaped, tube (15) communicates with a turbine (16) and contains a second column of liquid (17) having a higher natural frequency of oscillation than the master column (11) and similar to that of the wave frequency.    As the column (17) rises, it closes a port (14) to retain the master column (11) stationary, but the port (14) re-opens as column (17) falls. By this means the column (17) maintains the oscillations of master column (11) latched in phase with the wave motion by periodic inhibition of its movement towards end end of its oscillations and the master column can be made much shorter than otherwise would be the case.
A layer of sand and cement mortar (30) is applied to a frame (20). Another frame (40) is placed on a flat section (31) of this mortar layer. Stoppers are located at the open ends of the second frame to retain the mortar and its sides (41) and top (43) are coated with mortar reinforced with glass fibres to form another layer (54) and to obtain a torsion fin beam (55).    Transverse ribs (50) are formed by compressing them against the lateral curved sections (32) of the mortar layer and by coating with glass fibre reinforced mortar (56). Supplementary ribs (60) are formed on the fin beam. The torsion beams are placed under compression to increase resistance of the supporting frame for the single piece reflector (61) and its reflecting surface (11).
The generator includes an anchored barge which is able to tilt to either end as waves pass it. Within the barge there is a trolley which may slide along the length of the barge running rails. As the barge tilts, the trolley starts to move, and by a rack and pinion mechanism the shaft of an electrical generator is rotated.    The frequency with which the trolley moves to and fro must be matched to that of the waves, and so the trolleys movement is controlled by a hydraulic system. The moving trolley has a piston attached to it, moving within a cylinder to pump water from one tank to another at the other end of the barge. Variation of the valve arrangement, and quantity of water allows control of the frequency.
The device is comprises of flanked dioptric elements of transparent material with a refractive index greater than unity. The elements have an afocal profile of asymmetrical geometry such as to allow them to remain in a fixed position with time and to concentrate the luminous rays (A) from a solar source over an area smaller than that of the collector profile.    The higher dioptric power of the lower elements of the refractor relative to that of the upper elements increases the deviation of the rays refracted in the upwards direction by the lower elements. In this way a higher concentration ratio is obtained on the plane of max. concentration compared to that achievable with a symmetrical profile.
The generator consists of a platform (1) with a space (5) limited above and around the platform. A shaft (7) with cups (9) can move relative to the platform. The cups can move inside the space. The energy is transformed via a mechanism (13).    The generator has a compressor (16), which affects the pressure in the space. The compressor is installed above the platform with a foot piece (18) extending horizontally. The foot piece contains the ballast chambers.
The energy conversion system employs a heat transducer and a set of heat exchange earth fields. The connection of the fields to the heat transducer is controllably variable. The fields are used to extract or dissipate heat according to whether a heating or cooling effect is desired. The heat gain, or heat loss in the case of cooling, is a function of the geothermal energy of the earth, as modulated by solar radiation.    A controller connects the piping fields to the heat transducer on a timed cycle. In addition, the controller provides for dynamic alternation in the configuration, including length, of the total field. A further function of the controller is to connect the piping fields to the heat pump for prescribed intervals in accordance with ground conditions. In particular, an important ground condition is the extent of the moisture present since moisture serves to enhance the coupling between the piping field and the earth itself.
The device comprises a buoyant body that floats on the surface of the water and rises and falls with the waves. Fixedly secured to the buoyant body at a depth in the region of still water not affected by the waves, is a bucket wheel or bucket chain which will accordingly rise and fall with the buoyant body.    But as the water surrounding the bucket wheel or chain is still, the wheel or chain will be caused to rotate or circulate, respectively. This movement of the wheel or chain is transmitted to a generator or other energy conversion device on the buoyant body, and hence to shore.
The electrical power generating system includes one or several hydraulic wheels which are turned by the action of waves on the sea or by a current of water. Each wheel has between three and eight valve blades which may be either flat or curved. The blades may be parallel or perpendicular to the wheel axis.    The wheels may be mounted in a line, or alternatively staggered so that not all are powered at once, and are supported on floats and retained by anchors. Each is coupled to an alternator or other electrical generator via a speed control device. Each wheel also has a triangular hood mounted so as to protect it against the effects of the swell.
A standard (10) is supportably affixed to the bottom of a reservoir tank (12) containing a quantity of water (14). The standard vertically receives central shaft (16) of a gas turbine (18) and supports the shaft in fixed relation such that the turbine blades which ordinarily rotate are in this case fixed, while the exterior casing (20) carrying the ordinarily fixed turbine blades will rotate.    Thus, as the result of gas under pressure supplied to intake tube (22) the turbine casing rotates upon bearings (24). The turbine is suitably a small turbine of the type employed to provide auxiliary or standby power on aircraft. Alternatively, an air motor or similar device may be substituted for producing rotary motion in response to gas pressure. The engine converts a low grade temp. differential into electricity.
The solar collector consists of a reflector surface having a heat exchanger positioned in front of it so that the sun's rays are focussed on it. The reflector surface is made up of a number of mirror surfaces, fixed by means of frames to the bars of a support structure. The mirrors are arranged with air gaps between them, to lessen the danger of wind damage.    The support structure has no mirrors positioned in the shadow of the heat exchanger which is connected to it by an arm of tubular form, containing the feed and return pipes for the heat exchange medium. The collector is mounted on a rotating axis and can be adjusted angularly to suit the time of year. Economical to mfr., the solar collector has a high conversion efficiency and is stable in high winds.
The device includes a number of segments which are capable of reflecting light and which are arranged for rotation about two axes, one offset with respect to the other. The segments are co-operable to pivot in unison about the two axes in order to direct light to the focal region.    A light energy receiving medium is generally positioned in the focal region. Pref. the segments are half parabolic in shape and lie in a plane which is parallel to the directrix of the parabola and which passes through the parabolas focus. Pref. the sides of the segments are curved. The energy is absorbed by a pipe, painted black, and carrying a heat transfer fluid along a focal point of each of the various segments to absorb the maximum amount of light.
The positioning of a parabolic reflector (1), used as a solar collector or satellite communications receiver, is controlled by rotation of the reflector support (2) round a vertical axis (ZZ1) and tilting of the reflector in its support about a horizontal axis (XX1). The reflector (1) is carried in a frame (2) which is free to pivot about a horizontal shaft. The horizontal shaft is fixed to a horizontal plate (4) carried on a vertical shaft (ZZ1) inside a vertical column (5) mounted in the ground.    A bi-directional electric motor rotates the vertical shaft and controls the azimuth angle while the elevation angle is controlled by a second electric motor (19), pivoted (22) from the reflector frame (2), rotating a threaded rod (20). The rod passes through an internally threaded hole in a pivot (23), mounted on a bracket (26) attached to the horizontal disc (14).
The plant includes a set of floating vanes transmitting the surface wave motion to respective accumulation pumps via a cable and pulley system. The pumps are supported by the sea bed and are coupled to the end of a supply channel of a common reservoir located above sea level for pumping the sea water up into the latter. The reservoir is in turn coupled to a water turbine driving an electricity generator, both of which are supported by a further float for using the difference in level due to the tide.    Pref. two floats are coupled to their respective accumulator pumps so that each float acts as the counterweight for the other, providing a self-balancing system. The plant combines the action of the wave motion and tidal motion to obtain the benefits of each.
The collector includes a lens system for concentrating sun beams and a beam receiving system for introducing the sun beams being concentrated into an optical-conductor cable. The lens system comprises a number (N) of Fresnel lenses (1,1...) each formed in the shape of a hexagon, namely N= 3n(n+1) Fresnel lenses (1,1...) are disposed around one Fresnel lens (1) so that each side of the one Fresnel lens positioned in the centre of the lens system adjoins to one side of each of the respective surrounding Fresnel lenses (1,1...), in a concentric-circular relationship where (n) stands for a natural number. The sun beam receiving system comprises a number of sun beam focusing members (2,2...) spaced rearward of the lens system. The sun beam receiving member (2) respectively corresponds to each of the Fresnel lenses (1).    The lens system and the receiving system are integrated with each other. Pref. a transparent plastics spherical capsule (13) is provided in which the lens system together with the receiving system are hermetically sealed.
In a hydrothermal, geothermal, binary Rankine cycle power plant, the primary fluid for the power plant is supplied from a heat source which can include one or more geothermal brine reservoirs. Fluid heated in the heat exchanger is passed through the turbine driving a generator. A device condenses, or in some cases sub-cools, the working fluid which is then pressurised by a pump before returning it to the heat exchanger. In order to maximise the energy conversion efficiency the preferred turbine inlet operating region (48) is bounded by the critical pressure line (41), the line of constant specific volume (54), the constant specific volume line (52) and the critical temperature line (34).    The method of maximising efficiency includes selecting the fluid to have a vapour saturation boundary, at least in part, parallel to the condition of fluid expanding in the turbine and also so that there is dry expansion of fluid in the turbine.
The energy installation consists of a number of symmetrically spaced lattice masts (1) on each of which a tarpaulin shaped sheet (2) to reflect the suns rays, is supported by tension ropes (3). Stabilising weights (4) are arranged in the interior of the installation, and at the upper end of each mast, at the focal point of the reflector, is an energy collector (5) above which, a wind generator can be mounted if required. The reflector tarpaulins (2) are adjusted during construction to form a mathematically correct parabola, by setting the correction weights (4), which also act as stabilisers.    The entire reflector surface can be used for solar collection, and in spite of the variable angle of incidence of the suns rays, is able to exploit the available solar energy. This energy is transferred from the solar collector by a conventional water or sodium heat exchanger, the installation being partic. effective in areas subject to long periods of solar activity e.g. in the equatorial regions.
The solar collector with continuous circuit and/or forced circulation has a collector proper with a top guard (A) and air spaces underneath (B), together with a sheet of dendritic copper or material of similar properties, insulating material (E), and an air collector cowl (F).    A separate continuous and/or forced circulation unit comprises a fan with cowl and heat exchanger. The collector can be covered with plexiglass, plastic or other transparent material giving protection from the weather.
The self-contained electrical generating device is positioned in a naturally flowing stream. The generating device converts the kinetic energy generated by fluid flow or gravity contained within the flowing stream whether river or ocean current into useful electric energy using blade configuration and placement to maximise the usable energy. The generating device also uses an auxiliary device to increase the rate of flow of the fluid by the blades of the generator thus increasing the energy capable of conversion. The rotor and the stator are located radially outwardly from the rotating hub of the generating system and are supported by spoke like legs thus greatly reducing any resistance to water flow, minimising the disturbance to the flowing stream and maximising the relative linear velocity between the rotor and the stator.
The solar tracking apparatus comprises a base pivotably mounted with respect to a pivot axis, with two chambers mounted to the base in counterbalancing relationship with respect to the pivot axis. A conduit connects the chambers for transfer to fluid therebetween.    A volatile fluid is disposed in the chambers for transfer therebetween and a shading arrangement is provided for controlling the degree to which each of the chambers is exposed to the sun such that a differential vapor pressure is created therebetween in dependence on the position of the sun. The arrangement causes a predetermined transfer of fluid between the chambers so as to change the proportion of the fluid disposed within each of the chambers and cause the base to pivot into a predetermined orientation with respect to the position of the sun.
The satellite is equipped with symmetrical deployable solar panels (17,18) whose folding axes (19a) are parallel to its longitudinal axis (15). The apogee motor places it in an intermediate transfer orbit (3) in which it is stabilised about three axes. The power required in this orbit and for injection into a final geostationary orbit is obtd. from exposure of symmetrical portions of panel corresp. to each of two photovoltaic generators. Full deployment is commanded only when the apogee motor has ceased to operate.    Special sun sensors (20) may be used to counteract loss of performance with the major axis of the transfer orbit inclined at 15 deg. or more to the direction of the sun.
The direction sensor has a cylindrical body (1) with a non-transparent flange around the inside of its upper end. A photosensor (5) is mounted on the outside of the flange. At least one pair of photosensors (4X1,4X2) are placed on the inner bottom surface of the cylinder, arranged symmetrically about its axis. The inner edges of the photosensors on the base, w.r.t. the cylinder's axis, are aligned with the inner periphery of the flange.    When the cylinder's axis is in line with incident sunlight the light is not directly incident on the base-mounted photosensors, and they produce an output in accordance with indirectly incident radiation. By feeding the outputs to a differential amplifier and motor control circuit, the cylinder is directed towards the sun. The flange-mounted photosensor detects absence of sunlight to inhibit tracking.
The compressed air generator has a float pivoted to a floating artificial island and coupled to a cylinder attached at the opposite end to an oscillating pivot element. The motion of the latter is transferred directly or indirectly to at least one high pressure compression cylinder. The working spaces of each compression cylinder are coupled to high pressure stores and low pressure stores within the artificial island.    The pivot element comprises a hollow pivot beam supported at its centre and partially filled with liquid, with one end of at least one high pressure compression cylinder secured to each of its ends, the other end of each compression cylinder attached to the artificial island. The generated compressed air can be used to operate current generators.
Wave orbiting energy is transformed to forward moving energy, when an adjustable ramp in a flotation system is positioned at a predetermined water depth to produce a breaker, which rotates a vane from the vertical to the horizontal plane in a curved passageway, before returning to the water line. The vane is coupled to an electric generator which produces a pulsating D.C. voltage to drive an electrolytic cell which produces hydrogen. The pulsation of the hydrogen flow is smoothed in an accumulator.    Mfd. hydrogen is used for conventional purposes. Being located at sea, the equipment is independent of a land connection. The intermittent nature of wave energy is no deterrent in the conversion process. The prodn. of a breaker ensures the max. extn. of energy.
The ring opening polymerisation of norbornene type monomer (I) is carried out in the presence of a hydrocarbon diluent, a catalyst and dispersant (II) to form polymer particles dispersed in the diluent of size smaller than polymer particles prepd. in the absence of (II). The diluent is a solvent for (I) but a non-solvent for the polymer particles. (II) is an unsatd. elastomer soluble in the diluent and having a double bond in the backbone or pendant gp.    The dispersed polymer particles do not settle out in the diluent immediately after agitation has stopped.. None or very little polymer build up occurs on the inner walls of the reactor of a polymerisation carried out in absence of (II). Polymer uses include solar panels, electronic parts potting, and parabolic dishes for microwave receivers.
Electroconductive compsn. is produced by (i) adding (1) metal salt, soluble in amide solvent, pyrrolidone deriv. of water, to (2) a soln. of heat-resistant high molecule intermediate having at least a nitrogen-, oxygen- or sulphur-contg. hetero ring; and (ii) heat-treating the mixt. at 120-320 deg.C in air or gaseous atmos. and then at 700-1000 deg.C under vacuum or inert gas.    The compsn. is used for electroconductive film, absorption film for solar energy-collector, anticorrosive electrode material, sensor material, and as a magnetic recording medium. (2) includes polyamic acid intermediate dissolved in amide solvent, polythiazole intermediate soln., benzimidazole intermediate soln. Heat-resistant high molecule is obtd. from the intermediate soln. by coating base material with the soln., drying the solvent and heating the coating at 180-320 deg.C. (1) includes, e.g. salt of Fe, Co, Ni (Gp.VIII), Ti, Cr, Mn etc.
Composite mirror is made by bonding a sheet of glass with a reflective coating to a support sheet of impermeable material, then placing the sheet in a mould so that a slab of rigid foam can be moulded to support and bond to the backing sheet. The pressure of the developing foam is used to make the composite mirror conform to a curved surface lining the mould. The foam support is pref. of closed cell polyurethane resin having a density of 60-80 kg/m3, a compressive strength of 50-200 N/cm2 at 10% compression, and 30-55 mm thick. Pref. the glass and steel are bonded with epoxy resin.    Used esp. for making large mirrors, e.g. 1 x 3 m, in complementary sets for heliostats, to obtain a relatively high strength/wt. ratio, to minimise the inertia to be overcome to maintain relative alignment of the sun and the receiver.
The mirror includes a flexible front foil (a) made of a vitreous material and provided with a reflecting layer (b) on its rear surface. The rear surface of foil (a) is also bonded by a water-tight adhesive to a first dorsal or backing foil (c) which is flexible and impermeable. The foil assembly (abc) is joined by foil (c) to the peaks of a second, profiled dorsal foil (d) to form a flexible assembly (a-d).    Foil (a) is pref. glass, max. 1.5mm thick and pref. 0.6-1.0mm thick Foil (c) is pref. made of glass or metal, whereas the profiled foil (d) is pref. made of metal. The metal foils are pref. 0.5-1.5mm thick and made of steel, Al or an Al alloy. The mirror assembly is pref. flat if not stressed.    The mirror can be bent to a desired radius of curvature for use in a heliostat or for collecting solar energy, and the invention also uses details described in GB2042761.
Reflector body of the type used in electromagnetic etc. wave transmission engineering and in solar energy engineering has a surface approximating to a section of a paraboloid of rotation and is designed to overcome the high costs involved in earlier models for the tensioning ring and the necessity of maintaining a minimum differential pressure.    Thus, the intermediate space between the two membranes stretched tightly in a tensioning device is filled with a single- or multi-phase curing material, pref. a synthetic resin material, or a foamed resin, that is made to flow during equal deformation of the two membranes and the resultant differential pressure, and then hardened by subsequent deformation of the membranes to form a rigid, compound body comprising the membranes and the filler that retains its shape after removal of the differential pressure and which can be then released from the tensioning device.
Laminated reflecting panel comprises at least one sheet of glass of thickness below 2 mm. having a reflecting coating on its rear face, laminated to a backing sheet of glass which is thicker than the (each) mirror. The backing sheet is pref. float glass of a thickness above 4(5-4) mm. The (each) mirror is fixed to the face of the backing sheet which has been in contact with the molten metal bath during floatation. The mirror sheet is made from drawn glass.    The reflecting panels may be used for solar reflectors. By making the mirror thin, the proportion of incident energy absorbed is minimised. The backing plate being behind the silvering of the mirror does not absorb solar energy directly.
A substrate is coated with a black metal oxide film from an electroplating soln. contg. 44oz/gallon Co sulphate; 6 oz/ gallon Co chloride, and 5oz/gallon boric acid; pH 1-6(pref. 3.5), at 115 deg.C., by (a) adding oxidising agent to the soln., pref. H2O2, esp. 10ml 30% H2O2/1; (b) mounting a substrate in the soln. as cathode; and (c) electrodepositing Co from the soln. onto the cathode substrate at a current density of 40A/ft2 substrate, while simultaneously oxidising the Co. The Co may be (partly) replaced by Ni, Cr and/or Mn.    The coated substrate is useful as a solar collector, for solar heating panels. It has high absorbance in the visible range, and layer is absorbent and adherent to over 1200 deg.F. It is pref. plated onto a low emittance substrate to provide the desired combination of high visible absorbance, low infrared emittance. The substrate is prepd. more economically than conventional electroplating methods.
Light-collecting systems consisting of polymers are dyed, esp. with fluorescent dyes, by diffusion of dye into the pre-formed polymer article. The polymer is esp. polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethylene or cellulose acetate. The dye is diffused from (1) soln., or (2) gas phase.    (1) The dye, e.g. 3-acetylperylene, is dissolved in a solvent which is inert to the polymer, e.g. methanol, and the polymer part is immersed in the soln. At room temp. the penetration of 3-acetylperylene into PMMA from methanol soln. is about 2 mm after 1 week. The diffusion depends on the solvent, e.g. tert. butylated rubicen does not diffuse into PMMA from a pentane soln., but has the same diffusion rate as 3-acetylperylene from a methanol soln.    The polymers are used in light-concentrating and light-conducting systems. The dye is not thermally or chemically stressed. Aged samples can be redyed. Dyed polymers can be dyed with a second colour. The polymer can be dyed locally. A colour concn. profile e.g. to form layers, can be obtd. by choice of diffusion conditions. The surface of the polymer is not attacked.
The collector consists of a box or vessel filled with MoS2 powder in which a tube is embedded; and a heat transfer medium such as water is circulated through the tube. The MoS2 absorbs heat from solar rays and transfers the heat to the water or other medium. One pref. appts. uses a parabolic mirror to direct solar rays through the window of a box with an opaque base. The box is filled with MoS2 contg. a flat serpentine coil through which water or another heat transfer medium is circulated. Another appts. uses a cylindrical vessel filled with MoS2 contg. a helical coil in which water can be boiled by solar heat.    The MoS2 is stable at up to 175 deg.C with peaks of 240 deg.C Even with weak sunlight it can heat water up to ca. 100 deg.C.
A geothermal fluid comprising steam and water is supplied to a rotor via an axial bore and is discharged from nozzles on the perimeter of the rotor to produce a turbine effect. Preferably a conical element is located in the path of the feed fluid and together with the centrifugal force of the rotor separates the steam and water fractions of the fluid. The water is directed to one set of nozzles closer to the shaft axis than a set of steam nozzles.    Each of the nozzles faces tangentially and aerofoil vanes within the rotor deflect radially moving feed liquid to the nozzles. The apparatus is a turbine for generating rotary power from a geothermal fluid.
A desalination appts. is mounted on a raft which is tethered to a submerged anchor by wires. These wires are connected to the pistons of pumps which discharge sea water into a pressurised reservoir as a result of wave action on the raft. Sea water from the reservoir is fed to a reverse osmosis plant which generates pure water.    A control assembly measures characteristics of the raft and wave energy to regulate the pressure in the reservoir. Excess pressurised sea water is passed through a turbine which generates electricity.    The appts. generates pure water and electrical power. The control system ensures that the reverse osmosis unit is operating at max. efficiency and excess energy from the waves is used to generate electricity.
Wind energy is converted to H2 by (a) continuously propelling a sailing vessel on the ocean on a downwind course, using the wind; (b) during the downwind course, using mechanical power generated by a water-driven, outboard-mounted propeller to operate a DC generator; (c) conducting generated electricity to a water electrolyser; and (d) collecting H2 from the electrolyser and storing as an alloy metal hydride.    The generation appts. comprises (a) the vessel; (b) the propeller, generator, electrolyser and contained metal alloy, together with linkages and an H2 conduit contg. a gas compresser, carried by the vessel;(c) a sail carried by the vessel, connected to ether lines; (d) a power winch for mechanically easing and retracting the ether lines when the sail is aloft; and (e) a lighter than air balloon capable of carrying the sail aloft, attached to the sail.    The generation appts. has a lower estimated capital cost than windmills and would generally be more easily serviced. Operating in 20 knot winds, a 75 ft. vessel could carry 100000 ft.s2 sail, aided by a balloon, generating 1 MW, for which 10ft. 3 storage space per 24 hr. conversion is reqd. Purified seawater can be used for electrolysis water.
A self-propelled iceberg comprses a devce for converting the potential energy associated wth the iceberg into kinetic energy, and a device using this kinetic energy to propel the iceberg. At least a portion of the potential energy is gravitational energy and this is converted into kinetic energy by means of water jets.    Pref. the thermal gradient between the iceberg and surrounding water is used to power a heat cycle engine which is also used for propulsion.    The iceberg may be moved from Antarctic waters to regions of the world requiring a fresh water supply where it can be melted under controlled conditions. The preferred type of iceberg is the tabular type.
A system for power generation includes a cavity beneath the earth's surface. The cavity contains energy at very high temps. which heats fractured rock surrounding the cavity. At least one passage connects the heated rock with a station at or just below the earth's surface. Material is conveyed down the passage to the rock zone.    The arrangement is intended for the conversion of waste material into useful power, esp. using nuclear explosives to initiate an energy producing reaction. The process is said to be efficient, cheap, safe, convenient and non-polluting.
A device for capturing and converting light or thermal energy comprises a transparent casing, which constitutes the primary side of a heat exchanger and contains a liquid which itself contains fluorescent molecules; the light or other radiation falling on the container acts on the fluorescent molecules to produce light which is totally reflected and/or refracted inside the hollow container and is discharged at an opening to be converted directly into electrical energy. Preferably, the light leaving the opening is received on a solar cell or on a thermocouple for producing electrical energy. Preferred material for the casing is a polyacryl ester resin.    This device enables energy to be effectively converted and directed towards an electrical source. Heat produced in the refraction and reflection within the hollow container serves to heat up the liquid, and is therefore utilised in the heat transfer circuit.
The solar heater has concentrator (1) and heat pipe (2) placed along its axis. To increase the max. heat transfer ability, the concentrator is conical and the heat pipe is coaxial. The heat pipe is provided with a rotation drive (3) and its inner wall (4) has a rectangular cross section spiral slot (5). Central channel (6) limited by wall (4) is connected to heating media supply and removal pipes (7,8). The heat pipe (2) outer wall is covered with heat absorbing layer (9).    The solar heating is additionally provided with an annular collecting lens (10). During gaseous media heating heat pipe (2) inner wall (4) surface on the central channel (6) side is covered with heat conducting capilliary-porous material (11). The heating media supply pipe (7) has a tangential section (12) provided with atomiser (13) for high boiling point liq. injection. Bul.28/30.7.81
Bevelled parabolic concentrator adjusting station contg. a setting surface (1), tangential to the curve of face (2), and a flat mirror (3) is simplified for use in adjusting mainly large concentrators in helio technology. The artificial source of radiation (4) and reflected beam analyser (5) are made free to move along a straight line through the centre of rotation (A) of an additional mirror (6).    The setting surface and additional mirror have corresp. readout units (7,8). The position of the additional mirror and source defines y co-ordinates, given that the centre of a rectangular frame of reference is at the centre of rotation of the setting surface. The face (2) is adjusted by the additional mirror.    The source radiation is reflected from the additional mirror onto the faces (2) which reflect a parallel beam onto mirror (3). It is returned and concentrated by the faces. Adjustment entails correction of the position of the surface (1) until an analyser flash coincides with the focal point. The guide (9) is set at a characteristic height for the source, analyser and additional mirror. Bul.28/30.7.81.
The mechanism which converts light thermal energy to the mechanical has plates secured to the rotor made from ferro-rhodium alloy and a light lens (7) located in the body's (1) window (2) to increase its speed and power. The body contains a rotor (3,4) passed between the magnet (5). The Fe-Rh plates (6) are fixed to the rotor's periphery.    In the ambient conditions, the plates are not attracted. When the conc. light from the lens heats the plates to 70 deg.C., they are transferred to the ferromagnetic condition and attracted by the magnet. Consequently, the rotor is pulled around.
A solar distillation appts. comprises an enclosed shell having a heating element mounted within it. A light focussing system is supported by the shell for focussing solar radiation onto the heating element. The solar radiation is detected and a control system orients the light focussing system with the path of the sun. Water to be purified is introduced into the vicinity of the heating element to vapourise it within the shell. The inner surface of the shell acts as a condenser.    The heating element can be cleaned and reshaped. A tracking system orients the light focussing system so as to be incident with the solar radiation.    Used for purifying either salt water or contaminated fresh water.
The structure has p- and n-type semiconductor elements (2, 3). This improves the versatility of the heat tube, which can be used in aircraft and autonomous appts. for production of electrical power.    When heat is brought to the body (1), the heat-carrier filling the space in the body evaporates and the vapours move up the central part of the body free of heat elements towards the cap (9), where the vapours condense. The condensate returns via the porous semiconductor elements (2, 3) by capillary attraction. The use of the p- and n-type semiconductor elements causes the heat tube to act as a low-voltage generator, with a number of possible applications. Bul. 24/30.6.81.
The heat pipe described in the Parent Cert. can be used for long distance heat transfer with small temp. drop. The heat pipe has a gas-tight body (1) with porous capillary filler on its inner surface, divided into sections (2,3 and 4) by baffles (5 and 6). The baffles are made as thermoelectric batteries whose cold junction commutation plates are directed towards the condensation zone and whose hot junction commutation plates are directed towards the evapn. zone.    In order to control the thermal current value, one of the thermal batteries is connected, as a detector, to thermal batteries electric feed control block (7) inlet. The control block (7) has a controller (8) with programmed control, whose outlet is bridged by resistor (9) and is connected to the block amplifier (10) successively with thermal battery (6) outlet. Bul. 24/30.6.81.
A solar energy collector comprises (a) a solar absorptive film contg. 50-90 (pref. 55-65, esp. 60) wt.% Ag, 9-49.9 (pref. 34.3-44.7), esp. 39.5)% Cu oxide, and 0.1-1.0 (pref. 0.3-0.7, esp. 0.5) % Rh oxide; (b) a substrate of quartz, SiO2, glass, or metal contg. Cr and Fe; and (c) a CeO2 interlayer, pref. 0.1-2.0 micron thick, between the substrate and the solar absorptive film.    Pref., the substrate is a metal contg. major amts. Cr, Fr, Ni, minor amts. Mn, Al, Nb, Ti; or contg. major amts. of Cr and Fe and minor amts. Al and Y or minor amts. Al and Co; or its is quartz of SiO2 glass. The absorber has high solar adsorptance above 0.9 at 500 deg.C., low thermal emittance less than 0.1, which is stable to 700 hrs., and is resistant to degradation at 300-600 deg.C., the CeO2 preventing Ag migration and crystallisation. It is much cheaper than known Au film absorbers.
Appts. for increasing the velocity of water or liqs. contg. water consists of a structure positioned in the water path or liq. flow. The water flows at a variable velocity as a result of relative movement between the water and the structure.    The structure has at least one side wall which is longitudinally curved from a diverting point at its outer end to a gradually flattened curve at its inner end. Thus a vertical plane through the edges of the wall is more perpendicular to the flow path with the curvature of the wall continuous from its outer to its inner end. The wall is also transversely curved from a planar surface at its outer end to a curvature approaching circular at its inner end.    The appts. can be adapted so that is can be used for generating electrical energy from wave action; tidal action or uni-directional water flow or a combination of these forces. Also, it can be used to separate oil from water.
Energy producing appts. in which electrochemical conversion of liq. to gas is effected to produce rotary mechanical power comprises an imbalance wheel mounted for energy producing rotation about a horizontal axis to provide a lower half wheel portion below the axis and an upper half wheel portion above the axis. The wheel is rotationally balanced and has two peripherally located circumferentially distributed electrochemical cell zones to which liq. is supplied for conversion to gas.    In the lower cell zone liq. is converted to gas and collected in a collection space in the zone. This conversion of a portion of the liq. to gas creates an imbalance in the wheel sufficient to cause energy producing rotation in addn. to the prodn. of gas.    Cheap electrical power, e.g. derived from solar energy, may be used to operate the appts. The wheel may also be provided with an amative coil to generate electricity.
The photoelectrolysis of an electrolyte is described which is effected by shining light onto an electrolyte containing very small solar cell elements dispersing in the electrolyte. The solar cell element contains at least two layers consisting of first layer composed of intrinsic amorphous silicon, having a life time of carrier at least 10 power (-7) sec., an average localised carrier density in a forbidden band max. 10 power (-17)/cc. and a carrier mobility at least 10 power (-3) cm2/V.sec., or N type amorphous silicon produced by doping N type impurity into the intrinsic amorphous silicon, and second layer on an active region of the first layer which produces potential barrier against the active region.    The electrolysis is of an electrolyte where a very high electrolysing voltage is required e.g. hydrochloric aq. soln. for prodn. of hydrogen gas and a chlorine contg. aq. soln.
The substrate (10) may itself be non-metallic e.g. of glass, plastics or ceramic but is provided with a metallised film (11). The preferred dielectric material is magnesium fluoride which is co-deposited with silver, aluminium, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, molybdenum, tungsten or stainless steel.    The co-deposition of the metal and dielectric material is controlled so as to increase the concentration of the metal in the semiconductive coating as a function of the distance from the outer surface towards the substrate. The dielectric material concentration varies inversely as the metal. The resulting semiconductive coating has a graded energy gap value which extends from a relatively high value adjacent the coating outer surface to a relatively low value adjacent the substrate.    The coating has a relatively low emissivity at normal operating temperatures.
The installation has series connected both for chlorella algae growing bath, fan, and gas-air mixer which gives economic operation. It also includes mounted on one shaft (1) a compressor (2), expander (3), turbine (4) and an air compressor (5). They are connected into the system which includes a heat exchanger (10), a chlorella growing bath (11), a blower (12) and an air cooled condenser (14) with a distillate receiver (15). Bul. 16/30.4.81.
A coated article is claimed comprising a photo labile substrate contg. a coating of an addition polymerised copolymer of a monomer mixt. comprising (a) an acrylic ester of formula CH:C(R1)-COOR2 in which R1 is H or 1-6C alkyl and R2 is 1-6C alkyl; and (b) 0.1-5% of a hydroxy-benzophenone of formula (I) in which R3, R4, R5, R3', R4' and R5' are H, OR6 or Z where R6 is (m)ethyl or propyl and Z is -(CH2)m-CH=CH2 where m is 1 or 2 and at least one but no more than two of Re, R4, R5, R3', R4' and R5' are Z. In a pref. system, R1 and R2 are methyl, R3 is Z and at least one of R4 and R4' are alkoxy esp. where R3', R5 and R5' are H and R4 and R4' are both methoxy, and m=1.    The addn. copolymers of (a) and (b) are claimed in parent patent (08041 E/04), and may be cast into hard, weather resistant, transparent films which exhibit strong absorption throughout the UV range present in sunlight at ground level. The coating is e.g. 1mm-1cm thick and is esp. useful as a protective coating on photovoltaic solar cells, and solar reflectors.
The system uses the combined effects of solar and wind energy utilised in raising water from a lower to an upper water storage tank to increase its potential energy for generation of electricity. Incoming solar energy heats water to form steam which is temporarily stored. The stored steam is vented to one of two steam storage tanks from which it is coupled to two water pumping tanks. When the water enters one of the water pumping tanks, it forces the water temporarily stored there to flow up the first steam storage tank. As soon as the water pumping tank is emptied, the steam condenses forming a partial vacuum in the tank.    The vacuum causes water to be drawn from the lower water storage tank into the corresponding water pumping tank and the process repeated. The second water pumping tank is filled while the first water storage tank is emptied. Water flowing from the first water storage tank turns an electrical generator. Wind energy is also used to raise water from the second water storage tank to the first water storage tank to increase the available energy. When excess electrical energy is available, it is used to electrolyze water into hydrogen and oxygen which are stored for later burning during periods when insufficient wind and solar energy are available.
A substrate coated with Ni-P alloy having an ultra-black surface is claimed. The blackness is a result of a surface morphology consisting of a dense array of microscopic pores etched into the surface. The surface has a spectral reflectance of approx. 0.5-1.0% at wavelengths of 320-2140 nm. The pores are conical, with dia. and spacing such that there is no Ni-P alloy land area between pores.    The substrate is prepd. by cleaning and/or activating, immersing in an electroless plating soln. so that a Ni-P layer contg. 3.7-12.2 wt.% P is obtd. then removing, washing and drying the substrate. The coated substrate may be etched by immersing in aq. nitric acid soln. at 20-100 deg. C for 5 secs. to 5 mins. After etching, the coated substrate is quickly rinsed in tap water, distilled or de-ionised water, and/or ethyl alcohol and dried.    The coated substrate is useful as a solar energy collector, the surface morphology providing extremely high light absorption capacity. The coating is not formed electrolytically and so can be deposited on a wider range of substrates, e.g. metals, ceramics, glass and plastics.
Process comprises advancing the substrate through a sputtering chamber in a direction counter to that of a flow of reactive gas so that the proportion of reactive gas constituent in the coating increases relative to the metal constituent proportion in the coating as the thickness of the coating increases.    The process is esp. useful for applying a graded solar selective surface coating (including metal-carbide, metal-oxide, metal- nitride and metal-silicide coatings) onto a substrate for use in solar collectors.
The absorber consists of a substrate made of Al or its alloys; and the substrate has a surface (a) which is finely roughened by electrolytic etching using a.c. Surface (a) is pref. covered by a selective black layer (b). The substrate is pref. a foil strip fed continuously through an etching bath using a.c. with a frequency of 10-300 Hz. Two or more etching treatments may be used, each with different etching parameters. The etched surface (a) pref. has burrs, and pits with an average dia. corresp. with the wavelength of the solar energy. Layer (b) is pref. an oxide; and is obtd. esp. by anodising, or by sputtering.    Economic mass prodn. of absorbers with excellent properties.
Various processes and appts. improvements relating to screw expanders of the type used to generate power from geothermal fluids are claimed. One process involves the addn. of a scale inducing agent to the fluid to cause scale deposition in the expander. Another process comprises regulating the addn. of a scale-forming agent to a helical screw expander in response to the efficiency at which the expander is operating.    ne appts. improvement comprises a container from which a fluid can be pumped via a conduit into the piping conveying the fluid from the geothermal source to the expander. Another appts. improvement comprises means for injecting a scale-inducing agent into the fluid stream immediately upstream of the expander.    Inducing scale deposition in the expander improves its efficiency by forming a seal between its moving surfaces and inhibiting corrosion, esp. in cases where a scale inhibitor has been added to prevent plugging of downhole piping.
A radiant energy conversion system comprises (a) a thermally insulated storage container, pref. spherical; (b) energy storage material within the container, having a thermal conductivity over 0.4184 W/mK (0.1 cal/cm2/cm/deg.C./s); a latent heat of fusion over 4.184 kJ (1kcal)/mole; and an m.pt. not less than 960 deg.C, pref. over 1027 deg.C; (c) an energy input and (d) an energy output.    Pref. the energy input includes a radiant-to-thermal energy converter. The output pref. includes a thermal-to-selected optical energy wavelength band converter, esp. a thermal-to-radiant energy emitter coupled to a selected photon energy transmitter, esp. a bandpass filter. The filter is coupled to a photovoltaic converter. The energy storage material is pref. Fe, Si, Mn, Cr or Ti, esp. maintained at its m.pt.    Process uses an intermittent energy source, e.g. solar energy, industrial waste heat, to provide a continuous output, esp. electrical. Efficiency is improved by efficient input and storage, and output only at desired wavelengths. A sphere 10 in.dia. can storage in 8 hr. sufficient energy to supply a 373 W (1/2 horsepower) motor for 24 hr. using a 100cm side concentrator and a photovoltaic output device of 14 cm side.
Energy is recovered from geothermal fluids by arranging an injection well within a prodn. well in a geothermal formation and injecting relatively cool pressurised hydrocarbon working fluid through the injection well into the formation.    Hot pressurised working fluid is withdrawn from the annulus and is treated through separating, flashing, work expanding, condensing and compressing stages to provide pressurised working fluid contg. CO2 which is injected into the injection well.    Used for prodn. of electrical energy by direct contact heat exchange between a working fluid and hot geothermal brine within a geothermal formation. The injection of working fluid contg. CO2 prevents deposition of CaCO3 in the well and increases the net power output per well.
A device for converting hydromechanical energy into electrical energy comprises metallised piezo electric high polymer foil; the foil is wound into a cable, clamps are attached to its ends for the fixing of electrical terminals and mechanical holding devices, and one end of the cable is anchored on the sea bed while the other end is attached to a float.    The movement of the float under the action of waves stretches the cable and produces electrical charges, which generate electricity due to the capacitance of the foil. The electricity is used for charging an accumulator.    A cable of adjustable length may be connected between the top of the generator cable and the float, and the length of this adjustable cable is automatically varied by a servo motor to give the highest output voltage.
The fuel cell uses the flue gases as part of its fuel and is incorporated into an industrial installation which can provide the carbon rich flue gases and the hydrogen rich process waste gases required for fuel, and can additionally employ the energy obtained from a gas turbine driven by the exhaust gases from the fuel cell. The cell has anode and cathode chambers with an electrolyte containing dissolved carbonates circulating between the chambers.    Combustion inside the fuel cell generates electricity, while the hot waste gases are passed through a heat exchanger and/or through a gas turbine, some of whose output drives pumps and compressors on the fuel supply side.
The fuel cell has cells formed from flat electrodes in contact with an electrolyte and with two chemical reagents, and is constructed so that arrays of cells are connected electrically in parallel and linked by a common busbar. The parallel groups are linked back to back by an upper and lower bar (7) which, with the flat electrodes (1,1') of neighbouring cell arrays, forms a space (35) containing one of the reagents.    The upper and lower bars (7) have drilled passages to carry the reagent into the inter cell space. Another space (32) is formed between the electrodes of a cell, and a reagent is supplied through passages in the end frame.
The plasma generator has a main discharge chamber with a cathode assembly and an anode assembly at either end. The anode assembly has round its periphery two or more plasma generators each comprising a small chamber with a hole for admission of the plasma forming medium, and electrodes coupled to an electric arc generator. The plasma generator chambers communicate radially with the main chamber.    The cathode assembly is similar in structure and operation to the anode assembly and also has the plasma forming medium injected. The dimensions of the plasma entry holes to the main chamber are critical and are determined by a quoted mathematical function.
A fuel element made with a rigid compressed structure formed by stacking components in the shape of thin plates to produce rectangular bipolar electrodes. The surface is divided into strips (17-26), which runs parallel to one of the sides. Each strip contains parallel rows(27) of small rectilinear segments (28). The segments are at an angle of 45 degrees to the edges of the electrodes.    The electrolyte flows through the elementary networks formed by the strips. The surfaces of the bipolar electrodes are provided with elongated projections, produced from non porous sheets. A semi permeable membrane is placed between the components.
Arrangements are stacks (10) of fuel cells and ducts, for fuel cells operating with separate fuel, oxidant and coolant streams. An even number of stacks are arranged generally end-to-end in a loop. Ducts (66 etc) located at the juncture of consecutive stacks of the loop feed oxidant or fuel to or from the two consecutive stacks, each individual duct communicating with two stacks.    A coolant fluid flows from outside the loop, into and through cooling channels of the stack, and is discharged into an enclosure duct formed within the loop by the stacks and seals at the juncture at the stacks.
The fuel cell is assembled as a stack of e.g. five intermediate hollow sections with an overlying and an underlying hollow terminal section, to which are bonded three collector channels for fuel, electrolyte and combustion aid. Each intermediate section comprises an outer frame and several parallel internal walls projecting alternately upward and downward from between parallel plane conductive porous catalyst-covered plates, which divide the section into compartments on three levels.    The outermost compartments are narrower and have an external projection from the upper plate for electrical connection. Separate passages feed the fuel, electrolyte and combustion aid into respective compartments. Alternatively, the compartments on the central level may be filled with solid electrolyte, rendering the supply channels for electrolyte unnecessary.
The arrangement is for regulating the density of liquids and is applicable to electrolyte in fuel cells. A buoyancy body (8) is fully immersed in the liquid. Its buoyancy force corresponds to the desired density. The position of the body is measured and the density regulated accordingly. The arrangement is improved w.r.t. similar ones to achieve very high accuracy, relative simplicity and compactness.    Buoyancy and downward forces are applied to the body by virtue of a pivot remote from its centre of gravity. Its longitudinal axis (8) is horizontal when in the desired position. The buoyancy body (8) has a point support and its pivotal motion is limited by stops (13,92) which are pref. adjustable. The demand position of the body is detected by an inductive proximity detector (4).
The process reduces electrolyte loss from electrochemical cells, each cell having electrolyte adjacent to a gas diffusion type porous electrode. During operation the electrolyte evaporates into a reactant gas stream flowing through the cell in operable relationship to the electrode and to the electrolyte. The process involves the step of cooling the gas stream in a condensation zone within each cell adjacent to the reactant gas outlet of each cell so as to condense at least some of the electrolyte vapour from the gas stream back into the respective electrode of each cell prior to the gas stream leaving the cell.    The condensed-out electrolyte is redistributed within the cell by diffusion and/or bulk flow within the electrode. The cooling step includes reducing the amount of heat generated by a cell in the condensation zone by preventing the cell electrochemical reaction from occurring in that zone. The cooling step also includes passing all of the reactant gas stream through the pores of a portion of the porous electrode disposed in the condensation zone.
The d.c. source consists of fuel cells or fuel-cell batteries connected in series or in series and parallel. Each cell (or battery) has its own gas supply. Controlled valves are located in the gas supply lines. Same-polarity outputs from the series cells are connected together via diodes or thyristors etc. to a shared bus.    The advantage lies in low acoustic noise (no mechanical switching) and in eliminating the need for extensive power electronics. The d.c. source is especially suitable for ships. The source's power output is controlled by regulating the gas supplied to the individual cells. There is no switching on the output (electrical) side of the cells.
Liquid electrolyte D.C. generator use a throttle from porous hydrophilic material to improve blow through stability. Electrodes (1) and the throttle (8) diameter ratio is 0.1 - 0.5. Reaction gases from the working chamber (2) are displaced to the high pressure chamber (6) and through the throttle (8) pores to the low pressure chamber (7) filled with electrolyte. The gases are finally discharged to atmos. through the compensator (4).    Mechanical particles in the gas stream have no substantial effect on the flow due to the high porosity of the throttle. The low pressure chamber electrolyte level is maintained constant through the tube (9). Bul. 26/15.7.81.
The fuel cell system is comprised of a fuel cell module including sub-stacks of series-connected fuel cells, the sub-stacks being held together in a stacked arrangement with cold plates of a cooling means located between the sub-stacks to function as electrical terminals. The anode and cathode terminals of the sub-stacks are connected in parallel by means of the coolant manifolds which electrically connect selected cold plates. The system may comprise a set of the fuel cell modules connected in series.    The sub-stacks are designed to provide a voltage output equivalent to the desired voltage demand of a low voltage, high current DC load such as an electrolytic cell to be driven by the fuel cell system. This arrangement in conjunction with switching means can be used to drive a DC electrical load with a total voltage output selected to match that of the load being driven. This arrangement eliminates the need for expensive voltage regulation equipment.
The electrochemical cell system is arranged so that the incoming process gas to the cell is provided by combining an amount or flow level of heated process gas outgoing from the cell with a second amount or flow level of fresh supply process gas. These two amounts are adjusted to maintain the cell at a predetermined temperature. The adjustment of the first and second amounts of outgoing heated process gas and fresh supply gas is via a temperature sensitive device which is responsive to the temperature of the heated gas.    A conduit having a passage in communication with the input and output manifolds of the cell and with the source of fresh supply gas is provided. The temperature sensitive device is in the form of a charged bellows whose expansion and contraction controls a damper assembly which effects passage of the first and second amounts of the heated process gas and supply gas through the conduit passage to the cell input manifold.
The device includes electrolyte compartments either in square or rectangular shape with an electrolyte outlet port at each upper corner. Alternatively the compartments are formed in a polygonal shape formed by slanting each half of the upper edge to form an inverted 'V' shape having the outlet port at its apex. If the angle of the slanted edges to the horizontal was say 15 degrees, the cell would be able to be tilted axially by up to 15 degrees from the vertical in either direction without any risk of creating a dead space. Larger slant angles allow correspondingly larger maximum tilt angles.    The slant angle is preferably 30 deg. to the horizontal, thus allowing a maximum of 60 deg. of tilt about the vertical. The sides of the hexagon could be the same length as or different from the length of the slanting edges. Such a configuration would permit of simplicity and economy of materials when stamping out. Gasket-type separators may be stamped ot from a solid sheet.
Uniform gas distribution to the electrodes of a fuel cell stack or battery is used to ensure equal power generation from each electrode pair, or cell. The total path length traversed by gases to and from each electrode is the same, thus equilibrating the pressure drop for each electrode. This is achieved by admitting fuel of oxidant to each electrode from one end of the stack via a pipe or channel in the wall of the stack, and exhausting depleted air or oxidant fom the opposite end of the stack.    The gas in passing to and from each electode, thus traverses a path length equal to the total length of the fuel cell stack.
The wheel-borne load machine is battery-driven, and comprises a load unit at its front end, a battery complex at its rear end, together with a lifting device for a battery complex. The battery lift arrangement comprises a pivoting lift frame which has a horizontal location arrangement and is pivotted by a hydraulic cylinder unit.
The storage system has a hydrogen fuel cell to which hydrogen evaporating from the liquid-hydrogen storage tank is passed. The fuel cell converts this evaporated hydrogen into electrical energy which is then used to cool the storage tank. The energy produced drives a refrigerator that cools the radiation shield around the storage tank.    If the liquid hydrogen is being used as fuel for a vehicle then a part of the electrical energy derived from the evaporated hydrogen is used to recharge the vehicle's battery. The refrigerator may be thermoelectric or a linearly-oscillating Stirling engine.
The calorific value of an H2-contg. fuel gas is increased in passing the gas to a fuel cell, in which at least part of the H2 is electrochemically oxidised to produce electrical energy and from which the constituents which are not oxidised are removed together with any H2 which may not have been oxidised.    Electrochemical H2 oxidn. is more energy-efficient in converting fuel gases to town-gas grade than catalytic methanation (where town-gas grade is defined by the min. values: HCV= 17.58 MJ/cubic m, Wobbe index= 23.86 MJ/cubic m, specific gravity= 0.4).
A potassium pased cpd. (I) is claimed which is a white powder of fine granular structure comprising more than 60 wt.% up to 95 wt.% beta-double-prim. alumina. The cpd. is prepd. by mixing together cpds. of Na, K and/or Mg and Al sulphate, dissolving them in water, atomising the soln., freezing the spray and freeze drying and calcining the particles formed.    Cpd. (I) is pref. of formula K+-beta"-Al2O3. It is esp. prepd. by mixing together (by wt.) 1-3% Na2CO3, 8.2-11.5% K2CO3, 2.0% MgSO4 and 85.2-86.9 Al2(SO4)3, forming a soln., atomising it, freezing and freeze drying at 195.8 deg.C or below, pref. in liquid nitrogen.    The potassium of the cpd. (I) can readily be exchanged for hydroxonium ions to form hydroxonium beta-double-prim. alumina (II) which is useful as a proton conductor in fuel cells. (II) is obtained in polycrystalline form which is preferred for fuel cell use and which is difficult to obtain by other methods.
Electrode comprises (a) an electroconductive substrate; and (b) a catalytic layer formed on the surface of the substrate. The catalytic layer, is of a Pt-Rh compsn. contg. 5-20 mol.% Rh.    Electrode is useful in the electrolytical oxidn. of ethanol to convert the chemical energy of ethanol into electric energy. The catalytic electrode retains its activity for a long period.    In an example, a butanol soln.contg. H2PtCl6.6H2O and RhCl3.4H2O was applied to the surface of an electroconductive substrate such as a valve metal or nickel. The applied soln. was dried and heated to form the Pt-Rh compsn. as a thermal decompsn. prod. on the surface of the substrate. This treatment is pref. repeated 5-10 times to obtain a catalytic layer having a thickness of 0.2-20 microns.
An electrical device includes a conductor of H cations, comprising a pressed body of insol. metal (oxy)hydroxide and water, where for every 4 metal ats., at least 1 molecule of water (pref. at least 4 and less than 20) is present in addition to the number in the formula of the most hydrated (oxy)hydroxide of the metal. The metal (oxy)hydroxide is in the form of particles having an average particle size less than 500 (pref. less than 50)Angstrom, as deduced from X-ray line-widths. The pressed body is pref. sealed from the atmos. esp. under compressive stress.    The metal of the (oxy)hydroxide is pref. selected so that an ion exchanger made of the pressed body exchanges only cations, or only anions, regardless of pH, esp. a lanthamide, a gp. IIA element, In or Sb.    The H cation conductor is useful in a fuel cell, an electrochromic cell, or a moisture meter. It may also function as an ion selective electrode, in e.g. a water electrolyser.
A liq. fuel cell has an anode of electroconductive porous material, supporting an electrode catalyst, and having a 3-dimensional reticular structure, with all pores connected together. The pore size is sufficient to retain a mixt. of electrolyte and liq. fuel within the anode. pref. 0.1-4 mm average pore size, porosity 85-98%; and the anode thickness is sufficient to support the necessary amt. electrode catalyst for the cell reaction.    The fuel cell comprises (a) the anode, to which liq. fuel is supplied, pref. from a reservoir; (b) a cathode of electroconductive porous material supporting an electrode catalyst, to which oxidising agent is supplied; (c) an electrolyte between the electrodes; and (d) barrier contg.electrolyte and preventing liq. fuel transfer to the cathode side.    The anode structure allows qas generated by the cell reaction in the anode to ascend and escape; ensures a smooth supply of fuel and provides a large area for reaction. The mechanical strength is higher than for a conventional porous structure of similar porosity, and the anode has lower resistance than a sintered electrode. The graph shows output of the present cell (A), and a cell using porous Ta anode, 60% porosity, pore size 30 microns (B).
Electrode for regeneration of NADH, NADPH and their analogues comprises carbon or a graphite material having adsorbed on its surface a condensed aromatic ring system of at least 3, pref. 4 or more, rings opt. contg. heteroatoms and opt. substd. or with sidechains. Pref. the systems are opt. alkylated phenazinium ions, phenazinones, phenoxazinium ions, phenoxazinones, phenothiazinium ions or phenothiazinones.    Opt. one or more enzymes (esp. one of them being a dehydrogenase) is present in or at the electrode surface in dissolved, suspended or immobilised form and is pref. retained in position by a membrane permeable to small molecules.    The electrode is used to regenerate coenzymes in biotechnical, microbiological and biochemical processes; as the anode for a biochemical fuel cell (with dehydrogenase as the catalyst and coenzyme as energy-transfer couple), and in analyses which use enzyme-coenzyme systems.    Adsorption of the aromatic cpd. provides rapid electron transfer and cpds. with 3 or more rings are firmly adsorbed and not easily washed out.
An electrolyser for hydrogen prodn. comprises a number of electrolytic cells in an inert container, each comprising the anode half of one inert impervious conducting bipolar plate and the facing cathode half of another inert impervious conducting bipolar plate; there is an inert conductive anode bed of large surface area on the anode half of the plate, the bed being impregnated with anolyte consisting of 10-60% aq. sulphuric acid impregnated with SO2; and there is a porous separator between the anode bed and the cathode half and a catholyte comprising 10-60% aq. sulphuric acid between the separator and the cathode half.    The anode is pref. formed from activated carbon pellets.    The anode structure is very efficient in allowing access of the bisulphite ion to the anode, and side reactions which might be expected from the carbon pellets do not occur. The electrolyser is much more energy efficient than prior art electrolysers (e.g. US3888750)
A matrix for carrying fuel cell electrolyte comprises a first layer between second and third layers, where the first and second layers expand to different degrees on electrolyte addn., so the layers tend to curl, and the third layer expands on electrolyte addn. to cancel the curling of the first and second layers. The degree of expansion of the second and third layers is pref. equal.    Pref., the dimensional expansion of the second and third layers is less than that of the first layer on electrolyte addn. The first layer pref. comprises C and the second and third SiC particles; and all three layers contg. a binder, esp. 1-10% PTFE. Alternatively, the dimensional expansion of the first layer is less than that of the second and third layers.    The matrix does not require restraining in the cell, or flattening before insertion.
A fuel cell comprises (a) an elongate container; (b) a pair of flat, vertical, longitudinally spaced, ion permeable fluid barrier membranes defining a central anode compartment between two cathode compartments; (c) a flat, vertical metal fuel anode plate in the anode compartment spaced from and parallel to the membranes; (d) a flat vertical electron distributor cathode plate in each cathode compartment, spaced from and parallel to the membrane; (e) a base electrolyte soln. in the anode compartment; and (f) an acid cathode soln. in the cathode compartments.    The membranes are pref. (i) wettable cation permselective reactors of perfluorosulphonic acid polymer; (ii) porous poly-sulphone polymer or porous fluoropolymer establishing wettable acid-base reactor interfaces between cathode and electrolyte solns. The anode and cathode plates are connected through an electric circuit, so electrons are conducted from the anode to the cathode plate for introduction into the cathode soln.    The membranes permit use of liq. cathode soln.
H2 gas is produced using solar energy in a unit floating in aq. medium comprising (a) a float buoying the unit in the medium; (b) a stabiliser maintaining vertical orientation; (c) a solar ray receptor at the top of the unit, including photo-voltaic cells (55) positioned to receive the suns rays and interconnected to produce an electric potential at least 1.4V; (d) a gas bubble collection chamber (57) below the medium surface, including an inlet for the medium; (e) an anode connected to the positive terminal of the photovoltaic cells; and (f) a cathode connected to the negative terminal of the cells, and contacting the aq. medium at a location where bubbles produced by electrolysis of water are trapped in the collection chamber.    H2 gas is produced by (i) disposing a number of the units in an aq. medium; (ii) exposing to the sun's rays and collecting the H2 produced by electrolysis in the collection chambers; (iii) gathering the units at an H2 harvesting facility when each unit contains a min. desired amt. H2; and (iv) harvesting in H2.    The units are sturdy, having long life in sheltered areas of ponds or sea. Prodn. is e.g. 86,0001 H2/acre/day on a sunny day, equiv. to 7.8 gallons gasoline.
Separator comprises a hydrophilic film which consists of a resin compsn. contg. an ethylene copolymer and has sulphone gps. with an exchange capacity of 0.2-4 milliequiv./gr. and an electric resistance of 0.01-20 ohm.sq.cm in a dil. H2SO4 soln., or a composite hydrophilic film comprising the hydrophilic film reinforced by cloth or nonwoven fabric.    The ethylene copolymer is produced by copolymerisation of 82-97 mol.% of ethylene and 3-18 mol.% of monomers of formula (I) (where R1= H, -CH3; R2= -OCOR, -COOR4; R3= 1-5C hydrocarbon; R4= H, 1-16C hydrocarbon gp. or an ion capable of forming salt with alkali metal or other carboxylic gp.).    The separator has H or hydronium ion conductivity, and low electric resistance in an alkaline electrolyte.
Fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell including an anode section for receiving fuel process gas and a cathode section for receiving oxidant process gas, and appts.-receiving a supply of fuel and gas exhausted from the cathode portion for oxidising part of the fuel and converting it to fuel process gas with at least the water in the prod. of the exhaust gas and in the oxidised portion of the fuel. The oxidising and converting appts. includes a partial oxidising appts. and a steam reformer for carrying out the conversion.    The system can be used in mobile applications and is much lighter in wt. than conventional systems.
A conductive composite comprises (a) an electrically conductive substrate of film forming metal; and, on (part of) the substrate, (b) a conductive metal spinel coating of metal cation substd. Co oxide spinel, MxZy Co3-(x+y)O4; where m = gp. IB, IIA or IIB metal, pref. Cu, Mg, Zn; Z = gp. IA metal; x = integer number greater than 0, not greater than 1; y = 0-0.5; x+2y greater than 0, not greater than 1; and amts. M, Z, Co are sufficient to satisfy the valence requirements of 0 in the spinel structure. The composite is useful as an anode in an O2-producing device for electrolysing alkaline, acid or neutral aq. liq.; for electrolysis of brine (producing Cl2 at the anode); or for use in prepn. of O-contg. organic cpds. Oxygen is generated by electrolysing an O-contg. electrolyte in an electrolysis cell contg. an ion permeable divider between a cathode and an anode comprising a composite as above.    The spinel can withstand higher processing temps. than previous compsns. during prepn. while maintaining low operating potential in use. The higher process temp. provides a tougher more highly sintered active coating, resisting wear in use.
Energy from wind, hydraulic and solar sources is captured, and stored by first converting it into electricity. Wind energy drives a windmill which in turn rotates a generator, similarly hydraulic sources are tapped using generators while solar radiation is converted directly into electricity using photo-electric collectors.    The electrical energy so obtd. is stored by converting it into chemical energy by the electrolysis of water; by collecting separately the gases released at anode and cathode at a pressure of 200 bars, gas cylinders of oxygen and hydrogen are obtd.    The chemical energy is stored in the gases is then released by combustion, either directly in boilers, ovens or similar or converted back into electricity in a generator driven by a hydrogen fuelled gas turbine.
Fuel cell comprises a number of unit cells each comprising a fuel electrode plate, an oxidising plate and a matrix, the plates being disposed face-to-face throughout the matrix. The unit cells are stacked through separators. A gas flow passage is provided on one side of each electroce plate on separator and manifolds are provided for gas supply and discharge to the gas flow passages at the sides of the stacked assembly.    The gas flow passage has at least one gas inlet and one gas outlet at one outer edge of the electrode plate or separator, isolated by at least one partition wall extended along a gas flow direction and open at the furthest position from the inlet and outlet, forming a U-passage. The gas flow passages for the fuel electrode and for the oxidising agent electrode are arranged in countercurrent.    The design does not require the high precision of prior art. Boiling water pipes are not likely to come into contact with corrosive chemicals and hence the material for these pipes is not restricted. The structure is not as complicated as that of the prior art system. (First major country equivalent to J57138782-A).
A fuel cell system comprises (a) a fuel cell (10) having anode (2) and cathode (3) sections; (b) a supply (6) of oxidant process gas at a first pressure, pref. 30-200 psia, to the cathode; (c) a supply (5) of fuel process gas at a second pressure; at least 1 psi below the first pressure, pref. 10-50 psi lower, to the anode; and pref. (d) an electrolyte, esp. phosphoric acid, between anode and cathode sections; and (e) a matrix (50) contg. the electrolyte, capable of preventing fuel and oxidant gases crossing it at the operating pressure.    The system pref. includes (f) a fuel processing system (27) receiving fuel and steam and converting them to the fuel process gas at the second pressure; (g) a heat exchanger (13), receiving exhausted oxidant gas from the cathode and heat exchanging it with a quantity of water to produce steam at a pressure greater than or= second pressure, and supplying the steam to (f). Operation of a fuel cell with fuel gas at pressure at least 1 psi below oxidant gas is also claimed.    Reduced fuel gas pressure allows use of lower pressure steam in the reforming reaction, hence lower requirements for exhaust oxidant gas temp., e.g. for oxidant gas at 50 psi, fuel gas at 30 psi operating temp. is 350 deg.F, whereas operating temp. of 385 deg.F is required to produce the same quantity of steam at 50 psi. The reduced operating temp. increases fuel cell life. The lower pressure reforming also reduces the CH4 content, increasing system efficiency.
New mix crystals (I) of metal transition metal heteropolysilicates have the formula Me(1+x-w)(H+ or H3O+) (w)M(2-1/3x+y)Si(x)Z(3-x)O(12-2/3x+2y) (in which Me is a monovalent metal. M is a gp. IV transition element. Z is a gp. V element x = 0.1 to (1+x). x = 0.01-3. y = 0-0.5). Pref. (I) have a rhombohedral structure if x is under 1.5 and monoclinic structure if x is over 1.5. Me is an alkali metal. M is Zr, Hf and/or Ti. Z is P or a mixt. of P, V, Nb, Ta, Bi or Sb. The ion (Na+) or gp. (H+ or H3O+) is up to 20% unstoichiometrical at the Me-positions in the lattice and is neutralised electrostatically by a lack or excess of O.    The finely powdered starting materials are mixed in the required molar proportions and heated to as high a temp. as possible without forming a liquid phase and calcined until the x-ray diagram no longer shows a MO2 peak. Calcination can be interrupted once or several times for regrinding the material. Finally, Me is exchanged against H+ or H3O+ in acid aq. soln., pref. in an external electric field using Me+ blocking electrodes. Me is used in the form of MO2 or an organometallic cpd.    (I) are specified for use as solid proton-conducting (H+, H3O+) electrolytes in electrochemical cells. They are stable enough for use at temps. of at least 300 deg.C.
Electrode is made from a liq. suspension contg. 8-18 wt.% solids where solids comprise (a) 0.5-1.5 wt.% supported Pt, Pd and/or Pd oxide catalyst particles, (b) 6.5-14% C powder catalyst support, particle size less than 20m micron; and (c) 1-2.5% inert binder particles, size less than 550 m micron, pref. PTFE.    The electrode is made by (i) pouring sufficient suspension over C cloth to form a 0.02-0.1 cm thick layer when complete; (ii) applying a vacuum to the opposite side of the cloth to remove liq.; (iii) drying; (iv) compressing at 10-50 MPa; and (v) sintering in an inert atmos.. The electrode comprises a C cloth having a surface layer 0.01-0.5 cm thick comprising 60-76 wt.% C powder, particle size less than 20 m micron; 3.5-8% Pt, Pd and/or Pd oxide catalyst; and 20-30 wt.% sintered binder in wt. ratio 1:4-1:2 with the C powder.    The electrode is used an anode for SO2 oxidn. to H2SO4 in S cycle process for water decomposition. The electrode is more stable, more flexible and less expensive than the conventionally used C plate, and the catalyst provides SO2 oxidn. at lower energy consumption.
A fuel cell comprises (a) a pair of gas diffusion electrodes; and (b) a matrix retaining phosphoric acid electrolyte between the electrodes, comprising one or more electronically insulating metal oxides, insol. in phosphoric acid, pref. able to form a phosphate; and binder, pref. PTFE. The matrix pref. comprises 85 wt.% or more, esp. 95-98 wt.% metal oxide; 15 wt.% or less, esp. 2-5 wt.% binder. The oxide is pref. a complex oxide contg. Zr, esp. zircon (ZrSiO4).    The matrix has better stability in hot (190-200 deg. C) phosphoric acid than conventional SiC matrix, and has large phosphoric acid retention capability and good insulating properties.
A fuel cell comprises (a) a fuel metal anode (A); (b) a cathode soln. spaced from the anode, comprising a selected element and O, where the element is one which, when compounded with O, produces OH- ions and establishes positive cathode half reactions when free electrons are supplied; specifically being an N cpd. soln; (c) an OH- ion transfer membrane (M') between anode and cathode, carrying a metallic catalyst for the cathode soln; (d) an electrolyte (E) between anode and membrane; and (e) an electric circuit conducting free electrons from anode to cathode.    Pref., a second OH- transfer membrane (M) is provided between the first membrane and the anode. A first electrolyte (E1) between the membranes is formulated for efficient ion conduction; and a second electrolyte (E2) between second membrane and anode is formulated for efficient ion conduction and for min. corrosion reaction on and with the anode.    Use of two electrolytes allows the reactions at both anode and cathode to be optimised.
Cell comprises a fuel chamber, a fuel electrode, an acid electrolyte and an oxidiser electrode, and uses as fuel a liquid low mol wt hydrocarbon contg oxygen. Specifically, the fuel electrode includes a vapour deposited catalyst consisting of a ternary alloy contg Pt,Ru and a heavy metal selected from Mo, Sn,Sb,Re,Os,Ir,Pb,Bi and Ti. The pref alloy contains 20-40 wt% Ru, 1-20% heavy metal, balance Pt. The pref heavy metals are Re andSn. The hydrocarbon is selected from methanol, ethanol, ethylene glycol, formaldelyde, acetaldelyde, formic acid and oxalic acid. The electrolyte is aq sulphuric, phosphoric or trifluoromethane sulphonic acid or their mixts.    The fuel cell shows improved performance by combining electrodeposition with use of alloys contg heavy metal together with the precious metals used in prior art.
Pure water is electrolysed in an electrolytic cell divided into an anode compartment (I) and a cathode compartment (II) by a cation exchange membrane (III), pure water being supplied to (I) to generate oxygen in (I) and hydrogen in (II). (III) is a graft copolymer of a fluorovinyl sulphonic acid monomer and a membranous polymeric substrate having monomer units CH2=CXY; where X is H, F or Me; and Y is H of F. (III) is used in contact with an anode and a cathode.    Pref the fluorovinyl sulphonic acid monomer has the formula CF2=CF-(CF2)n-SO2Z, R'-CF=CF-SO2Z, CF2=CF-(CFR2)m-CFH-SO2Z, CF2=CF-(O-CF2CFR3)l -O-CF2-CFR4-SO2Z, or CF2=CF-(CF2-CFR5-O)k -CF2-CFR6-SO2Z; where n is O or 2; , m is 1-5; l and k are 1-3; Z is F, OH, NH2, ONH4 or OM; M is alkali metal; R' and R2 areF or 1-5C perfluoralkyl; R3 and R5 are F or Me; and R4 and R6 are F or 1-10C perfluoroalkyl. Pref the substrate is polyethylene esp supported by a reinforcing material.    (III) has high performance in the electrolysis of pure water and can be mfd more cheaply than "Nation" (RTM) membranes. (III) has low electrical resistance, is not easily oxidised and deteriorates more slowly than known membranes.
Process for continuously monitoring and measuring the development of microorganisms in a bacterial medium in presence of a substrate uses a biological fuel cell. Pref. the microorganism and substrate are passed through the cell and the electrical current generated is used to drive the measuring and/or control devices.    An appts. for this process is also new. Particularly the cell used has a stirrer (in the compartment contg. the microorganism and substrate); iridium-coated platinum electrodes, and one compartment contains a reference oxidising soln., pref. K ferricyanide.    The process is esp. used to control and regulate waste-water purification and fermentation processes and for measuring the level of biodegradable pollutants in water.
In an alkaline water electrolyser having cells formed with a diaphragm between the electrodes and held between two bipolar separator plates, the electrodes are fine meshes filled with porous Ni across which a framework of parallel stiffening bars are conductively welded or otherwise attached at intervals permitting gas emission to collector tubes. Bars and bipolar plates may be sped. by springs.    One mfg. method welds supports to the mesh, coats with Raney or carbonyl Ni by plasma or flame spray, reinforces with electrodeposited Ni, activates with alkaline soln. and assembles the unit with a diaphragm and collector plates. Diaphragm may be of porous nickel oxide, with iron or steel mesh acting as cathode.    Produces H for fuel. Cell is easily made, durable and economical in power consumption.
Sealing material which can be obtd. by extrusion, esp. for use in fuel cells using phosphoric acid electrolyte, comprises non-filled, oil-free PTFE having a mol.wt. of over 1 x 10 power 6 and a particle size of above 1 micron, which maintains its sealing properties in the presence of phosphoric acid at differential pressures of over 0.35 MPa and temps. over 204 deg.C.    The PTFE gives good sealing between separate flat cells in a stack of these forming the fuel cell, and can seal relatively large surface irregularities, e.q. up to 0.127 cm which are present due to the tolerances resulting from fabrication of the individual elements.
A stack, partic. in a battery, electrolyser or fuel cell, has each cell (10) with an integral separator and spacer (28) between adjacent electrodes (29) each consisting of a plastic sheet with a coextruded electrically conductive mid-portion and non-conductive side regions.    The separator-spacer and electrodes are pref. assembled by male and female connections which are hollow and form fluid conduits for the cells. The separator-spacer may have a microporous central area (30) and non-porous border (31), and may have projections on each side for spacing the electrodes and forming fluid compartments. The electrodes may be bipolar to operate in a zinc-bromine system.
Fuel cell module has a stack of fuel cells under compression between end blocks the stack and blocks forming outwardly facing planar surfaces, parallel to the axis passing through the contre of all the cells, one of the surfaces being covered by a reactant gas manifold which is provided with edge sealing means to prevent leakage of gas from the manifold. The end blocks are forced toward each other to apply a compressive force on the stack to maintain a stack height of X at room temp. The stack has a max height Y at which the load on the stack results in acceptable electrical resistance and thermal conductivity through the stack and adequate reactant gas sealing between the cell components, and the thermal expansion characteristics of the module are such that at max operating temp, the axial distance between the end blocks would increase by an amt Delta X, where X+Delta X is less than or equal to Y. Z is the lowest axial load on the stack which at any stack height less than or equal Y will ensure acceptable resistance, thermal conductivity and gas sealing. The creep characteristic thermal expansion, and spring rate of the stack are such that if the compressive force at time zero is F at room temp the red in force F over the life of the module is such that tahe value F - Delta F is greater of equal Z.    Arrangement prevents any substantial change in stack height due to creep characteristics of the stack during the design life of the module, with the stack spring rate, creep, and thermal expansion of the stack coupled with the thermal expansion of the constraint system always maintains a sufficiently high compressive force to ensure acceptable characteristics and sealing.
Appts. for the electrolytic generation of a H2-O2 fuel mixture comprises an electrolytic tank contg. electrolyte and suspended C electrodes. A horizontal baffle in the tank beneath the electrodes divides the tank into upper and lower chambers connected by a recirculating electrolyte line. A cooling unit is disposed beneath the baffle. A dome is provided in the top of the tank for accumulating gases formed by the electrolysis and has an outlet connected to the carburetor of an I.C. engine.    Used in the prodn. of gaseous fuel for I.C. engines. Water is used as one of the basic sources of energy for powering a vehicle and there is a reduction in polluting emissions into the atmosphere.
A film of TFE/CF2=CFOCF2 CF3 -CFOCF2CF2SO2F copolymer is hydrolysed to the salt form on one or both side of a controlled depth. Cations of a catalytically active metal such as Ni, Pd or Pt are introduced by ion exchange and reduced to the metal. The film is then hydrolysed throughout its thickness and may be put in the SO3H form with hot acid. The depth of the catalyst layer is determined by the duration of the first hydrolysis step.    The prod. may be used as a metallic catalyst, supported by a chemically and thermally resistant support which can opt. be in the SO3H form, which is a very strong acid. The prod. can also be used as a solid polymer electrolyte for use in a fuel cell or electrolysis cell.
In a battery assembly including a battery in which H+ ions are present in and lost from the electrolyte during operation, (some) lost ions are replaced by (a) electrochemically decomposing water in a cell separate from the battery to produce H2 gas; and (b) introducing H+ ions from the H2 into the electrolyte.    More specifically, the cell includes its own housing having an internal chamber, through which a supply of water is continuously flowed. The water is oxidised to form H2 and 02 gases, and electrolyte soln. is directed from the battery through the cell for H+ addn., then back to the battery.    Provides pH control of the electrolyte, pref. for metal-halogen batteries, e.g. Zn-Br, without handling acids or H2 gas. pH control avoids mossy Zn deposits and possible Zn
Prodn. of H2 and O2 from water is carried out by (a) separating sunlight into UV and IR light; (b) concentrating the UV and IR light; (c) heating water in an enclosed reactor with the IR light to generate steam; and (d) transferring the steam to a UV-transparent reactor, where the steam is superheated to ca. 800 deg.C with IR light, contacted with a steam-decompsn. catalyst and irradiated with the UV light. The catalyst comprises a finely divided heavy metal (M) or a salt or oxide of M, where M is a Group IIIB, IVB, VB, VIB, VIIB or VIII metal.    Specified catalytic metals are Ti, Sn, Tl, Tb, Te, Tc, Ta, Se, Zr, Hf, Th, V, W and Mo. The reactor in step (d) pref. has at least part of one wall made of UV-transparent quartz.    The energy requirements of the process are supplied exclusively by readily available solar energy.
Product utilisable as photocatalyst comprises a semiconductor in the form of particles or a layer incorporated with an electrode, the semiconductor material being subject to photocorrosion, is described in which the surface which is to be illuminated is covered with a transparent layer of ruthenium oxide RuO2, iridium oxide, IrO2 or their mixt.    The semiconductor material may be CdS, CdSe, GaP or Si. Also claimed is use of the product obtd. for prodn. of electrical current and/or a substance chemically transformable with release of energy, the use of which implies exposure to electromagnetic radiation, producing a fuel.    The device may be used to produce a fuel by solar radiation. The ruthenium and/or iridium oxides inhibit the photo corrosion reducing the decompsn. of GdP, CdS, etc. esp. in the absence of water.
Liq. CHF2SO3H (I) (or an aq. soln. of (I)) is new. (I) is prepd. by heating an alkali metal (pref. K) difluoromethane sulphonate with a strong mineral acid (H2SO4). Pure liq. (I) is conveniently prepd. from readily available starting materials. (I) is useful (cf. CF3SO3H) as a catalyst or promoter for Friedel-Crafts reaction, cationic polymerisations, and alkylations claimed etc. (I) is sepd. from reaction prods. and organic phases more easily than CF3SO3H. (I) is also a potential electrolyte for fuel cells, and is non-wetting towards PTFE.
A stack of fuel cells is cooled by a water stream which is recirculated through a steam separator. A portion of the coolant stream is directed into a reservoir via a blow-down valve. Water is deaerated in the reservoir and a portion is pumped through filters and then returned to the recirculating coolant stream.    The fuel cell stack is cooled by water recirculated by a pump. The blow-down valve is operated by a liquid sensing prob in the reservoir.    Pref. steam recovered from the coolant is reacted with a hydrocarbon fuel to generate hydrogen which is supplied to the fuel cell as a fuel. The coolant water remains clean.
Method is described to feed air without CO2 to a fuel cell using an aq. alkali salt soln. as an electrolyte. Raw air is passed through a bed of active C to the cell and exhaust gas from the cell is heated and passed through the same bed. (First major country equivalent to J57101355-A)
Fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell with a cathode section for receiving oxidant process gas and anode section for receiving fuel, and steam producing appts. responsive to exhausted process gas and gas at a higher temp. via a heat exchanger, whereby the temp. of the exhausted gas is increased, the high temp. gas being derived from gas of the system, in such a manner that steam is produced at a predetermined pressure.    The steam generating capability of the fuel cell system is increased so that steam is provided at increasing pressures and is usable for process gas reforming without having to increase fuel cell temp.
A polycell gas generator comprises a housing with chambers arranged in parallel and each defining a gas generating cell contg. a pair of spaced electrode plates which define a passageway for electrolyte circulation. Each passageway has inlet and outlet parts extending through the housing and in communication with respective inlet and outlet manifolds. Electric current is conducted through the chambers in a series arrangement laterally to the flow of electrolyte through the chambers.    Used for eletrolysis of water for the generation of H2 and 02, i.e. detonating gas, for use as a fuel for welding equipment. The generator exhibits a series current path and parallel electrolytic flow with minimised leakage current paths, and portability
Bioelectro-catalysis process, in which electrons are transferred between an electrode, formed by electricity conducting material, and an electroactive biological substance, is characterised in that the electricity conducting material contains in its interior a binder substance having a charged functional group, for the orientation and chemical bonding, and reverse, of the electroactive biological substance at the electrode.    Bioelectrocatalytic process for effecting enzymatic reactions, esp. oxidation and reduction of organic cpds. catalysed by enzymes, in which the enzymes are continuously regenerated in their active reduced form, by equivalents of reducer supplied electrochemically. Normally used electrodes are precious metals in combination with 4,4'-bipyridyl, but these are unsuitable for industrial scale processes. New type of electrode is easier to use and suitable for numerous preparative and electroanalytic processes.
In a new procedure for accelerating electrode processes on electrodes modified by conductive films, (A) a metal electrode covered with a conductive film is brought into a solution containing (1) a low molecular substance with negative redox potential which is to be reacted and (2) a dehydrogenase or oxidase; and (B) the reaction is carried out in a conventional manner by connecting with a counter-electrode; the resulting electrical current being used for the determination of the lower molecular substance, for preparative substrate conversion, or as a source of power.    Carrying out the coated-electrode electrochemical redox reaction in the presence of a dehydrogenase or oxidase enzyme gives an increased reaction rate. The procedure can be used in electrochemical analysis, in electrochemical synthesis, and in fuel cells.
A seal is formed by securing between manifold (18) and stack (10) a plastics frame (15) with a sealing element such that the frame creeps with the stack as the stack creeps under compression with sliding between frame and manifold without losing the seal. One manifold end is fixedly secured to the stack and the manifold is biased (24) against frame and stack to give a seal loading.    The method prevents damage to the seal by sliding against the rough stack surface. The rough stack surface (23) is pref. dressed with a caulk/grease in the area facing the frame before locating the frame to increase the sealing effect. For a manifold with overlapped sections, one end of each is secured to the stack and a seal provided between overlapping areas. The parent patent claims the seal.
Carbonates or hydroxides are co-pptd. from a soln. contg. zirconium salt and yttrium salt, and obtd. carbonates or hydroxides are calcined at 600-1000 deg.C and pulverised so as to have 1-5 micron mean particle size, then press-moulded with the addn. of binder and sintered.    Useful for oxygen sensor. Solid electrolyte of zirconia-yttria type having high density is prepd. by sintering at a lower temp. (e.g. 1400 deg.C) than the sintering temp. of the conventional method (e.g. 1600-1700 deg.C). Sintered body of zirconia-yttria having satisfactory practical strength is prepd. by sintering at 1400 deg.C using ordinary electric furnace providing SiC heat generating element, and it is also useful for the ceramic which requires high resistance to thermal shock.
Pressure-tight mobile or stationary dynamic uses the fusion of H2 and O2 at a pressure over 2.3544 x 10 exp. -2 bar according to the equation 2 H2+O2=2 H2O (exothermic) by auxiliary electrical energy to generate electric power by induction, the water formed being removed in an amt. proportional to the gas input.    There is no environmental pollution or formation of dangerous by-prods., only water and direct electricity. Water gas or sewer gas can be used instead of H2 and air instead of O2. Several dynamos can be combined in one unit and operate with alternating or multiphase stroke.
Al amalgam contg. 0.5-10 wt. % Sn reacts with 0.25-1 M alkali metal chloride soln. to produce H at an increased rate of upto 39 l per sq.m.min. Consumption of Hg decreases from 0.007 to 0.005g per 1g of Al. The method may be used in the fuel cell mfr.    Typically, mixt. contg. 18g Al and 0.009g Sn is melted in a porcelain crucible at 670 deg. C. and cast into (in cm.): 2.7 high, 2.4 wide, 0.8 thick block, which is amalgamated by immersion in HNO3 soln. contg. 5g per l Hg (NO3)2, at pH 1, for 1 min. After washing the alloy is placed in 0.5 M KCl or a sea-water electrolyte.    The alloy dissolves completely producing H, at 80 deg. C. at 21 and 18 l per sq.m.min. in 0.5M and 1M KCl solns. respectively, and at 16 l per sq.m.min. from sea-water, i.e. 3.2, 3, and 2.8 times faster than by the known method, using pure Al-amalgam. Bul.48/30.12.81. (2pp)
H2 is generated by exposing a fresh metal surface to water and heating the interface between the metal surface and the water to at least the lowest temp. at which the metal reacts with the water to form a metal oxide and H2. The metal is chosen from metals which are higher in the electromotive series than H2 and have stable and safe handling characteristics.    Supply of H2 on demand, e.g. for fuel for a motor vehicle enqine is obtd. Al metal is used which is in relatively abundant supply and relatively cheap. The electrical discharge and the relative movement between the electrode surfaces ensure that fresh metal surfaces are exposed to the water and that the discharge heats the interface to the required temp.
High temp. solid electrolyte fuel cells use a natural or synthetic fuel gas such as those containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane and a suitable oxidant such as oxygen or air to directly convert the chemical energy of the fuel into direct current electrical energy by means of electrochemical combustion with byproducts of water vapour and heat.    A fuel cell stack comprises a number of elongated annular fuel cells. The fuel cells are preferably tubular and are electrically connected in series. Each cell of the battery generates an open circuit voltage of approximately one volt and hundreds of cells can be connected in series to achieve the desired system voltage.    Surrounding the outer periphery of the cathode is a layer of gas-tight solid electrolyte comprised of yttria stabilised zirconia approx. 20 to 5 microns thick.
A high temperature solid oxide electrolyte fuel cell converts chemical energy directly into D.C. electrical energy when operating at temperatures in excess of 700 deg.C. The high temperature renders the electrolyte sufficiently conductive to achieve a low level of ohmic loss.    The device constitutes a gas-tight housing surrounding multiple chambers which include a generating chamber and a combustion product, or preheating, chamber which extends between the porous barrier and a tube support structure. The oxidant inlet chamber extends between the support structure and the end wall of the housing.    Electrochemical reaction takes place whilst the oxidant traverses the insides of the fuel cells. Depleted oxidant, discharged from the open ends, and hot depleted fuel diffusing through a porous barrier, are directly reacted in the combustion product chamber to preheat incoming reactants and to facilitate combustion of the remaining fuel.
Air electrode for effecting the electrochemical redn. of an O2 gas has a porous electrode (I) which incorporates an F-contg. solvent (II).    (II) has b.pt. 50-350 pref. 100-300 esp. 150-260 deg.C; has 02-dissolving power at least 15% pref. at least 25% esp. at least 40% by vol.; and has surface tension not above 50 pref. not above 40 esp. not above 30 dyne/cm. (II) is suitably a perfluoroalkane (pref. perfluoro-pentane or -hexane); perfluoralkene (pref. CF3CF:CFCF3); a cyclic fluoride (pref. C6H2F4 or perfluoro-1,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane); perfluorohydride (pref. H(CF2)2F); perfluorocarboxylic acid (pref. H(CF2CF2)nCO2H; n=3-30); perfluoro-ketone, -aldehyde, or -alcohol; perfluoroether (pref. C4F90); amine fluoride (pref. (C3F7)2NC4F9); perfluorothiol; perfluorosulphonic acid; organic P-As-F deriv.; pref. a low polymer of 1-chloro-1,2,2-trifluoro-ethylene (degree of polymerisation 4-8; mol.wt. 500-900). Amt. of (II) is 0.0001-30% pref. 0.001-20% by wt. of (I) (pref. 0.0001-25% pref. 0.001-15% by wt. if (I) is active C).    The air electrode is readily made thin, is useful for heavy duty discharge, and prevents leakage of fluid. The electrode is suitable for use in an H2/O2 fuel cell, a metal/air cell, or an O2 sensor.
Proton-conductivity of phosphate glass-type proton-conductive solid electrolyte for use in fuel cell, in electrolysis of water or as hydrogen sensor etc. is further improved by heating the phosphate glass in electric furnace initially at a low relatively temps. e.g. at 450 deg.C for 72 hrs. to form crystal nuclei, and subsequently at a higher temp. e.g. at 540 deg.C for 172 hrs. to cause growth of the crystal nuclei. The crystallised phosphate glass thus obtained comprises P2O5 and gp. IIA element oxide.    The glass is obtained by mixing together H2PO4 and the oxide, followed by sintering, fusing at 900-1200 deg.C for 0.5-3.0 hrs. and casting into a mould. It can be used at above room temp.
Porous catalyst electrodes are disposed on both surfaces of an electrolyte layer of phosphate glass consisting mainly of phosphorus oxide and oxide of gp.-II A element. A hydrogen chamber and an oxygen chamber are disposed at the outer sides of the electrodes. The phosphate glass pref. consists of 20 to 55 mol.% MO(M is Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, or Ba) and 45 to 80 mol.% P2O5.    In an embodiment a porous hydrogen electrode film contg. Ni, Co, Cr, or Pt as a catalyst is formed on a porous ceramic substrate. A solid electrolyte layer consisting of 50 mol.% CaO and 50 mol.% P2O5 and having proton conductivity is formed on the electrode film. A porous oxygen electrode film contg. catalyst is formed on the solid electrode layer. Hydrogen is introduced into a hydrogen chamber in contact with the substrate. Oxygen is introduced into an oxygen chamber in contact with the oxygen electrode. Current is passed through an outer load.
The cell has a tubular body formed of an ionised gas conductive material of 8% yttria stabilised zirconia, defining inner and outer surfaces between which a current of gaseous migrating ions can be established Bar-shaped noble metal electrodes are spaced over the inner and outer surfaces of the body parallel to its axis to define strips of bare substrate between them.    The tubular body is supported concentrically within a conduit for CO2 so that the strips on the outer surface are contacted by CO2 as CO2 fills the conduit. An electrical circuit establishes an electrical potential between the electrodes on the inner and outer surfaces.    The arrangement of the electrodes on the inner and outer surfaces of the tubular body offers min. resistance to gas flow, lowering the electrical resistance for the cell and increasing the gas conductivity.
H2 and O2 are obtd. from water by (1) reacting I2, H2O and H2SO3 to give HI and H2SO4; (2) decomposing HI to H2 and I2; (3) decomposing H2SO4 to water and SO3; (4) decomposing SO3 to SO2 and O2; and (5) reacting SO2 and water to form H2SO3. Decompsn. of H2SO4 is carried out by reaction with a metal oxide to form a metal sulphate and water, and decomposing the sulphate to metal oxide and SO3.    Appts. for the process, including reactors, separators and a vapouriser, is also claimed.    Method is simple and low cost and may utilise excess heat from e.g. a nuclear reactor.
Oxidn. of ethylene (I) to ethylene oxide (II) is effected by contacting a (I)-contg. feed gas with a 1st catalyst deposited on one surface of a solid electrolyte, contacting an O2-contg. gas with a 2nd catalyst deposited on another surface of the solid electrolyte, and applying a voltage between the two catalysts through the electrolyte. The 1st catalyst must be capable of promoting oxidn. of (I) to (II), and the 2nd catalyst must be capable of dissociating O2 into oxygen ions.    The solid electrolyte is pref. ZrO2 stabilised with 15 mole % CaO or 8 mole % Y2O3. The 1st catalyst is pref. Ag and the 2nd catalyst is pref. a Pt/Rh alloy. The catalysts can be deposited by pptn., paste application or vapour deposition.
The catalyst consists of metal complex cpd. of formula (I). In (I), R1-R5 are each H, F, Cl, Br, 1-22C alkyl, 1-22C alkoxy, 6-28C aryl, nitro, cyano, amino, carboxyl or carboxy- (1-6C)alkyl; M is Co, Fe, Ni or Mn.    A cathode equipped with (I) is obtd. by mixing 10 g of carbon powder with 10 mg of the catalyst in the presence of an aq. soln. of PTFE, spraying the mixt. on a titanium mesh, covering the resulting mesh with a film of porous PTFE, and heating the resulting covered mesh at 300-400 deg.C in an atmos. of nitrogen.
Cell for the production of hydrogen and sulphuric acid from water and sulphur dioxide has an intermediate chamber which separates the anode from the cathode space and has electrolyte flowing through it; separators in the form of ion exchange membranes form the boundaries of this intermediate chamber. A porous supporting structure of ion exchange material is incorporated between these two separators.    Preferably, the entire intermediate chamber is filled by the porous ion exchange material support structure and the separators with the electrodes directly adjoining them bear flat against this structure. More specifically, the supporting structure is of the same material as the separators and firmly bonded to them.    Cell is used partic. for the electrolytic production of hydrogen and sulphuric acid by the sulphuric acid hybrid circuit process. Especially for the production of hydrogen as an energy carrier (fuel). It is found that, by incorporating an ion-conducting support structure between the separators, the internal resistance of a three-chamber electrolysis cell for hydrogen production can be reduced and the functioning rendered more efficient. In particular the migration of sulphur dioxide into the cathode space is prevented.
An electrode assembly comprises (a) a porous flow through matrix having electrocatalyst supported on its surfaces within the pores; (b) a source of electrochemically reducible or oxidisable gas bubbles of smaller average dia. than the matrix pores, supplying bubbles to a colloid forming zone (48) communicating with one side of the matrix; (c) a supply of liq. electrolyte to the colloid-forming zone; and (d) a pump causing flow of a colloid of the gas bubbles and electrolyte through the matrix.    An electrochemical cell comprises (a) a container contg. (b) a counter electrode (16) and (c) a gas flow-through electrode (18) as above, sepd. from the counter electrode by an electrolyte zone contg. liq. electrolyte (26); where the colloid forming zone is on the side of the matrix remote from the counter electrode, and the colloid flows through the matrix to the electrolyte zone.    The electrode is free from flooding and has improved depolarisation increasing electrochemical reaction rate, giving longer life than Teflon (RTM) bonded diffusion electrodes. The cell is e.g. a Zn anode cell.
Prodn. of a composite of an ion exchange membrane and a catalytic metal comprises treating the ion exchange membrane surface with low temp. gas plasma to form micropores on the surface before depositing the catalytic metal layer. Pref. before plasma treatment the surface is heat-treated at 100-200 deg. C.    The process can be used with fluorine synthetic resin membranes with a metal coating of Pt, Rh, Ru, Ir, Pd or their alloys. Good interlayer adhesion is maintained when the composites are used as electrodes in cells for the electrolysis of e.g. water, brine or hydrochloric acid.
An electrical conductor, made of silicon, titanium, tantalum or niobium, is sputter etched with inert gas ions and then coated with an at least 10 Angstroms thick layer of platinum, palladium, nickel, rhodium or iridium, both etching and coating stages being carried out under a partial vacuum.    The resulting catalytic electrode is useful in aq. electrochemical systems (e.g. to electrolyse HBr), in fuel cells and as oxygen electrodes in batteries. The sputter etching stage removes oxide from and introduces disorder into the conductor surface to make it chemically reactive so that it reacts with the coating metal to form a compound layer. The resulting coating is smooth, uniform, highly adherent and very stable under strongly oxidising conditions.
Electrode active layer comprises active carbon particles in an unsintered network or matrix of fibrillated carbon black/PTFE. Pref. the active carbon particles have a size of 1-30 microns and may contain a catalyst metal such as silver or platinum. The carbon black is esp. acetylene black with a particle size of 50-300 Angstroms and a surface area of 25-300 sq.m/g. The layer may also contain a pore-forming bulking agent.    The matrix active layers are made e.g. by mixing carbon black particles with an aq. dispersion of PTFE particles, mixing the resulting PTFE/carbon black component with active carbon particles, fibrillating the mixt. and forming the mixt. into an active layer contg. active carbon particles in an unsintered network of fibrillated carbon black/PTFE.    The active layers can be laminated to a backing (wetproofing) sheet and a current collector to form an oxygen (air) cathode having high durability and resistance to degradation by the corrosive environment in chlor-alkali cells, fuel cells etc.
Electrolytic cell comprises two frames each housing an electrode and a separator positioned between the two frames. A first seal contacts a side of the first frame and one side of the separator. Contacting the second frame is a second seal having a raised portion which also contacts a side of the separator.    The frames are pressed together against the seals and the separator to form a fluid-tight seal. Pref. the seals are gaskets formed from elastomers e.g. Neoprene (RTM) or ethylene-propylene dimonomer.    The raised portion provides the desired control of the gasket compression pressures and the gasket frame surface structural forces. Control of these pressure minimises compression set for gasket materials and bending or twisting of the frames.
In a process for the prepn. of a fuel, esp. for motor vehicles, solar energy is converted by solar cells to electricity, which is then used to electrolyse water. The H2 and opt. O2 prods. are separately liquefied and stored. The H2 is then used as fuel in engines operating on a Carnot cycle. Pref. it is burnt in a combustion engine with the O2 prod.    The H2 fuel is cheap and independent of fossil fuels. In use, unlike gasoline, it does not make the harmful oxides of C, Pb and (if O2 is the oxidant) N. There is no ecological effects since prodn. of the fuel from water and its consumption are at equilibrium.
A transportable storage system conformed to transfer H2 and O2 produced in the course of photovoltaic electrolysis of water comprises a movable platform (i.e. a trailer); two insulated coolant storage chambers, a container housing (hydride forming) metal fibres; a tank for storing O2 gas under pressure, a means for transferring H2 and O2 to the container and tank; a heat exchanger in the container; and a circulating system for passing water through the heat exchanger during its transfer from one storage chamber to the other.    The system is used in conjunction with a large solar energy collection array and provides an efficient means of storing and/or transporting power, the fuel cell being periodically rechargeable at the collection array. The appts. is safe.
Electrochemical cell assembly has a number of cells in stacked, series connected arrangement, each cell having an ion exchange membrane positioned between and in contact with catalytic electrodes, a number of electrically conductive bipolar plates separating adjacent membranes, each of the plates having a number of electrode contacting projections on opposite faces which define a number of fluid distributing channels each bipolar element contacting the electrodes associated with adjacent membranes. Each bipolar element includes an outlet manifold communicating with the fluid distributing channels to form a common outlet manifold for the cell assembly. A conductive fluid is introduced to each cell passing through the fluid distributing channels and into contact with an electrode, with excess fluid passing out of the cell into the outlet manifold.    The manifold walls of each bipolar element are lined with insulating material to prevent current flow between conductive manifold walls through conductive fluid in the common manifold, preventing shunt current flow between the cells and manifold.    Used in fuel cell batteries or, partic. in chloride electrolyser cell assemblies. The arrangement minimises the shunt currents which flow between the electrodes of adjacent cells through the moving conductive fluid and the fluid pool in the manifold of the bipolar cell assembly through the introduction of the conductive fluid at the top of the elongate outlet manifold which results in cascaded flow, interrupting the current path, while the insulating lining of the manifold interrupts the shunt currents between the fluid manifold walls through the conductive fluid in the manifold.
Powder for fabricating into an electrode for a molten carbonate fuel cell comprises ceramic substrate particles nonsintering at cell operating temp., encapsulated with a coating of metal that is electrochemically active for cell reactions. The powder is prepd. by (a) suspending catalysed ceramic substrate particles in an electroless plating soln. contg. ions of the metal to encapsulate the ceramic with plated metal; and (b) recovering the plated particles.    An electrode is fabricated by (i) forming a layer of the electrode powder; and (ii) sintering in an inert atmos. at a temp. sufficient to sinter the contacting powder by metal bonds formed by the encapsulating metal, without exposing surfaces of substrate particles. The electrode has a pore vol. above 45% and less than 85 vol.%.    The amt. metal used is reduced, reducing cost. Electrode morphology does not change with time due to metal sintering, as occurs with sintered Ni electrodes.
H2 prodn. from aq. solns. in solar cells is combined with storage of the gas produced in suitable containers and its use for energy prodn. when required.    The electrical energy produced in several areas is pref. supplied to a central electrolysis station and the gas formed is taken to a common distribution network, compressed and stored in a space-saving way. The energy is esp. useful for heating and the H2 is a clean fuel.
The electrogenerative reduction of an acid gas, i.e. with simultaneous by-production of electrical energy, comprises placing an anode and a catalytic cathode in a hydrogen ion-permeable liquid electrolyte, connecting the electrodes through an external circuit, exposing the anode to hydrogen to produce hydrogen ions in the electrolyte, and contacting the cathode with a gas contg. the acid gas, esp. NO, while maintaining the potential below 0.4 volts.    The NO reacts at the cathode with H ions from the electrolyte to produce hydroxyamine and ammonia which can be recovered from the electrolyte. Alternatively, reduction of the NO may be controlled so that nitrogen or nitrous oxide is produced.    Process is useful for treating gases,such as flue gases from the combustion of hydrocarbons in the generation of energy, contg. at least 50 ppm, NO, opt. together with other acid gases. The process not only by-produces low Voltage electrical energy but also produces useful compounds from the noxious components of the gas.
Scrap is formed into large surface area anodes and used for industrial hydrogen prodn. by electrolysis of water. The current density is controlled so that OH ions in the water ppte. the dissolved metal ions as hydroxides while oxygen-liberating electrochemical oxidn. of the water is suppressed. The recovered metal hydroxides are reduced to the metals, opt. after further oxidn.    The process gives simultaneous sepn. of scrap (esp. steel scrap) into metallic and nonmetallic components and prodn. of industrial hydrogen (suitable for direct use as an i.c. engine fuel) without simultaneous prodn. of oxygen. Only a low energy power source (e.g. a solar cell) is required for the process.
Utilisation factor determining method of the cathode hydrogen peroxide is simplified for use in chemical batteries and can be used in the automatic systems. The cathode operational current is measured and the result compared with the limiting current value.    The voltage, which corresponds to the operation mode, is produced across the battery electrodes (2,3) by the potentiometer (1). The operational current is measured by an ammeter (5). The cathode (2) potential relative to the reference electrode (6) is measured by a high resistance voltmeter (7).    The current of the silver electrode, which works in an alkaline soln. of hydrogen peroxide, is equal to 0,06 Amp, when the cathode potential is -0.01 V as referred to the oxide-mercury electrode. Then the cathode (2) voltage is raised to -0,15 V and the measured current is 0,14 Amp. The utilisation factor is equal to 0,06/0,14=0,43. Bul.22/15.6.81
A catalyst (I) comprises an activated Gp VIII metal supported on a porous metal. The surface of the support is covered by carbon fluoride or styrene-diphenyl benzene copolymer. Pref. to prepare the catalyst the surface of the metal support is coated with hydrophobic thermosetting resin, and introduced into a fluidised bed of carbon fluoride or styrene-diphenyl benzene, being heated at a temp. higher than their melting point. In order to support the catalystic component on the support, the support is soaked in chloroplatinic acid, dried and reduced in hydrogen-stream.    (I) is used for production of water from hydrogen and oxygen in a battery. When a closed-type battery is charged, oxygen and hydrogen generating by the electrolysis of water must be converted to water again. Platinum or palladium catalyst supported on alumina has been used, but once the surface of this catalyst gets wet with the water formed, its activity decreases. The support of (I) is hydrophobic, its surface hardly gets wet, maintaining its original catalytic activity.
An inorganic brittle monolithic hollow fibre is claimed which has at least one segment self-supportingly disposed as a coil. The fibre is produced by (i) extruding organic fibre-forming soln., contg. uniformly dispersed inorganic material, through a hollow fibre spinneret, (ii) forming polymeric precursor hollow fibre laden with inorganic material, (iii) shaping at least part of the fibre into coil, (iv) treating to remove polymer, (v) sintering the resulting inorganic material.    The hollow fibres are useful e.g. in fluid sepn. devices, fuel cells, filters, catalyst applications, and partic. as solid electrolytes in secondary storage batteries.
Current generating cell consists of a fluorinated plastics film (I), a metal mesh (2) with a coating (3) of oxidn. catalyst, binder and activated charcoal powder, an electrolyte carrier (4) and a metal foil (5).    The cell is pref. 0.04-16 mm thick. The plastics film (1) pref. consists of PTFE, TFE/hexafluoropropylene, PVDF, TFE-mipo- TFE-ethylene and/or mipo-TFE-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether and is 0.01-2 mm thick. The wire mesh (2) is pref. 0.01-2 mm thick. The electrolyte carrier (4) pref. consists of an absorptive and flexible fleece or foam material and is 0.01-10 mm thick. The metal foil (5) pref. consists of Al or Al, Zn, or Fe sheet and is 0.01-2 mm thick.    The cell is light, thin, flexible and flat and gives a very high capacity and current density. It is useful in model) sail planes and heatable life jackets.
A fuel cell including an electrolyte matrix contg. alkali metal carbonate electrolyte which is molten during cell operation and having a spaced anode and cathode contacting the electrolyte-matrix has an anode of molten-carbonate compatible, oxidn. resistant, structurally stable, catalytically active, electron conductive ceria. Pref., the anode has a pore size over 1 micron, porosity greater than 40%, and the electrolyte comprises Li2CO3, K2CO3, Na2CO3 or their mixts.    The ceria anode performs better than known anodes, esp. having greater structural stability, i.e. sinter and creep resistance, than e.g. Ni and no phase instability in over 5000 hr operation.
A molten carbonate fuel cell electrolyte-matrix material consists of alkali metal carbonate electrolyte intimately combined with a ceria matrix material that undergoes no crystalline phase change or reaction for at least 2000 (pref. at least 5000) hr. under the fuel cell operating conditions. A fuel cell comprises the above electrolyte-matrix material contacted by a spaced anode and cathode. Pref., the electrolyte-matrix comprises 20-70 vol.% ceria and the electrolyte is Li2CO3, K2CO3, Na2CO3 or their mixts.    The ceria matrix has better stability under molten carbonate fuel cell operating conditions than other known matrix materials.
Fuel cell has an anode plate (10) of metallic fuel, cathode plate (11) of microporous electrocatalytic material, arranged in an elongate case, with the anode plate (10) transverse the inner space and shiftable axially therein, the cathode plate (11) transverse the inner space in fixed position with its outer surface spaced from one end of the case and defining an air chamber (Y), and its inner surface spaced from the opposing surface of the anode plate to define an electrolyte chamber (X). A positive terminal is connected to the cathode and extends through the casing. An electric collector (12) is provided in the electrolyte chamber together with a dielectric insulator (I) through which electrolyte is free to flow positioned between the collector and the cathode, maintaining their spacing. A negative terminal extends through the casing from the collector and a flexible diaphragm (14) is provided spaced from the other end of the case defining a second air chamber (Y) and engaging the outer surface of the anode plate.    Electrolyte is conducted into the electrolyte chamber (X) at a predetermined pressure, and air is conducted, at greater pressure that that on the electrolyte, into the first air chamber (Y) to supply oxygen to the cathode plate, and into the second chamber (Y) to urge the diaphragm and anode plate axially toward the collector and the cathode plate.    Fuel cell is simple, practical and economical to make and use and includes an arrangement to effectively put the cell into or out of operation as desired, extending the service life of the cell, and the anode plates can be quickly and easily changed when they are consumed without replacement or rebuilding the cells.
Fuel cell has a hydrogen contg. fuel supplied to its anode and an oxidant, in an amt. in excess of the stoichiometric ratio relative the fuel supplied, is supplied to the cathode. Reaction prods, including excess oxidant and water vapour, are conveyed from the cathode, cooled and fed to a flow constriction having a flow injector. Downstream of the flow constrictor the prods. are sepd into a vaporous portion having a large oxidant and small coolant and water content and a liq. portion having a large coolant and water content and a small oxidant content, the vapour portion being fed via a conduit back to the cathode, the flow injector and constriction providing sufficient pressure head to flow the vapour portion through the conduit to the cathode.    Used for removal of heat of electrochemical reaction to prevent cell temp. rising to damaging levels. Provides a system which effectively removes heat from the cell stack with simplified components and without detracting from system efficiency.
The generator consists of a tank with a lid from which a vertical pipe or duct projects downwards into the electrolyte to form a separate anode chamber and cathode chamber. Each chamber contains an electrode formed by a perforated plate. The two plates are concentric, and are located at the same height in a plane parallel with the base of the tank.    The H2 and O2 are maintained at the same pressure in the tank, pref. by using a cathode chamber which is twice the size of the anode chamber. If the pressure in one chamber increases, the electrolyte level falls below the electrode so electrolysis automatically stops.    For example the electrolysis of a 25% soln. of KOH or NaOH in water, which is heated to 70-90 deg.C. A steel cathode is used with a nickel-plated steel anode. One normal cu.m H2 is produced for 4.5 kW, and can be used to heat burners used in melting gold etc. or in mfg. dental prostheses.
I2 is electrolytically generated (I) by (a) providing a catalytic O2-evolving anode, using a catalyst of at least two Pt-gp. metal-contg. cpds. and at least one valve metal cpd., (b) providing a catalytic cathode; (c) positioning an ion exchange membrane between, electrically contacting the bonded to anode and cathode; (d) providing a DC potential between cathode and anode; and (e) supplying water to one electrode, to electrochemically generate O2 at the anode.    O2 is electrolytically generated (II) from O2 contained in a gaseous stream, as (I), with (a) a catalytic O2-conc anode, and (f) providing the gaseous stream at the anode.    O2 is also produced (III) by electrolysis of a medium evolving O2 and water, as (I), using a cation permeable membrane, supplying the medium to the anode and an aq. medium to the cathode, and removing O2 and the gas formed from protons at the cathode.    The catalyst is more economical to produce than conventional mixed Pt-gp. metal oxide catalysts, and has a good as or better stability, efficiency and performance. Cell voltage may br reduced by 50 mV, giving considerable savings in power consumption.
Self supporting matrix for use in a fuel cell is made of electrically insulating interlocking long fibres having vacant spaces for filling with electrolyte. A fuel cell comprises anode, cathode and electrolyte retaining matrix as above between them, with electrolyte retained in spaces formed among the fibres.    The fibres are pref. 100 micron or more long, have length:dia. ratio 10 or more, pref. 100 or more. The fibres are pref. Li aluminate, prepd. by contacting fibrous Al2O3 with a powdery or liq. Li salt, heat treating and esp. sintering. The fuel cell electrolyte is pref. molten carbonate.    The matrix may be formed as a thin plate and adheres well to electrodes giving high power output. It resists cracking and breaking in cell construction or use.
Catalysts for fuel cell electrodes, comprising an Ir complex (I) in which the Ir is coordinated to an aromatic macrocyclic ligand via 4 N atoms, are activated by heating to a temp. of at least 300 deg.C. in an inert gas atmos. Pref. (I) is a porphyrin, phthalocyanine or tetraazaannulene complex. Activation is pref. effected at 300-1000 deg.C. for at least 20 min.    The activated catalysts have an activity which is an order of magnitude higher than that of analogous Co and Fe catalysts, while having comparable stability. Unlike known catalysts, (I) can be used in cells employing Co as fuel.
A device comprising a first electrode (22); a second electrode (23) of p-type semiconductor; a liq. electrolyte (25,26) and a separator (24) dividing the cell into first and second electrode contg. compartments; having a voltage source (28) connected to the electrodes; has an electrolyte (26) in the second compartment contg. (a) a redox couple of V2+/V3+, Nb4+/Nb5+ or Ti3+/Ti4+ cations; and (b) an H2 evolution catalyst from Ru, Rh, Pd, Pt and their cpds. Pref. the redox couple has a potential 0.020-0.60V more reducing than the H+/H2 electrode.    Device is useful for photoelectrochemical generation of H2, with rapid H2 evolution under an applied voltage at least 0.6V and illumination of the p-type semiconductor, and without photo- corrosion of the semiconductor.
A joule-boosted method of driving a high temp. step of a thermochemical process for hydrogen prodn. from a magnetic fusion reactor, having a blanket operating at a temp. below that of the high temp. step, comprises removing lower temp. thermal energy from the blanket, converting this energy to electrical energy and converting the electrical energy to thermal energy at a sufficient temp. to meet the heat requirements of the high temp. step.    Also claimed are (i) decomposition of SO3, gas without a catalyst by contacting the gas with a silicon carbide rod at about 1250K; and (ii) a SO3 decomposer, for thermochemical hydrogen prodn., which has a chamber contg. one or more heating elements for continuous provision of heat to decompose SO3 gas, passed into the chamber, into SO2 and O2 which are removed from the chamber.    The method allows the temp. of the blanket to be reduced to about 900K thus greatly alleviating materials problems, the level of technology required, safety problems and cost.
Natural energy from a wide variety of sources is used in alkaline electrolysis cells to form H2 for storage as fuel. The cells have a number of electrodes which are selected to make max use of the power supply available, e.g. in the range 0.6-380 V, and individual electrodes are of operated or grid type to permit free passage of ions through electrode temporarily out of use. The H2 is pressurised in the sealed cell cover before extn. for storage, obviating need for mechanical compressors and reducing vaporisation of electrolyte.    Effectively stores energy from solar, wind, tidal etc. sources, where the supply available may vary unpredictably but needs are more constant. Since H2 is the only gaseous prod., safety is increased.
The electrolyser is of the filter press type, and uses a stack of rings to hold electrodes, which are pref. bipolar. The electrodes form electrolysis cells; and each cell contains a diaphragm dividing the cell into an anode chamber and a cathode chamber. The cells are sepd. from each other by a foil made e.g. of a fluorinated resin resisting attack by the electrolyte and forming electric insulation and a seal.    The foil is located between an electrode and a ring; and a packing resistant to the electrolyte and made e.g. of a fluorinated resin is used to protect the edges of the rings to hold the diaphragms in place.    Inexpensive seals are provided which resist high temps. and pressures.
A bipolar fuel cell collecting plate is made by blending 25 wt.% phenol formaldehyde resin with 75 wt.% graphite, using an amount of hexamethylene tetramine and a furfural wetting agent. The blend is charged into a treated mould and heated under pressure. The pressure is released to allow gases to escape, then the mould is heated further before being cooled. The formed plate is removed and postcured.    The resin has a phenol formaldehyde mole ratio of 1.0:0.6-0.9 (pref. 0.77-0.81) or is a styrenenated resin having a mole ratio of 4 moles phenol to 0.1-4,0, pref. 0.9, moles styrene to 3.2 moles formaldehyde.    Collecting plates are used in hydrogen air fuel cells to connect adjacent cells in a stack, to distribute incoming gases around the electrodes and to provide rigidity. The claimed plates have the required electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, hydrogen impermeability, and resistance to conc. phosphoric acid electrolyte at 200 deg.C.
Matrix for retaining an electrolyte of molten carbonates in a fuel cell, comprises supporting particles of submicron size of a material compatible with the electrolyte under the operating conditions. Specifically at least 5 (above 20) vol.% of fissure attenuating particles, the balance being supporting particles, so that the matrix contains a multitude of microfissures but no large ones, when it is cooled to ambient temp. Specifically, the fissure attenuating particles are at least 25 microns dia. and are particles of ceramic or metal. The preferred support particles are lithium aluminate and the large particles are pref. Al2O3 or LiAlO2.    The matrix is reinforced adequately so that fissures do not develop and the cell remains operational.
(+12.4.67, 27.7.67, 24.12.70, 21.1.74-US-633348,656595, 101284,434910) (91RH)    The energy density of a heat-generating, water-consuming electrochemical cell producing a water-contg. reaction prod. is increased by (a) removing the reaction prod. from the cell; (b) removing heat generated in the cell with circulating fluid; (c) heating the reaction prod. with the fluid to distill water from it; (d) condensing the water; and (e) returning distilled water to the cell.    A power generator comprises at least 1 electrochemical cell (BA) having (i) a consumable metal anode; (ii) an O2 or H2O2 depolarised cathode; (iii) circulating liq. electrolyte soln.; (iv) an electrolyte reservoir (RER,WER); (v) a collector removing metal hydroxide reaction prod.; and (vi) a heat exchanger for (c) and condenser for (d) (all in HRPCS), with the water added to electrolyte as makeup water.    The appts. is useful for land-based and marine based applications. Reuse of water improves the energy;wt. ratio as less water need be carried, with control of temp. and electrolyte level allowing control of power output.