Abstract: An ambient water condenser system is described having a condensation chamber which at least partially contains or surrounds a fluid reservoir which contains a volume or mass of an aqueous hygroscopic solution for condensing water from ambient air and a distillation process for extracting the water from the solution. The fluid reservoir has a heat source, a lower porous hydrophobic membrane, and an upper porous hydrophobic membrane. The heat source causes the hygroscopic solution near the top of reservoir to have a higher temperature which causes it to have a higher water vapor pressure, whereby the water vapor passing through the upper porous hydrophobic membrane and into the condensation chamber condenses into liquid water.

Abstract: Solid-state batteries, battery components, and related processes for their production are provided. The battery electrodes or separators contain sintered electrochemically active material, inorganic solid particulate electrolyte having large particle size, and low melting point solid inorganic electrolyte which acts as a binder and/or a sintering aid in the electrode.

Abstract: An energy recovery converter for exhaust gases or waste heat is provided. The converter includes a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), an exhaust gas having a first molecular oxygen content, and an external electrical load. The MEA includes a first electrode, a second electrode and an oxygen ion conductive membrane sandwiched between the first and second electrodes. Each of the first and second electrodes includes at least one oxidation catalyst configured to promote an electrochemical reaction. The second electrode of the MEA is exposed to the exhaust gas and the first electrode of the MEA is exposed to a gas having a second molecular oxygen content. The second molecular oxygen content is higher than the first molecular oxygen content. The external electrical load is connected between the first and second electrodes of the MEA.

Abstract: A electrochemical direct heat to electricity converter having a low temperature membrane electrode assembly array and a high temperature membrane electrode assembly array is provided. Additional cells are provided in the low temperature membrane electrode assembly array, which causes an additional amount of the working fluid, namely hydrogen, to be pumped to the high pressure side of the converter. The additional pumped hydrogen compensates for the molecular hydrogen diffusion that occurs through the membranes of the membrane electrode assembly arrays. The MEA cells may be actuated independently by a controller to compensate for hydrogen diffusion.

Abstract: A direct heat to electricity engine includes solid state electrodes of an electrochemically active material that has an electrochemical reaction potential that is temperature dependent. The electrodes are configured in combination with electrolyte separators to form membrane electrode assemblies. The membrane electrode assemblies are grouped into pairs, whereby each membrane electrode assembly of a given pair is ionically and electronically interconnected with the other. One membrane electrode assembly of a given pair is coupled to a heat source with the other to a heat sink. One membrane electrode assembly of the pair is electrically discharged while the other is electrically charged, whereby the net and relative charge between the two remains constant because of the electronic and ionic interconnection and the difference in temperature of the membrane electrode assemblies, and thereby voltage, results in net power generation.

Abstract: A converter includes a working fluid, a housing, a heat sink, a heat source that is at an elevated temperature relative to the heat sink, a first electrochemical cell disposed within the housing, and a micro/nano porous media disposed within the housing. The first electrochemical cell includes a first membrane electrode assembly across which the working fluid is configured to flow. The first membrane electrode assembly includes a first porous electrode and a second porous electrode and at least one ion conductive membrane sandwiched between the first and second porous electrodes. The first electrochemical cell is arranged between the heat source and the heat sink. The working fluid is contained within the micro/nano porous media. The micro/nano porous media is thermally coupled between the heat source and the heat sink, and creates a pressure differential across the first electrochemical cell by transpiration pumping of the working fluid.

Abstract: An electrochemical direct heat to electricity converter includes a primary thermal energy source; a working fluid; an electrochemical cell comprising at least one membrane electrode assembly including a first porous electrode, a second porous electrode and at least one membrane, wherein the at least one membrane is sandwiched between the first and second porous electrodes and is a conductor of ions of the working fluid; an energy storage reservoir; and an external load. The electrochemical cell operates on heat to produce electricity. When thermal energy available from the primary thermal energy source is greater than necessary to meet demands of the external load, excess energy is stored in the energy storage reservoir, and when the thermal energy available from the primary thermal energy source is insufficient to meet the demands of the external load, at least a portion of the excess energy stored in the energy storage reservoir is used to supply power to the external load.

Abstract: A solid state battery cell has a frame formed by a non-electrically conductive material. The frame has a frame thickness (Tf). A cell core surrounded by and entirely within the frame has a cell-core thickness (Tc). The cell core includes at least one anode, at least one cathode and at least one electrolyte between the at least one anode and the at least one cathode. At least one cell-core swell-accommodating recess is surrounded by and entirely within the frame. The at least one cell-core swell-accommodating recess defines an internal cell volume into which the cell core is expandable and from which the cell core is contractible. The cell-core thickness (Tc) is less than or equal to the frame thickness (Tf) during cell-charge and/or cell-discharge cycling.

Abstract: A direct heat to electricity engine includes solid state electrodes of an electrochemically active material that has an electrochemical reaction potential that is temperature dependent. The electrodes are configured in combination with electrolyte separators to form membrane electrode assemblies. The membrane electrode assemblies are grouped into pairs, whereby each membrane electrode assembly of a given pair is ionically and electronically interconnected with the other. One membrane electrode assembly of a given pair is coupled to a heat source with the other to a heat sink. One membrane electrode assembly of the pair is electrically discharged while the other is electrically charged, whereby the net and relative charge between the two remains constant because of the electronic and ionic interconnection and the difference in temperature of the membrane electrode assemblies, and thereby voltage, results in net power generation.

Abstract: A thermo-electro-chemical converter direct heat to electricity engine has a monolithic co-sintered ceramic structure or a monolithic fused polymer structure that contains a working fluid within a continuous closed flow loop. The co-sintered ceramic or fused polymer structure includes a conduit system containing a heat exchanger, a first high density electrochemical cell stack, and a second high density electrochemical cell stack.

Abstract: An electrochemical direct heat to electricity converter includes a primary thermal energy source; a working fluid; an electrochemical cell comprising at least one membrane electrode assembly including a first porous electrode, a second porous electrode and at least one membrane, wherein the at least one membrane is sandwiched between the first and second porous electrodes and is a conductor of ions of the working fluid; an energy storage reservoir; and an external load. The electrochemical cell operates on heat to produce electricity. When thermal energy available from the primary thermal energy source is greater than necessary to meet demands of the external load, excess energy is stored in the energy storage reservoir, and when the thermal energy available from the primary thermal energy source is insufficient to meet the demands of the external load, at least a portion of the excess energy stored in the energy storage reservoir is used to supply power to the external load.

Abstract: A lithium oxygen or air battery (80) is disclosed having two halves (81) that are joined together along their edges. Each battery half (81) has a carbon cloth or mesh cathode current collector (82), a cathode (83), a cathode terminal (84), an anode (85), an anode current collector, anode terminal (88) and a solid separator (87). The cathode includes randomly distributed carbon fibers throughout. The manufacturing of the cathode includes embedding a carbon cloth between two layers of cathode material in a slurry state.

Abstract: Solid-state batteries, battery components, and related processes for their production are provided. The battery electrodes or separators contain sintered electrochemically active material, inorganic solid particulate electrolyte having large particle size, and low melting point solid inorganic electrolyte which acts as a binder and/or a sintering aid in the electrode.

Abstract: An ambient heat engine that is thermally coupled to its environment is provided. The ambient heat engine includes two complementary electrochemical cells. One cell has a positive voltage temperature coefficient and the other cell has a negative voltage temperature coefficient. The ambient heat engine further includes a controller and an electrical energy storage device. When the ambient temperature increases or decreases, the temperature variation creates a voltage differential between the two cells, and the controller discharges the higher voltage cell and uses a portion of the discharged energy to charge the lower voltage cell. The difference in energy is extracted by the controller and supplied to the electrical energy storage device. The controller includes circuitry for coupling energy from the energy storage device to the cells in order to compensate for self-discharge of the cells which may occur due to electronic leakage and diffusion phenomenon over extended periods of time.

Abstract: A thermo-electro-chemical converter direct heat to electricity engine has a monolithic co-sintered ceramic structure or a monolithic fused polymer structure that contains a working fluid within a continuous closed flow loop. The co-sintered ceramic or fused polymer structure includes a conduit system containing a heat exchanger, a first high density electrochemical cell stack, and a second high density electrochemical cell stack.

Abstract: A electrochemical direct heat to electricity converter having a low temperature membrane electrode assembly array and a high temperature membrane electrode assembly array is provided. Additional cells are provided in the low temperature membrane electrode assembly array, which causes an additional amount of the working fluid, namely hydrogen, to be pumped to the high pressure side of the converter. The additional pumped hydrogen compensates for the molecular hydrogen diffusion that occurs through the membranes of the membrane electrode assembly arrays. The MEA cells may be actuated independently by a controller to compensate for hydrogen diffusion.

Abstract: A high capacity solid state composite cathode contains an active cathode material dispersed in an amorphous inorganic ionically conductive metal oxide, such as lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide and/or lithium carbon lanthanum zirconium oxide. A solid state composite separator contains an electronically insulating inorganic powder dispersed in an amorphous, inorganic, ionically conductive metal oxide. Methods for preparing the composite cathode and composite separator are provided.

Abstract: A direct heat to electricity engine includes solid state electrodes of an electrochemically active material that has an electrochemical reaction potential that is temperature dependent. The electrodes are configured in combination with electrolyte separators to form membrane electrode assemblies. The membrane electrode assemblies are grouped into pairs, whereby each membrane electrode assembly of a given pair is ionically and electronically interconnected with the other. One membrane electrode assembly of a given pair is coupled to a heat source with the other to a heat sink. One membrane electrode assembly of the pair is electrically discharged while the other is electrically charged, whereby the net and relative charge between the two remains constant because of the electronic and ionic interconnection and the difference in temperature of the membrane electrode assemblies, and thereby voltage, results in net power generation.

Abstract: A rechargeable lithium air battery is provided. The battery contains a ceramic separator forming an anode chamber, a molten lithium anode contained in the anode chamber, an air cathode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte. The cathode has a temperature gradient comprising a low temperature region and a high temperature region, and the temperature gradient provides a flow system for reaction product produced by the battery.

Abstract: A rechargeable lithium air battery is provided. The battery contains a ceramic separator forming an anode chamber, a molten lithium anode contained in the anode chamber, an air cathode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte. The cathode has a temperature gradient comprising a low temperature region and a high temperature region, and the temperature gradient provides a flow system for reaction product produced by the battery.