Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for producing aluminum of high purity by the steps of electrolyzing an electrolytic bath composed preponderantly of aluminum chloride or aluminum bromide for thereby educing aluminum on the cathode, causing the cathodic product of electrolysis to precipitate to the bottom of the electrolytic cell, then melting the precipitate to produce molten aluminum, casting the molten aluminum into ingots and cooling the ingots.

Abstract: A composite body has a substrate with opposite major surfaces, the substrate has a solid ion-conductive electrolyte material region and at least a portion of at least one major surface of a solid ion-insulating material region, and at least one moderately deformable metallic element bonded directly to the ion-insulating material of the substrate, the metal of the metallic element different from the metal of the mobile ions of the solid ion-conductive electrolyte material region.

Abstract: A rechargeable zinc halogen cell or battery comprising a casing defining one or more electrode compartments, a number of halogen storage carbon/metal cathodes mounted in each compartment and interspaced with one or more zinc bearing anodes, a halogen gas inlet to the casing and communicating with an open portion of each cathode to form a common channel for the gas in the cell, and disposed between each cathode and anode a semi-permeable separator which will not allow any substantial passage therethrough of the halogen in liquid form.

Abstract: A method for the production of high outputs with high current densities in an electrochemical system, particularly of a metal-air-cell having a consumable electrode, an air electrode and electrolyte disposed between the electrodes. The heat occurring in the phase boundary interface electrode/electrolyte or the existing temperature is controlled in the sense of a local heating and/or cooling.

Abstract: This invention relates to improvements in the construction of metal oxide/lanthanum nickel hydride storage batteries. A stack construction is disclosed which allows recombination of oxygen before it reaches the hydride electrode. The oxygen gas is forced to escape from the back of the metal oxide electrode where it is reduced at a catalyst electrode held at the potential of the lanthanum nickel electrode. With rapid recombination, no build-up of pressure occurs and no oxygen gas will arrive at the hydride electrode which would tend to damage it. In one embodiment, the hydride electrode is separated from the metal oxide electrode by a fuel cell-type separator. In one embodiment, a single oxygen reduction electrode is placed between two back-to-back metal oxide electrodes, and the reduction electrode is connected to the two common leads to the hydride electrodes. In a second embodiment, the reduction electrodes are pressed against or attached to the hydride electrodes.

Abstract: A metal halogen cell, especially a zinc-bromine cell, employs a circulating electrolyte system containing a complexing agent to effectively remove cathodic halogen from the electrolyte during charging of the cell. The complexing agent is one which in the presence of halogen forms a water insoluble halogen complex. This separated and stored source of cathodic halogen can be returned to the cell during cell discharge.

Abstract: The air depolarized cell comprises a laminated cathode assembly including an air cathode and an auxiliary cathode in combination with a layer of a thin film nonporous gas permeable membrane which is disposed with one side over the air cathode and with the opposite side having substantially unrestricted access to the atmosphere through a gas diffusion member. The nonporous membrane controls the transfer of oxygen from the ambient atmosphere to the air cathode exclusively by gas solubility with its permeability to oxygen selected to correspond to a predetermined average current density for the cell.

Abstract: A gas diffusion electrode for electrochemical cells with acid electrolytes, comprises a hydrophobic layer of gas permeable electrically conductive material having up to 0.2 mm of thickness and having pores with a most frequent pore diameter of about 1.8 microns and a hydrophilic layer containing a catalyst which is closely bonded to the hydrophobic layer. The hydrophilic layer has pores with a most frequent pore diameter of 0.09 microns.

Abstract: Mixed metal oxides of the formula CaMn.sub.3 O.sub.6, CaMn.sub.4 O.sub.8 and CaMn.sub.7 O.sub.12 are disclosed. They are useful in electrochemical processes. CaMn.sub.3 O.sub.6 is a mixed valence composition whose formula may be written as Ca[Mn.sub.2.sup.3+ Mn.sup.4+ ]O.sub.6. The compound is stable in H.sub.2 to about 400.degree. C. and in oxygen to approximately 925.degree. C. CaMn.sub.4 O.sub.8 is also a mixed valence composition whose formula may be written Ca[Mn.sub.2.sup.3+ Mn.sub.2.sup.4+ ]O.sub.8. This compound is stable in H.sub.2 to about 250.degree. C. and in O.sub.2 to about 900.degree. C. CaMn.sub.7 O.sub.12 is a mixed valence composition whose formula may be written as Ca[Mn.sup.4+ Mn.sub.6.sup.3+ ]O.sub.12. The compound is stable in H.sub.2 to about 500.degree. C. and in oxygen to approximately 950.degree. C.

Abstract: A method is provided for the controlled cleaning of aluminum chloride contaminated filtering means used in a system for recovery of gaseous effluents formed in the production of aluminum from aluminum chloride. The method includes transferring filtering units from the system to a cleaning vessel, placing them inside the vessel and sealing the vessel from the environment. Water is flowed into the lower portions of the vessel to immerse the units to cause the aluminum chloride to react with the water, giving off gaseous and liquid products of reaction. Gaseous materials are exhausted from the upper portion of the vessel to a fugitive gas system and the liquid products are discharged from a separate exhaust means. Filtering materials are then stripped from the units to be disposed of without polluting the environment.An apparatus is also provided for carrying out the method of the present invention.

Abstract: In a battery of the structure laminated with plural cells a frame of the battery is divided into three equal spaces by barriers of insulating material. One of the spaces is a cathode active material chamber, another of the spaces is an anode active material, and the other is an electrolyte chamber. Cathode and anode plates are attached to one ends of the respective cathode active material and electrolyte chambers. The anode active material chamber is divided at one end thereof by an insulating partition plate formed integral with the frame. The plural frames attached with these anode and cathode plates are accumulated to form plural unit cells in such a manner that the chamber for the electrolyte of the frame of certain layer is disposed between the chambers for two materials different in the fore and aft layers from each other.

Abstract: A process for the production of electric current in an electrochemical generator comprising a cell having a compartment contaning a liquid electrolyte, the surface of the lower face of the compartment being formed by all or part of the surface of an electron collector arranged on the electrolyte side, this process consisting in creating a flow through the compartment of the electrolyte containing active solid particles or solid particles transporting an active material, the density of the particles being greater than the density of the electrolyte, is characterized by the fact that a divergence of the streamlines of the flow is brought about before the flow penetrates into the compartment and by the fact that the particles move within the compartment in the form of a sedimentation bed which is contiguous to the surface of the lower face and substantially homogeneous over the entire width of the lower face, the sedimentation bed being entrained by the electrolyte.

Abstract: A bipolar electrode element has an electrically conductive, chemically inert, generally flat wall having first and second opposing faces, each of the first and second faces having a plurality of spaced, parallel grooves therein with the spaced grooves in the first face being laterally staggered from the spaced grooves in the second face, first and second spaced and substantially parallel electrodes having first edges disposed within first and second respective grooves of said spaced parallel grooves in said first face and extending generally perpendicular from the plane of the inert wall; and a third electrode having a first edge disposed within a groove in said second face and extending generally perpendicular from the plane of the inert wall. A battery stack is obtained by positioning a plurality of the bipolar battery elements such that their electrodes are interdigitated.

Abstract: A gaseous fuel cell is described which includes a pair of electrodes formed by open-ended, ion-exchange hollow fibers, each having a layer of metal catalyst deposited on the inner surface thereof and large surface area current collectors such as braided metal mesh in contact with the metal catalyst layer. A fuel cell results when the electrodes are immersed in electrolyte and electrically connected. As hydrogen and oxygen flow through the bore of the fibers oxidation and reduction reactions develop an electrical potential. Since the hollow fiber configuration provides large electrode area per unit volume and intimate contact between fuel and oxidizer at the interface, and due to the low internal resistance of the electrolyte, high power densities can be obtained.

Abstract: A storage battery containing a recombination catalyst wherein the recombined water vapor is conducted by a conduit into the electrolyte and is condensed therein. The storage battery contains battery plates in the liquid electrolyte. It contains a recombination catalyst and an upper enclosure and means for directing evolved oxygen and hydrogen gases to said recombination catalyst.

Abstract: A fuel cell fuel control system is presented in which the fuel processor is isolated from the fuel cell by means of a demand valve. The fuel processor operates at an elevated pressure with the supply of fuel forming constituents being constantly monitored in proportion to the demand based on the pressure downstream of the demand valve and the temperature in the hydrogen reformer.

Abstract: Thermoelectric generator devices and methods using, for example, alkali metal as a working fluid are disclosed. In operation, elemental alkali metal is ionized on the inside of an electrolyte tube to alkali metal cations, reconverted outside the tube to elemental alkali metal at a porous electrode, vaporized into a furnace zone in vapor communication with the porous electrode, discharged hydrodynamically from the furnace zone to a cooling zone, and collected as a liquid for return to the inside of the electrolyte tube. Essentially isothermal series electrical connection within the devices provides a means for reduction of heat conduction losses.

Abstract: A fuel cell fuel control system is presented in which the fuel processor is isolated from the fuel cell by means of a demand valve. The fuel processor operates at an elevated pressure and forms a reservoir of hydrogen which is supplied to the fuel cell upon demand based on the pressure downstream of the demand valve and the temperature in the hydrogen reformer.

Abstract: A galvanic primary cell in which complexing agents are supplied to the anode and/or the cathode to eliminate operation-inhibiting or passivating phase interfaces, such as a passivating coating on the anode or a heterogeneous supply of active material inhibiting the cathode reaction. More particularly, in an iron/air cell, complexing agents for iron are supplied to eliminate coatings on the Fe-anode, while complexing agents for oxygen are supplied to reversibly dissolve O.sub.2 at the cathode.

Abstract: A process for the production of electric current utilizing electrochemical reactions in a generator comprising at least one cell having at least one compartment containing a liquid electrolyte and having a lower face formed at least in part by all or part of the surface of at least one electron collector arranged on the electrolyte side, said process consisting in creating a flow through the compartment of the electrolyte containing solid particles which are at least partially active and/or solid particles transporting at least one active material, the density of the particles being greater than the density of the electrolyte, is characterized by the fact that the flow takes place in such a manner that the particles form a sedimentation bed which is contiguous to the lower face of the compartment and is entrained by the electrolyte.