Rotary Motion Patents (Class 429/69)
  • Patent number: 9478803
    Abstract: A flow battery and method of operating a flow battery. The flow battery includes a first electrode, a second electrode and a reaction zone located between the first electrode and the second electrode. The flow battery is configured with a first electrolyte flow configuration in charge mode and a second flow configuration in discharge mode. The first electrolyte flow configuration is at least partially different from the second electrolyte flow configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: PRIMUS POWER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gerardo Jose la O', Rick Winter, Jonathan L. Hall, Pallavi Pharkya, Paul Kreiner, Russell Cole
  • Patent number: 8394518
    Abstract: Galvanic electrochemical cells (100, 300, 700, 900) for converting chemical energy into electrical energy, such as batteries, flow cells and fuel cells with a cylindrical rotating filter (120X, 326, 726, 910) having ion-porous (120P, 326P, 726P, 910P) and ion-non-porous filter (120N, 326N, 726N, 910N) for use with both thixotropic and non-conducting electrolytes that generates fluid flows in electrolytes between static cylindrical current collector segments (106, 304X, 306X, 710X, 902X; 108, 314X, 316X, 712X, 906) and the filter (120, 326, 726, 910) are disclosed that generate electric currents varying in amplitude that can be converted into alternating current electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Global Energy Science, LLC (California)
    Inventors: Halbert Fischel, Sheldon L Epstein
  • Patent number: 8298694
    Abstract: A power supply device in which power storage bodies are disposed in a casing that houses a cooling medium is provided. The power supply device includes a moving portion that moves the power storage bodies in the cooling medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Murata
  • Patent number: 8283062
    Abstract: Electrochemical cells (10), such as fuel cells (12) and fuel reformers (14), with rotating elements or electrodes (34, 24) that generate Taylor Vortex Flows (28, 50) and Circular Couette Flows (58) in fluids such as electrolytes and fuels are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Global Energy Science, LLC
    Inventor: Halbert Fischel
  • Patent number: 8187560
    Abstract: Steam, partial oxidation and pyrolytic fuel reformers (14 or 90) with rotating cylindrical surfaces (18, 24 or 92, 96) that generate Taylor Vortex Flows (28 or 98) and Circular Couette Flows (58, 99) for extracting hydrogen from hydrocarbon fuels such as methane (CH4), methanol (CH3OH), ethanol (C2H5OH), propane (C3H8), butane (C4H10), octane (C8H18), kerosene (C12H26) and gasoline and hydrogen-containing fuels such as ammonia (NH3) and sodium borohydride (NaBH4) are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Global Energy Science, LLC
    Inventor: Halbert Fischel
  • Patent number: 8187737
    Abstract: Electrochemical cells (100, 500, 600) for converting chemical energy into electrical energy, such as batteries (102), flow cells (502) and fuel cells (602) with a cylindrical rotating ion-permeable filter (120, 414, 520, 620) that generates Taylor Vortex Flows (144, 146, 404, 544, 546, 664, 666) and Circular Couette Flows (148, 150, 568, 570, 668, 670) in thixotropic catholytes and anolytes between a cylindrical current collector (106, 506, 606, 108, 508, 608) and the filter (120, 414, 520, 620) are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Global Energy Science, LLC
    Inventor: Halbert Fischel
  • Publication number: 20120003518
    Abstract: Electrochemical cells (100, 500, 600) for converting chemical energy into electrical energy, such as batteries (102), flow cells (502) and fuel cells (602) with a cylindrical rotating ion-permeable filter (120, 414, 520, 620) that generates Taylor Vortex Flows (144, 146, 404, 544, 546, 664, 666) and Circular Couette Flows (148, 150, 568, 570, 668, 670) in thixotropic catholytes and anolytes between a cylindrical current collector (106, 506, 606, 108, 508, 608) and the filter (120, 414, 520, 620) are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Inventor: HALBERT FISCHEL
  • Patent number: 8052955
    Abstract: Lithium-based materials and methods of forming the same. In at least one embodiment of a method of forming a lithium-based material of the present disclosure, the method comprises the steps of combining a first quantity of a first lithium-based component and a second quantity of a second lithium-based component with a titanium-based component to form a mixture, the first lithium-based component having a first melting point and the second lithium-based component having a second melting point higher than the first melting point of the first lithium-based component, and heating the mixture to a first temperature above the first melting point but below the second melting point for a period of time to form a resultant end product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: EnerDel, Inc.
    Inventors: Vadim Gorshkov, Oleg Volkov
  • Patent number: 8017261
    Abstract: Electrochemical cells (10), such as fuel cells (12) and fuel reformers (14), with rotating elements or electrodes (34, 24) that generate Taylor Vortex Flows (28, 50) and Circular Couette Flows (58) in fluids such as electrolytes and fuels are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Global Energy Science, LLC (California)
    Inventor: Fischel Halbert
  • Patent number: 7964301
    Abstract: Dynamic accelerated reaction batteries (10, 100, 200) with rotating electrodes (14x, 20x, 104x, 106x,) or rotating membranes (208) or fuel cells (412C, 412D) that generate Taylor Vortex Flows (54, 122, 228, 454) and Circular Couette Flows (56, 124, 230) in electrolyte chambers (38x, 126x, 206, 438x) are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Global Energy Science, LLC (California)
    Inventors: Halbert Fischel, Philip Michael Lubin, Daniel Timothy Lubin
  • Patent number: 7820137
    Abstract: A lithium titanate is formed by mixing lithium carbonate powder or lithium hydroxide powder with titanium oxide followed by preparing a mixed slurry of titanium compound powder and a solution containing lithium, followed by depositing a lithium compound by spray-drying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: EnerDel, Inc.
    Inventors: Vadim Gorshkov, Oleg Volkov
  • Patent number: 6887609
    Abstract: A fuel cell system and method of operation in which the fuel cell system has a fuel cell unit with anode and cathode, a media flow path for supplying substantially pure hydrogen to the anode, a media flow path for the cathode, an anode exhaust-gas flow path and a cathode exhaust-gas flow path. A fan for supplying air to the cathode is provided in the flow path of the cathode, and a catalytic burner is arranged in the cathode exhaust-gas flow path. The anode exhaust-gas flow path opens into the catalytic burner and/or into the cathode exhaust-gas flow path upstream of the catalytic burner. The combined, catalytically converted fuel cell exhaust-gas flow is passed into an expansion machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems AG
    Inventor: Lars Kaufmann
  • Patent number: 6458480
    Abstract: A metal-air fuel cell battery (FCB) system includes an electrolyte, air electrodes, and a movable anode having anode material deposited on two sides of an electrically conductive substrate. The anode can be, for example, either a rotating anode disk, or a linearly-movable anode, sandwiched between the two air electrodes. The air electrodes each have at least one recharging portion and at least one discharging portion. The anode movement, which can be, for example, rotational or linear, is relative to the recharging air electrode portion for recharging the anode material and relative to the discharging air electrode portion for discharging the anode material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Reveo, Inc.
    Inventors: William F. Morris, Tsepin Tsai
  • Patent number: 6403244
    Abstract: In an air-metal fuel cell battery (FCB) system, wherein a movable cathode structure is mounted within a housing through which metal-fuel tape is transported along a predetermined path while an ionically-conductive medium is disposed between the metal-fuel tape and the movable cathode structure. In illustrative embodiments, the movable cathode structure is realized as a rotatable cathode cylinder, and a transportable cathode belt. The ionically-conductive medium is realized as a solid-state ionically-conductive film applied to the cathode structures and/or metal-fuel tape, as well as ionically-conductive belt structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Reveo, Inc.
    Inventors: Sadeg M. Faris, Tsepin Tsai, Thomas J. Legbandt, Wayne Yao, Muguo Chen
  • Patent number: 6299998
    Abstract: A fuel cell battery having an electrolyte, and a moving anode having anode material deposited on two sides of an electrically conductive substrate, which can be either a rotating anode disk, or a linearly moving anode, sandwiched between two air electrodes wherein the air electrodes each have at least one recharging portion and at least one discharging portion. The recharging portion of the air electrode is designed for optimum recharging and the discharging portion of the air electrode is designed for optimum discharging such that the fuel cell battery performs to its maximum ability. The recharging air electrode area can be larger than the discharging air electrode area for faster recharge times. The recharging air electrode can be operated at lower current densities to prevent anode densification, anode shape change and dendrite growth. Discharging the anode material on both sides of the anode increases the depth of the discharge and increases the battery's capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Reveo, Inc.
    Inventors: William F. Morris, Tsepin Tsai
  • Patent number: 6218034
    Abstract: In an air-metal fuel cell battery (FCB) system, wherein metal-fuel tape, the ionically-conductive medium and the cathode structures are transported at substantially the same velocity at the locus of points at which the ionically-conductive medium contacts the moving cathode structure and the moving metal-fuel tape during discharging and recharging modes of operation. In a first generalized embodiment of the present invention, the ionically-conductive medium is realized as an ionically-conductive belt, and the metal-fuel tape, ionically-conductive belt, and movable cathode structure are transported at substantially the same velocity at the locus of points which the ionically-conducing belt contacts the metal-fuel tape and the cathode structure during system operation. In a second generalized embodiment of the present invention, the ionically-conductive medium is realized as a solid-state (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Reveo, Inc.
    Inventors: Sadeg M. Faris, Tsepin Tsai, Thomas J. Legbandt, Wayne Yao, Muguo Chen
  • Patent number: 5614332
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing charging and discharging efficiency of a battery. A battery is provided having electrodes and an electrolyte. The electrodes are connected to a charging or discharging circuit and at least one electrode is mechanically manipulated during the charging or discharging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1997
    Inventors: Richard Pavelle, Ronald M. Latanision, Paul Burstein
  • Patent number: 5032474
    Abstract: The invention concerns batteries with aluminium alloy anodes, and generally aqueous alkaline electrolytes and cathodes. The anode in an alloy of Al with an activating element selected from Cd, Sn, Bi, Sb, In, Be, B, Se, Te, P, As, C, Re, Pd, Nb, Si and Zn. When the anode is polarized at a suitable electro-negative potential, typically from -1.8V to -2.3V relative to a Hg/HgO reference electrode, the anode operates in a new state, herein called a hyper-active state, in which the battery operates at a higher voltage and/or hydrogen gas is generated at a higher rate than in conventional aluminium batteries. The hyper-active state is maintained by control of anode potential (typically around -2.0V at a low current densities) and electrolyte hydrodynamics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1991
    Assignee: Alcan International Limited
    Inventor: John A. Hunter
  • Patent number: 4844888
    Abstract: A hair-treating and skin-treating composition comprising a liquid preferably aqueous dispersion containing a mixture of two type of polysiloxanes, one being amino- and hydroxy- or alkoxy-functional, the other being carboxy- or carboxyl-ester-functional containing at least two carboxyl groups, the composition being characterized by ready removability from hair and skin after drying by washing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1989
    Assignee: The Gillette Company
    Inventor: Mary E. Zawadzki
  • Patent number: 4684585
    Abstract: A rechargeable, electrochemical generation apparatus and method has bipolar nickel-zinc electrode cells in a stacked, serially connected configuration for providing improved reliability and charge-discharge cycling capability. The apparatus employs a rotatable container having mounted therein a plurality of the electrode cell assemblies. An electrolyte solution is circulated, preferably according to a pulsed circulation, through the electrolyte cells. The electrode cells have an anode and a cathode electrode element, and each element has a substantially planar surface in contact with the electrolyte solution. The cells are mounted so that the planar surfaces of the electrodes align with the radial direction of the centrifugal force created by rotation of the container. The container, and hence the cells, are rotated to create centrifugal forces on the order of one hundred times the pull of gravity at the outer rims of the cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1987
    Assignee: LTH Associates (c/o Blaxley-Maddox)
    Inventor: Pentti J. Tamminen
  • Patent number: 4521497
    Abstract: An electrochemical generator which utilizes the centrifugal force produced by rotating the electrodes (14, 19, 75, 76) of the generator and preferably the electrolyte to perform a variety of functions within the generator including circulation of the electrolyte past the electrodes, circulation of air past the gas electrode (14, 75) where the generator is a metal-gas generator, controlling dendrite growth and providing relatively dense uniform deposition of metal during recharge for a rechargeable metal-air generator, keeping electrolyte and reaction products away from the pores of a gas electrode to prevent flooding or clogging of the pores, separating reaction products from the electrolyte, maintaining uniform spacing between the electrodes as the metal electrode of a gas metal generator is consumed, flushing and draining electrolyte for standstill periods, maintaining good electrical contact between electrodes and their current collectors while still permitting easy replacement of consumed electrodes and a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1985
    Assignee: LTH Associates, Ltd.
    Inventor: Pentti J. Tamminen
  • Patent number: 4500613
    Abstract: A rotating cathode cell is provided with a lithium anode. An acid oxidizing agent and an aqueous electrolyte are supplied to the moving cathode surface such that they are carried to the electrochemical junction between the anode and the cathode. The acid oxidizer continuously dissolves the layer of reaction product (LiOH) forming on the anode, improving the power output per unit weight of the cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1985
    Assignee: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew D. Galbraith
  • Patent number: 4491624
    Abstract: An electrochemical cell for which fuel is prepared and introduced under artificial gravity forces. The active metal is deposited through the action of the field on an anode current collecting member, effecting good compaction and reduced cell internal impedance. A microprocessor provides control of the induced gravity, flow rates, temperature, and other variables-enabling the active metal to be controlled in its thickness as well as providing a predetermined separation from the cathode. Abrasion of the cathode and the possibility of shorting are avoided by the presence of outwardly directed radial forces. These forces are induced by rotation of the electrolyte, air cathode, anode collector and the active metal. The forces promote also the passage of moisture laden air through the air cathode elements. Reaction products produced within the cell volume are circulated to an outside container for separation and possible reuse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1985
    Assignee: Synectics, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert I. Sarbacher, Harry R. Fechter