An aluminium-air cell, an aluminium-air battery and a motor unit comprising an electric motor and an aluminium-air battery

摘要

An Aluminium-air cell 10 comprises a casing 12 within which is provided an air cathode 23 spaced from an Al or Al alloy electrode 27 with an electrolyte chamber 45 for liquid electrolyte therebetween, liquid electrolyte being stored in a reservoir 36 and delivered to the electrolyte chamber 45 through a conduit 37 using an impeller 35 for drawing and pumping the liquid electrolyte from the reservoir 36 to the electrolyte chamber 45. An Al-air battery comprising a plurality of linked Al-air cells 10, 11, and a motor unit (50: fig 4) comprising the Al-air cell or the Al-air battery (10, 11, 40, 41, 42; fig 4) along with an electric motor (51, fig 4) are also described. The casing also includes a rotatable shaft 15 for driving the impeller, which preferably comprises an Archimedes helical screw 35 provided on the outer surface of the shaft 15. A fan (20, fig 2) for provided a current of air to the air cathode 23 may also be provided on the rotatable shaft 15. In further aspects, the reservoir 36 includes an absorbent foam mass for retaining the liquid electrolyte which can be compressed to release the electrolyte when needed, and the casing 12 comprises at least two parts which are releasably attached to each other. This latter arrangement enables easy replacement of used parts.