Rapidly refuelable fuel cell

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the drawings there is illustrated an embodiment of an electrochemical cell made in accordance with the present invention.
The cell comprises a housing 10 which, for descriptive purposes, may be rectangular in cross section, constructed of any structural material that is compatible with the electrolyte, and includes two upstanding side walls, one of which is indicated at 12, end walls 14 (only one shown), a bottom plate or end 16, and a top plate or end 18.
Only an end portion of the housing 10 has been illustrated with the understanding that the housing 10 may have as many cells formed in accordance with this invention as may be desired or practical.
As set forth above, each of the cells located in housing 10 is a dual cell and each cell is generally identified by the numeral 20.
Only one complete duel cell 20 is shown.
Each cell 20 includes a consumable metal anode 22, constructed of selective reactive material such as aluminum and lithium, which is preferably in a fixed position relative to the housing 10.
On opposite sides of the anode 22 are cathodes 24, which may be of the type described in the above-referenced application and are made by conventional methods.
Between the cathodes 24 and the adjacent faces of the anode 22 are current collectors 26 having suitable means such as pointed projections 28 for providing a good mechanical-electrical contact with the adjacent face of the anode 22.
The construction of the current collectors 26 may be similar to those described in the above-referenced application and shown in greater detail in FIG.
2.
While not shown, current collectors 26 are operatively connected to an electrical take-off which extends through top 18.
FIG.
2 illustrates an enlarged section of cathode 24-current collector 26 as described in the above-referenced application.
The cathode 24, as described hereinafter, consists, for example, of a catalyzed Teflon bonded sheet 24' backed by a porous ridged support 24".
The current collector 26, in addition to the pointed projections 28 on one side includes an insulating layer 26' on the opposite side adjacent cathode 24, as also described in the above-referenced application to insulate the current collector 26 relative to the cathode 24