MANUFACTURE THE HOUSING

The invention relates to a housing of a fuel cell that can be used as hybrid energy system, to either act as fuel cell or battery. Furthermore, it relates to a process of manufacturing the housing of a fuel cell or battery.

Fuel cells and batteries are electrochemical cells with external connections for powering electrical devices, like mobile phones or electric cars. Both convert chemical reactions into electricity through redox reactions. To sustain the chemical reaction within the me tallic fuel cell, a continuous source of fuel and oxygen (usually from air) is required. In comparison to fuel cells, alkaline batteries do not need a continuous source of air, since the energy is generated by using the oxygen of the electrolyte in reaction with cathode and anode metals. Fuel cells create energy, batteries store energy.

Both fuel cells and batteries consist of an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte that allows electrons to move between the anode and cathode of the fuel cell or battery. The reactions between the cathode, electrolyte and anode are causing the movement of positive and negative electrons. Electrons generated by the cathode, create a positive voltage. Elec trons created by the anode, create a negative voltage. The end product is a DC current. Some fuel cells produce heat and depending on the fuel source, nitrogen, water or carbon dioxide. The function of this fuel cell design, allows the amount of oxygen to be managed, accord ing to use and energy requirement. This enables the fuel cell housing to act as fuel cell or battery. By clothing the cathode opening with a removable lid, the air is cut off, creating a battery with long energy storage, but reduced current flow. Removing the lid of the air inlet of the cathode, a shorter storage time is created, but a higher current output is avail able.

A reusable housing for a fuel cell or battery is known from WO 2004/008563 A2. Said housing comprises a housing component forming an anode chamber and an air cathode opening. In order to activate the fuel cell, the anode material in the form of a suitable metal, in an air permeable cloth bag, is inserted and filled with electrolyte. The housing is closed with a reusable lid. The cathode material, embedded in the open part of the housing component is sonic welded into position. This allows the air flow to create a chemical reaction.. For an anode replacement, the lid needs to be opened again. The cath ode is fixed and cannot be exchanged. This configuration does not allow the use of the fuel cell in any position except upright, and does not solve the challenge, of having a fixed cathode, as the energy production over time, by just changing the anode material, depletes the electron production in the cathode, leading to lower current..

The object of this invention is to provide a housing for a fuel cell or battery that enables simple replacement of anode and cathode material, and to create mobility of the fuel cell/battery. The design allows the housing to operate in any position, without possible leakage of electrolyte. This creates full portability and safety and more applications. The cathode material is not fixed and can be replenished in order to produce full energy pro duction with the exchange of new anode material. Further the object of the invention is to solve leakage problems and limited portability, plus being able to be used as fuel cell or battery.

According to the invention, these problems are solved by the fuel cell housing with the features of the independent claim 1 and a fuel cell or battery kit according to claim 11. Advantageous further developments of the fuel cell housing result from dependent claims 2 to 10. Further, the object of the invention is a process for manufacturing a fuel cell housing according to claim 12, with further developments in dependent claims 13 and 14, The object of the invention is solved by a fuel cell housing comprising a first housing component defining an anode chamber for an anode material, a second housing compo nent with an air cathode opening covered by an air-permeable material, defining a cathode chamber for a cathode material, a gasket placed between the first and second housing component separating the anode chamber from the cathode chamber, an anode electron connector plate placed on the housing of the anode chamber and a cathode electron con nector plate placed on the housing of the cathode chamber.

Laterally extended protrusions of the respective electron connector plates are guided to the outside. The first and the second housing component each have a receiving opening for guiding a protrusion of the respective electron connector plates outwardly. The out ward facing areas of the electron connector plates can be formed, for example by bending. Further, it is possible to slide the first and the second housing components telescopically into one another and are connected to one another. It is possible to make the connection of the first and second housing component by use of fastening means. By telescopically sliding the housing components into each other, an overlap of the first and second housing part is created. This overlap of the first and second housing component, in conjunction with the flexible gasket, a separator material, divides anode and cathode and ensures that no leakage of the anode, electrolyte and/or cathode material occurs.

It should be expressly pointed out that in the context of the present patent application, indefinite articles and numerical indications such as "one", "two", etc. should, as a rule, be understood as "at least", i.e. as "at least one ...", "at least two ...", etc., unless it is expressly apparent from the respective context or unless it is obvious or technically im perative for the person skilled in the art that only "exactly one ...", "exactly two ...", etc. can be meant.

For use, the fuel cell housing is filled with anode and cathode material into the respective chambers provided. A special separator material fitted onto the dividing gasket, allows an electron flow and reaction with electrolyte and oxygen. In this state, a reliable energy supply at constant voltage under normal conditions is generated and ensured. By opening or clothing of the air inlet cover, in the cathode housing part of the fuel cell, the housing can be used as fuel cell or battery.

The gasket used to separate the anode chamber from the cathode chamber includes a sep arator membrane. The gasket seals the two chambers liquid and airtight. This ensures that cathode material cannot enter the anode chamber or leak out and that anode material can not enter the cathode chamber or leak out. However, electrons can migrate through the membrane during use.

Through the air cathode opening of the second housing component, air can enter the housing and flow through it - working in the so-called fuel cell mode. To ensure a good adhesion of the anode and cathode material, especially an anode and cathode paste, to the electron connectors, the anode electron and the cathode electron connector plates have several apertures to ensure a good adhesion. The anode electron connector plate can have the equal amount of apertures compared to the cathode electron connector plate. The in dividual area of the apertures of the electron connector plates can be different or equal. This ensures reliable electron delivery of the cathode and anode chamber. The use of stainless steel as material for the electron connector plates enhances the operating of the fuel cell further, as it is a good conductor of electrons and can be reused indefinitely. When designing the electron connector plates, special care must be taken to ensure that the protruding protrusions of the plates, that are guided to the outside has sufficient lengths for bending, to create a firm contact between the fuel cell rear and front connectors of a fuel cell stack.

In another embodiment the air cathode opening of the anode housing component is cov ered by a cell housing cover. This cell housing cover prevents the entrance of air into the fuel cell housing and therefore enables the so called battery mode. The battery mode al lows a long energy storage time due to lack of air passing through the air cathode opening. The use of fuel cell or battery mode is particularly suitable for areas where a continuous power supply cannot be guaranteed. The fuel cell housing in use in fuel cell mode or in battery mode can be used any time and every day, so 24/7, for applications that require a continuous power supply of different energy requirements.

In a preferred embodiment anode material and cathode material are each a liquid paste, with a specific solids content. The paste material prevents leakage of the electrolyte within and outside of the fuel cell housing. The fuel cell housing filled with anode, elec trolyte and cathode material can be transported and/or operated in any position, such as flat, sideways or upright without leakage. Furthermore the fuel cell housing can easily be transported and handled, since their orientation does not matter.

In general, environmental friendly liquid pastes are used as anode and cathode paste. In case of the destruction of the fuel cell housing due to an accident, the materials do not harm the environment. After use of the fuel cells, having depleted their energy production, both the anode and the cathode material are exchanged to new anode and cathode mate rial. The anode material can be used e.g. as a fertilizer, or electrolytic recycled to form new zinc.

Due to the special compositions and characteristics of anode and cathode pastes the fuel cells do not create heat and can be used at any ambient temperature, or geographic loca tion. The energy created, can be used for the appliances or devices to be operated.

The fuel cell housing, used as fuel cell or battery, after filling the fuel cell housing with anode, electrolyte and cathode material, has either a high energy density or long storage time. Due to the design and selected materials, a possible short circuit of the positive and negative energy outlets, destroys neither the fuel cell nor the battery mode. Instead, in the event of a short circuit, the energy flow is briefly interrupted and recovers in seconds without damage. In another embodiment, the gasket is having a thickness T, the thickness T is adapted to the energy to be provided. In use, the first and second housing components can therefore be combined with gaskets in different thicknesses to adapt the fuel cell housing to differ ent energy production. The maximum and minimum thickness of the gasket depends on the size of the respective housing components, the required energy and the filling of the chambers with required anode and cathode material. An overlap of the fuel cell housing components must always be ensured when closed, so that the anode, electrolyte and/or cathode material cannot leak out. Due to the possibility of using gaskets of different thick nesses, the proportion of anode material and cathode material can thus be adapted as re quired to the desired energy supply by the fuel cell/battery.

In another preferred embodiment the gasket has a protrusion facing the anode chamber to receive a portion of the anode electron connector plate and a protrusion facing the cathode chamber to receive a portion of the cathode electron connector plate. The protrusion se cure a firm fit of the anode and cathode electron connector plate to prevent air or liquid leakage from the housing.

In another embodiment the first and second housing component are connected to another by means of fastening means and the fastening means are non-destructive detachable fas tening means, preferably screws and/or clips. However, other non-destructive detachable connections are also feasible. This ensures a simplified and easy fastening of the housing components. The non-destructive detachable fastening means enable the reusability of the fuel cell housing components and fastening means, that are environmental friendly. Fur ther the non-destructive detachable fastening means are easily adaptable in case the fuel cell housing components are reused with a different amount of anode and or cathode ma terial and/or a the gasket with a different thickness than before.

In another embodiment, the first housing component comprises locator pins and the sec ond housing component comprises respective locator pin openings. The locator pins are guided into the respective locator pin openings to facilitate positive connections of the first and second housing components. The locator pins of the first housing components further serve as positioning aid for the gasket.

In another preferred embodiment the first and/or the second housing components have gasket location aids. Thereby the gasket location aid is a recess or protrusion following the shape of the first and/or second housing components, whereby the recess or protrusion is being continuous or interrupted. These gasket location aids not only support the posi tioning of the gasket, but also improve the sealing of the housing components in the as sembled state, ensuring a safe fuel cell housing. The housing components have protru sions, and the gasket is placed either on or into the protrusions of the housing components for positioning. The gasket has corresponding recesses, which are placed on or into the housing components for positioning. In case the first and second housing components have recesses for positioning, the gasket has protrusions to place into these recesses of the housing components.

Furthermore, the outwardly guided laterally extended portions of the respective electron connector plates protruding the housings, are extensions of the outer rim of the electron connector plates. The rims are adapted according to the opening in the housing compo nents. The extensions of the connector extensions are small in width and easily bendable, but have some flexibility to ensure positive contact with other connectors.

In another embodiment, the first and the second housing components have a connector on their respective outer sides, wherein the connector of the first housing component and the connector of the second housing component fit into each other. In single use there is no connections made with these connectors. During stacking of fuel cell housings to form different volt or current outputs, the housings are connected via the connectors. Each housing component has a connector, preferably an even number of connectors, e.g. two or four connectors. With the help of these connectors, several fuel cell housing compo nents according to the invention can be connected to another, to form a rack of fuel cells or batteries to increase the available energy level and enhance the functioning. Further, the object of the invention is to be able to form individual fuel cell or battery kits. Several fuel cell housings according to the invention, can be connected with each other, to form a serial and/or parallel circuit.

Hereby “several” is to be understood as two, preferably more than two, e.g. four, six, twelve or even more fuel cell housings are connected in a series and/or parallel circuit. This is enhancing the power supply. In a serial circuit the current is nearly constant, wherein the voltage increases. In a parallel circuit, the connected fuel cell housing gener ate a constant voltage, such that connected devices have the same electrical voltage, while their current consumption can be different. As mentioned above, several fuel cell hous ings can be connected to form a rack by connecting the housing via their respective con nectors and connect the respective electron connector plates depending on the current or voltage that needs to established.

The object of the invention is a process of manufacturing a fuel cell housing according to the invention comprising the steps:

- Providing a first housing component which defines an anode chamber for filling the anode chamber with an anode material and include the anode electron connector plate,

- Providing a second housing component with an air cathode opening which defines a cathode chamber, covering the air cathode opening with an air-permeable material, fitting of the cathode electron pick up plate and filling the cathode chamber with a cathode material,

- Providing a gasket to separate the anode chamber from the cathode chamber and plac ing the gasket on the first housing component,

- Fitting an electron and air and electron permeable separator onto the gasket, facing the cathode material

-Inserting electrolyte onto the cathode material of the second housing component, - Closing cathode and anode housing sections.

- Securing the housings firmly with fastening means.

The steps of the method of manufacturing or activating the fuel cell housings do not have to be performed consecutively, but can be performed simultaneously. Another embodi ment of the process shows the design with a cell housing cover, that covers the air cathode opening of the fuel cell housing. By covering the air cathode opening the air flow through the fuel cell housing is prevented. Therewith forming the battery mode and energy storage mode.

Another preferred embodiment of the process of manufacturing a fuel cell housing shows the anode electron connector plate, the gasket and the cathode electron connector plate that are provided with location devices. This allows easy and simplified positioning and handling of the housings containing the electron connector plates and the gasket.

After manufacturing the fuel cell housings, according to the above-described process, it is possible to connect several of these fuel cell housings according to the invention to form a fuel cell or battery kit.

- These and other aspects of the invention are shown in detail in the illustrations as fol lows.

Fig. 1: a cross section of the fuel cell housing in assembled state in battery or storage mode;

Fig. 2: a first embodiment of the outside view on the first housing component a) and the second housing component;

Fig. 3 : a first embodiment of the inside of the first housing component a) and the second housing component with b);

Fig. 4: a second embodiment of the second housing component;

Fig. 5: a cell housing cover to cover the air cathode opening; Fig. 6: a gasket to separate the anode chamber from the cathode chamber and Fig. 7: an electron connector plate with a) straight and b) bended laterally extended pro trusions,

Fig. 8: a system for a process of manufacturing a fuel cell housing and

Fig. 1 shows a cross section of the fuel cell housing 1 comprising the first housing com ponent 2 and the second housing component 3 in an assembled state. The first housing component 2 defines the anode chamber 4, which during manufacturing is filled with the anode material 5. The second housing component 3 defines the cathode chamber 6. The cathode chamber 6 is filled with cathode material 6a during manufacturing. The anode material 5 and said cathode material 7 used during manufacturing to fill the respective chambers 4, 6 are a liquid paste with a composition adapted to the respective purpose. The liquid paste can have a solid content as specifically required .

An air cathode opening 8 which is covered by an air permeable material, both are not shown in Fig. 1.

In order to separate the anode material 5 in the anode chamber 4 from the cathode material 7 in the cathode chamber 6 the gasket 9 is positioned between the first and second housing component 2, 3. On each side of the gasket 9 an electron connector plate is 10, 11 is positioned. The anode electron connector plate 10 is positioned on the side of the gasket 9 facing the anode chamber 4, whereas the cathode electron connector plate 11 is posi tioned on the side of the gasket 9 facing the cathode chamber 6. The anode and cathode electron connector plates 10, 11 each have laterally extended protrusions 10a, 11a, which are guided to the outside of the fuel cell housing 1.

In order to ensure a leak-proof fuel cell housing 1, it is essential that the fuel cell housing components 2, 3 are slid telescopically into each other. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 the second housing component 3 is slid telescopically into the first housing component 2. In another not shown embodiment it is feasible that the first housing component 2 is slid telescopically into the second component 3. By telescopically sliding the housing components 2, 3 into each other, an overlap is created, which in turn improves the leak proofing of the entire fuel cell housing 1 and allows a change of the filling level with anode or cathode material by the use of a different gasket thickness 9.

The first and the second housing components 2, 3 of the fuel cell housing 1 are connected to one another. The non-destructive detachable fastening means 12 are securely connect the two housings (2,3). In the shown embodiment, the fastening means 12 are screws ensuring the connection.

The fuel cell housing 1 as shown in Fig.1 has a cell house cover 13 covering the air cath ode opening 8 of the second housing component 3. Due to covering the air cathode open ing 8 the fuel cell housing 1 is in the so called battery or storage mode. The battery mode allows a long energy storage time due to lack of air passing through the air cathode open ing 8.

In the Fig. 2a and 2b the outside of the first housing component 2 (Fig. 2a) and the second housing component 3 (Fig. 2b) are shown. The fastening means 12 used to carry out the connection of the first and second housing component 2, 3 to form the fuel cell housing 1 can be seen. In this embodiment eight fastening means 12 are used. In general it is possible to use less or more fastening means 12, depending on the size of the fuel cell housing 1. The fastening means 12 are non-destructive detachable fastening means 12, that are for reuse of the fuel cell housing components 2, 3.

At one edge of the fuel cell housing 1 the receiving openings 15 for guiding the protru sions of the respective electron connector plates 10a, 11a outwardly are arranged on both the first housing component 2 and the second housing component 3. In Fig. 2a, the anode electron connector plate 10a is guided through the receiving opening 15 of the first hous ing component. Both, the first housing component 2 and the second housing component 3 have a con nector 14a, 14b on their respective outer sides. The connector 14a of the first housing component 2 and the connector 14b of the second housing component 3 fit into each other like LEGO®. The connectors 14a, 14b are used to connect several fuel cell housing 1 in order to form fuel cell or battery kits. Thereby the fuel cell housings 1 can be connected in serial, preventing wrong assembly. .

Fig. 2b furthers shows the air cathode opening 8. In this embodiment the air cathode opening 8 is formed by several circular openings. In order to achieve a good air flow in the fuel cell mode, the air cathode opening 8 is positioned in the middle of the second housing component 3. Furthermore, the air cathode opening 8 is also located between the fastening means 12 and the connectors 14b, which ensures the stability of the second housing component 3. This position of the air cathode opening 8 also secures the air flow through the fuel cell housing 1.

The cover connectors 16 serve to firmly connect the cell house cover 13 to the second housing component 3 to close the air cathode opening 8. Such a cell house cover 13 is shown in Fig. 5. It is fitted to the area of the air cathode opening 8 to ensure an airtight fit. A front view of the second housing component of Fig. 1 with the cell house cover 13 closing the air cathode opening 8 is showed in Fig. 4. The housing component 3 is used for fuel cell housings 1 in battery or storage mode. Removing the cell house cover 13 enables the fuel cell mode of the fuel cell housing 1.

Fig. 3a and 3b show the inside of the first housing component 2 (Fig. 3a) and the second housing component 3 (Fig. 3b). The anode chamber 4 of the first housing component 2 and the cathode chamber 5 of the second housing component 3 have the same shape of circumference and surface area facing each other. The receiving openings 15 are to allow the protrusions of the anode electron connector plate 10a or cathode electron connector plate 1 la to connect directly from the anode and cathode chambers 4, 6 to the outside. During assembly it is necessary to perfectly position each component of the fuel cell housing 1. Therefore the first housing component 2 comprises locator pins 17 and the second housing component 3 comprises respective locator pin openings 18. It is also pos sible that the gasket 9 has such locator pin openings 18. To easily position the gasket 9 during manufacturing and improve the airtightness of the fuel cell housing 1 the first and second housing 2, 3 have gasket location aids 19. In this embodiment the gasket location aids 19 are recesses to receive gasket locators 20, in this case protrusions, of the gasket 9. The gasket location aids 19 and the gasket locators 20 follow the shape of the first and second housing components 2, 3. The gasket location aids 19 is continuous. It is also possible that solely in housing component 2, 3 has gasket location aids 19. Further, the gasket location aids 19 can also be protrusions, than the respective gasket locator 20 is a recess (Fig. 6).

Fig. 6 shows the gasket 9 used to separate the anode and cathode chamber 4, 6. The gasket 9 has a protrusion 21 facing the anode chamber 4 to receive a protrusion of the anode electron connector plate 10a and a protrusion 21, on the rear side of gasket 9, facing the cathode chamber 6 to receive a protrusion of the cathode electron connector plate 11a. The protrusions 21 are arranged opposite each other and fix the anode and cathode elec tron connector plates 10a, 1 la in the receiving openings 15 of the first and second housing openings 2, 3. The gasket 9 has a separator membrane 22 ensuring that the electrons can move from the cathode to the anode chamber 4, 6.

Fig. 7a and 7b show an anode and a cathode electron connector plate 10, 11. Fig. 7a shows the electron connector plate where the protrusion of the anode and cathode electron con nector plate 10a, 11a is a straight extension of the outer rim of the electron connector plates 10, 11. Fig. 7b shows the protrusion of the electron connector plate 10a, 11a in a bend form. The bending can be done before or after manufacturing of the connector plates. To ensure a reliable operation, the anode electron connector plate 10 and the cathode electron connector plate 11 each have several apertures 23 to ensure the positioning of the anode or cathode past on the respective connector plates. On the cathode connector it allows as well air flow to react directly with the cathode paste.

The thickness T of the gasket 9 determines the energy production of the fuel cell or battery in the fuel cell housing 1. Accordingly, each of the individual components of the fuel cell housing 1 just described can be used with gaskets 9, that can have a different thickness T. This allows a modular assembly of the fuel cell housing 1 to assemble batteries or fuel cells of different energy output.

Fig. 8 shows the scheme of a process of manufacturing 200 a fuel cell housing as de scribed above. In the shown embodiment the process of manufacturing 200 consists of two lines running simultaneously to be merged for the final steps. It is pointed out that it is also possible to run the two lines consecutively.

The first line consist of providing the first housing component 2 which defines an anode chamber 4 and filling the anode chamber 4 with an anode material 5 and include the anode electron connector plate in a first step 201.

The second line start with step 202 which consist of providing a second housing compo nent 3 with an air cathode opening 8 which defines a cathode chamber 6, covering the air cathode opening 8 with an air-permeable material. The cathode electron pick up plate is fitted into the chamber and the cathode chamber 6 is filled with a cathode material 7.

In a third step 203 a gasket 9 to separate the anode chamber 4 from the cathode chamber 6 is provided and placed on the anode ion connector plate 10 the first housing component 2. Simultaneously, an electron and air and electron permeable separator is fitted onto the gasket, facing the cathode material (step 204). And the electrolyte is inserted onto the cathode material of the second housing component in a fifth step 205. For the following step 206 the lines are merged. Now, the second housing component 3 is inserted into the first housing component 1 and the fuel cell housing components 2,3 and the components are closed. Afterwards the housing components are firmly secured with fastening means 12. After step 206 the fuel cell housing is ready to be operated in the fuel cell mode. In order to bring the fuel cell housing 1 in the storage or battery mode, by covering the air cathode opening 8 with the cell house cover 13 in a step 208.

To simplify the process of manufacturing 200 the anode electron connector plate 10, the gasket 9 and the cathode electron connector plate 11 are provided as one component. The steps 202, 203 and 205 can then be carried in one step, decreasing the assembly time.

List of reference numerals:

1 The fuel cell housing

2 first housing component

3 second housing component

4 anode chamber

5 anode material

6 cathode chamber

7 cathode material

8 air cathode opening

9 gasket

10 anode electron connector plate 10a protrusion of the anode electron connector plate 11 cathode electron connector plate 11a protrusion of the cathode electron connector plate 12 fastening means 13 cell house cover

14a, 14b connector

15 receiving openings

16 cell house cover connectors

17 locator pins

18 locator pin openings

19 gasket location aid

20 gasket locators 21 protrusions 22 separator membrane 23 apertures of the electron connector plate 201 Providing a first housing component and filling the anode chamber with an ode material 202 Providing a second housing component and filling the cathode chamber with cathode material

203 providing and placing a gasket

204 fitting the air and electron permeable separator 205 inserting the second housing component into the first housing component

206 closing the housing components

207 securing the housing components

208 covering the air cathode opening with a cell house cover