| 摘要 |
<p>A metal-air power supply which provides improved control over air flow is provided. The reactant air and cooling air inlets are separate from one another and isolated from the exhausted reactant and cooling portions of the air flow, the reactant air flow is limited to a volumetric flow rate sufficient to provide from about 3 to about 10 times the stoichiometric amount of oxygen necessary to produce a predetermined level of current from the cell, and a total volumetric flow rate of air sufficient so that the cooling portion of the air flow has a volumetric flow rate from about 10 to about 1000 times the volumetric flow rate of the reactant portion of the air flow is provided. This limits the flow rate of the reactant air over the cathode, isolates the cooling air flow from the reactant air flow, and maintains the temperature of the metal-air cell at a low level without exposing the air cathode to an excessive air flow rate to reduce the likelihood of drying out the metal-air cells, reduce the exposure of the battery cell to contaminants, and minimize the effects of temperature on the vaporization of water within the cell. In a preferred embodiment, the power supply housing and the metal-air cell case form part of the air plenums. A substantially leak-proof metal-air cell is also disclosed.</p> |
