Oxygen plenum configurations of components in low cost planar rechargeable oxide-ion battery (rob) cells and stacks

Abstract

An ROB stack ( 10′ ) contains a plurality of stacked ROB cells ( 10 ) made from: thin metal bipolar housings ( 13 ) having air inlets and exits and horizontal channels for feeding air between the inlets ( 16 ) and exits ( 17 ), the channel having top ridges and also grooves ( 25 ) for containing active material ( 34 ); a porous air electrode ( 21/39 ) next to the air channels allowing air contact; a metal electrode ( 36 ); and an oxygen ion transfer membrane ( 37 ) acting as electrolyte; wherein the plurality of all the assemblies form vertical air inlet and outlet plenums.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ROB stack comprising:
 1) a plurality of stacked ROB cells, each ROB cell comprising an electrically conducting thin metal bipolar housing having a thickness of from about 0.1 cm to 0.75 cm, each bipolar housing having openings for vertical air inlets, vertical air exhaust inlets and interiors of horizontal channels for feeding air between the vertical air inlets and air exhaust inlets, where said interiors of channels have top ridges; and grooves between the top ridges for containing active material;   2) a porous air electrode disposed next to the interior of the horizontal air channels allowing air contact;   3) a metal electrode;   4) an oxygen ion transfer cell membrane, acting as electrolyte, allowing oxygen ion transfer, disposed on top of the metal electrode; and   5) a dielectric perimeter seal disposed between the bipolar housings where, in the plurality of ROB cells, the vertical air inlets and air exhaust inlets form air inlet plenums and air exhaust plenums which allow air contact with adjacent cells and where the horizontal channel ridges and grooves prevent air contact with any active material.   
     
     
         2 . The ROB stack of  claim 1 , wherein dielectric contacts are disposed at far edges between the bipolar housings. 
     
     
         3 . The ROB stack of  claim 1 , wherein the bipolar housing is stamped. 
     
     
         4 . The ROB stack of  claim 1 , wherein the bipolar housing is hydro-formed. 
     
     
         5 . The ROB stack of  claim 1 , wherein the bipolar housing is electroformed. 
     
     
         6 . The ROB stack of  claim 1 , wherein the bipolar housing is 0.2 cm to 0.5 cm thick, and the active material is a metal-based active material. 
     
     
         7 . The ROB stack of  claim 1 , wherein the perimeter seal allows no more than 3 vol. % total air leakage, and air does not come into contact with the active material. 
     
     
         8 . The ROB stack of  claim 1 , also having vertical auxiliary gas plenums, which horizontally feed an auxiliary gas selected from the group consisting of hydrogen gas and steam through the active material. 
     
     
         9 . The ROB stack of  claim 1 , having a total cell thickness of from about 0.3 cm to about 2.5 cm. 
     
     
         10 . The ROB stack of  claim 1 , wherein the bipolar housing is not milled or cast.