In an air-
metal fuel
cell battery (FCB)
system, wherein a plurality of movable
cathode structures are mounted within a compact housing through which
metal-fuel tape is transported along a predetermined path while an ionically-conductive medium is disposed between the
metal-fuel tape and each movable
cathode structure at points of contact. In illustrative embodiments, the movable
cathode structures are realized as rotatable cathode cylinders, and transportable cathode belts. The ionically-conductive medium is realized as a
solid-state ionically-conductive film applied to the cathode structures and / or metal-fuel tape, as well as ionically-conductive belt structures transported at the same velocity as corresponding cathode structures (e.g. cathode cylinders or belts) at the locus of points at which the ionically-conductive medium contacts the moving cathode structure and the moving metal-fuel tape. By virtue of the present invention, the volumetric
power density characteristics of FCB systems can be significantly improved, while the likelihood of damage to the cathode structures and metal-fuel tape is substantially reduced.