Sealed metal-air battery

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a portable disaster prevention battery in which a metal-air battery having a high energy density is incorporated into a sealed container. The sealed metal-air battery according to the present invention is a metal-air battery in which a metal is used as a negative electrode and an air electrode is used as a positive electrode, and is provided with a sealed container for accommodating the entire metal-air battery or at least a chemical reaction part, the sealed container being a rigid metal container or a rigid resin container, when the battery is stored, the inside of the sealed container is in an atmospheric state, a vacuum state, or an environment filled with an inert gas, and when the battery is used, a part of the sealed container is unsealed and an electrolyte is injected to start power generation. Alternatively, when the battery is stored, only the solute of the electrolyte solution is accommodated in the sealed container, and when the battery is used, power generation is started by unsealing a part of the sealed container and injecting the solvent of the electrolyte solution.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sealed metal-air battery, and more particularly to a sealed metal-air battery used as a portable disaster prevention battery. Background Art

[0002] Aluminum-air batteries, which are representative metal-air batteries, have an advantage of having a higher theoretical energy density than other types of batteries because aluminum is used for the negative electrode and air is used for the positive electrode.

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-015025 “Aluminum Air Battery” (Published on January 19, 2012) Applicant: Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.

[0006] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-194897 “Separator, Secondary Battery, and Method for Manufacturing Separator” (Published on October 9, 2014) Applicant: Hitachi Zosen Corporation Summary of the invention

[0007] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0008] The present invention is directed to a metal-air battery. However, unless otherwise specified, the following description will be given using a representative aluminum-air battery as an example of a metal-air battery.

[0009] Aluminum-air batteries that can produce high power have problems with self-discharge and heat generation during actual production, and cannot be easily put into practical use. Several solutions have been proposed for the problems of self-discharge and heat generation, and the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1 is one of them.

[0010] Regarding making the air battery cylindrical, for example, a shape similar to that of Patent Document 2 has been proposed. Patent Document 2 aims to suppress zinc dendrites. If the zinc disclosed here can be replaced with aluminum, a cylindrical aluminum-air battery can be realized.

[0011] In order to use aluminum-air batteries as batteries for disaster prevention, they need to withstand long-term storage. Furthermore, as batteries for disaster prevention, they are expected to have high energy density, be able to supply high power, be easy and safe to use, and be low in cost.

[0012] In view of such circumstances, an object of the present invention is to realize a portable disaster prevention battery using a metal-air battery having a high energy density.

[0013] Means for solving problems

[0014] In one aspect, the sealed metal-air battery of the present invention is a metal-air battery that uses metal for the negative electrode and air for the positive electrode, and has a sealed container that accommodates the entire metal-air battery or at least the chemical reaction part, and the sealed container is a rigid metal container or a rigid resin container. When the battery is stored, the inside of the sealed container is in an atmospheric state, a vacuum state, or an environment filled with an inert gas. When the battery is used, a part of the sealed container is opened and an electrolyte is injected to start power generation.

[0015] Furthermore, in one aspect, the sealed metal-air battery of the present invention is a metal-air battery that uses metal for the negative electrode and air for the positive electrode, and has a sealed container that accommodates the entire metal-air battery or at least the chemical reaction part fixed by a support, and the sealed container is a flexible metal container, a flexible metal container with a resin film applied, or a flexible resin container. When the battery is stored, the inside of the sealed container is in an atmospheric state, a vacuum state, or an environment filled with an inert gas. When the battery is used, a part of the sealed container is opened and an electrolyte is injected to start power generation.

[0016] Furthermore, the sealed metal-air battery of the present invention is a metal-air battery that uses metal for the negative electrode and air for the positive electrode, and has a sealed container that accommodates the entire metal-air battery or at least the chemical reaction part. The sealed container is a rigid metal container or a rigid resin container. When the battery is stored, the sealed container is in a state where only the solute of the electrolyte is accommodated. When the battery is used, a part of the sealed container is opened and the solvent of the electrolyte is injected to start power generation.

[0017] Furthermore, the sealed metal-air battery of the present invention is a metal-air battery that uses metal for the negative electrode and air for the positive electrode, and has a sealed container that accommodates the entire metal-air battery or at least the chemical reaction portion fixed by a support, and the sealed container is a flexible metal container, a flexible metal container with a resin film applied, or a flexible resin container. When the battery is stored, the sealed container is in a state where only the solute of the electrolyte is accommodated. When the battery is used, a part of the sealed container is opened and the solvent of the electrolyte is injected to start power generation.

[0018] Furthermore, in the sealed metal-air battery, the sealed container may be in a vacuum state or in a state where only the solute of the electrolyte is contained in an environment filled with an inert gas when the battery is stored.

[0019] Furthermore, in the sealed metal-air battery, the negative electrode may use a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, magnesium, zinc, calcium, and iron, or an alloy containing these metals.

[0020] Furthermore, in the sealed metal-air battery, the negative electrode may use an extruded material or a drawn material made of a metal.

[0021] Furthermore, in the sealed metal-air battery, the electrolyte solution in the metal-air battery may be circulated in the reaction part in the can container by natural convection or forced convection.

[0022] Furthermore, the sealed metal-air battery may further include a fan motor, a temperature sensor, and a control circuit for controlling them, and the electrolyte inside the metal-air battery may be forcibly cooled by the fan motor.

[0023] Furthermore, in the sealed metal-air battery, the control circuit can control the rotation speed of the fan motor through feedback control based on the detected temperature from the temperature sensor, thereby maintaining the temperature of the chemical reaction unit within an appropriate range and suppressing thermal runaway caused by reaction heat.

[0024] Effects of the Invention

[0025] According to the present invention, a portable disaster prevention battery can be realized in which a metal-air battery with high energy density is housed in a sealed container. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 It is a diagram for explaining the reaction section of the sealed aluminum-air battery according to the present embodiment.

[0027] Figure 2 Yes Description Figure 1 Figure 2 shows the overall structure of a sealed aluminum-air battery.

[0028] Figure 3 A block diagram showing an electronic circuit board of the sealed aluminum-air battery according to the present embodiment.

[0029] Figure 4 This is a characteristic diagram of output voltage vs. output power in the sealed aluminum-air battery of this embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Hereinafter, the sealed metal-air battery of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, taking an aluminum-air battery housed in a cylindrical can container as an example, unless otherwise specified. In the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are given to the same elements, and repeated descriptions are omitted.

[0031] [Overview of Sealed Aluminum-Air Battery of the Present Embodiment]

[0032] The sealed aluminum-air battery of this embodiment is stored in a sealed container with the entire battery or at least the reaction part of the battery in a state where no chemical reaction occurs. When used, the chemical reaction is first started, and electricity is extracted while being controlled to maintain the optimal state.

[0033] [First embodiment]

[0034] (constitute)

[0035] Figure 1 The reaction section of the sealed aluminum-air battery 10 according to the present embodiment is shown. Figure 2 1 shows the overall structure of the sealed aluminum-air battery 10. Figure 1 As shown, the chemical reaction unit of the aluminum-air battery 10 is composed of a cylindrical negative electrode 2, a cylindrical positive electrode (air electrode) 4, an electrolyte 6, and a sealing frame 8 that seals them.

[0036] The cylindrical negative electrode 2 is made of aluminum, and a rust-proof coating 2a is applied to the inner peripheral surface thereof. An exhaust membrane 12, a water supply port 14, and a cooling pipe 16 are attached to the sealing frame 8.

[0037] They are entirely contained in the interior of the cylindrical can 18, and a top cover 22 and a bottom cover 24 are installed at the top and bottom of the cylindrical can 18, respectively. The cylindrical can 18 and the covers 22, 24 are made of metals such as steel, aluminum, and stainless steel. In this application document, this structure is referred to as a "sealed battery". Each cover 22, 24 is a structure that can maintain the cylindrical can 18 in a sealed state, and is a structure that is easy to disassemble all or part of it. For example, the entire disassembly structure is achieved by disassembling the top cover or bottom cover of a pull top type, and a part of the disassembly structure is achieved by peeling off the aluminum seal covering the open portion.

[0038] Before use, pass the sealed container through

[0039] (1) Maintain vacuum,

[0040] (2) Filling with inert gas (preferably nitrogen),

[0041] (3) only the solute of the electrolyte filling the battery, or,

[0042] (4) Only the electrolyte solute of the battery is filled, and the above (1) or (2) is used in combination.

[0043] By these methods, the battery materials stored inside are prevented from being oxidized and deteriorated, and can be stored for a long time.

[0044] The inert gas is preferably filled with nitrogen as an inert gas in advance, but even if sealed in the atmosphere, the active gas such as oxygen in the tank will actually react with the electrode material, so the tank will be filled with residual nitrogen, argon and other inert gases.

[0045] Furthermore, among the above (1) to (4), it is preferred to seal a getter material (gas adsorbent material) composed of a deoxidizer mainly made of iron, an alloy of Ti, Zr, Al, etc. in advance in the tank, so that it can be maintained for a long time by adsorbing leaked unnecessary gas.

[0046] When the battery is used, in (1) and (2), a portion of the can container is opened to inject the electrolyte, and in (3) and (4), the electrolyte solvent (water) is injected to generate the electrolyte inside the can container. Thus, the battery starts to generate electricity when it is used.

[0047] exist Figure 1 In FIG. 1 , a flow 26 of air supplied to the air electrode 4 when the top cover 22 and the bottom cover 24 are removed, a flow 28 of air for cooling the electrolyte 6, and a convection flow 32 of the electrolyte 6 are indicated by dotted lines.

[0048] The structure of the reaction part of the sealed battery can be basically realized by sandwiching the cylindrical aluminum negative electrode 2 and the cylindrical positive electrode (air electrode) 4 from above and below using the sealing frame 8, the circular top plate 8a and the circular bottom plate 8b.

[0049] The sealing frame 8 and the circular top plate 8 a and bottom plate 8 b can be made of resin such as ABS, polyethylene, or polypropylene.

[0050] The cylindrical negative electrode 2 made of cylindrical aluminum can reduce material costs by using a mass-produced aluminum tube.

[0051] The cooling pipe 16 can use a mass-produced stainless steel pipe or an aluminum pipe, which can improve heat dissipation and strength. In the case of an aluminum pipe, in order not to be corroded by the electrolyte, it is necessary to protect it with a rust-proof paint or the like.

[0052] The cylindrical can 18 and the lids 22 and 24 are made of mass-produced cans, which can reduce material costs.

[0053] (action)

[0054] like Figure 1 As shown, in the sealed battery 10, when viewed on a cross section parallel to the circular top plate 8a and bottom plate 8b, the cylindrical aluminum negative electrode 2 is arranged inside the circle, and the air-electrode positive electrode 4 is arranged outside the negative electrode 2. When the electrolyte 6 fills the space between the negative electrode 2 and the positive electrode 4, power generation begins. In terms of structure, by opening a gap between the negative electrode 2 and the positive electrode 4, the negative electrode 2 and the positive electrode 4 will not short-circuit, so the separator can be omitted.

[0055] The electrolyte 6 is made by injecting water into the electrolyte filled in the battery in the above (1) or (2) when used, and injecting water into the electrolyte filled in the battery in the above (3) or (4). As electrolyte, caustic soda and caustic potash are mainly used. The electrolyte 6 in the sealed battery is heated by reaction heat when power generation starts, and is cooled by the cooling tube 16, thereby generating convection 32 as shown in the figure. Through this convection 32, new electrolyte 6 is always supplied between the positive electrode 4 and the negative electrode 2.

[0056] In this way, the positive and negative electrodes are arranged and filled with an electrolyte solution with an electrolyte concentration of 8 to 20 wt%, and 50 mA to 100 mA / cm is generated. 2 In addition, since the electrodes are arranged outside the tank, the surface area of ​​the positive electrode and the negative electrode can be increased, and a large output can be continuously generated. The positive electrode 4 and the negative electrode 2 are provided with extraction electrodes 15, respectively, and when power generation starts, electricity can be taken out through the extraction electrodes 15.

[0057] The exhaust membrane 12 does not pass the electrolyte 6, but only releases the gas (mainly hydrogen) generated by the reaction to the outside. The exhaust membrane 12 can use a porous polyethylene sheet, a porous Teflon (registered trademark) sheet, etc. By using the exhaust membrane 12, the water supply port 14 is blocked after the water is supplied, so that the battery can be sealed. By making the battery a closed structure, leakage can be prevented when it overturns. By covering the periphery of the aluminum-air battery with a tank container with high mechanical strength, the electrolyte 6 can be prevented from leaking from the battery even if it is accidentally dropped or stepped on.

[0058] [Second embodiment]

[0059] (constitute)

[0060] Figure 2 1 shows the overall structure of the sealed aluminum-air battery 10. Figure 2 As shown, by placing the reaction part of the sealed battery 10 on the support 34 , the extraction electrode 15 of the sealed battery can be easily connected to the power supply terminals (+) and (−) of the electronic circuit board 36 on the support 34 .

[0061] The temperature of the electrolyte 6 is detected by a temperature sensor 38 installed in the electrolyte 6. In order to reduce the number of terminals to be connected, one terminal of the temperature sensor 38 is connected to the negative electrode 2 and is connected to the temperature detection terminal (T) of the electronic circuit board 36. As the temperature sensor 38, for example, a thermocouple, a thermistor, etc. are used.

[0062] A fan motor 42 is provided on the support platform 34. By rotating the fan motor 42, air can be sent into the cooling pipe 16 to forcibly cool the electrolyte 6. Generally, the fan motor 42 can change the fan speed by applying a voltage to the fan motor 42, so the cooling effect can be improved by increasing the power supply voltage of the fan motor 42. Furthermore, a fan motor 42 that controls the speed of the fan motor 42 using a PWM signal from the outside is also commercially available. In this example, a fan motor 42 with a PWM control function is used.

[0063] Figure 3 The block diagram of the electronic circuit board 36 is shown. The output voltage of the power generation unit is as low as 1.7V at most, so it is boosted to +3.3V by a low-power boost circuit in order to drive the MPU44 and other devices. The overall control is implemented by the MPU44. The input voltage Vin, the temperature Vt of the electrolyte 6, the output voltage Vout and the output current Iout are input to the MPU44, and are converted into digital data by the ADC (A / D converter) inside the MPU44.

[0064] The MPU 44 reads these data and outputs PWM_BOOST and PWM_FAN as PWM signals. PWM_BOOST controls the gate of the NMOS FET via a gate driver.

[0065] The MPU 44 can control the output current Iout, the output voltage Vout, the rotation speed of the fan motor 42, etc. The fan motor 42 adjusts the air volume of the cooling air by changing the pulse width (PWM) as described above, thereby controlling the temperature of the electrolyte 6.

[0066] (action)

[0067] The sealed battery 10 is equipped with a single-cell aluminum-air battery, and its open-circuit electromotive force is about 1.5 to 1.7 V. The electromotive force output from the power supply terminal is converted into a required voltage by a booster circuit mounted on the electronic circuit board 36. Figure 3 The coil L, NMOS FET, diode D and smoothing capacitor C shown in the figure are composed.

[0068] Generally, the output voltage Vout is often used at a predetermined fixed value, for example, it is boosted to 5.0V in order to supply it to a USB terminal.

[0069] The MPU 44 outputs PWM_BOOST based on the input Vout and Iout, and uses this signal to drive the gate of the NMOS FET via the gate driver, thereby boosting Vin to Vout.

[0070] Figure 4The experimental characteristics of the input voltage Vin [V] of the sealed aluminum-air battery 10 of the present embodiment relative to the output power P (= Vout × Iout) [W] are shown. As shown in the figure, the output power shows a bell-shaped characteristic that reaches a peak value when Vin is 0.7 to 0.8V. It is approximately 0 when Vin = 0, 1.4V (open circuit voltage). Therefore, as long as the output is limited in a manner that Vin does not become approximately 0.8V or less, the battery reacts in the same manner as a general battery, such that Vin≈1.5V (open circuit voltage) when the output power is small and Vin≈0.8V when the output power is large.

[0071] MPU44 Figure 4 By controlling the width of the PWM_BOOST signal within the range of the characteristic, Pout can be controlled. Alternatively, Vout can be controlled to be constant.

[0072] Reaction heat is generated along with power generation. This reaction heat promotes power generation, but also promotes side reactions that do not contribute to power generation, and the reaction heat becomes larger. At this time, if the reaction heat exceeds a certain temperature, a thermal runaway phenomenon occurs in which the reaction is promoted by the reaction heat, and sometimes the temperature rises rapidly and the electrolyte 6 boils.

[0073] According to experiments, if the electrolyte 6 exceeds 50°C, the electrolyte 6 may deteriorate and hinder power generation. In this case, if fingers or the like come into contact with the sealed aluminum-air battery 10, there is a possibility of burns, so it is preferably controlled so that the electrolyte 6 does not exceed 50°C. In the control circuit, the temperature is measured by the temperature sensor 38, and the rotation speed of the fan motor 42 is controlled by feedback control to adjust the temperature of the electrolyte 6 to not exceed 50°C.

[0074] [Advantages and Effects of the Present Embodiment]

[0075] (1) The sealed aluminum-air battery of this embodiment is stored in a can container with the entire battery or at least the chemical reaction part of the battery in a non-reactive state. When used, the reaction is started and the electricity is taken out while controlling the reaction to continue in an optimal state.

[0076] That is, before use, the sealed can container is

[0077] (1) Maintain vacuum,

[0078] (2) Filling with inert gas (preferably nitrogen),

[0079] (3) only the solute of the electrolyte filling the battery, or,

[0080] (4) Only the electrolyte solute of the battery is filled, and the above (1) or (2) is used in combination.

[0081] The method maintains a state where no chemical reaction occurs.

[0082] When the battery is used, in (1) and (2), a portion of the can container is opened to inject the electrolyte, and in (3) and (4), the electrolyte solvent (water) is injected to generate the electrolyte inside the can container.

[0083] This feature suppresses the occurrence of chemical reactions inside the battery during storage and allows the battery to withstand long-term storage. When used, the battery is configured to start chemical reactions first and then generate electricity. According to this embodiment, by adopting such a configuration, the following effects are achieved.

[0084] (2) It is possible to realize a portable disaster prevention battery using an aluminum-air battery having a high energy density.

[0085] (3) During storage, the entire aluminum-air battery or the chemical reaction unit is placed in a sealed can container, making it easy to carry. Furthermore, the battery has a high ability to withstand external impacts and can be stored in a complete state.

[0086] (4) The can container can be in the shape and size of a general can. Therefore, it is easy to handle. By stacking a plurality of can containers, a plurality of batteries can be compactly stored.

[0087] (5) Aluminum electrode materials can use mass-produced aluminum round tubes and square tubes, achieving low costs.

[0088] (6) The separator between the positive electrode and the negative electrode in the conventional air battery can be reduced, and the number of parts can be reduced, thereby achieving cost reduction.

[0089] [Variation Examples and Others]

[0090] The embodiments of the sealed metal-air battery of the present invention have been described above by taking the aluminum-air battery as an example, but these embodiments are merely illustrative of the present invention and do not limit the present invention in any way. The sealed metal-air battery of the present invention also has a third embodiment.

[0091] [Third Embodiment]

[0092] The sealed metal-air battery of the present invention can adopt various modes mainly with respect to the type of container, the state in the container during storage (before chemical reaction) and at the start of use (during chemical reaction), and the like.

[0093] (1) Type of container

[0094] The type of the container for storing electricity may be any of the following.

[0095] (A) Rigid metal container:

[0096] In addition to the can container 18 described in Embodiments 1 and 2, a rigid metal container such as tinplate, steel, or aluminum may be used.

[0097] (B) Rigid resin container:

[0098] As a rigid resin container, for example, it can be cheaply manufactured by injection molding of resins such as ABS, polyethylene, polypropylene, PET, etc. In addition, in order to give these tanks a high airtightness function and rust-proof function, the inside and outside of the tank can be plated or vapor-deposited with metals such as zinc and aluminum, or coated with a resin with high gas barrier properties such as PET and PGA.

[0099] Furthermore, during injection molding, by pre-arranging the electrode components and injecting the resin to form an integral molding, the cost of assembling the bottom plate 8b, the cylindrical positive electrode 4, the cylindrical negative electrode 2, etc. can be reduced. Furthermore, during injection molding, by pre-arranging the electrode components and injecting the resin to form an integral molding, the cost of assembling the bottom plate 8b, the cylindrical positive electrode 4, the cylindrical negative electrode 2, etc. can be reduced.

[0100] (C) Flexible metal containers:

[0101] Since the container is flexible, at least one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode is fixed by a rigid support (e.g., bottom plate 8b). The rigid support is made of a metal material, a non-metal material (e.g., resin, ceramic, cement, fiber, etc.) or a composite material. The entire battery or the reaction part is sealed by a flexible metal container (e.g., a metal foil such as aluminum foil).

[0102] (D) Flexible metal container coated with resin

[0103] Similarly, the battery is fixed by a rigid support body, and the entire battery or the reaction part is sealed by a flexible metal container coated with a resin (for example, a laminated film in which a resin such as PET or PP is coated on an aluminum foil).

[0104] (E) Flexible resin container

[0105] Similarly, at least one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode is fixed by a rigid support. The entire battery or the reaction part is sealed by a flexible resin container (for example, a laminated film formed by laminating PET resin, acrylic resin, etc.).

[0106] (2) The state of the container during storage (before chemical reaction) and at the beginning of use (during chemical reaction)

[0107] The state of the container during storage and at the start of use may be any of the following.

[0108] (a) (during storage) the electrolyte is in the atmosphere, i.e., air. (at the start of use) the electrolyte is added.

[0109] (b) The electrolyte is in a vacuum state (during storage) and is added (at the beginning of use).

[0110] (c) (during storage) the battery is filled with an inert gas such as nitrogen, and (at the start of use) an electrolyte is added.

[0111] (d) (during storage) only the electrolyte solute is filled, and (at the start of use) a solvent such as water is added.

[0112] (e) (during storage) the electrolyte is filled with the solute under any of the conditions (a) to (c), and (at the start of use) a solvent such as water is added.

[0113] (3) The type of container in (1) and the state in the container during storage and at the start of use in (2) may be any combination as shown in Table 1 as a third embodiment.

[0114] [Table 1]

[0115]

[0116] (4) Using metals other than aluminum as negative electrode metals

[0117] For example, in this embodiment, aluminum is used as the negative electrode metal, but any metal (magnesium, zinc, calcium, iron, etc. or their alloys) can be used as long as it is a metal that reacts with the electrolyte to be ionized. For example, when magnesium is used as the negative electrode metal, sodium chloride or potassium hydroxide aqueous solution can be used as the electrolyte. When zinc is used as the negative electrode metal, potassium hydroxide aqueous solution can be used as the electrolyte. When iron is used as the negative electrode metal, an alkaline aqueous solution can be used as the electrolyte.

[0118] However, these metals generally have low theoretical energy densities, so they are disadvantageous compared to aluminum in order to obtain large capacitance. Aluminum not only has the highest theoretical volume energy density, but is also safe, inexpensive, and has abundant and widespread resources on Earth, which also has advantages.

[0119] (5) Applications other than disaster prevention

[0120] In addition, the present invention is used for disaster prevention, but is not limited to disaster prevention. For example, it can also be used as a general battery such as a battery for distress signal or a battery for leisure use.

[0121] (6) Solvent for electrolyte

[0122] In addition, in this example, water is used as an example of a solvent for the electrolyte, but the solvent may also be sewage or seawater, and not only water but also ionic liquids may be used as the electrolyte. Furthermore, not only water can be injected, but water can also be absorbed when the package is opened while maintaining a vacuum state. This function is effective in the case of automatically starting the battery when the life jacket is submerged in water so that the life jacket expands when submerged in water.

[0123] (7) Battery shape

[0124] Furthermore, the present invention illustrates the shape observed from the top as a circle, but it may also be any desired shape such as a polygon, a polygon containing a curve, etc. Similarly, the negative electrode may not be cylindrical, but may be plate-shaped, rod-shaped, etc. It is also possible to double as an air-cooling pipe by making the negative electrode thick-walled and making the thick-walled portion hollow. Even such a complex shape can be manufactured at a low cost as long as it is manufactured by extrusion or extraction of metal. The surface area of ​​the positive electrode becomes smaller, but the positive electrode can also be arranged on the inside and used as an air supply pipe.

[0125] (8) Cooling of electrolyte

[0126] The convection of the electrolyte 6 is natural convection, but forced convection based on a propeller or the like may also be used. As a cooling unit, forced cooling based on a fan motor 42 is used, but the fan motor 42 may be removed by increasing the size of the cooling pipe 16 or providing pleats to improve the heat dissipation efficiency. In addition, by cooling the outside of the tank, the cooling pipe may also be reduced. By controlling the sealed aluminum-air battery to maintain a temperature with good power generation efficiency through forced cooling by the fan motor 42, the power generation time may also be extended.

[0127] (9) Others

[0128] Additions, deletions, changes, and improvements to the embodiments that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art are within the scope of the present invention. The technical scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.

[0129] Description of Reference Numerals

[0130] 10: Sealed aluminum-air battery, 2: Cylindrical negative electrode, negative electrode, 2a: Anti-rust coating, 4: Positive electrode, Cylindrical positive electrode, air electrode, 6: Electrolyte, 8: Sealing frame, 8a: Top plate, 10: Sealed aluminum-air battery, aluminum-air battery, air battery, 12: Exhaust membrane, 14: Water intake port, 15: Lead-out electrode, 16: Cooling pipe, 22: Top cover, 18: Cylindrical tank, 24: Bottom cover, 28: Air flow, 32: Convection flow, 34: Support table, 36: Electronic circuit substrate, 38: Temperature sensor, 42: Fan motor, 44: MPU.

Claims

1. A sealed metal-air battery, which is a metal-air battery using a metal as a negative electrode and an air electrode as a positive electrode, wherein: The sealed metal-air battery comprises a sealed container that accommodates the entire metal-air battery or at least a chemical reaction portion. The sealed container is a rigid metal container or a rigid resin container, When the battery is stored, the sealed container is in an atmospheric state, a vacuum state, or an environment filled with an inert gas. When the battery is used, a part of the sealed container is opened and an electrolyte is injected to start power generation.

2. A sealed metal-air battery, which is a metal-air battery using a metal as a negative electrode and an air electrode as a positive electrode, wherein: The sealed metal-air battery comprises a sealed container that accommodates the entire metal-air battery or at least a chemical reaction portion fixed by a support. The sealed container is a flexible metal container, a flexible metal container with a resin film applied thereto, or a flexible resin container. When the battery is stored, the sealed container is in an atmospheric state, a vacuum state, or an environment filled with an inert gas. When the battery is used, a part of the sealed container is opened and an electrolyte is injected to start power generation.

3. A sealed metal-air battery, which is a metal-air battery using a metal as a negative electrode and an air electrode as a positive electrode, wherein: The sealed metal-air battery comprises a sealed container that accommodates the entire metal-air battery or at least a chemical reaction portion. The sealed container is a rigid metal container or a rigid resin container, When the battery is stored, the sealed container contains only the solute of the electrolyte. When the battery is used, a part of the sealed container is opened and the solvent of the electrolyte is injected to start power generation.

4. A sealed metal-air battery, which is a metal-air battery using a metal as a negative electrode and an air electrode as a positive electrode, wherein: The sealed metal-air battery comprises a sealed container that accommodates the entire metal-air battery or at least a chemical reaction portion fixed by a support. The sealed container is a flexible metal container, a flexible metal container with a resin film applied thereto, or a flexible resin container. When the battery is stored, the sealed container contains only the solute of the electrolyte. When the battery is used, a part of the sealed container is opened and the solvent of the electrolyte is injected to start power generation.

5. The sealed metal-air battery according to claim 3 or 4, wherein: When the battery is stored, the sealed container is in a vacuum state or in a state where only the solute of the electrolyte is contained in an environment filled with an inert gas.

6. The sealed metal-air battery according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein The negative electrode uses a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, magnesium, zinc, calcium, and iron, or an alloy containing them.

7. The sealed metal-air battery according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein The negative electrode uses a metal extruded material or a lead-out material.

8. The sealed metal-air battery according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein The electrolyte in the metal-air battery is structured so as to circulate in the reaction part in the tank container by natural convection or forced convection.

9. The sealed metal-air battery according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a fan motor, a temperature sensor, and a control circuit for controlling these. The electrolyte inside the metal-air battery is forcibly cooled by the fan motor.

10. The sealed metal-air battery according to claim 9, wherein: The control circuit controls the rotation speed of the fan motor through feedback control based on the detected temperature from the temperature sensor, thereby maintaining the temperature of the chemical reaction unit within an appropriate range and suppressing thermal runaway caused by reaction heat.

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