Sealed metal-air battery

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to realize a portable disaster prevention battery obtained by packaging, in a sealed container, a metal-air battery having high energy density. The sealed metal-air battery according to the present invention is a metal-air battery that uses metal in a negative electrode and an air electrode in a positive electrode and is provided with a sealed container accommodating the entire metal-air battery or at least a chemically reacting portion of the metal-air battery. The sealed container is a rigid metal container or a rigid resin container, and the inside of the sealed container during storage of the battery is in an atmospheric state or a vacuum state, or is an environment filled with an inert gas. During battery use, a portion of the sealed container is opened and an electrolyte is injected so as to begin power generation. Alternatively, the inside of the sealed container during storage of the battery is in a state in which only the solute of the electrolyte is accommodated therein, and during battery use, a portion of the sealed container is opened and the solvent of the electrolyte is injected so as to begin power generation.

Description

sealed metal-air battery

[0001] The present invention relates to a sealed metal-air battery, and more specifically to a sealed metal-air battery used for portable disaster prevention purposes.

[0002] Aluminum-air batteries, a typical example of metal-air batteries, use aluminum for the negative electrode and air for the positive electrode, and are therefore characterized by a higher theoretical energy density than other types of batteries.

[0003] Patent Publication No. 2012-015025 "Aluminum-air battery" (Publication date: January 19, 2012) Applicant: Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. Patent Publication No. 2014-194897 "Separator, secondary battery, and method for manufacturing separator" (Publication date: October 9, 2014) Applicant: Hitachi Zosen Corporation

[0004] The present invention is directed to a metal-air battery. However, unless otherwise specified, the following description will be given taking an aluminum-air battery, which is a typical example of a metal-air battery, as an example.

[0005] Aluminum-air batteries, which can extract large amounts of power, have problems with self-discharge and heat generation when actually produced, making them difficult to put into practical use. Several solutions to the problems of self-discharge and heat generation have been proposed, and the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1 is one of them.

[0006] Regarding cylindrical air batteries, a similar shape has been proposed in, for example, Patent Document 2. Patent Document 2 aims to suppress zinc dendrites. If the zinc disclosed therein could be replaced with aluminum, a cylindrical aluminum-air battery could be realized.

[0007] In order to use aluminum-air batteries as emergency batteries, they must be able to withstand long-term storage. Furthermore, as emergency batteries, they must have a high energy density, be able to supply large amounts of power, be easy to use, be safe to use, and be low cost.

[0008] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to realize a portable disaster prevention battery that utilizes a metal-air battery with high energy density.

[0009] In one aspect, the sealed metal-air battery according to the present invention is a metal-air battery that uses a metal as the negative electrode and an air electrode as the positive electrode, and includes a sealed container that houses the entire metal-air battery or at least the chemical reaction section, the sealed container being a rigid metal container or a rigid resin container, and the inside of the sealed container when the battery is stored is in an atmospheric state, a vacuum state, or an environment filled with an inert gas, and when the battery is to be used, part of the sealed container is opened and an electrolyte is injected to start power generation.

[0010] Furthermore, in one aspect, the sealed metal-air battery according to the present invention is a metal-air battery that uses a metal as the negative electrode and an air electrode as the positive electrode, and includes a sealed container that houses the entire metal-air battery or at least the chemical reaction section fixed by a support, and the sealed container is a flexible metal container, a flexible metal container coated with a resin film, or a flexible resin container, and 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 to be used, part of the sealed container is opened and an electrolyte is injected to start power generation.

[0011] Furthermore, the sealed metal-air battery according to the present invention is a metal-air battery that uses a metal as the negative electrode and an air electrode as the positive electrode, and includes a sealed container that houses the entire metal-air battery or at least the chemical reaction section, the sealed container being a rigid metal container or a rigid resin container, and when the battery is stored, only the solute of the electrolyte is housed inside the sealed container, and when the battery is to be used, part of the sealed container is opened and a solvent for the electrolyte is injected to start power generation.

[0012] Furthermore, the sealed metal-air battery according to the present invention is a metal-air battery that uses a metal as the negative electrode and an air electrode as the positive electrode, and includes a sealed container that houses the entire metal-air battery fixed by a support, or at least the chemical reaction section, and the sealed container is a flexible metal container, a flexible metal container coated with a resin film, or a flexible resin container, and when the battery is stored, only the solute of the electrolyte is stored inside the sealed container, and when the battery is to be used, part of the sealed container is opened and a solvent for the electrolyte is injected to start power generation.

[0013] Furthermore, in the sealed metal-air battery, the inside of the sealed container during storage of the battery may be in a vacuum state or an environment filled with an inert gas, with only the solute of the electrolyte contained therein.

[0014] 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 any of these.

[0015] Furthermore, in the sealed metal-air battery, the negative electrode may be made of an extruded or drawn metal material.

[0016] Furthermore, the sealed metal-air battery may be configured so that the electrolyte inside the metal-air battery circulates through the reaction section inside the can container by natural convection or forced convection.

[0017] Furthermore, the sealed metal-air battery may further include a fan motor, a temperature sensor, and a control circuit for controlling these, and the electrolyte inside the metal-air battery may be forcibly cooled by the fan motor.

[0018] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned sealed metal-air battery, the control circuit may control the rotation speed of the fan motor by feedback control based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, thereby maintaining the temperature of the chemical reaction section within an appropriate range and suppressing thermal runaway due to reaction heat.

[0019] According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a portable disaster prevention battery in which a high-energy-density metal-air battery is packed into a sealed container.

[0020] Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating a reaction section of a sealed aluminum-air battery according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating the overall structure of the sealed aluminum-air battery shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a block diagram of an electronic circuit board of the sealed aluminum-air battery according to this embodiment. Fig. 4 is a characteristic diagram of output voltage vs. output power in the sealed aluminum-air battery according to this embodiment.

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of a sealed metal-air battery according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, taking as an example an aluminum-air battery housed in a cylindrical can container, unless otherwise specified. In the drawings, like elements are designated by like reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0022] [Outline of the Sealed Aluminum-Air Battery of the Present Embodiment] In the sealed aluminum-air battery of the present embodiment, the entire battery or at least the reaction portion of the battery is packed in a sealed container in a state where no chemical reaction occurs during storage. The chemical reaction is initiated only upon use, and electricity is extracted while being controlled to maintain an optimal state.

[0023] [First embodiment] (Configuration) Fig. 1 shows the reaction section of a sealed aluminum-air battery 10 according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 shows the overall structure of the sealed aluminum-air battery 10. As shown in Fig. 1, the chemical reaction section 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.

[0024] The cylindrical negative electrode 2 is made of aluminum, and its inner peripheral surface is coated with an anti-rust coating 2a. A gas vent film 12, a water supply port 14, and a cooling pipe 16 are attached to the sealing frame 8.

[0025] The entire battery is housed inside a cylindrical can 18, to which a top lid 22 and a bottom lid 24 are attached, respectively. The cylindrical can 18 and the lids 22, 24 are made of metal, such as steel, aluminum, or stainless steel. In this application, this structure will be referred to as a "sealed battery." Each lid 22, 24 is designed to keep the cylindrical can 18 sealed, while allowing easy removal of all or part of the lid. For example, the entire lid can be removed by removing a pull-top top or bottom lid, and part of the lid can be removed by peeling off an aluminum seal covering the open portion.

[0026] Before use, the sealed can container is kept in a state where no chemical reaction occurs by methods such as (1) maintaining a vacuum, (2) filling it with an inert gas (preferably nitrogen gas), (3) filling it with only the solute of the battery electrolyte, or (4) filling it with only the solute of the battery electrolyte and using either (1) or (2) in combination. These methods prevent the battery materials stored inside from oxidizing or deteriorating, enabling long-term storage.

[0027] It is preferable to fill the can with nitrogen gas, which is an inert gas, in advance. However, even if the can is sealed in the atmosphere, the active gas such as oxygen inside the can will essentially react with the electrode material, so the can will remain filled with the remaining inert gas such as nitrogen gas or argon gas.

[0028] Furthermore, in the above (1) to (4), it is preferable to seal in the can an oxygen absorber mainly made of iron or a getter material (gas adsorbent) made of an alloy of Ti, Zr, Al, etc., and adsorb any unnecessary gases that leak out, thereby enabling long-term maintenance.

[0029] When the battery is in use, in steps (1) and (2), a portion of the can is opened and the electrolyte is poured in, and in steps (3) and (4), the solvent (water) for the electrolyte is poured in to produce the electrolyte inside the can, which allows the battery to start generating electricity for the first time when it is in use.

[0030] In FIG. 1, the air flow 26 supplied to the air electrode 4 when the top cover 22 and bottom cover 24 are removed, the air flow 28 for cooling the electrolyte 6, and the convection flow 32 of the electrolyte 6 are shown by dashed lines, respectively.

[0031] The structure of the reaction section of this sealed battery can basically be realized by sandwiching a cylindrical aluminum negative electrode 2 and a cylindrical positive electrode (air electrode) 4 from above and below between a sealing frame 8, a circular top plate 8a, and a circular bottom plate 8b.

[0032] The sealing frame 8 and the circular top plate 8a and bottom plate 8b can be made of resin such as ABS, polyethylene, or polypropylene.

[0033] The cylindrical negative electrode 2, which is a cylindrical aluminum pipe, can be made of mass-produced aluminum pipe, thereby reducing material costs.

[0034] Mass-produced stainless steel tubes or aluminum pipes can be used for the cooling pipes 16, which can improve heat dissipation and strength. In the case of aluminum pipes, they must be protected with anti-rust paint or the like to prevent corrosion by the electrolyte.

[0035] The canister 18 and lids 22, 24 can be made from mass-produced can materials, reducing material costs.

[0036] (Operation) As shown in Figure 1, in a sealed battery 10, when viewed in a cross section parallel to the circular top plate 8a and bottom plate 8b, a cylindrical aluminum negative electrode 2 is located inside the circle, and an air cathode positive electrode 4 is located outside the negative electrode 2. Power generation begins when an electrolyte 6 fills the space between the negative electrode 2 and the positive electrode 4. Structurally, by leaving 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, and therefore a separator can be omitted.

[0037] In the above (1) or (2), the electrolyte 6 is injected at the time of use, while in the above (3) or (4), it is prepared by pouring water into the electrolyte filled inside the battery. Caustic soda or caustic potash is usually used as the electrolyte. When power generation begins, the electrolyte 6 inside the sealed battery is heated by the heat of reaction and cooled by the cooling pipe 16, generating convection 32 as shown in the figure. This convection 32 constantly supplies new electrolyte 6 between the positive electrode 4 and the negative electrode 2.

[0038] When the positive and negative electrodes are arranged in this way and filled with an electrolyte solution with an electrolyte concentration of 8 to 20 wt%, the current is 50 mA to 100 mA / cm ２ The electrodes are located on the outside of the can, which allows the positive and negative electrodes to have large surface areas, enabling a large output to be generated continuously. An extraction electrode 15 is provided on each of the positive electrode 4 and the negative electrode 2, and electricity can be extracted through the extraction electrode 15 once power generation begins.

[0039] The gas-permeable film 12 does not allow the electrolyte solution 6 to pass through, and only releases gas (mainly hydrogen gas) generated by the reaction to the outside. The gas-permeable film 12 can be made of a porous polyethylene sheet, a porous Teflon (registered trademark) sheet, or the like. By using the gas-permeable film 12, the battery can be sealed by closing the water inlet 14 after adding water. The sealed structure of the battery can prevent leakage in the event of a fall. By covering the outer periphery of the aluminum-air battery with a can container with high mechanical strength, it is possible to prevent the electrolyte solution 6 from leaking from the battery even if it is accidentally dropped or stepped on.

[0040] [Second embodiment] (Configuration) Fig. 2 shows the overall structure of a sealed aluminum-air battery 10. As shown in Fig. 2, by placing the reaction section of the sealed battery 10 on a support base 34, the lead-out electrodes 15 of the sealed battery can be easily connected to the power supply terminals (+) and (-) of an electronic circuit board 36 on the support base 34.

[0041] The temperature of the electrolyte 6 is detected by a temperature sensor 38 attached 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 the other terminal is connected to a temperature detection terminal (T) of the electronic circuit board 36. As the temperature sensor 38, for example, a thermocouple or a thermistor is used.

[0042] A fan motor 42 is installed on the support base 34. By rotating the fan motor 42, air is sent into the cooling pipe 16, forcing the electrolyte 6 to cool. Generally, the fan motor 42 can change its rotation speed by changing the voltage applied to the fan motor 42, so the cooling effect can be improved by increasing the power supply voltage to the fan motor 42. Furthermore, fan motors 42 whose rotation speed is controlled by an external PWM signal are also commercially available. In this example, a fan motor 42 with a PWM control function is used.

[0043] 3 shows a block diagram of the electronic circuit board 36. Because the output voltage of the power generating cell is low at 1.7 V at most, it is boosted to +3.3 V by a small-power boost circuit to drive the MPU 44 and other devices. Overall control is performed by the MPU 44. The input voltage Vin, the temperature Vt of the electrolyte 6, the output voltage Vout, and the output current Iout are input to the MPU 44, and are each converted into digital data by an ADC (A / D converter) inside the MPU 44.

[0044] The MPU 44 reads these data and outputs PWM signals PWM_BOOST and PWM_FAN. PWM_BOOST controls the gate of an NMOS FET via a gate driver.

[0045] 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 volume of the cooling air by changing the pulse width (PWM) as described above, thereby controlling the temperature of the electrolyte 6.

[0046] (Operation) The sealed battery 10 is equipped with a single-cell aluminum-air battery, whose open-circuit electromotive force is approximately 1.5 to 1.7 V. The electromotive force output from the power supply terminal is converted to the required voltage by a boost circuit mounted on the electronic circuit board 36. The boost circuit is composed of a coil L, an NMOS FET, a diode D, and a smoothing capacitor C, as shown in Figure 3.

[0047] Generally, the output voltage Vout is used at a predetermined fixed value. For example, it is boosted to 5.0 V to supply to a USB terminal.

[0048] The MPU 44 outputs PWM_BOOST based on the input Vout and Iout, and drives the gate of the NMOS FET through the gate driver with this signal, thereby boosting Vin to Vout.

[0049] FIG. 4 shows experimental characteristics of the input voltage Vin [V] versus output power P (= Vout x Iout) [W] of the sealed aluminum-air battery 10 according to this embodiment. As shown in the figure, the output power exhibits a bell-shaped characteristic, peaking at Vin between 0.7 and 0.8V. When Vin is 0 or 1.4V (open-circuit voltage), the output power is approximately 0. Therefore, as long as the output is limited so that Vin does not fall below approximately 0.8V, the battery will respond in the same way as a general battery, with Vin approximately 1.5V (open-circuit voltage) when the output power is small and Vin approximately 0.8V when the output power is large.

[0050] The MPU 44 can control Pout by controlling the width of the PWM_BOOST signal within the range of the characteristics shown in Fig. 4. Alternatively, it is also possible to control Vout so that it is constant.

[0051] Reaction heat is generated during power generation. This reaction heat promotes power generation, but side reactions that do not contribute to power generation are also promoted, increasing the reaction heat. If the reaction heat exceeds a certain temperature, a thermal runaway phenomenon occurs in which the reaction is promoted by the reaction heat, causing the temperature to rise rapidly and bringing the electrolyte 6 to a boiling state.

[0052] Experiments have shown that if the temperature of the electrolyte 6 exceeds 50°C, the electrolyte 6 changes quality and power generation is inhibited. In this case, there is a risk of burns if fingers or other objects come into contact with the sealed aluminum-air battery 10, so it is desirable to control the temperature of the electrolyte 6 so that it does not exceed 50°C. The control circuit measures the temperature using a temperature sensor 38 and controls the rotation speed of the fan motor 42 through feedback control, thereby adjusting the temperature of the electrolyte 6 so that it does not exceed 50°C.

[0053] [Advantages and Effects of the Present Embodiment] (1) When the sealed aluminum-air battery according to the present embodiment is stored, the entire battery or at least the chemical reaction portion of the battery is packed in a can container in a state where no reaction occurs. When in use, the reaction is initiated and electricity is extracted while controlling the reaction to continue under optimal conditions.

[0054] That is, before use, the sealed can is maintained in a state where no chemical reaction occurs by the following methods: (1) maintaining a vacuum; (2) filling it with an inert gas (preferably nitrogen gas); (3) filling it with only the solute of the battery electrolyte; or (4) filling it with only the solute of the battery electrolyte and using either (1) or (2) above in combination.

[0055] When the battery is in use, in (1) and (2) above, a portion of the can is opened and the electrolyte is poured in, and in (3) and (4) above, the solvent for the electrolyte (water) is poured in to generate the electrolyte inside the can.

[0056] This feature is that during storage, the occurrence of chemical reactions inside the battery is suppressed, allowing the battery to withstand long-term storage. The chemical reactions and power generation begin only when the battery is used. By adopting this configuration, the present embodiment achieves the following effects.

[0057] (2) It is possible to realize a portable disaster prevention battery using an aluminum-air battery with high energy density.

[0058] (3) During storage, the entire aluminum-air battery or the chemical reaction part is packed in a sealed can, making it convenient to carry. Furthermore, the battery is resistant to external shocks and can be stored in a perfect condition.

[0059] (4) The can container can be made into the same shape and size as a regular can, making it easy to handle. By stacking multiple can containers, multiple batteries can be stored compactly.

[0060] (5) Mass-produced aluminum round pipes and square pipes can be used for the aluminum electrode material, which reduces costs.

[0061] (6) The separator between the positive and negative electrodes that was required in conventional air batteries can be eliminated, allowing for a smaller number of parts, thereby reducing costs.

[0062] [Modifications and Others] While the embodiments of the sealed metal-air battery according to the present invention have been described above using an aluminum-air battery as an example, these embodiments are merely illustrative of the present invention and do not limit the present invention in any way. There is also a third embodiment of the sealed metal-air battery according to the present invention.

[0063] Third Embodiment The sealed metal-air battery according to the present invention can take various forms, mainly with regard to the type of container, the state inside the container during storage (before chemical reaction) and at the start of use (during chemical reaction), and the like.

[0064] (1) Type of container The type of container that stores electricity may be any of the following:

[0065] (A) Rigid Metal Container: In addition to the can container 18 described in the first and second embodiments, a rigid metal container made of tinplate, steel, aluminum, or the like can also be used.

[0066] (B) Rigid Resin Container: Rigid resin containers may be inexpensively manufactured by injection molding of resins such as ABS, polyethylene, polypropylene, and PET. Furthermore, to impart high airtightness and rust prevention properties to these cans, the interior and exterior of the can may be plated or vapor-deposited with metals such as zinc or aluminum, or coated with a resin with high gas barrier properties such as PET or PGA. Furthermore, by adopting a method in which electrode components are pre-positioned during injection molding and then the resin is injected to form an integral molding, the cost of assembling the bottom plate 8b with the cylindrical positive electrode 4, the cylindrical negative electrode 2, and the like can be reduced. Furthermore, by adopting a method in which electrode components are pre-positioned during injection molding and then the resin is injected to form an integral molding, the cost of assembling the bottom plate 8b with the cylindrical positive electrode 4, the cylindrical negative electrode 2, and the like can be reduced.

[0067] (C) Flexible Metal Container: Because the container is flexible, at least one of the positive and negative electrodes is fixed by a rigid support (e.g., bottom plate 8b). This 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 section is sealed in a flexible metal container (e.g., metal foil such as aluminum foil).

[0068] (D) Flexible resin-coated metal container Similarly, the battery is fixed by a rigid support, and the entire battery or reaction section is sealed in a flexible resin-coated metal container (for example, a laminate film made of aluminum foil coated with a resin such as PET or PP).

[0069] (E) Flexible Resin Container Similarly, at least one of the positive and negative electrodes is fixed by a rigid support, and the entire battery or the reaction section is sealed in a flexible resin container (for example, a laminate film made of PET resin, acrylic resin, or the like).

[0070] (2) State inside the container during storage (before chemical reaction) and at the start of use (during chemical reaction) The state inside the container during storage and at the start of use may be any of the following: (a) (during storage) atmospheric air, i.e., air, and (at the start of use) electrolyte is added. (b) (during storage) a vacuum is created, and (at the start of use) electrolyte is added. (c) (during storage) an inert gas, e.g., nitrogen gas, is filled, and (at the start of use) electrolyte is added. (d) (during storage) only the solute of the electrolyte is filled, and (at the start of use) a solvent, e.g., water, is added. (e) (during storage) the solute of the electrolyte is filled under any of the conditions (a) to (c), and (at the start of use) a solvent, e.g., water, is added.

[0071] (3) The type of container in (1) and the state inside the container during storage and at the start of use in (2) can be arbitrarily combined as shown in Table 1 as a third embodiment.

[0072]

[0073] (4) Use of Metals Other Than Aluminum as the Anode Metal For example, although aluminum is used as the anode metal in this embodiment, any metal (magnesium, zinc, calcium, iron, etc., or alloys thereof) that reacts with the electrolyte and ionizes can be used. For example, when magnesium is used as the anode metal, an aqueous solution of sodium chloride or potassium hydroxide can be used as the electrolyte. When zinc is used as the anode metal, an aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide can be used as the electrolyte. When iron is used as the anode metal, an alkaline aqueous solution can be used as the electrolyte. However, these metals generally have low theoretical energy densities, making them less advantageous than aluminum for achieving a large electrical capacity. Aluminum not only has the highest theoretical volumetric energy density, but also has the advantages of being highly safe, inexpensive, and ubiquitously available as a global resource.

[0074] (5) Applications other than disaster prevention Although the present invention is directed to disaster prevention applications, it is not limited to such applications. For example, it can also be used as a general battery, such as a battery for distress signals or a battery for leisure activities.

[0075] (6) Electrolyte Solvent Although this example has been described using water as the solvent for the electrolyte, the solvent may be wastewater or seawater, and the electrolyte may be not only aqueous but also an ionic liquid. Furthermore, in addition to water injection, if the battery is kept in a vacuum state, it may be designed to absorb water when opened. This function is useful in cases where the battery is to be automatically activated when it hits water, like a life jacket inflating when it hits water.

[0076] (7) Battery Shape: Furthermore, although the present invention has been described with the shape viewed from above as being round, any desired shape, such as a polygon or a polygon including curves, may be used. Similarly, the negative electrode may not be cylindrical, but may be plate-shaped, rod-shaped, or the like. The negative electrode may be thick-walled and the thick portion may be hollow, so that it can also serve as an air-cooling pipe. Even with such a complex shape, it can be manufactured at low cost by using a metal extrusion or drawing method. Although the surface area of ​​the positive electrode will be small, the positive electrode may be placed inside and used as an air-blowing pipe.

[0077] (8) Cooling of the Electrolyte The convection of the electrolyte 6 is natural convection, but forced convection using a propeller or the like may also be used. Forced cooling using a fan motor 42 is used as the cooling means, but the fan motor 42 can be eliminated by increasing the size of the cooling pipe 16 or adding pleats to improve heat dissipation efficiency. Also, the cooling pipe can be reduced by adopting a structure that cools the outside of the can. Forced cooling by the fan motor 42 can control the sealed aluminum-air battery to maintain a temperature that is efficient for power generation, making it possible to extend the power generation time.

[0078] (9) Others Any additions, deletions, modifications, or improvements to the embodiments that can be easily made 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 description of the appended claims.

[0079] 10: Sealed aluminum-air battery, 2: Cylindrical negative electrode, negative electrode, 2a: Rust prevention 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: Gas vent film, 14: Water intake, 15: Lead electrode, 16: Cooling pipe, 22: Canopy, 18: Cylindrical can, 24: Bottom lid, 28: Air flow, 32: Convection flow, 34: Support base, 36: Electronic circuit board, 38: Temperature sensor, 42: Fan motor, 44: MPU,

Claims

1. A metal-air battery using a metal as the negative electrode and an air electrode as the positive electrode, comprising a sealed container that houses the entire metal-air battery or at least the chemical reaction part, wherein the sealed container is (A) a rigid metal container, and the inside of the sealed container during battery storage is in (a) an atmospheric state. When the battery is in use, a part of the sealed container is opened, an electrolyte is injected, and power generation is started. This is a sealed metal-air battery.

2. A metal-air battery using a metal as the negative electrode and an air electrode as the positive electrode, comprising a sealed container that houses the entire metal-air battery or at least the chemical reaction part, wherein the sealed container is (B) a rigid resin container, and the inside of the sealed container during battery storage is in (a) an atmospheric state, (b) a vacuum state, or (c) an environment filled with an inert gas. When the battery is in use, a part of the sealed container is opened, an electrolyte is injected, and power generation is started. This is a sealed metal-air battery.

3. A metal-air battery using a metal as the negative electrode and an air electrode as the positive electrode, comprising a sealed container that houses the entire metal-air battery or at least the chemical reaction part fixed by a support, wherein the sealed container is (C) a flexible metal container, (D) a flexible metal container with a resin film, or (E) a flexible resin container, and the inside of the sealed container during battery storage is in (a) an atmospheric state, (b) a vacuum state, or (c) an environment filled with an inert gas. When the battery is in use, a part of the sealed container is opened, an electrolyte is injected, and power generation is started. This is a sealed metal-air battery.

4. A metal-air battery using a metal as the negative electrode and an air electrode as the positive electrode, comprising a sealed container that houses the entire metal-air battery or at least the chemical reaction part, wherein the sealed container is (A) a rigid metal container or (B) a rigid resin container, and the inside of the sealed container during battery storage is in (d) a state where only the solute of the electrolyte is housed. When the battery is in use, a part of the sealed container is opened, the solvent of the electrolyte is injected, and power generation is started. This is a sealed metal-air battery.

5. A metal-air battery using a metal as the negative electrode and an air electrode as the positive electrode, comprising a sealed container that houses the entire metal-air battery or at least the chemical reaction part fixed by a support, wherein the sealed container is (C) a flexible metal container, (D) a flexible metal container with a resin film, or (E) a flexible resin container, In the sealed container during battery storage, only the solute of the electrolyte is stored, and during battery use, a part of the sealed container is opened and the solvent of the electrolyte is injected to start power generation. This is a sealed metal-air battery.

6. In the sealed metal-air battery according to claim 4 or 5, In the sealed container during battery storage, only the solute of the electrolyte is stored in an environment filled with (a) atmospheric state, (b) vacuum state, or (c) inert gas. This is a sealed metal-air battery.

7. In the sealed metal-air battery according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The negative electrode uses a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, magnesium, zinc, calcium, and iron or an alloy containing them. This is a sealed metal-air battery.

8. In the sealed metal-air battery according to any one of claims 1 to 5, A metal extrusion material or extraction material is used for the negative electrode. This is a sealed metal-air battery.

9. In the sealed metal-air battery according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The electrolyte inside the metal-air battery has a structure that circulates through the reaction part in the can container by natural convection or forced convection. This is a sealed metal-air battery.

10. In the sealed metal-air battery according to any one of claims 1 to 5, furthermore, It is equipped with a fan motor, a temperature sensor, and a control circuit for controlling them. The electrolyte inside the metal-air battery is forcibly cooled by the fan motor. This is a sealed metal-air battery.

11. In the sealed metal-air battery according to claim 10, The control circuit controls the rotation speed of the fan motor by feedback control based on the detected temperature from the temperature sensor to maintain the temperature of the chemical reaction part within an appropriate range and suppress thermal runaway due to reaction heat. This is a sealed metal-air battery.