Johnson lithium oxygen electrochemical engine

Abstract

A rechargeable lithium air battery is provided. The battery contains a ceramic separator forming an anode chamber, a molten lithium anode contained in the anode chamber, an air cathode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte. The cathode has a temperature gradient comprising a low temperature region and a high temperature region, and the temperature gradient provides a flow system for reaction product produced by the battery.

We claim: 
     
       1. A rechargeable lithium air battery comprising a ceramic separator forming an anode chamber, a molten lithium anode contained in the anode chamber, an air cathode, a non-aqueous electrolyte, and an electrolyte reservoir adjacent to the cathode, wherein the cathode has a temperature gradient comprising a low temperature region and a high temperature region, and wherein the temperature gradient provides a flow system for reaction product produced by the battery. 
     
     
       2. The battery according to  claim 1 , further comprising a pump and a temperature control system. 
     
     
       3. The battery according to  claim 2 , wherein the pump controls movement of the electrolyte between the cathode and the electrolyte reservoir. 
     
     
       4. The battery according to  claim 2 , wherein the temperature control system controls temperatures of the cathode and the electrolyte reservoir. 
     
     
       5. The battery according to  claim 1 , wherein during discharge the reaction product moves from the high temperature region of the cathode to the low temperature region of the cathode. 
     
     
       6. The battery according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises a molten inorganic salt. 
     
     
       7. The battery according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises a silane or siloxane compound. 
     
     
       8. The battery according to  claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises a porous ceramic material. 
     
     
       9. The battery according to  claim 8 , wherein the cathode is impregnated with a metal nitride or a carbon material. 
     
     
       10. The battery according to  claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises an electrically conductive sintered metal oxide, metal nitride, carbon, or silicon carbide. 
     
     
       11. The battery according to  claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises carbon, a polymer binder, and a metal oxide. 
     
     
       12. The battery according to  claim 8 , wherein the porous ceramic material comprises lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide. 
     
     
       13. The battery according to  claim 1 , where the anode chamber is maintained at about 20° C. to 200° C. 
     
     
       14. The battery according to  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic separator comprises a lithium ion conducting glass. 
     
     
       15. The battery according to  claim 14 , wherein the lithium ion conducting glass is selected from lithium beta alumina, lithium phosphate glass, lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide, Al 2 O 3 :Li 7 La 3 Zr 2 O 12 , lithium aluminum germanium phosphate, and lithium aluminum titanium phosphate. 
     
     
       16. The battery according to  claim 1 , wherein the battery has an operating temperature of about 200° C. to about 450° C. 
     
     
       17. A rechargeable lithium air battery comprising a ceramic separator forming an anode chamber, a molten lithium anode and a heater contained in the anode chamber, an air cathode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte, wherein the cathode has a temperature gradient comprising a low temperature region and a high temperature region, and wherein the temperature gradient provides a flow system for reaction product produced by the battery. 
     
     
       18. A rechargeable lithium air battery comprising a ceramic separator forming an anode chamber, a molten lithium anode contained in the anode chamber, an air cathode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte, wherein the cathode has a temperature gradient comprising a low temperature region and a high temperature region, the temperature gradient provides a flow system for reaction product produced by the battery, wherein the cathode comprises a core adjacent to the ceramic separator and at least one fin extending radially outward from the core, and wherein the core is the high temperature region of the cathode and the at least one fin is the low temperature region of the cathode. 
     
     
       19. A rechargeable lithium air battery comprising a ceramic separator forming an anode chamber, a molten lithium anode contained in the anode chamber, an air cathode, a non-aqueous electrolyte, an electrolyte reservoir adjacent to the cathode, a pump and a temperature control system, wherein the temperature control system controls temperatures of the cathode and the electrolyte reservoir, the temperature of the electrolyte reservoir is about 200° C. to about 450° C., the cathode has a temperature gradient comprising a low temperature region and a high temperature region, and wherein the temperature gradient provides a flow system for reaction product produced by the battery. 
     
     
       20. A rechargeable lithium air battery comprising a lithium reservoir, a reaction chamber, an air cathode, a temperature control system, and an electrolyte reservoir adjacent to the air cathode, wherein the lithium reservoir includes a ceramic separator and the electrolyte reservoir contains an inorganic non-aqueous electrolyte, the ceramic separator extends into the reaction chamber whereby lithium flows into the reaction chamber from the lithium reservoir and contacts the ceramic separator in the reaction chamber, the ceramic separator couples lithium to the inorganic non-aqueous electrolyte supplied from the electrolyte reservoir, and the inorganic non-aqueous electrolyte couples the reaction chamber to the electrolyte reservoir and carries reaction product therebetween whereby reaction product within the reaction chamber is removed. 
     
     
       21. The battery according to claim 20, wherein the temperature control system controls temperatures of the cathode and the electrolyte reservoir. 
     
     
       22. The battery according to claim 20, wherein the cathode comprises a core adjacent to the ceramic separator and at least one fin extending radially outward from the core. 
     
     
       23. The battery according to claim 22, and wherein the core is a high temperature region of the cathode and the at least one fin is a low temperature region of the cathode. 
     
     
       24. The battery according to claim 20, wherein the electrolyte comprises a molten inorganic salt. 
     
     
       25. The battery according to clam 20, wherein the electrolyte comprises a silane or siloxane compound. 
     
     
       26. The battery according to claim 20, wherein the cathode comprises a ceramic material. 
     
     
       27. The battery according to claim 20, wherein the cathode is impregnated with a metal nitride or a carbon material. 
     
     
       28. The battery according to claim 20, wherein the cathode comprises an electrically conductive sintered metal oxide, metal nitride, carbon, or silicon carbide. 
     
     
       29. The battery according to claim 20, wherein the cathode comprises carbon, a polymer binder, and a metal oxide. 
     
     
       30. The battery according to claim 26, wherein the ceramic material comprises lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide. 
     
     
       31. The battery according to claim 20, where the anode chamber is maintained at about 20° C. to 200° C. 
     
     
       32. The battery according to claim 20, wherein the ceramic separator comprises a lithium ion conducting glass. 
     
     
       33. The battery according to claim 32, wherein the lithium ion conducting glass is selected from lithium beta alumina, lithium phosphate glass, lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide, Al 2 O 3 :Li 7 La 3 Zr 2 O 12 , lithium aluminum germanium phosphate, and lithium aluminum titanium phosphate. 
     
     
       34. The battery according to claim 20, wherein the battery has an operating temperature of about 200° C. to about 450° C. 
     
     
       35. A rechargeable lithium air battery comprising:
 a supply of air flow,   an air cathode,   a heat exchanger for transferring heat to air flowing to the air cathode from air leaving the air cathode,   a pump for supplying air to the air cathode,   a temperature control system,   a lithium ion conductive solid ceramic electrolyte   a lithium reservoir,   an inorganic electrolyte reservoir,   a molten lithium anode contained in the lithium reservoir, and   an inorganic electrolyte contained within the inorganic electrolyte reservoir,   wherein lithium flows to the lithium anode from the lithium reservoir during charge and from the lithium anode to the lithium reservoir during recharge, the solid ceramic electrolyte conducts lithium ions from the lithium reservoir to the inorganic electrolyte for reaction with oxygen supplied by air flow to the air cathode, and wherein lithium oxygen reaction product is accumulated within the electrolyte reservoir.    
     
     
       36. The battery according to clam 35, wherein the lithium oxygen reaction product has at least limited solubility in the inorganic salt electrolyte. 
     
     
       37. A rechargeable lithium air battery comprising:
 a supply of air flow,   a heat exchanger,   a pump,   a cathode,   a temperature control system,   a reaction chamber,   a lithium reservoir,   a molten salt electrolyte reservoir,   a molten lithium anode contained in the lithium reservoir, and   a molten inorganic salt electrolyte contained within the molten salt electrolyte reservoir,   wherein lithium is supplied to the reaction chamber from the lithium reservoir, molten inorganic salt is supplied to the reaction chamber from the molten salt electrolyte reservoir and air is supplied to the reaction chamber by the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger transfers heat from oxygen-depleted air leaving the cathode to ambient air flowing to the cathode, and wherein lithium oxygen reaction product accumulates within the molten salt electrolyte reservoir.    
     
     
       38. The battery according to clam 37, wherein the reaction chamber surrounds an air cathode and a solid ceramic lithium ion conductive electrolyte, wherein the solid ceramic lithium ion conductive electrolyte is coupled between the lithium reservoir and the molten inorganic salt electrolyte, isolating lithium from the molten inorganic salt electrolyte, interfacing lithium to the molten salt electrolyte or cathode, and conducting lithium ions from the lithium reservoir to the molten salt electrolyte for reaction with oxygen supplied to the cathode with air flow from the heat exchanger. 
     
     
       39. A rechargeable lithium air battery comprising:
 a supply of oxygen flow,   a ceramic lithium ion conductive electrolyte,   a pump,   a lithium reservoir,   an inorganic electrolyte reservoir,   a molten lithium anode,   a cathode, and   an inorganic electrolyte contained within the electrolyte reservoir,   wherein the ceramic electrolyte is coupled between the lithium anode and the cathode, lithium is supplied to the anode from the lithium reservoir, oxygen is supplied to the cathode, and lithium ions are conducted by the ceramic electrolyte to the cathode, whereby lithium reacts with oxygen at the cathode, the pump circulates the electrolyte between the cathode and the reservoir, and the electrolyte washes reaction product from the cathode during discharge and supplies reaction product to the cathode during recharge.   
     
     
       40. A rechargeable lithium air battery comprising:
 a supply of oxygen flow,   a cathode,   a ceramic lithium ion conductive electrolyte,   a heat exchanger for transferring heat to air flowing to the cathode from air leaving the cathode,   a lithium reservoir,   an inorganic electrolyte reservoir,   a molten lithium anode,   a pump for supplying air to the cathode, and   an inorganic electrolyte contained within the electrolyte reservoir,   
       wherein the ceramic electrolyte is coupled between the lithium anode and the cathode, lithium is supplied to the anode from the lithium reservoir, oxygen is supplied to cathode with air supplied by the pump, and lithium ions are conducted by the ceramic electrolyte to the cathode, whereby lithium reacts with oxygen at the cathode, and wherein lithium oxygen reaction product accumulates within the inorganic electrolyte reservoir. 
     
     
       41. A rechargeable lithium air battery comprising:
 a supply of air flow,   an air cathode,   an electrolyte pump,   a temperature control system,   a lithium ion conductive solid ceramic electrolyte   a lithium reservoir,   a molten salt electrolyte reservoir,   a molten lithium anode contained in the lithium reservoir, and   a molten inorganic salt electrolyte contained within the molten salt electrolyte reservoir,   wherein the solid ceramic electrolyte conducts lithium ions from the lithium reservoir to the molten inorganic salt electrolyte for reaction with oxygen supplied by air flow to the cathode, and the electrolyte pump promotes electrolyte flow to contact the cathode and to remove and carry lithium oxygen reaction product to the electrolyte reservoir.