GB271581A - An improved electric generator or gas battery - Google Patents

Abstract

271,581. Kendall, J. A., and Gore, R. E. March 4, 1926. Gas batteries. - A gas battery comprises a number of gas cells arranged in a chamber, the cells being supplied with hydrogen or water gas in sufficient quantity to enable the chamber to be kept at a red heat by the combustion of the gas. Fig. 4 shows a single gas cell consisting of two concentric tubes a, c made of porous metal such as porous silver, copper, nickel, cobalt or iron, to which conducting leads f, g are secured. The space between the tubes is filled with a refractory substance b such as magnesia, oxide of cerium or a mixture, of magnesia and oxide of iron, nickel or cerium; barium carbonate may also be added.. This filling is saturated with a fused saline material such as the carbonate or borate of an alkali metal. The lower portions d, e of the tubes a, c may be made of non-porous metal. A nickel rod or tube i may be placed within the tube a to cause the gas passing through the tube to come into close contact with its inner surface. When the outer tube c is made of silver it may be surrounded by silver wire netting. The porous metal tubes may be made by moulding a mixture of the powdered metal and its oxide or a reducible salt and heating it in a current of hydrogen. Metal wire or gauze may be embedded in the mixture. Porous copper tubes may be made by mixing copper powder, obtained by reducing cuprous chloride by zinc, with water and cuprous chloride or other reducible salt of copper such as the oxalate. The paste is moulded into the form of a tube and heated to redness in a current of hydrogen. Porous nickel tubes may be produced in a similar way. A small quantity of cobalt is preferably added to the nickel. When the tubes are made of cobalt a small quantity of silver is preferably added. Silver tubes may be made by applying a thin coating of porous silver to the surface of the earthen tube b. This may be done by covering the tube b with a paste of oxide of silver and heating to redness. Fig. 6 shows a complete battery consisting of a number of cells c in a chamber p to which hydrogen or water gas can be supplied through a tube q. The cells are set in a floor k which is made of refractory earth such as magnesia, containing borate of lime which has been strongly heated. The gas admitted through the tube q is ignited at the top of the cells and when the interior of the chamber gets red hot a current is obtained at the terminals t of the battery. The draught in the chamber can be varied bv a sliding chimney w having perforations w<1> and by sliding dampers. Air holes v<1> are also provided between the cover v and walls of the chamber. Specifications 1481/83 and 15105/85 are referred to.