An alternative to a secondary battery as the power source for vehicle propulsion is a fuel cell, an example of which is the metal-air cell using metals such as aluminum, zinc, or iron. Aluminum is a particularly attractive candidate, having high energy and power densities, being environmentally acceptable and having a large, established industrial base for production and distribution.An aluminum-oxygen system is currently under development for a UUV test vehicle and recent work has focussed upon low corrosion aluminum alloys, and an electrolyte management system for processing the by-products of the energy-producing reactions.This paper summarizes the progress made in both areas. Anode materials capable of providing high utilization factors over current densities ranging from 5 to 150 mAJcm 2 have been identified, such materials being essential to realize mission life for the UUV. With respect to the electrolyte management system, a filter/precipitator unit has been successfully operated for over 250 hours in a large scale, half-cell system.

This report, sponsored by the Industrial Electrolytic and ElectrochemicalEngineering Division of The Electrochemical Society, summarizes published information on production, plant capacities, consumption, demand, trends, prices, raw materials, new technology, and environmental issues in the electrolytic and related industries. The material presented herein has been obtained from many sources and does not necessarily represent the opinion of the authors.

velopment of a 3D processing approach is underway in the authors' laboratory. The technique holds much promise for a better quantitative understanding of multiple phase propagation and intermixing in many engineering processes. Specifically, the insights gained from this method are important for electrochemical cell design and should be explored in more detail in further studies. LIST OF SYMBOLS AArea fraction defined as the portion of the illuminated cell section occupied at a given time by the solid phase (precipitate). .4The value of A predicted by a regression equation. BMagnetic flux density (roT).

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