RECHARGEABLE ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL SYSTEM WITH A CHARGING ELECTRODE CHARGE/DISCHARGE MODE SWITCHING IN THE CELLS
First Claim
1. A rechargeable electrochemical cell system for generating electrical current using a fuel and an oxidant, the cell system comprising:
- N electrochemical cells each comprising a fuel electrode, an oxidant electrode, a charging electrode, and an ionically conductive medium communicating the electrodes, wherein N is an integer greater than or equal to two;
a plurality of switches switchable to;
(1) a discharge mode coupling the oxidant electrode of each cell 1 to N−
1 to the fuel electrode of the subsequent cell to couple the cells in a discharging series, such that when the fuel electrode of cell 1 and the oxidant electrode of cell N are coupled to a load, oxidation of fuel at the fuel electrodes and reduction of an oxidant at the oxidant electrodes creates a potential difference within each cell to thus create a cumulative potential difference anodic at the fuel electrode of cell 1 and cathodic at the oxidant electrode of cell N for delivering a current to the load, and(2) a charge mode coupling the charging electrode of each cell 1 to N−
1 to the fuel electrode of the subsequent cell to couple the cells in a charging series, such that when the fuel electrode of cell 1 and the charging electrode of cell N are coupled to a power source to receive a charging potential difference cathodic at the fuel electrode of cell 1 and anodic at the charging electrode of cell N, an incremental potential difference is created within each cell to reduce a reducible fuel species at the fuel electrode and oxidize an oxidizable oxidant species at the charging electrode,wherein the plurality of switches are switchable to a bypass mode for a cell (X) of the N electrochemical cells by coupling the charging electrode, in the charge mode, or the oxidant electrode, in the discharge mode, of a previous cell (X−
1) to the fuel electrode of a subsequent cell (X+1).
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Abstract
One aspect of the present invention provides a rechargeable electrochemical cell system for generating electrical current using a fuel and an oxidant. The cell system comprises N electrochemical cells each comprising a fuel electrode, an oxidant electrode, a charging electrode, and an ionically conductive medium communicating the electrodes, wherein N is an integer greater than or equal to two. Any number of cells may be used. The cell system includes a plurality of switches that are switcheable to a discharge mode coupling the oxidant electrode of each cell to the fuel electrode of the subsequent cell, a charge mode coupling the charging electrode of each cell to the fuel electrode of the subsequent cell, and a bypass mode coupling charging electrode or the oxidant electrode of a previous cell to the fuel electrode of a subsequent cell.
170 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A rechargeable electrochemical cell system for generating electrical current using a fuel and an oxidant, the cell system comprising:
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N electrochemical cells each comprising a fuel electrode, an oxidant electrode, a charging electrode, and an ionically conductive medium communicating the electrodes, wherein N is an integer greater than or equal to two; a plurality of switches switchable to; (1) a discharge mode coupling the oxidant electrode of each cell 1 to N−
1 to the fuel electrode of the subsequent cell to couple the cells in a discharging series, such that when the fuel electrode of cell 1 and the oxidant electrode of cell N are coupled to a load, oxidation of fuel at the fuel electrodes and reduction of an oxidant at the oxidant electrodes creates a potential difference within each cell to thus create a cumulative potential difference anodic at the fuel electrode of cell 1 and cathodic at the oxidant electrode of cell N for delivering a current to the load, and(2) a charge mode coupling the charging electrode of each cell 1 to N−
1 to the fuel electrode of the subsequent cell to couple the cells in a charging series, such that when the fuel electrode of cell 1 and the charging electrode of cell N are coupled to a power source to receive a charging potential difference cathodic at the fuel electrode of cell 1 and anodic at the charging electrode of cell N, an incremental potential difference is created within each cell to reduce a reducible fuel species at the fuel electrode and oxidize an oxidizable oxidant species at the charging electrode,wherein the plurality of switches are switchable to a bypass mode for a cell (X) of the N electrochemical cells by coupling the charging electrode, in the charge mode, or the oxidant electrode, in the discharge mode, of a previous cell (X−
1) to the fuel electrode of a subsequent cell (X+1). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification