MULTI-MODE CHARGING OF HIERARCHICAL ANODE
First Claim
1. An electrochemical cell comprising:
- a fuel electrode comprising a series of permeable electrode bodies arranged in spaced apart relation;
an oxidant electrode spaced apart from the fuel electrode;
a charging electrode selected from the group consisting of (a) the oxidant electrode, (b) a third electrode spaced from the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode, and (c) a portion of the fuel electrode;
an ionically conductive medium contacting the electrodes;
a controller coupled to a plurality of the electrode bodies of the fuel electrode, said controller being configured to apply an electrical current between the charging electrode and at least one of the permeable electrode bodies with the charging electrode functioning as an anode and the at least one permeable electrode body functioning as a cathode, such that reducible metal fuel ions in the ionically conductive medium are reduced and electrodeposited as metal fuel in oxidizable form on the at least one permeable electrode body, so that said electrodeposition causes growth of the metal fuel among the permeable electrode bodies with the electrodeposited metal fuel establishing an electrical connection between the permeable electrode bodies,wherein said controller is configured to selectively apply the electrical current to a different number of said permeable electrode bodies, each functioning as a cathode, based on at least one input parameter so as to adjust a rate and density of the growth of the electrodeposited metal fuel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
One aspect of the present invention provides an electrochemical cell system comprising at least one electrochemical cell configured to be connected to a power supply to recharge the cell. The electrochemical cell system comprises a plurality of electrodes and electrode bodies therein. The electrochemical cell system further comprises a switching system configured to permit modifications of the configuration of anodes and cathodes during charging of the electrochemical cell, and a controller configured to control the switching system. The controller is configured to selectively apply the electrical current to a different number of said electrode bodies based on at least one input parameter so as to adjust a rate and density of the growth of the electrodeposited metal fuel
39 Citations
33 Claims
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1. An electrochemical cell comprising:
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a fuel electrode comprising a series of permeable electrode bodies arranged in spaced apart relation; an oxidant electrode spaced apart from the fuel electrode; a charging electrode selected from the group consisting of (a) the oxidant electrode, (b) a third electrode spaced from the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode, and (c) a portion of the fuel electrode; an ionically conductive medium contacting the electrodes; a controller coupled to a plurality of the electrode bodies of the fuel electrode, said controller being configured to apply an electrical current between the charging electrode and at least one of the permeable electrode bodies with the charging electrode functioning as an anode and the at least one permeable electrode body functioning as a cathode, such that reducible metal fuel ions in the ionically conductive medium are reduced and electrodeposited as metal fuel in oxidizable form on the at least one permeable electrode body, so that said electrodeposition causes growth of the metal fuel among the permeable electrode bodies with the electrodeposited metal fuel establishing an electrical connection between the permeable electrode bodies, wherein said controller is configured to selectively apply the electrical current to a different number of said permeable electrode bodies, each functioning as a cathode, based on at least one input parameter so as to adjust a rate and density of the growth of the electrodeposited metal fuel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of recharging an electrochemical cell, wherein the electrochemical cell comprises:
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a fuel electrode comprising a series of permeable electrode bodies arranged in spaced apart relation; an oxidant electrode spaced apart from the fuel electrode; a charging electrode selected from the group consisting of (a) the oxidant electrode, (b) a third electrode spaced from the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode, and (c) a portion of the fuel electrode; an ionically conductive medium contacting the electrodes; a controller coupled to a plurality of the electrode bodies of the fuel electrode, said controller being configured to apply an electrical current between the charging electrode and at least one of the permeable electrode bodies with the charging electrode functioning as an anode and the at least one permeable electrode body functioning as a cathode, such that reducible metal fuel ions in the ionically conductive medium are reduced and electrodeposited as metal fuel in oxidizable form on the at least one permeable electrode body, so that said electrodeposition causes growth of the metal fuel among the permeable electrode bodies with the electrodeposited metal fuel establishing an electrical connection between the permeable electrode bodies, wherein said controller is configured to selectively apply the electrical current to a different number of said permeable electrode bodies based on at least one input parameter so as to adjust a rate and density of the growth of the electrodeposited metal fuel; the method comprising; selecting, based on the at least one input parameter, between a higher density progressive growth mode and a higher rate growth mode; charging the electrochemical cell based on the selected one of the higher density progressive charge mode and the higher rate growth mode; wherein, in the higher density progressive growth mode, said charging comprises; applying the electrical current to a terminal one of the permeable electrode bodies, with the charging electrode functioning as the anode and the terminal electrode body functioning as the cathode, such that the reducible metal fuel ions are reduced and electrodeposited as metal fuel in oxidizable form on the terminal permeable electrode body, said electrodeposition causing growth of the metal fuel among the permeable electrode bodies such that the electrodeposited metal fuel establishes an electrical connection between the terminal electrode body and each subsequent permeable electrode body with said reduction and deposition occurring on each subsequent permeable electrode body upon establishment of said electrical connection; and wherein, in the higher rate growth mode, said charging comprises; applying the electrical current simultaneously to a plurality of said electrode bodies, with the charging electrode functioning as the anode and each of the plurality of electrode bodies functioning as cathodes, such that the reducible metal fuel ions are reduced and electrodeposited as metal fuel in oxidizable form on the terminal permeable electrode body, said electrodeposition causing growth of the metal fuel among the permeable electrode bodies; and disconnecting the electrical current to discontinue the charging. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification