Electrochemical cell, and particularly a cell with electrodeposited fuel
First Claim
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1. A method for operating an electrochemical cell, wherein the cell comprises:
- a first electrode comprising a series of permeable electrode bodies arranged in spaced apart relation;
a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode;
a charging electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, the charging electrode being selected from the group consisting of (a) the second electrode, and (b) a third electrode;
an ionically conductive medium communicating the electrodes, the ionically conductive medium comprising reducible fuel ions;
wherein the method comprises;
A. charging the electrochemical cell by;
i. applying 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 the reducible fuel ions are reduced and electrodeposited as fuel in oxidizable form on the at least one permeable electrode body;
ii. said electrodeposition causing growth of the fuel among the permeable electrode bodies such that the electrodeposited fuel establishes an electrical connection between the permeable electrode bodies; and
iii. removing the electrical current to discontinue the charging;
B. generating electrical current using the electrochemical cell by oxidizing the fuel on the permeable electrode bodies of the first electrode functioning as an anode and reducing an oxidizer at the second electrode functioning as a cathode whereby electrons are generated for conduction from the first electrode to the second electrode via a load, and the oxidized fuel ions and reduced oxidizer ions react to form a by-product.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method for charging the cell by electrodeposition of metal fuel on the anode thereof.
133 Citations
72 Claims
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1. A method for operating an electrochemical cell, wherein the cell comprises:
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a first electrode comprising a series of permeable electrode bodies arranged in spaced apart relation; a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode; a charging electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, the charging electrode being selected from the group consisting of (a) the second electrode, and (b) a third electrode; an ionically conductive medium communicating the electrodes, the ionically conductive medium comprising reducible fuel ions; wherein the method comprises; A. charging the electrochemical cell by; i. applying 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 the reducible fuel ions are reduced and electrodeposited as fuel in oxidizable form on the at least one permeable electrode body; ii. said electrodeposition causing growth of the fuel among the permeable electrode bodies such that the electrodeposited fuel establishes an electrical connection between the permeable electrode bodies; and iii. removing the electrical current to discontinue the charging; B. generating electrical current using the electrochemical cell by oxidizing the fuel on the permeable electrode bodies of the first electrode functioning as an anode and reducing an oxidizer at the second electrode functioning as a cathode whereby electrons are generated for conduction from the first electrode to the second electrode via a load, and the oxidized fuel ions and reduced oxidizer ions react to form a by-product. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A method for charging an electrochemical cell, wherein the cell comprises:
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a first electrode comprising a series of permeable electrode bodies arranged in spaced apart relation; a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode; a charging electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, the charging electrode being selected from the group consisting of (a) the second electrode, and (b) a third electrode; an ionically conductive medium communicating the electrodes, the ionically conductive medium comprising reducible fuel ions; wherein the method comprises; i. applying 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 the reducible fuel ions are reduced and electrodeposited as fuel in oxidizable form on the at least one permeable electrode body; ii. said electrodeposition causing growth of the fuel among the permeable electrode bodies such that the electrodeposited fuel establishes an electrical connection between the permeable electrode bodies; and iii. removing the electrical current to discontinue the charging. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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72. An electrochemical cell comprising:
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a first electrode comprising a series of permeable electrode bodies arranged in spaced apart relation; a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode; a charging electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, the charging electrode being selected from the group consisting of (a) the second electrode, and (b) a third electrode; an imically conductive medium communicating the electrode, the imically conductive medium comprising reducible fuel ions; wherein the spaced apart relation of said permeable electrode bodies of the first electrode enables an electrical current to be applied between the charging electrode and at least one of the permeable anode bodies with the charging electrode functioning as an anode and the at least one permeable electrode body functioning as a cathode, such that the reducible fuel ions are reduced and electrodeposited as fuel in oxidizable form on the at least one permeable electrode body, whereby the electrodeposition causes growth of the fuel among the permeable electrode bodies such that the electrodeposited fuel establishes an electrical connection between the permeable electrode bodies.
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Specification