RECHARGEABLE ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL SYSTEM WITH A CHARGING ELECTRODE CHARGE/DISCHARGE MODE SWITCHING IN THE CELLS

摘要

One aspect of the present invention provides a rechargeable electrochemical cell system (10) for generating electrical current using a fuel and an oxidant. The cell system comprises N electrochemical cells (12) each comprising a fuel electrode (14), an oxidant electrode (16), a charging electrode (18), 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 (10) includes a plurality of switches (20) that are switcheable to a discharge mode coupling the oxidant electrode (16) of each cell (12) to the fuel electrode (14) of the subsequent cell (12) a charge mode coupling the charging electrode (19) of each cell (12) to the fuel electrode (14) of the subsequent cell (12), and a bypass mode coupling charging electrode (18) or the oxidant electrode (16) of a previous cell (12) to the fuel electrode (14) of a subsequent cell (12).