Electrochemical cell comprising an electrodeposited fuel

A method of charging an electrochemical cell system, wherein the electrochemical cell system comprises:

• a plurality of electrochemical cells, wherein each electrochemical cell comprises:
• a set of electrodes comprising:
• a fuel electrode;
• an oxidant electrode spaced apart from the fuel electrode;
• a first charging electrode positioned between the oxidant electrode and the fuel electrode;
• a second charging electrode positioned on the side of the oxidant electrode opposite the side facing the fuel electrode;
• a third charging electrode positioned between the fuel electrodes of separate electrochemical cells;
• the plurality of electrochemical cells being arranged such that the fuel electrode of the set of electrodes in each electrochemical cell is positioned closest to the third charging electrode in the electrochemical cell system;
• an ionically conductive medium common to the plurality of electrochemical cells and contacting the set of electrodes of each electrochemical cell;
• and
• a controller coupled to the plurality of electrodes for controlling discharge and charge operations of the cells, said controller being configured to select between a number of different charging modes, wherein one or more of the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode is electrically connected through a switch, one or more fuel electrode is electrically connected through a switch and a third charging electrode is continuously or intermittently electrically connected through a switch;
• the method comprising:
• i. using the controller for charging the electrochemical cell system by:
• (a) in a first charge mode, applying an electrical current between at least one charging electrode and a fuel electrode with the charging electrode(s) functioning as an anode and the fuel electrode 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 fuel electrode;
• (b) in a second charge mode, applying an electrical current between at least one charging electrode and a fuel electrode by closing one or more switches associated with each first charging electrode and closing one or more second switches associated with each fuel electrode as well as selectively applying the electrical current to a different number of charging electrodes including the third charging electrode by continuously or intermittently closing a third switch associated with the third electrode to provide electrical current thereto so as to increase uniformity of the metal fuel being electrodeposited on the fuel electrode by affecting the rate and density of the growth of the electrodeposited metal fuel on the fuel electrode,
• and
• ii. disconnecting the electrical current to discontinue the charging.