Electrochemical cell

A method of producing an oxidant, the method comprising:

• a) charging an electrochemical reactant reservoir with an electrochemical reactant, wherein the electrochemical reactant is a solid salt;
• b) disposing water from an external source directly in the electrochemical reactant reservoir and dissolving a portion of the solid electrochemical reactant in the water to create an electrolyte;
• c) passing the electrolyte from the electrochemical reactant reservoir, through a porous first electrode and into an electrolysis compartment comprising a gas, and thereby displacing the gas from the electrolysis compartment, wherein the porous first electrode a mesh having a pore size of between 0.01 μm and 1,000 μm and the porous first electrode defines a boundary between the electrochemical reactant reservoir and the electrolysis compartment and thereby holds undissolved solid electrochemical reactant in the electrochemical reactant reservoir and prevents it from passing into the electrolysis compartment;
• d) sensing the conductivity or resistance between the porous first electrode and a second spaced apart electrode, wherein the second electrode is disposed at least substantially in the electrolysis compartment;
• e) applying a voltage across the porous first electrode and the second spaced apart electrode for a predetermined time when a desired conductivity or resistance is sensed and causing a current to flow through the porous first electrode and the second electrode and the electrolyte, thereby driving an electrochemical reaction and producing the oxidant, wherein the oxidant is dissolved in a liquid in the electrolysis compartment;
• f) causing the liquid comprising the oxidant to flow out of the electrolysis compartment and a gas to flow into the electrolysis compartment to displace the liquid;
• g) passing further electrolyte from the electrochemical reactant reservoir, through the porous first electrode and into the electrolysis compartment, and thereby displacing the gas from the electrolysis compartment and refilling the electrolysis compartment with the electrolyte;
• and
• h) repeating steps (d) through (g) without recharging the electrochemical reactant reservoir with further electrochemical reactant.