Water management system in electrochemical cells with vapor return comprising air electrodes

A system for managing water content in one or more electrochemical cells, each electrochemical cell comprising a plurality of electrodes, a gaseous oxidant inlet for receiving gaseous oxidant, and a liquid ionically conductive medium, the system comprising:

• a desiccator unit having an input connected to the one or more electrochemical cells, the desiccator unit being configured for extracting and capturing water from a humid gas-phase exiting from the one or more electrochemical cells;
• a heater for selectively heating the desiccator unit to selectively release captured water from the desiccator unit to provide an output humid gas-phase through an output;
• and
• a carbon dioxide scrubber configured to absorb carbon dioxide, the carbon dioxide scrubber being provided subsequent to the desiccator unit and in advance of each inlet of the one or more electrochemical cells,
• wherein the desiccator unit and the carbon dioxide scrubber are configured to be selectively coupled in a scrubber humidification mode to deliver at least part of the output humid gas-phase from the desiccator unit to the carbon dioxide scrubber, and
• wherein, during a cell discharge mode, the system is configured to transport ambient gaseous oxidant through the carbon dioxide scrubber to the gaseous oxidant inlet of the one or more electrochemical cells, thereby facilitating management of humidity and carbon dioxide concentration of the gaseous oxidant.