Moisture and carbon dioxide management system in electrochemical cells

An electrochemical cell comprising:

• a) a cell housing comprising:
• i) an air chamber;
• ii) an air chamber inflow port;
• iii) an air chamber outlet;
• iv) an electrolyte chamber for retaining a volume of an electrolyte;
• v) an oxidant reduction electrode for reducing a gaseous oxidant configured between the air chamber and the electrolyte chamber,
• vi) a fuel electrode;
• wherein a fuel is reacted at the fuel electrode and wherein the fuel electrode is positioned apart from the oxidant reduction electrode, thereby defining a gap, and wherein said electrolyte is in the gap;
• b) a scrubber module comprising an enclosure comprising:
• i) a scrubber media;
• ii) a scrubber inlet port configured to couple with an inlet air outflow port;
• and
• iii) a scrubber outlet port configured to couple with the air chamber inflow port;
• wherein the scrubber module is detachably attachable to said cell housing, and whereby the electrochemical cell operates when the scrubber is removed;
• c) a humidity exchange module comprising:
• i) humidity exchange membrane configured between the inlet airflow to the cell housing and an exhaust airflow received from the air chamber;
• wherein the humidity exchange membrane comprises an inflow side exposed to the inlet airflow and an outflow side exposed to the exhaust airflow;
• and
• wherein the exhaust airflow comprises moisture and wherein said moisture is transferred through said humidity exchange membrane to the inlet airflow;
• d) a recirculation feature that transfers a portion of exhaust airflow to the inlet airflow,
• whereby at least a portion of an exhaust airflow from said air chamber is transferred through said recirculation feature into the inlet airflow.

A method of conserving moisture within an electrochemical cell comprising the steps of:

• a) Providing an electrochemical cell comprising:
• i) a cell housing comprising:
• an air chamber;
• an air chamber air inlet;
• an air chamber air outlet;
• an electrolyte chamber for retaining a volume of an ionically conductive liquid electrolyte;
• an oxidant reduction electrode for reducing a gaseous oxidant configured between the air chamber and the electrolyte chamber,
• a fuel electrode comprising a metal fuel and configured at least partially within the electrolyte chamber;
• wherein the fuel electrode is positioned apart from the oxidant reduction electrode, thereby defining a gap, and wherein said ionically conductive liquid electrolyte is in the gap;
• ii) a scrubber module comprising an enclosure comprising:
• a scrubber media;
• a scrubber inlet port;
• and
• a scrubber outlet port;
• wherein the scrubber module is detachably attachable to said cell housing, and whereby the electrochemical cell operates when the scrubber is removed;
• iii) a humidity exchange module comprising:
• humidity exchange membrane configured between the inlet airflow to the cell housing and an exhaust airflow received from the air chamber;
• wherein the humidity exchange membrane comprises an inflow side exposed to the inlet airflow and an outflow side exposed to the exhaust airflow;
• and
• wherein the exhaust airflow comprises moisture and wherein said moisture is transferred through said humidity exchange membrane to the inlet airflow;
• iv) a recirculation feature comprising a recirculation valve,
• wherein the recirculation feature is configured to transfer a portion of exhaust airflow to the inlet airflow,
• whereby at least a portion of an exhaust airflow from said air chamber is transferred through said recirculation feature into the inlet airflow;
• v) an airflow device configured to expel exhaust airflow from the cell housing;
• b) operating the airflow device to create a reduced pressure within the cell housing that draws the inlet airflow into the cell housing, through the inflow side of the humidity exchange membrane module, through the scrubber, through the air chamber and through the outflow side of the humidity exchange membrane module;
• c) opening the recirculation valve to whereby at least a portion of an exhaust airflow from said air chamber is transferred through said recirculation feature into the inlet airflow.