Method for preventing sea water cells from being destroyed by biofouling

Method for reducing biological growth on a copper-containing cathode of a sea water cell during long term operation in sea water, said sea water cell being based on an electrolytic reaction between oxygen, water and a metal anode, said method comprising the steps:

• connecting the cell to an external storage battery for
• supplying an uninterrupted source of power derived from the current produced by the sea water cell to an external load,
• intermittently disconnecting the sea water cell from said storage battery to thereby unload said cathode, and
• powering said external load only with power previously stored in said storage battery while copper is being dissolved from said cathode.

Method for preventing or greatly reducing biological growth on the cathode of a sea water cell which is based on an electrolytic reaction between oxygen, water and a metal anode, comprising the steps:

• connecting the cell to a battery via a DC/DC converters,
• intermittently connecting a positive terminal of an external power supply powered from the battery to a copper-containing electrode included in the cell structure, with the negative terminal of the power supply connected to a counter-electrode of a suitable metal or metal alloy selected from copper, titanium, and stainless steel, to thereby electrolytically dissolve copper,
• using a timing device to control the connection of the power supply to the copper-containing electrode and to the counter-electrode,
• using the same or a separate timing device to switch the DC/DC converter on and off, and
• switching the DC/DC converter off 1-80% of the time and at least once every 24 hours, wherein the cell energy used for electrolysis is in the order of 0.001 to 5% of the total energy produced.

In combination with a sea water cell based on an electrolytic reaction between oxygen, sea water and a metal anode:

• a copper-containing electrode included in the structure of said sea water cell,
• a storage battery powering an external load, and
• first timing means for intermittently connecting an external power supply powered by said storage battery to said copper-containing electrode, to thereby electrolytically dissolve copper,
• wherein the electric energy supplied by said storage battery to the copper-containing electrode is substantially smaller than the electric energy supplied by the storage battery to the external load.

In combination with a sea water cell based on an electrolytic reaction between oxygen, water and a metal anode:

• a cathode, included within the sea water cell,
• a copper-containing third electrode included in the structure of said sea water cell,
• timing means for intermittently connecting said cathode to said third electrode, to thereby electrolytically dissolve copper from said separate electrode, and
• an external load connected between said anode and said cathode.