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US 8,273,472 B2Granted
Shunt current interruption in electrochemical energy generation system
AssigneePrimus Power Corporation
InventorRick Winter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrochemical energy generation system includes plural electrochemical cells connected electrically in series that utilize a common electrolyte that can be delivered to each of the cells and/or collected from each of the cells using one or more manifolds. The system provides a possibility for reducing shunt currents by applying a shunt-current minimizing voltage to terminals of the manifolds from the terminal electrodes of the cells connected in series.
Claims16
A method of operating an electrochemical system comprising:
- (A) providing an electrochemical system comprising:
- (a) a plurality of cells connected in series, wherein each of the cells comprises:
- a first electrode;
- a second electrode;
- and
- a reaction zone between the first and second electrodes;
- (b) a halogen reactant;
- (c) a metal halide electrolyte;
- and
- (d) at least one of (i) a first manifold configured to deliver at least one of the halogen reactant and the metal halide electrolyte to the reaction zone for each of the cells and (ii) a second manifold configured to collect at least one of the halogen reactant and the metal halide electrolyte from the reaction zone for each of the cells;
- (B) conveying a flow of the metal halide electrolyte and the halogen reactant through the reaction zone of each of the cells;
- and
- (C) applying a shunt-current minimizing voltage to terminals of at least one of the first manifold and the second manifold during said conveying.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.