Patent ID: 7364810
Filing Date: 2008-04-29
Classification: C25B,H01M,Y02E,Y02P,Y10S

Abstract:
1. An electrochemical system, comprising: a reversible fuel cell system which generates electrical energy and reactant product from fuel and oxidizer in a fuel cell mode, and which generates the fuel and oxidant from the reactant product and the electrical energy in an electrolysis mode; a first means for providing excess reactant product to the reversible fuel cell system operating in the electrolysis mode from outside the electrochemical system, in addition to or instead of the reactant product generated by the reversible fuel cell system in the fuel cell mode, such that fuel in excess of fuel required to operate the reversible fuel cell system in the fuel cell mode is generated in the electrolysis mode over a predetermined number of operating cycles; and a second means for removing the excess fuel generated by the reversible fuel cell system operating in the electrolysis mode from the electrochemical system.