Patent ID: 8877391

Claim:
A method for operating an electrochemical cell, wherein the cell comprises: a first electrode for oxidizing a metal fuel during discharging and reducing reducible ions of the metal fuel during recharging; a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode for at least reducing an oxidizer during discharging; a charging electrode for oxidizing oxidizable ions of the oxidizer during recharging; an ionically conductive medium communicating the electrodes, the ionically conductive medium comprising the reducible metal fuel ions and an additive comprising poly(ethylene glycol)tetrahydrofurfuryl, wherein the method comprises recharging the electrochemical cell by: i. applying an electrical current between the charging electrode and the first electrode with the charging electrode functioning as an anode and the first electrode functioning as a cathode, such that the reducible metal fuel ions are reduced and electrodeposited as the metal fuel in oxidizable form on the first electrode; and ii. removing the electrical current to discontinue the charging.