Patent ID: 8309259

Claim:
A method for operating an electrochemical cell, wherein the cell comprises: a first electrode comprising a series of permeable electrode bodies arranged in spaced apart relation; a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode; a charging electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, the charging electrode being selected from the group consisting of (a) the second electrode, and (b) a third electrode; an ionically conductive medium communicating the electrodes, the ionically conductive medium comprising reducible fuel ions; wherein the method comprises: A. charging the electrochemical cell by: i. applying an electrical current between the charging electrode and at least one of the permeable electrode bodies with the charging electrode functioning as an anode and the at least one permeable electrode body of the first electrode functioning as a cathode with a potential difference applied between the anode and the cathode, such that the reducible fuel ions are reduced and electrodeposited as fuel in oxidizable form on the at least one permeable electrode body; ii. said electrodeposition causing growth of the fuel among the permeable electrode bodies and within the spacing therebetween such that the electrodeposited fuel establishes contact and an electrical connection between the permeable electrode bodies, each said electrically connected permeable electrode body comprising the cathode during charging for reduction and electrodeposition of the reducible fuel ions as fuel in oxidizable form thereon; and iii. removing the electrical current to discontinue the charging; B. generating electrical current using the electrochemical cell by oxidizing the fuel on the permeable electrode bodies of the first electrode functioning as an anode and reducing an oxidizer at the second electrode functioning as a cathode wherein electrons are generated for conduction from the first electrode to the second electrode via a load, and the oxidized fuel ions and reduced oxidizer ions react to form a by-product.