Electrochemical power system using aqueous dissolved oxygen
A method of generating an electrical current and a multi-cell electrochemical device. The method includes extracting oxygen from an aqueous ambient environment surrounding an electrochemical system; transporting the extracted oxygen through a selectively oxygen-permeable membrane to an enclosed electrolyte configured to surround an anode and a cathode in the electrochemical system, wherein the electrolyte is separated from the aqueous ambient environment; transporting the oxygenated electrolyte to the cathode; reducing the oxygen at the cathode; and oxidizing a metal at the anode. The device includes a metal anode; a cathode; an enclosed electrolyte configured to surround the cathode and the anode, wherein the electrolyte is separated from an aqueous ambient environment surrounding the electrochemical device; and a selectively oxygen-permeable membrane configured to extract oxygen from the aqueous ambient environment.
1. A method of generating an electrical current comprising:
extracting oxygen from an aqueous ambient environment surrounding an electrochemical system;
transporting the oxygen through a selectively oxygen-permeable membrane to an enclosed electrolyte configured to surround an anode and a cathode in the electrochemical system, wherein the enclosed electrolyte is separated from the aqueous ambient environment;
transporting the enclosed electrolyte to the cathode;
reducing the oxygen at the cathode; and
oxidizing a metal at the anode.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the enclosed electrolyte has a pH above 7.40.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising extracting metal-hydroxide waste from the enclosed electrolyte.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein a pump actively transports the enclosed electrolyte to the cathode.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the enclosed electrolyte is passively transported to the cathode.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the selectively oxygen-permeable membrane is salt-selective.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrochemical system comprises a second selectively oxygen-permeable membrane.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the anode comprises at least one of Li, Mg, Na, Zn, and Al.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the aqueous ambient environment comprises seawater.
10. A multi-cell metal-dissolved oxygen electrochemical device comprising:
a metal anode;
a cathode;
an enclosed electrolyte configured to surround the cathode and the anode, wherein the enclosed electrolyte is separated from an aqueous ambient environment surrounding the electrochemical device; and
a selectively oxygen-permeable membrane configured to extract oxygen from the aqueous ambient environment;
wherein the electrochemical device is configured to:
transport the oxygen to the enclosed electrolyte;
transport the enclosed electrolyte to the cathode;
reduce the oxygen at the cathode;
oxidize a metal at the metal anode; and
generate an electrical current.
11. The multi-cell metal-dissolved oxygen electrochemical device of claim 10 wherein the enclosed electrolyte has a pH above 7.40.
12. The multi-cell metal-dissolved oxygen electrochemical device of claim 10 further comprising a pump configured to actively transport the enclosed electrolyte to the cathode.
13. The multi-cell metal-dissolved oxygen electrochemical device of claim 10 wherein the enclosed electrolyte is passively transported to the cathode.
14. The multi-cell metal-dissolved oxygen electrochemical device of claim 10 wherein the selectively oxygen-permeable membrane is salt-selective.
15. The multi-cell metal-dissolved oxygen electrochemical device of claim 10 further comprising a second selectively oxygen-permeable membrane.
16. The multi-cell metal-dissolved oxygen electrochemical device of claim 10 wherein the anode comprises at least one of Li, Mg, Na, Zn, and Al.
17. The multi-cell metal-dissolved oxygen electrochemical device of claim 10 wherein the aqueous ambient environment comprises seawater.
18. The multi-cell metal-dissolved oxygen electrochemical device of claim 10 wherein the multi-cell metal-dissolved oxygen electrochemical device has cells and the cells are arranged electrically in series.
19. The multi-cell metal-dissolved oxygen electrochemical device of claim 10 wherein the multi-cell metal-dissolved oxygen electrochemical device has cells and the cells are arranged fluidically in parallel.
20. A multi-cell electrochemical device comprising:
a metal anode;
a cathode;
an enclosed electrolyte configured to surround the cathode and the anode, wherein:
the enclosed electrolyte is separated from an aqueous ambient environment surrounding the electrochemical device; and
the enclosed electrolyte comprises an anolyte and a catholyte;
a selectively oxygen-permeable membrane configured to extract oxygen from the aqueous ambient environment; and
an anolyte flow loop separate from a catholyte flow loop;
wherein the electrochemical device is configured to:
transport the oxygen to the catholyte;
transport the catholyte to the cathode;
reduce the oxygen at the cathode;
oxidize a metal at the metal anode; and
generate an electrical current.