Massachusetts Institute of Technology

L3 Open Water Power, Inc.

L3harris Open Water Power, Inc.

Thomas Bradford Milnes

Ian Salmon McKay

Ruaridh R Macdonald

David Harvie Porter

Jason R Kovacs

Jeffrey Michael Smith

Thomas Humplik

Douglas P Hart

Branko Zugic

Chloe Rose Holzinger

Ian S Mckay

A thermal management system and a method of heating a water-surface load or sub-water load. The system includes an electrochemical power source which generates electrical power and heat as a byproduct or coproduct. The electrolyte contained in the electrochemical power source is configured to transport the heat that is generated by the electrochemical power source to at least one water-surface load or sub-water load.

Heating using electrochemical power source

Systems, methods, and apparatus configured for the osmotic injection of water in electrochemical systems are generally described. In certain embodiments, water can be transported from a water-containing liquid in an environment outside the electrochemical cell into the electrochemical cell across an osmotic medium fluidically separating an interior compartment of the electrochemical cell from the environment outside the electrochemical cell. The systems, methods, and apparatus described herein can be, according to certain embodiments, configured to be part of an electrochemical system in which water is consumed (e.g., as a reactant).

Injection of water in electrochemical systems

Underwater apparatuses and methods of operating underwater apparatuses. The apparatus includes a power source such as an aluminum-water cell. Waste product from the power source may be channeled into various portions of the apparatus to adjust the buoyancy of the apparatus, the center of buoyancy of the apparatus, and/or the trim of the apparatus.

Dynamic buoyancy control

Galvanic metal-water cells and methods of manufacturing positive electrodes to be used in said galvanic metal-water cells. The galvanic metal-water cells in accordance with various embodiments include a cathode that includes a layer comprising nickel-molybdenum deposited thereon. The nickel-molybdenum coated cathodes exhibit favorable hydrogen evolution reaction overpotential compared with existing devices. In these galvanic metal-water cells, the metal is oxidized and water is reduced.

Galvanic metal-water cell with nickel-molybdenum cathode

An electrochemical cell and a method of operating the same. In accordance with various embodiments, the cell includes an anode, one or more cathodes opposite the anode defining a pathway there between. Chemical reactions allow the electrolyte to flow through the defined pathway without requiring a pumping device.

Pumpless electrochemical cell

Systems, methods, and apparatus configured for the mitigation of hydrogen accumulation within electrochemical systems are generally described. The systems, methods, and apparatus described herein can be, according to certain embodiments, configured to be part of an electrochemical system in which hydrogen is generated (e.g., as a reaction byproduct).

Hydrogen management in electrochemical systems

Provided is a method for generating an electrical current. The method includes: introducing water between the anode and at least one cathode of an electrochemical cell, to form an electrolyte; anaerobically oxidizing aluminum or an aluminum alloy; and electrochemically reducing water at the at least one cathode. When the cell is in operation, the hydroxyaluminate (Al(OH)) in the electrolyte reaches a concentration maximum and thereafter a concentration minimum. The concentration maximum is above 125% of the saturation concentration and below 2000% of the saturation concentration. The concentration minimum is below 125% of the saturation concentration and above 50% of the saturation concentration.

Anaerobic aluminum-water electrochemical cell

Provided a method for generating an electrical current. The method includes: introducing water between the anode and at least one cathode of an electrochemical cell, to form an electrolyte; anaerobically oxidizing aluminum or an aluminum alloy; and electrochemically reducing water at the at least one cathode. The electrochemical cell includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack comprising an anode including the aluminum or aluminum alloy, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, the electrolyte, and the physical separators; and a water injection port. When the cell is in operation, the hydroxyaluminate concentration of the electrolyte in the cell is maintained between at least 20% to at most 750% of the saturation concentration.

An anaerobic aluminum-water electrochemical cell that includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack comprising an aluminum or aluminum alloy anode, and at least one solid cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode; a liquid electrolyte between the anode and the at least one cathode; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, the electrolyte, and the physical separators; and a water injection port, in the housing, configured to introduce water into the housing. The electrolyte includes a hydroxide base at a concentration of at least 0.05 M to at most 3 M.

An anaerobic aluminum-water electrochemical cell includes electrode stacks, each electrode stack having an aluminum or aluminum alloy anode, and at least one solid cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode. The cell further includes a liquid electrolyte between the anode and the at least one cathode, one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode, a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, the electrolyte, and the physical separators, and a water injection port, in the housing, configured to introduce water into the housing.

An anaerobic aluminum-water electrochemical cell is provided. The electrochemical cell includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack comprising an aluminum or aluminum alloy anode, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode and having a surface characterized by an electrochemical roughness factor of at least 5 and a mean pore diameter of at least 50 &#x3bc;m; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, an electrolyte, and the physical separators; and a water injection port, in the housing, configured to introduce water into the housing.

An anaerobic aluminum-water electrochemical cell that includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack featuring an aluminum or aluminum alloy anode, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, an electrolyte, and the physical separators; a water injection port, in the housing, configured to introduce water into the housing. The electrochemical cell also includes an amount of hydroxide base sufficient to form an electrolyte having a hydroxide base concentration of at least 0.05 M to at most 3 M when water is introduced between the anode and at least one cathode of the electrochemical cell. The aluminum or aluminum alloy of the anode is substantially free of titanium and boron.

An anaerobic aluminum-water electrochemical cell is provided. The electrochemical cell includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack including an aluminum or aluminum alloy anode, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, an electrolyte, and the physical separators; a water injection port, in the housing, configured to introduce water into the housing, and an amount of hydroxide base sufficient to form an electrolyte having a hydroxide base concentration of at least 0.5% to at most 13% of the saturation concentration when water is introduced between the anode and the least one cathode. The aluminum or aluminum alloy of the anode is substantially free of titanium and boron.

Provided is a method for generating an electrical current. The method includes: introducing water between the anode and at least one cathode of an electrochemical cell, to form an electrolyte; anaerobically oxidizing aluminum or an aluminum alloy at the anode; and electrochemically reducing water at the at least one cathode. The electrochemical cell includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack comprising an anode including the aluminum or aluminum alloy, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, the electrolyte, and the physical separators; and a water injection port in the housing. When the cell is in operation, the concentration of aluminum species in the electrolyte is maintained between at least 0.01 M to at most 0.7 M.

An anaerobic aluminum-water electrochemical cell is provided. The electrochemical cell includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack featuring an aluminum or aluminum alloy anode, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, an electrolyte, and the physical separators; a water injection port, in the housing, configured to introduce water into the housing; and an amount of hydroxide base sufficient to form an electrolyte having a hydroxide base concentration of at least 0.5% to at most 13% of the saturation concentration when water is introduced between the anode and the least one cathode.

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Beverly, MA, United States of America

Thomas Bradford Milnes