Electrolyte leakage management in an electrochemical cell

Abstract

Described herein are methods, air cathodes or electrochemical cell systems configured to reduce or alleviate leakage of electrolyte within air cathodes. A method for electrolyte leakage management in an electrochemical cell system includes: configuring a plurality of air cathodes within an electrochemical cell system, each of the plurality of air cathodes comprising a frame, a membrane oxygen electrode attached to the frame to define a sealed interior cavity, an air inlet communicative with the interior cavity, a liquid outlet communicative with the interior cavity; positioning the liquid outlet lower than the air inlet; and draining electrolyte leakage from the interior cavity through the liquid outlet. An electrochemical cell system configured for electrolyte leakage management includes: a housing; an electrolyte disposed in the housing; a metallic material, when positioned in the first spaces, forms one or more discharging anodes; one or more charging anodes and one or more charging cathodes at least partially immersed in the electrolyte; and one or more air cathodes immersed in the electrolyte and one or more first spaces between the oxygen cathodes, each of the one or more air cathodes comprising 1) a frame, 2) a membrane oxygen electrode attached to the frame to define an interior cavity, 3) an air inlet communicative with the interior cavity, 4) an air outlet communicative with the interior cavity, 5) a liquid outlet communicative with the interior cavity, 6) the liquid outlet positioned lower than the air inlet.