Gas management of metal-air batteries

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus for gas management of metal-air batteries. Each of the plurality of electrochemical cells may include at least one air electrode, a metal electrode, a container, and a liquid electrolyte in the container between the at least one air electrode and the metal electrode, wherein each of the plurality of electrochemical cells defines a respective headspace over the liquid electrolyte in the container. The manifold may include a conduit defining a common vent to which a respective headspace of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells may be fluidly coupled and in fluid communication with the outlet region of the conduit and an outlet region.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 368,348, filed on July 13, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Background Art

[0003] Energy storage technology plays an increasingly important role in the power grid. For example, energy storage devices can provide smoothing to better match power generation and demand on the grid, and can also benefit the grid at multiple time scales. Although energy storage technology can support time scales from milliseconds to hours, there is still a need to improve the availability, reliability and / or resilience of energy storage systems while reducing costs. Summary of the invention

[0004] The systems, methods, and apparatus of various embodiments may include configurations of power systems. The systems and methods of various embodiments may provide configurations for components of a battery system. The battery system may include a plurality of electrochemical cells, wherein each electrochemical cell includes at least one air electrode, a metal electrode, a liquid electrolyte separating the at least one air electrode from the metal electrode, and a container for containing the liquid electrolyte. The battery system may further include or alternatively include an airflow system for exhausting gases from a plurality of metal-air batteries.

[0005] According to one aspect, a system for gas management of a metal-air battery pack may include a plurality of electrochemical cells, each of the plurality of electrochemical cells including at least one air electrode, a metal electrode, a container, and a liquid electrolyte in the container between the at least one air electrode and the metal electrode, each of the plurality of electrochemical cells defining a respective headspace above the liquid electrolyte in the container; and a manifold including a conduit defining a common vent and an outlet region, the respective headspace fluid of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells being coupled to the common vent and in fluid communication with the outlet region of the conduit.

[0006] In some embodiments, the system may further include a plurality of risers, wherein each of the plurality of risers defines a respective cell vent, and a respective headspace of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells is fluidly coupled to the common vent through at least one cell vent of the plurality of risers.

[0007] In some embodiments, the system may further include at least one fan in fluid communication with the common vent, wherein the at least one fan is operable to move gas along the common vent and out of the duct through the outlet region. For example, the at least one fan may be disposed in the common vent. Additionally or alternatively, the at least one fan may be oriented relative to the common vent so that the at least one fan is operable to form a negative pressure in the common vent relative to the ambient air pressure at the outlet region of the duct. In some cases, the at least one fan is explosion-proof rated. Additionally or alternatively, the at least one fan may include a first fan and a second fan. In some cases, the first fan and the second fan may be powered separately from each other. Additionally or alternatively, only one of the first fan and the second fan is operable at a time. In some cases, the duct may be a closed terminal along the common vent, and the at least one fan draws gas through the common vent toward the outlet region in a direction away from the fluid coupling of the plurality of electrochemical cells. In some cases, the conduit may define an inlet area, the respective headspace of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells is in fluid communication with the common vent along the conduit between the inlet area and the outlet area, and the at least one fan is operable to move air into the common vent through the inlet area. In some cases, the system may also include a filter disposed along the inlet area of ​​the conduit. The at least one fan may be oriented relative to the common vent so that, for example, the at least one fan is operable to form a positive pressure in the common vent relative to the ambient pressure at the inlet area of ​​the conduit. In some embodiments, the system may also include a controller and a first hydrogen sensor, wherein the controller is electrically connected to the at least one fan and the first hydrogen sensor, the first hydrogen sensor is arranged to sense hydrogen in the common vent, and the controller is configured to: receive a first signal from the first hydrogen sensor, and control the speed of the at least one fan based on the first signal received from the first hydrogen sensor. The first hydrogen gas sensor may be at least partially disposed in the common vent between the outlet region of the conduit and a fluid coupling of a respective headspace of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells to the common vent of the conduit. In some cases, the system may also include a second hydrogen gas sensor in electrical communication with the controller, wherein the controller is further configured to receive a second signal from the second hydrogen gas sensor and control the speed of the at least one fan based on the first signal and the second signal.In some cases, the system may further include an enclosure defining an air inlet, an exhaust port, and a chamber, wherein the air inlet and the exhaust port are in fluid communication with each other through the environment of the chamber, the plurality of electrochemical cells and the manifold are at least partially disposed in the environment of the chamber, wherein the respective headspace of each of the electrochemical cells and the common vent of the conduit are fluidly isolated from the environment of the enclosure, and the outlet region of the conduit is in fluid communication with the surrounding environment outside the enclosure. For example, the system may further include a cooling fan in fluid communication with the environment of the chamber and activatable to draw air into the environment of the chamber through the air inlet and exhaust air from the environment of the chamber through the exhaust port. The gas change of the environment of the chamber may be less than about 30 seconds, wherein the cooling fan is activated at a maximum rated speed. In some cases, the system may further include a filter material supported along the air inlet of the enclosure. Additionally or alternatively, the system may further include an evaporative medium supported along the air inlet of the enclosure, wherein evaporation of the evaporative medium may cool air drawn into the chamber environment by activating the cooling fan. In some cases, the system may further include a leak sensor arranged to sense hydrogen in the chamber environment, wherein the controller is in electrical communication with the leak sensor, and the controller is further configured to receive a third signal from the leak sensor and activate the cooling fan based on the third signal.

[0008] In certain embodiments, the system may further include an event sensor, the event sensor including a housing, a membrane, and a conductor, wherein the housing defines a first opening, a second opening, and a volume between the first opening and the second opening, the first opening being in fluid communication with the common vent of the conduit, the membrane being disposed in the volume and fluidly isolating the first opening from the second opening in the volume, the conductor being in electrical communication with a power source and the membrane to form at least a portion of a closed loop, and the membrane being rupturable at a predetermined pressure differential across the membrane to switch the closed loop to an open loop. The membrane has a burst pressure of about 0.35 atmospheres across the membrane.

[0009] In some embodiments, the plurality of electrochemical cells may include iron-air type battery cells, zinc-air type battery cells, lithium-air battery cells, or combinations thereof.

[0010] According to another aspect, a method for gas management of a metal-air battery pack may include receiving a respective signal from each of one or more hydrogen sensors, the signal indicating a hydrogen concentration in a common vent defined by a conduit and fluidly connected between a respective head space of each of a plurality of electrochemical cells and an outlet region defined by the conduit; comparing the respective signal from each of the one or more hydrogen sensors with at least one predetermined threshold; and controlling at least one fan, the at least one fan being fluidly connected to the common vent and operable to move gas along the common vent and out of the conduit through the outlet region, based on the comparison of the respective signal from each of the one or more hydrogen sensors with the at least one predetermined threshold.

[0011] In certain embodiments, the at least one predetermined threshold may correspond to a hydrogen concentration less than the lower flammability limit of hydrogen in air at a predetermined temperature and a predetermined pressure. The at least one predetermined threshold may include, for example, a first predetermined threshold and a second predetermined threshold, the second predetermined threshold being greater than the first predetermined threshold, and controlling the at least one fan includes: if the respective signal from any one of the one or more hydrogen sensors is between the first predetermined threshold and the second predetermined threshold, then adjusting the operating speed of the at least one fan. For example, adjusting the operating speed of the at least one fan may include: if the respective signal from any one of the one or more hydrogen sensors is between the first predetermined threshold and the second predetermined threshold, then gradually increasing the operating speed of the at least one fan. Controlling the at least one fan may include periodically starting the at least one fan at one or more predetermined intervals. In addition, or alternatively, the first predetermined threshold may be 12.5% ​​of the lower flammability limit of hydrogen in air at a predetermined temperature and a predetermined pressure. In addition, or alternatively, the second predetermined threshold may be 25% of the lower flammability limit of hydrogen in air at a predetermined temperature and a predetermined pressure.

[0012] In some embodiments, a respective signal from at least one of the one or more hydrogen sensors may indicate a hydrogen concentration in the common vent upstream of the at least one fan relative to a direction of airflow through the at least one fan toward the outlet region of the duct. A respective signal from at least one of the one or more hydrogen sensors may indicate a hydrogen concentration in the common vent downstream of a fluid coupling of a headspace of the electrochemical cell to the common vent relative to a direction of airflow through the at least one fan toward the outlet region of the duct.

[0013] In certain embodiments, the respective signals from the one or more hydrogen sensors may include determining whether each of the one or more hydrogen sensors is operating, and controlling the at least one fan includes operating the at least one fan at 100% of a rated operating speed if each of the one or more hydrogen sensors is determined to be not operating.

[0014] In some embodiments, controlling the at least one fan may include creating a vacuum pressure in the common vent of the duct. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a power generation system in electrical communication with a plant management system, the power generation system including a power generation source, a LODES, a SDES, a power controller, a plant controller, a transmission facility, and a power grid.

[0016] Figure 2 is a block diagram of a power generation system in communication with a plant management system, the power generation system including a plurality of power plants.

[0017] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an electrochemical cell including a container, an air electrode, a negative electrode, a liquid electrolyte, and a current collector.

[0018] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a stackable architecture of an electrochemical cell module.

[0019] Figure 5A is a schematic diagram of a container for an electrochemical cell, wherein the container defines a straight channel.

[0020] Figure 5B is a schematic diagram of a container for an electrochemical cell, wherein the container defines a tortuous channel.

[0021] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram comparing adjacent electrochemical cells defining a straight gas flow channel therebetween to adjacent electrochemical cells having a separator therebetween.

[0022] Fig. 7A is a partial cutaway perspective view of a plurality of electrochemical cell modules disposed in an enclosure.

[0023] Figure 7B yes Fig. 7A Schematic diagram of one of the electrochemical cells within the central enclosure.

[0024] Figure 7C is along Figure 7B Close-up view of region 7C of detail of the electrochemical cell shown.

[0025] Fig. 8Ais a perspective view of a system for gas management of a metal air battery, wherein the system includes a plurality of electrochemical cells and a manifold, the system being shown without enclosures and enclosure hardware, and gas flows from the plurality of electrochemical cells and the manifold being indicated by arrows.

[0026] Figure 8B The airflow passes through Fig. 8A Schematic diagram of the system, simplified for clarity Fig. 8A A system and associated airflow, the system shown having an enclosure.

[0027] Figure 8C yes Fig. 8A Schematic diagram of the thermal management system of the system, simplified for clarity Fig. 8A Air flow for thermal management of a system, the system shown having an enclosure, and for clarity, the gas management system is not shown.

[0028] Fig.8D yes Fig. 8A Schematic diagram of an event sensor of a system including a membrane whose burst pressure indicates a pressure event associated with an explosion.

[0029] Fig. 9 is a flow chart of an exemplary method of gas management for a metal-air battery.

[0030] Fig.10 Schematic diagram of air flow for gas management in a metal-air battery pack, with at least one fan pushing air through a manifold.

[0031] Fig.11 is a schematic diagram of gas flow for gas management in a metal-air battery, where the manifold includes tubes with closed ends.

[0032] Like reference numbers in the various drawings represent like elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which exemplary embodiments are shown. However, the above may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to only the exemplary embodiments set forth herein.

[0034] The multiple embodiments of the systems, devices, techniques, methods, activities, and operations described in this specification can be used in a variety of other activities and other fields beyond those described herein. In addition, these embodiments can be used, for example, with the following: other devices or activities that may be developed in the future; and, with existing devices or activities that can be partially modified based on the teachings of this specification. In addition, the multiple embodiments and examples described in this specification can be used in whole or in part with each other, and can be used with each other in different combinations and multiple combinations. Therefore, the configurations provided in the multiple embodiments of this specification can be used with each other. For example, according to the teachings of this specification, components of the embodiments with A, A' and B and components of the embodiments with A", C and D can be used with each other in multiple combinations, such as A, C, D, and A, A", C and D, etc.

[0035] For the sake of clarity and efficiency, unless otherwise specified or the context clearly indicates, in the following disclosure, components with the same last two digits should be understood to be similar or interchangeable with each other, and therefore, will not be described separately except to point out differences and / or emphasize certain features. For example, in the following description, the power generation system 101 ( Figure 1 ) should be understood as being related to the power generation system 201 ( Figure 2 ) are similar and / or interchangeable unless the context expresses or clearly indicates a contrary intention.

[0036] The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and apparatus for electrochemical energy storage systems, such as metal-air battery systems. Various embodiments may be applicable to gas management in electrochemical energy storage systems, such as metal-air battery systems. Various embodiments may be applicable to explosive and / or flammable gas management in electrochemical energy storage systems, such as metal-air battery systems.

[0037] Multiple embodiments may provide devices and / or methods for long-term and ultra-long-term low-cost energy storage. In this document, unless otherwise expressly stated, "long (duration) time" and / or "ultra-long (duration) time" and similar terms should be understood to include energy storage periods of 8 hours or longer, such as 8 hours, 8 hours to 20 hours, 20 hours, 20 hours to 24 hours, 24 hours, 24 hours to one week, one week to one year (e.g., from days to weeks to months), and the like, and will include long-term energy storage (LODES) systems. In addition, unless otherwise expressly stated, the terms "long time" and / or "ultra-long time", "energy storage battery" (including "electrochemical battery") and similar such terms should be understood to include electrochemical batteries that can store energy over a time span of days, weeks or seasons. As used herein, the term "duration" should be understood to refer to the ratio of energy to power of an energy storage system, unless otherwise expressly stated or the context clearly indicates the contrary intention. For example, a system with a rated energy of 24MWh and a rated power of 8MW has a duration of 3 hours, and a system with a rated energy of 24MWh and a rated power of 1MW has a duration of 24 hours. In fact, duration can be understood as the operating time of an energy storage system at maximum power.

[0038] Generally, a long-duration energy storage battery can be a long-duration electrochemical battery. Such a long-duration electrochemical battery can store electricity generated by a power generation system when: (i) the power generation source or fuel used for the power generation system is available, abundant, cheap or otherwise advantageous; (ii) the power requirement or power demand of the power grid, customers or other users is less than the amount of electricity generated by the power generation system, and the price paid for providing such electricity to the power grid, customers or other users is lower than the economic benefit point for generating such electricity (for example, the cost of generating electricity exceeds the market price of electricity), and combinations and variations of these; and (iii) combinations and variations of (i) and (ii), and other reasons. The electricity stored in the long-duration electrochemical battery can then be distributed to the power grid, customers or other users when it is economical or otherwise needed. For example, the electrochemical battery can be configured to store energy generated by solar cells in the summer when there is sufficient sunlight and solar power generation exceeds the grid requirements. Continuing with the example, the electrochemical battery can release the stored energy in the winter when there is insufficient sunlight to allow the energy generated by the solar cells to meet the grid requirements.

[0039] Various embodiments may provide apparatus and / or methods for large-capacity energy storage systems, such as long-duration energy storage (LODES) systems, short-duration energy storage (SDES) systems, etc. For example, various embodiments may provide configuration and control for a battery pack of a large-capacity energy storage system, such as a battery pack of a LODES system.

[0040] Although the various examples discussed all mention Li-ion and / or Fe-air, the discussion of Li-ion and / or Fe-air is used as examples only. Unless otherwise stated or clear from the context, other combinations and arrangements of storage technologies may be substituted for the exemplary solar+Li-ion+Fe-air discussed herein. For example, a variety of metal-air storage technologies may be used as battery packs in various embodiments, such as zinc-air, lithium-air, sodium-air, etc.

[0041] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 0028457, entitled “Low-Cost Metal Electrodes,” was published on January 28, 2021, and the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, describes various aspects of electrochemical cells, such as rechargeable batteries using metal electrodes (e.g., iron negative electrodes), and the design, manufacture, and processing features of electrochemical cells, such as rechargeable batteries using iron metal electrodes (e.g., iron negative electrodes), with which the various embodiments described herein can be used, and the various embodiments described herein can be incorporated. In addition, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 0028457 provides examples of metal materials (e.g., iron materials), with which the various embodiments described herein can be used. In addition, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 0028457 describes a large-capacity energy storage system, such as a LODES system, with which the various embodiments described herein can be used, and the various embodiments described herein can be incorporated.

[0042] As used herein, a "module" may include a string of unit electrochemical cells (eg, a battery string). Multiple modules (or multiple units or batteries) may be connected together to form a battery string.

[0043] Reference now Figure 1, the power generation system 101 may include a power generation source 102, a LODES 104, and a SDES 160. For example, the power generation source 102 may include a renewable power generation source, a non-renewable power generation source, a combination of renewable and non-renewable power generation sources, and the like. Examples of the power generation source 102 may include any one or more of a wind turbine, a solar generator, a geothermal generator, a nuclear generator, and the like. For example, the LODES 104 may include one or more electrochemical cells (e.g., one or more battery packs). The battery pack may be any type of battery pack, such as a rechargeable secondary battery pack, a refuelable primary battery pack, a combination of a primary battery pack and a secondary battery pack, and the like. The battery pack chemistry may be any chemistry, such as Al, AlCl3, Fe, FeOx(OH)y, NaxSy, SiOx(OH)y, AlOx(OH)y, metal-air, and / or any type of battery pack chemistry suitable for a particular embodiment. The SDES 160 may include one or more electrochemical cells (e.g., one or more battery packs). The battery can be any type of battery, such as a rechargeable secondary battery, a refuelable primary battery, a combination of primary and secondary batteries, etc. The battery chemistry can be any chemistry, such as Li-ion, Na-ion, NiMH, Mg-ion, and / or any type of battery chemistry suitable for a particular embodiment.

[0044] In various embodiments, the power generation system 101 may include a first control system 106 for controlling the operation of the power generation source 102. The first control system 106 may include a motor, a pump, a fan, a switch, a relay, or any other type of device related to controlling one or more aspects of power generation by the power generation source 102. The second control system 108 may include a motor, a pump, a fan, a switch, a relay, or any other type of device that can be used to control the discharge and / or storage of power by the LODES. In various embodiments, the power generation system 101 may further or alternatively include a third control system 158 for controlling the SDES 160. The third control system 158 may include a motor, a pump, a fan, a switch, a relay, or any other type of device that can be used to control the discharge and / or storage of power by the SDES 160. Each of the first control system 106, the second control system 108, and the third control system 158 may be connected to the plant controller 112. The plant controller 112 may monitor the overall operation of the power generation system 101 and, when necessary or useful, generate, for example, control signals and send them to one or more of the first control system 106 , the second control system 108 , or the third control system 158 to control the respective operations of the power generation source 102 , the LODES 104 , and / or the SDES 160 .

[0045] Each of the power generation sources 102, LODES 104, and SDES 160 may be connected to a power controller 110. The power controller 110 may be connected to a power grid 115 or other power transmission infrastructure. The power controller 110 may include, for example, switches, inverters (such as AC to DC inverters, DC to AC inverters, etc.), relays, power electronics, and any other type of equipment that may facilitate controlling the flow of power into / out of one or more power generation sources 102, LODES 104, SDES 160, and / or the power grid 115. In addition, or alternatively, the power generation system 101 may also include a transmission facility 130 that electrically connects the power generation system 101 to the power grid 115. For example, the transmission facility 130 may selectively establish electrical communication between the power controller 110 and the power grid 115. For example, the transmission facility 130 may include transmission lines, distribution lines, power cables, switches, relays, transformers, and / or any other type of equipment that supports the flow of power in either direction between the power generation system 101 and the power grid 115.

[0046] The power controller 110 and / or the transmission facility 130 may be in electrical communication with the plant controller 112. The plant controller 112 may monitor and control the operation of the power controller 110 and / or the transmission facility 130, such as via a plurality of control signals. For example, the plant controller 112 may control the power controller 110 and / or the transmission facility 130 to supply power to the grid 115 from the power generation source 102, to supply power to the grid 115 from the LODES 104, to supply power to the grid 115 from the power generation source 102 and the LODES 104, to supply power to the LODES 104 from the power generation source 102, to supply power to the LODES 104 from the power grid 115, to supply power to the grid 115 from the SDES 160, to supply power to the grid 115 from the power generation source 102 and the SDES 160, to supply power to the grid 115 from the power generation source 102 to the SDES 160, to supply power to the SDES 160 from the power generation source 102, to supply power to the SDES 160 from the power grid 115, to supply power to the grid 115 from the SDES 160 and the LODES 104, and to supply power to the grid 115 from the power generation source 102, the SDES 160, and the LODES 104. In various embodiments, generation source 102 may selectively charge LODES 104 and / or SDES 160, and LODES 104 and / or SDES 160 may selectively discharge energy to grid 115. In this manner, energy (e.g., renewable energy, non-renewable energy, etc.) generated by generation source 102 may be output from LODES 104 and / or SDES 160 to grid 115 at a time after generation source 102 has generated the energy.

[0047] In various embodiments, the plant controller 112 can communicate with a network 120 (e.g., a 3G network, a 4G network, a 5G network, a core network, the Internet, a combination of these, etc.). Using the connection to the network 120, the plant controller 112 can exchange data with the network 120 and with devices connected to the network 120 (such as the plant management system 121 or any other device connected to the network 120). The plant management system 121 may include one or more computing devices such as a computing device 124 and a server 122. The computing device 124 and the server 122 can be directly connected to each other and / or connected to each other through a connection to the network 120. The multiple connections of the plant controller 112 and the plant management system 121 (e.g., the computing device 124 and / or the server of the plant management system 121) to the network 120 can be wired connections and / or wireless connections.

[0048] In various embodiments, the computing device 124 of the plant management system 121 may provide a user interface through which a user of the plant management system 121 may define inputs to the plant management system 121 and / or the power generation system 101, receive instructions related to the plant management system 121 and / or the power generation system 101, or otherwise control the operation of the plant management system 121 and / or the power generation system 101.

[0049] Although shown as two separate devices 124 and 122, it should be understood that this is for clarity and efficiency of description, and the functionality of the computing device 124 and server 122 described herein may be combined into a single computing device or separated into more than two devices. In addition, or alternatively, although shown as a dedicated portion of the plant management system 121, the functionality of the computing device 124 and server 122 may be performed in whole or in part by a remote computing device (such as a cloud-based computing system). Although shown as communicating with a single instance of the power generation system 101, it should be understood that the plant management system 121 may communicate with multiple instances of the power generation system 101 unless otherwise stated or the context clearly indicates.

[0050] Although the generation source 102, LODES 104 and SDES 160 Figure 1104, and SDES 160 may be located separately from one another. For example, LODES 104 may be located downstream of a transmission constraint (e.g., downstream of a portion of grid 115, etc.) relative to generation source 102 and SDES 160. In this manner, overbuilding of underutilized transmission infrastructure may be reduced or avoided entirely by placing LODES 104 downstream of a transmission constraint, charging LODES 104 when capacity is sufficient, and discharging LODES 104 when transmission is in short supply. LODES 104 may also or alternatively engage in power arbitrage based on prevailing market prices to reduce the final cost of electricity to consumers.

[0051] Reference now Figure 2 , the power generation system 201 may include a power generation source 202 and one or more large-capacity energy storage systems, such as LODES 204 and / or SDES 260, that are physically separated from each other. For example, the power generation source 202, LODES 204, and SDES 260 may be respectively arranged in different power plants 231A, 231B, and 231C. Although the power plants 231A, 231B, and 231C may be separated, the power generation system 201 and the plant management system 221 may refer to the power generation system 101 and the plant management system 121 as described above ( Figure 1 ) to operate. Power plants 231A, 231B, and 231C may be located in the same location or may be geographically separated from each other. Power plants 231A, 231B, and 231C may be connected to power grid 215 at different locations. For example, power plant 231A may be connected to power grid 215 upstream of the location where power plant 231B is connected to power grid 215.

[0052] In some embodiments, a power plant 231A associated with a power generation source 202 may include dedicated equipment for controlling the power plant 231A and / or for transmitting power to / from the power plant 231A. For example, the power plant 231A may include a plant controller 112A and a power controller 210A and / or a transmission facility 230A. The power controller 210A and / or the transmission facility 230A may be connected to the plant controller 212A in an electrically connected manner. The plant controller 212A may, for example, monitor and control the operation of the power controller 210A and / or the transmission facility 230A, such as through a plurality of control signals. For example, the plant controller 212A may control the power controller 210A and / or the transmission facility 230A to supply power from the power generation source 202 to the power grid 215, etc.

[0053] In addition, or alternatively, a power plant 231B associated with LODES 204 may include specialized equipment for controlling the power plant 231B and / or for transmitting power to / from the power plant 231B. For example, a power plant 231B associated with LODES 204 may include a plant controller 212B, a power controller 210B, and / or a transmission facility 230B. The power controller 210B and / or the transmission facility 230B may be connected to the plant controller 212B. The plant controller 212B may monitor and control the operation of the power controller 210B and / or the transmission facility 230B, such as through a plurality of control signals. For example, the plant controller 212B may control the power controller 210B and / or the transmission facility 230B to supply power from the LODES 204 to the power grid 215 and / or to supply power from the power grid 215 to the LODES 204, etc.

[0054] Further, or alternatively, the power plant 231C associated with the SDES 260 may also include dedicated equipment for controlling the power plant 231C and / or for transmitting power to / from the power plant 231C. For example, the power plant 231C associated with the SDES 260 may include a plant controller 212C and a power controller 210C and / or a transmission facility 230C. The power controller 210C and / or the transmission facility 230C may be connected to the plant controller 212C. The plant controller 212C may monitor and control the operation of the power controller 210C and / or the transmission facility 230C, such as through a plurality of control signals. For example, the plant controller 212C may control the power controller 210C and / or the transmission facility 230C to supply power from the SDES 260 to the power grid 215 and / or to supply power from the power grid 215 to the SDES 260, etc.

[0055] In various embodiments, each plant controller 212A, 212B, 212C can communicate with the network 220. Using the connection to the network 220, the plant controllers 212A, 212B, 212C can exchange data with the network 220 and with one or more devices connected to the network 220, such as the plant management system 221, with each other, or with any other device connected to the network 220. In various embodiments, the operation of the plant controllers 212A, 212B, 212C can be monitored by the plant management system 221, and the operation of the plant controllers 212A, 212B, 212C and therefore the operation of the power generation system 201 can be controlled by the plant management system 221.

[0056] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an electrochemical cell 361 that can be used as one or more LODES described herein (e.g. Figure 1 LODES104 and / or Figure 2The battery pack in LODES204 in the embodiment. The electrochemical cell 361 can be a type of battery pack that can be used in LODES104 in multiple embodiments. The electrochemical cell 361 may include a container 362, an air electrode 363, a negative electrode 364, a liquid electrolyte 365, and a current collector 366. The air electrode 363, the negative electrode 364, the liquid electrolyte 365, and the current collector 366 can each be arranged in the container 362. The negative electrode 364 can be a metal electrode (e.g., an iron electrode, a lithium electrode, a zinc electrode, or other suitable metal types). The liquid electrolyte 365 can separate the air electrode 363 from the negative electrode 364. For example, the electrochemical cell 361 can be a metal-air type battery pack, such as an iron-air battery pack, a lithium-air battery pack, a zinc-air battery pack, and the like. Although multiple examples are described herein with reference to metal-air batteries, unless otherwise specified or the context is clear, other types of batteries can also be used in addition or in place of the multiple examples provided herein. Electrochemical cell 361 may represent a single battery or unit, and multiple instances of electrochemical cell 361, ie, multiple units or electrochemical cells, may be connected together to form a module. Multiple modules may be interconnected to form a battery string.

[0057] In various embodiments, the negative electrode 364 can be solid and the liquid electrolyte 365 can be excluded from the negative electrode 364. In certain embodiments, the negative electrode 364 can be porous and the liquid electrolyte 365 can be geometrically interlaced with the negative electrode 364 to create a larger interfacial surface area for reaction. In certain embodiments, the air electrode 363 can be placed between the liquid electrolyte and the gas head space ( Figure 3 As described below, the gas head space can be sealed in the housing.

[0058] The negative electrode 364 may be formed of a metal or a metal alloy, such as lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), zinc (Zn), or iron (Fe); or an alloy substantially containing one or more of the above metal elements that can undergo an oxidation reaction for discharge, such as an aluminum alloy or an iron alloy (e.g., FeAl, FeZn, FeMg, etc.). Therefore, the negative electrode 364 may be referred to as a metal electrode herein.

[0059] In certain embodiments, the electrochemical cell 361 may be rechargeable, and when the electrochemical cell 361 is charged, the negative electrode 364 may undergo a reduction reaction. The negative electrode 364 may be a solid, including a dense or porous solid, or a mesh or foam, or a collection of particles or particles, or a slurry, ink, suspension, or paste deposited in a shell. In a number of embodiments, the composition of the negative electrode 364 may be selected so that the negative electrode 364 and the liquid electrolyte 365 are not mixed together. For example, the negative electrode 364 may be a metal electrode that may be a bulk solid. For another example, the negative electrode 364 may be a collection of particles, such as small particles or large particles, whose buoyancy in the suspension is not enough to escape from the suspension into the liquid electrolyte 365. For another example, the negative electrode 364 may be formed by particles that have no buoyancy in the liquid electrolyte 365.

[0060] The air electrode 363 can support a reaction with oxygen at the positive electrode. The air electrode 363 can be a so-called gas diffusion electrode (GDE), in which the cathode is solid and is located at the interface of the gas head space and the liquid electrolyte 365. During discharge, the air electrode 363 supports the reduction of oxygen in the gas head space, the so-called oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). In some cases, the battery pack 200 can be rechargeable and a reverse reaction occurs, in which the air electrode 203 supports the precipitation of oxygen from the electrochemical cell 361, the so-called oxygen evolution reaction (OER). OER reactions and ORR reactions are generally well known to those skilled in the art.

[0061] In a number of embodiments, the liquid electrolyte 365 may be an aqueous solution, a non-aqueous solution, or a combination thereof. For example, the liquid electrolyte 365 may be an aqueous solution, and the aqueous solution may be acidic (low pH), neutral (intermediate pH), or alkaline (high pH; also referred to as alkaline or corrosive). In certain embodiments, the liquid electrolyte 365 may include positively charged elements such as Li, K, Na, or a combination thereof. In certain embodiments, the liquid electrolyte 365 may be alkaline, i.e., pH greater than 7 (e.g., pH greater than 10, pH greater than 12, etc.). For example, the liquid electrolyte 365 may include a 6M (mol / L) concentration of potassium hydroxide (KOH). In certain embodiments, the liquid electrolyte 365 may include a combination of multiple components such as 5.5M potassium hydroxide (KOH) and 0.5M lithium hydroxide (LiOH). In some cases, the liquid electrolyte 365 may include a 6M (mol / L) concentration of sodium hydroxide (NaOH). In some cases, the liquid electrolyte 365 may include a 5M (mol / L) concentration of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and 1M potassium hydroxide (KOH).

[0062] In certain embodiments, the electrochemical cell 361 can discharge by reducing oxygen (O2), which is usually from the air. This requires three-phase contact between gaseous oxygen, an electrically active conductor that provides electrons for the reduction reaction, and a liquid electrolyte 365 containing the product of the reduction step. For example, in certain embodiments involving aqueous alkaline electrolytes, oxygen in the air is reduced to hydroxide ions by the half reaction O2+H2O+4e-→4OH-. Therefore, gas processing and maintenance of the triple point are required for delivering oxygen to the metal-air battery. In a "normally aspirated" embodiment, the air electrode 363 can be mechanically placed at the gas-liquid interface to promote and maintain the three-phase boundary. The air electrode 363 can be placed vertically or horizontally, or at any intermediate angle relative to gravity, and maintain "normally aspirated" operation. In these "normally aspirated" embodiments, the gas phase can be at atmospheric pressure-that is, the gas phase can be unpressurized except for the effect of gravity.

[0063] Figure 3 The electrochemical cell 361 in the figure is only an example of an arrangement and is not intended to be limiting. Therefore, unless otherwise specified or the context clearly indicates, it is understood that other arrangements may be used in addition or in lieu thereof, such as electrochemical cells with different types of containers and / or without containers 362, electrochemical cells with different types of air electrodes and / or without air electrodes 363, electrochemical cells with different types of current collectors and / or without current collectors 366, electrochemical cells with different types of negative electrodes and / or without negative electrodes 364, and / or electrochemical cells with different types of electrolytes and / or without liquid electrolytes 365, all of which may replace Figure 3 The electrochemical cell 361 shown, and other configurations are consistent with various embodiments.

[0064] In certain embodiments, the container 362 may be at least partially formed of a polymer, such as polyethylene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), high density polyethylene (HDPE), ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW), polypropylene, and / or other polymers. In addition, or alternatively, the container 362 and / or the housing of the electrochemical cell 361 may be at least partially formed of a metal, such as nickel, steel, anodized aluminum, nickel-plated steel, nickel-plated aluminum, or other metals.

[0065] In certain embodiments, the electrochemical cell 361 may include three electrodes, a negative electrode 364 and an air electrode 363, wherein the air electrode 363 has two parts, such as a first cathode and a second cathode. In addition, or alternatively, the electrodes described herein may have a limited service life and may be mechanically replaced. For example, the negative electrode 364 may be replaced periodically. In the case where the air electrode 363 has two parts, the first cathode may include a first portion having a hydrophilic surface and a second portion having a hydrophobic surface. For example, the hydrophobic surface may have polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (e.g., Teflon TM , available from Chemours, Wilmington, Delaware) hydrophobic surface. In addition, or alternatively, in the case where the air electrode 363 has two parts, the second part of the air electrode 363 may include a microporous layer (MPL) of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and high surface area carbon, and the first part may be a carbon fiber partially coated with PTFE. For another example, the second part of the air electrode 363 may include an MPL of polytetrafluoroethylene and carbon black, and the first part of the air electrode 363 may include about 33% by weight of PTFE. For another example, the second part of the air electrode 363 may include 23% by weight of PTFE and 77% by weight of carbon black, and the first part of the air electrode 363 may be a low-load MPL. The negative electrode 364 may be an iron (Fe) electrode or an iron alloy (Fe-alloy) (e.g., FeAl, FeZn, FeMg, etc.) electrode. The second cathode of the air electrode 363 may have a hydrophilic surface. The second cathode of the air electrode 363 may have a nickel (Ni) plated metal (eg, carbon (C), titanium (Ti), steel, etc.) substrate. The liquid electrolyte 365 may be disposed between the three electrodes. The liquid electrolyte 365 may penetrate into one or more of the three electrodes.

[0066] A battery system may include a plurality of electrochemical cells connected in series and / or in parallel in a common electrolyte tank and contained in a housing.

[0067] Reference now Figure 4 , module 467 may include multiple electrochemical cells 468 in a stackable architecture. In certain embodiments, multiple electrochemical cells 468 may be disposed in a housing 469, and the multiple electrochemical cells 468 may be ionically isolated from each other by electrically insulating partition walls. Each of the multiple electrochemical cells 468 may have an air electrode (e.g., any one or more of the multiple different air electrodes described herein) on top, and multiple instances of the multiple electrochemical cells 402 are located in the housing 469. The instances of the multiple electrochemical cells 402 in the housing 469 may be ionically connected (permeable electrolyte) or hydraulically / ionically separated. Multiple instances of the housing 469 may be stacked on each other to form a module 467. For example, in Figure 4, module 467 is shown as including 40 instances of housing 469. Although multiple instances of housing 469 are shown as being stacked horizontally, it should be understood that multiple instances of housing 469 may also be additionally or alternatively arranged vertically.

[0068] The air electrode (cathode) may have limited tolerance to being subjected to liquid pressure, such as in a vertical electrode arrangement, where the air electrode acts as a wall to maintain the hydrostatic pressure of the electrolyte.

[0069] In some embodiments, the liquid electrolyte can be maintained with a separator (which can be nanoporous, for example). The liquid electrolyte can penetrate the separator and enter the narrow gap between the separator and the air electrode. Continuing with this example, the bottom of the air electrode can have an outlet for the liquid electrolyte to flow out of the gap and into the next electrochemical cell. This flow is slow, resulting in less pressure on the air electrode compared to the hydrostatic pressure of the liquid electrolyte.

[0070] In some embodiments, the separator may be disposed directly on the liquid electrolyte side of the air electrode, as this may be useful in reducing the pressure differential across the air electrode by surface tension or other pressure reduction mechanisms. The thickness and / or porosity of the separator may vary with depth. For example, the separator may be thicker at the bottom of the electrochemical cell, where the hydrostatic pressure on the air electrode "wall" is greatest.

[0071] In some embodiments, the air electrode may include graded pressure relief points through which the liquid electrolyte can flow and leak, thereby resetting the hydrostatic pressure of the liquid electrolyte to atmospheric pressure. In certain embodiments, the air electrode is self-healing (e.g., a cork-like material) such that small pinholes or leaks can reseal themselves when wetted by the liquid electrolyte. Additionally, or alternatively, electrolyte additives (e.g., platelets) may be used to seal small pinholes or leaks.

[0072] In certain embodiments, a sealed vertical submerged (SVS) air electrode may be combined with a flow field having an air and / or oxygen flow from a manifold. The flow field may comprise a plastic (e.g., polypropylene, HDPE) or a metal (e.g., steel, nickel). In some cases, the flow field may serve as a current collector and / or may comprise an embedded current collector. The flow field may be compressed against the air electrode to facilitate direct delivery of gas from the air flow channel to the air electrode. The flow field may both collect current and direct air flow. The flow field may comprise both metal and plastic insulating materials.

[0073] In some cases, the flow field may be against the hydrophobic coating side of the sheet air electrode and may define a series of channels with a width of 0.1 mm to 5 cm and a depth of 0.1 mm to 1 cm. In some embodiments, the flow field may include a gas diffusion layer (GDL). The flow channels may be parallel to each other, interlaced, serpentine or spiral geometric patterns. In certain embodiments, the flow channels in the flow field may have an elliptical cross section, which is conducive to forming a small landing contact point (landing contact) between the air electrode and the flow field, thereby facilitating high flow rates under low pressure drop. The flow field may help control the flow through and / or into the air electrode, wherein multiple design modes of the flow field are for different operating powers and multiple flooding mitigation (flooding mitigation). In addition, or alternatively, the flow field may help use a wider array of air electrode designs, especially in terms of oxygen passing through the thickness of the air electrode and entering the catalyst layer. In certain embodiments, the conductive flow field may help use the air electrode without an embedded current collector. For use in a system using an alkaline electrolyte, the conductive flow field may include carbon, graphite, nickel or nickel-plated steel.

[0074] The serpentine flow field can help achieve a long residence time of the reactant gas in the electrochemical system, and such a long residence time helps to improve the air utilization. However, due to the presence of a thin winding gas delivery channel, the serpentine flow field may produce a large pressure drop. Therefore, in some embodiments, the serpentine channel can be divided into multiple sections to help achieve the target air utilization and pressure drop. The number of connected serpentine sections can be adjusted to achieve the target air utilization and pressure drop. More connected serpentine sections can produce higher air utilization and higher pressure drop, while fewer connected serpentine sections can produce lower air utilization and lower pressure drop. For example, the serpentine flow channel can be divided into sections with multiple inlet gas delivery points and outlet gas delivery points located along larger inlet manifolds and outlet manifolds.

[0075] In some embodiments, the flow channel in the flow field can be tapered, which can adjust the air pressure in the air flow channel. In particular, when the air flows from the inlet (bottom of the battery) to the outlet (top of the battery) of the flow field, the tapered flow channel can restrict the air flow by applying a large pressure drop. In some embodiments, the volume flow rate of the air can be kept constant, and the resulting increase in the gas pressure in the flow channel can offset the hydraulic pressure at the bottom of the battery. In some embodiments, the geometry of the flow field, such as the width of the channel, the serpentine structure of the channel, the staggered structure, etc., can be used to change the pressure along the air path within a single subassembly, so as to produce the required pressure gradient in the desired mode to help match the surrounding hydrostatic pressure throughout the electrode depth. For example, the highest pressure air can enter the bottom of the chamber, where the surrounding electrolyte pressure is the highest. When the gas moves upward through the flow field, the resistance in the flow field reduces the air pressure. The flow field resistance can be designed to reduce the pressure of the air flow at an appropriate speed. For example, the flow field resistance can be designed to match or substantially match the smaller electrolyte pressure moving upward in the container, maintaining a constant or substantially constant cross-electrode pressure gradient. Pressure reducing geometric features (such as orifices) may also or alternatively be used to vary the pressure along the air flow path within the air electrode subassembly.

[0076] In various embodiments, a plurality of electrochemical cells may be interconnected to form a module, such as a module that can be lifted by a forklift. Additionally or alternatively, as described above, a module of electrochemical cells may require airflow into and through. Additionally or alternatively, the airflow in the module may be arranged to cool each electrochemical cell.

[0077] The container containing the liquid electrolyte in each electrochemical cell in the module can define an airflow channel, which can be used as a cooling channel in addition or alternatively. In this embodiment, when the electrochemical cells are stacked together, air can flow through the cooling channel defined by the container of the electrochemical cell. In various embodiments, the airflow channel may include a duct system defined at least in part by a protrusion or gap in the wall of the electrolyte holding container. The container can be made of, for example, a variety of plastics (such as ABS, HDP, polypropylene, etc.).

[0078] Reference now Figure 5A , module 567 may include multiple (eg, two) instances of container 562, wherein each instance of container 562 defines a plurality of straight airflow channels 570 for cooling.

[0079] Reference now Figure 5B , the module 567' may include multiple (eg, two) instances of the container 562', wherein each instance of the container 562' defines a plurality of tortuous air flow channels 570' for cooling.

[0080] The number of gas flow channels may depend on the size and / or configuration (eg, series or parallel) of the electrochemical cells of the module.

[0081] In various embodiments, the airflow can be uniformly distributed throughout the channels. However, when the channels are uniform throughout, thermal management using natural convection can be challenging. Specifically, thermal differences in temperature across the electrochemical cell can result in different cooling rates at different heights of the electrochemical cell. Because non-uniform cooling can increase degradation of one or more components in the electrochemical cell, the size and / or spacing of the airflow channels can vary to accommodate these differences.

[0082] For example, the spacing between the airflow channels and / or the size of the airflow channels may vary depending on the vertical height of each electrochemical cell of the module. In particular, as described above, the hydrostatic pressure of the liquid electrolyte may be highest at the bottom of the electrochemical cell container and may decrease at the top of the container. Therefore, the required strength of the material (such as plastic) may be lowest at the top of the container, which is conducive to forming a container with a large cooling area (such as larger channel size and / or smaller spacing between channels) without affecting the structural performance of the container. In contrast, the required strength of the material (such as plastic) of the container may be greatest at the bottom of the container. Therefore, at a lower height of the container, the container wall may have fewer airflow channels and / or more spaced airflow channels, which is conducive to maintaining sufficient strength of the container to accommodate the hydrostatic pressure of the liquid electrolyte in the container.

[0083] In some embodiments, instead of or in addition to channels for airflow, adjacent containers of electrochemical cells within a battery module may include spacers therebetween to facilitate air flow between adjacent containers for cooling. Figure 6 670 is a schematic diagram of adjacent electrochemical cells 661 with straight airflow channels 670 defined therebetween compared to adjacent electrochemical cells 661' with spacers 671 therebetween. In various embodiments, the use of spacers can help achieve greater airflow and reduce the likelihood of interlocking between channels of containers of adjacent electrochemical cells within a module. In some cases, a minimum number of spacers can be used to achieve high airflow while maintaining the desired structure. For example, due to differences in the hydrostatic pressure of the liquid electrolyte in the container, the spacing between the spacers may vary with height, as described above. In addition, or alternatively, channels and / or spacers for thermal cooling by airflow can be produced by a variety of known manufacturing techniques (such as 3D printing, extrusion, blow molding, injection molding, etc.).

[0084] Having described various aspects of power generation systems and electrochemical cell modules that can be used for such power generation systems, attention is now turned to gas management of metal-air batteries. Specifically, electrochemical cells of certain embodiments described herein may produce hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) byproducts of varying concentrations during charging and self-discharging. The accumulation of such gases (referred to herein as hydrogen-oxygen mixtures) in enclosed spaces (such as within electrochemical cells and / or electrochemical cell modules) may pose a risk of flame or explosion formation under certain conditions. The systems, methods, and devices for gas management of metal-air batteries described below are generally intended to mitigate the risk of flame or explosion formation of hydrogen-oxygen mixtures. For example, as described below, certain systems and methods for gas management of metal-air batteries include diluting the hydrogen-oxygen mixture with external ambient air and / or monitoring hydrogen concentration. In addition, or alternatively, as also described below, certain systems and methods for gas management of metal-air batteries include monitoring hydrogen concentration to effectively utilize the power consumption required for gas management.

[0085] Fig. 7A is a partial cutaway perspective view of a plurality of electrochemical cell modules disposed in an enclosure. Within the enclosure, the modules may be attached to hardware that provides the electrochemical cells with fluids required for the operation of the electrochemical cells. Additionally, or alternatively, the hardware within the enclosure may include fans, DC / DC converters, pumps, and / or other electromechanical devices. These devices are typically not explosion proof because the H2 formed in the electrochemical cells is physically separated from the rest of the enclosure.

[0086] Figure 7B is a schematic diagram of an electrochemical cell where the headspace is sealed except for the port leading to the T-junction. In various embodiments, the electrochemical cell may be made of HDPE with a flame retardant plastic cover where the busbars for control and the PCB are interconnected. Although the headspace of the electrochemical cell may have fully insulated busbars, there is still the potential for ignition sources to occur due to manufacturing, assembly, shipping damage, or other reasons that may compromise the insulation on the busbars. Figure 7C yes Figure 7B Close-up of an electrochemical cell showing the escape path for exhaust gases in the event of an ignition source in the head space of the electrochemical cell.

[0087] For example, at the top of the discharge line, a flame arrester (e.g., made of polypropylene) may be installed that can be blown off in the event of overpressure (to reduce the possibility of the flame arrester becoming a pressure drag in the event of a pressure event such as an explosion). The bottom of the T-junction may be connected to a water management system and may have water lines connected to a pump and a 250-gallon water tank. There may also be a 3L "open volume" filled with air within the electrochemical cell, which may be compressed as the pressure wave moves through the liquid, thereby mitigating some of the damage.

[0088] Having described certain aspects of gas management within the electrochemical cells themselves, attention will now be turned to the gas management of the hydrogen and oxygen gas mixture exhausted from the electrochemical cells of the module.

[0089] Reference now Fig. 8A and Figure 8B , a system 872 for gas management of a metal-air battery may include a plurality of electrochemical cells 861 and a manifold 873. Each of the plurality of electrochemical cells 861 may include at least one air electrode 863, a metal electrode 864, a container 862, and a liquid electrolyte 865 between the at least one air electrode 863 and the metal electrode 864 in the container 862. Thus, for example, the plurality of electrochemical cells 861 may include iron-air type battery cells, zinc-air type battery cells, lithium-air type battery cells, or a combination thereof. Each of the electrochemical cells 861 may define a respective headspace 874 above the liquid electrolyte 865 in the container 862. The manifold 873 includes a conduit 875 defining a common vent 876 and an outlet region 877. The respective headspace 874 of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells 861 may be fluidly coupled to a common vent 876 of the conduit 875 and in fluid communication with an outlet region 877 of the conduit 875, such that the plurality of electrochemical cells 861 may vent to the common vent 876, wherein the hydrogen and oxygen gas mixture in the common vent 876 may be diluted by ambient air in the common vent 876. Venting the hydrogen and oxygen gas mixture from the plurality of electrochemical cells 861 into the common vent 876 of the conduit 875 may significantly reduce the complexity / cost associated with gas management, and reduce competition for air for thermal management of the plurality of electrochemical cells 861, compared to scavenging the hydrogen and oxygen gas mixture from the respective headspace of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells. Additionally, or alternatively, exhausting the hydrogen and oxygen mixture from the multiple electrochemical cells 861 into the common vent 876 for dilution therein can reduce the amount of mist (e.g., KOH mist) entrained in the gas exhausted from the system 872 to the surrounding environment, as compared to scavenging the hydrogen and oxygen mixture from the respective headspaces of each of the multiple electrochemical cells.

[0090] In certain embodiments, the system 872 for gas management may further or alternatively include a plurality of risers 878, each of which defines a respective cell vent 879. The respective headspace 874 of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells 861 may be fluidly coupled to the common vent 876 through at least one cell vent 879 in the plurality of risers 878. The plurality of risers 878 may provide flow restrictions and / or non-linear flow paths from the respective headspaces 874 to the common vent 876, as this may be useful in reducing the likelihood of unwanted liquids (e.g., mist) entering the common vent 876 from the respective headspaces 874. Although each headspace 874 may be vented to a single instance of one of the plurality of risers 878, it should be understood that the respective headspace 874 of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells 861 may be vented to the common vent 876 through more than one instance of the plurality of risers 878.

[0091] In some cases, the system 872 may include at least one instance of a fan 880 in fluid communication with the common vent 876, wherein the fan 880 is operable to move gas along the common vent 876 and out of the conduit 875 through the outlet region 877. It should be appreciated that operating the fan 880 to move gas along the common vent 876 may reduce the length of time that the hydrogen and oxygen gas resides in the common vent 876 before being discharged to the surrounding environment through the outlet region 877. Additionally, or alternatively, in operating the fan 880 to move air through the common vent 876, the fan 880 may dilute the hydrogen and oxygen gas with air, thereby reducing the likelihood of the hydrogen and oxygen gas exploding relative to the same conditions without diluting the hydrogen and oxygen gas with ambient air.

[0092] In general, the fan 880 can be disposed at any one or more of a number of locations relative to the common vent 876, wherein the fan 880 is in fluid communication with the common vent 876. For example, the fan 880 can be disposed in the common vent 876, as this can be used to provide protection and support for the fan 880 using the duct 875. In addition, or alternatively, the fan 880 disposed in the common vent 876 can help to efficiently utilize the power provided to the fan 880 to move gas through the common vent 876. In some examples, the fan 880 can be supported by the duct 875 at the outlet area 877 defined by the duct 875, as this can be used to provide an opportunity for maintenance / replacement access to the fan 880 while efficiently utilizing the power provided to the fan 880 to move gas through the common vent 876.

[0093] In certain embodiments, the fan 880 may be positioned relative to the common vent 876 so that the fan 880 is operable to form a negative pressure in the common vent 876 relative to the ambient air pressure at the outlet region 877 of the duct 875. The fan 880 operable to form a negative pressure in the common vent 876 may be used to reduce the likelihood that the hydrogen-oxygen gas mixture will inadvertently move out of the common vent 876 (e.g., through a leak) compared to the positive pressure in the common vent 876. That is, the fan 880 operable to form a negative pressure in the common vent 876 may reduce the likelihood that an unsafe concentration of hydrogen gas may be formed outside the common vent 876. In addition, or alternatively, given that the fan 880 operable to form a negative pressure in the common vent 876 may draw gas from the common vent 876 to discharge the gas into the environment through the outlet region 877, the fan 880 may be explosion-proof rated. In the context of fan 880, the term "explosion proof" should be understood to include any fan having a housing that contains any explosion originating from within the housing and prevents sparks from being ejected from the housing. Therefore, it should be understood that when fan 880 is explosion proof rated, the possibility of fan 880 itself becoming a source of ignition for the flammable hydrogen-oxygen mixture gas (or other flammable mixture) moving through fan 880 when fan 880 is in operation can be reduced.

[0094] In some embodiments, the system 872 may include multiple instances of the fan 880 to provide backup redundancy in the system 872. For example, the system 872 may include a first instance and a second instance of the fan 880, which may be used to reduce the possibility of high concentration accumulation in the common vent 876 when one instance of the fan 880 fails. Continuing with this example, the first instance of the fan 880 and the second instance of the fan 880 can be powered separately from each other (e.g., connected to independent power supplies) so that the failure of a given power supply does not become a single point of failure in the operation of the system 872. That is, in the event of a power failure in the first instance of the fan 880, the second instance of the fan 880 can continue to operate using power from another power supply. In addition, or alternatively, only one of the first instance or the second instance of the fan 880 is operational at a time, as this may be used to achieve redundancy while effectively utilizing the power required by the system 872 for gas management.

[0095] In certain embodiments, the duct 875 may define an inlet region 881, and the fan 880 is operable to move air (e.g., air from the surrounding environment outside the duct 875 and the plurality of electrochemical cells 861) into the common vent 876 through the inlet region 881. For example, the respective headspace 874 of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells 861 may be in fluid communication with the common vent 876 along the duct 875 between the inlet region 881 and the outlet region 877, and when the fan 880 moves air into the common vent 876 through the inlet region 881, the air moving through the common vent 876 may mix with the gas moving into the common vent 876 from the respective headspace 874 of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells 861, and the gas mixture may eventually be discharged from the common vent 876 through the outlet region 877. In some cases, system 872 may include a filter 882 positioned along an inlet region 881 of the conduit, as this may be useful in reducing or eliminating moisture, dust, and / or other debris from entering common vent 876 and prematurely degrading components of system 872 .

[0096] The system 872 may include a controller 883 operable to determine an unsafe condition or a condition with an increased likelihood of becoming unsafe, and operable to take one or more corrective actions as described herein. The controller 883 may include a processing unit 884 and a storage medium 885 (e.g., a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium) in electrical communication with each other. The storage medium 885 may store computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processing unit 884, may perform any one or more of the various aspects of the gas management methods described herein.

[0097] In certain embodiments, the system 872 may include a first hydrogen sensor 886A (e.g., any one or more different types of palladium-based hydrogen sensors or other types of hydrogen sensors known in the art) arranged to sense hydrogen in the common vent 876 in electrical communication with a controller 883 (e.g., with a processing unit 884 of the controller 883). As described in more detail below, the controller 883 may be configured to receive a first signal from the first hydrogen sensor 886A and control the speed of the fan 880 based on the first signal received from the first hydrogen sensor 883A. In certain embodiments, the first hydrogen sensor 886A may be at least partially disposed in the common vent 876 between the outlet region 877 of the conduit 875 and the fluid coupling of the respective headspace 874 of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells 861 to the common vent 876 of the conduit 875. Since the first hydrogen sensor 886A at this location is downstream of the respective headspace 874 of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells 861 in the direction in which air is forced to move through the common vent 876 by the fan 880, the air moving through the common vent 876 has collected the hydrogen-oxygen mixture from each of the plurality of electrochemical cells 861 at the first hydrogen sensor 886A at this location. Therefore, the first hydrogen sensor 886A at this location in the common vent 876 is more likely to detect the global maximum hydrogen concentration in the common vent 876 than hydrogen sensors at other locations within the common vent 876. In other words, the first hydrogen sensor 886A at this location can increase the likelihood of detecting excessively high levels of hydrogen in the common vent 876, if such levels exist in the common vent 876, when only a single sensor or a limited number of sensors are used.

[0098] In certain embodiments, the system 872 may also include a second hydrogen sensor 886B in electrical communication with the controller 883 (e.g., with the processing unit 884). As described in more detail below, the controller 883 may also be configured to receive a second signal from the second hydrogen sensor 886B and control the speed of the fan 880 based on the first signal and the second signal. For example, the first hydrogen sensor 886A and the second hydrogen sensor 886B may be arranged to measure a signal indicating hydrogen concentration at the same or nearly the same location in the common vent 876, as this may be useful for providing redundancy when one of the hydrogen sensors fails or loses communication with the controller 883. For another example, the second hydrogen sensor 886B may be arranged to measure a signal indicating hydrogen concentration at a location in the common vent 876 that is away from the first hydrogen sensor 886A for measurement, as this may be useful for determining certain abnormal conditions that lead to an unusual hydrogen concentration gradient in the common vent 876. In this case, the controller 883 may initiate one or more corrective actions based on the highest value of the first signal and the second signal.

[0099] In certain embodiments, the system 872 may include an enclosure 887, as this may be useful for storing and / or transporting the system 872, so that little or no specialized equipment and / or assembly is required at the point of use of the system 872. Specifically, the enclosure 887 may define an air inlet 888A, an exhaust port 888B, and a chamber 889, the air inlet 888A and the exhaust port 888B being in fluid communication with each other through the environment of the chamber. A plurality of electrochemical cells 861 and a manifold 873 may be disposed in the environment of the chamber 889, wherein the respective headspace 874 of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells 861 and the common vent 876 of the conduit 875 are isolated from the ambient fluid of the chamber 889, and the outlet region 877 of the conduit 875 may be in fluid communication with the surrounding environment outside the enclosure 887. That is, under normal operating conditions, the enclosure 887 may protect the plurality of electrochemical cells 861 and the manifold 873 (e.g., from weather-related degradation) without accumulating hydrogen in the environment of the chamber 889.

[0100] While enclosure 887 may be used to package system 872 into a form factor suitable for transport, and may additionally or alternatively be used to protect components of system 872, it should be understood that in the event of an abnormal situation where hydrogen gas inadvertently accumulates in the environment of chamber 889, the environment of chamber 889 may be associated with certain hazardous conditions or potentially hazardous conditions. Therefore, in some embodiments, system 872 may include a leak sensor 888C (e.g., a hydrogen sensor similar to first hydrogen sensor 886A and second hydrogen sensor 886B) that is arranged to sense hydrogen gas in the environment of chamber 889. Continuing with this example, controller 883 may be in electrical communication with leak sensor 88C, and controller 883 may be further configured to receive a third signal from leak sensor 886C and take one or more corrective actions based at least in part on the third signal of leak sensor 886C if leak sensor 886C detects the presence of a significant amount of hydrogen gas in the environment of chamber 889.

[0101] Reference now Figure 8C In certain embodiments, the corrective action initiated by the controller 883 based on the third signal from the leak sensor 886C may include the use of one or more thermal management components operable to maintain the plurality of electrochemical cells 861 under normal operating conditions. For example, the system 872 may include a cooling fan 890A that is in fluid communication with the environment of the chamber 889 and is actuatable to draw air into the environment of the chamber 889 through the air inlet 888A and exhaust air from the environment of the chamber 889 through the exhaust port. That is, while the cooling fan 890A may generally cool the plurality of electrochemical cells 861 under normal operating conditions, when the leak sensor 886C detects a high concentration of hydrogen or under other abnormal conditions (e.g., loss of communication between the leak sensor 886C and the controller 883), the air changes produced by the operation of the cooling fan 890A may advantageously remove hydrogen from the environment of the chamber 889. For example, with cooling fan 890A activated at maximum rated speed, an air change in the environment of chamber 889 where cooling fan 890A is activated may take less than about 30 seconds, which may be used to quickly reduce the hydrogen concentration in the environment of chamber 889 to restore safe operating conditions.

[0102] In certain embodiments, the system 872 may include a filter material 890B supported along an air inlet 888A of the enclosure 887. The filter material 890B may generally be used to reduce the likelihood of moisture, debris, or other unwanted material entering the environment of the chamber 889 as the cooling fan 890A draws air through the filter material 890B and into the environment of the chamber 889. In the context of gas management, such a reduction in unwanted material in the environment of the chamber 889 may help reduce the likelihood of certain failure modes (e.g., cooling fan failure, communication failure between the leak sensor 88C and the controller 883, etc.) that may serve as a basis for initiating one or more corrective actions up to and including interruption of system operation.

[0103] In certain embodiments, the system 872 may include a evaporative medium 890C supported along an air inlet 888A of the enclosure 887. Thus, as air moves through the air inlet 888A of the enclosure 887, the evaporative medium 890C may evaporate and, in doing so, cool the air entering the environment of the chamber 889. While such cooling is primarily related to thermal management of the plurality of electrochemical cells 861 under normal operating conditions, it should be appreciated that the cooling provided by the evaporative medium 890C may reduce the temperature in the environment of the chamber 889, thereby reducing the likelihood of ignition of the hydrogen-containing gas mixture in the chamber 889, as compared to the likelihood of ignition at higher temperatures that would otherwise occur in the absence of the evaporative medium 890C.

[0104] Reference now Fig.8DIn some embodiments, the system 872 may include an event sensor 891. Although many aspects of gas management described herein are preventive, the event sensor 891 can detect whether a high pressure event (e.g., a high pressure event associated with an explosion) has occurred, so that the system 872 should be shut down or otherwise checked to reduce the possibility of other pressure events that may be greater than the initial pressure event detectable by the event sensor 891. For example, the event sensor 891 may include a housing 891A, a membrane 891B, and a wire 891C. The housing 891A may define a first opening 891D, a second opening 891E, and a volume 891F therebetween. The first opening 891D may be in fluid communication with the common vent 876, and the membrane 891B may be disposed in the volume so that the membrane 891B fluidly isolates the first opening 891D from the second opening 891E in the volume 891F. The second opening 891E may be in fluid communication with the environment outside the pipeline 875 to balance the pressure inside and outside the event sensor 891. In addition, the second opening 891E can be small so that if a pressure event in the common vent 876 causes hydrogen-containing gas to reach the second opening 891E, the gas will not easily flow out of the second opening 891E. The wire 891C can be electrically connected to the power supply and the membrane 891B to form at least a portion of a closed loop. Under a predetermined pressure difference across the membrane 891B (i.e., either side of the membrane 891B), the membrane can be ruptured to switch the closed loop to an open loop, and in some cases, the open loop triggers an alarm and / or other corrective action. It should be understood that the predetermined pressure difference across the membrane 891B may correspond to a pressure difference associated with a rapid pressure rise associated with an explosion. Therefore, in some cases, the membrane 891B can be stainless steel or another highly conductive material, and in addition, or alternatively, the burst pressure across the membrane 891B can be about 0.35 atmospheres.

[0105] Fig. 9 993 is a flow chart of an exemplary method 993 for gas management of a metal-air battery pack. Unless otherwise indicated or the context clearly indicates, it should be understood that any one or more of the various aspects of the exemplary method 993 can be performed by a controller 883 ( 993 ) in electrical communication with one or more of the various sensors, fans, and / or other components described herein. Figure 8B ) is executed. For example, storage medium 885 ( Figure 8B ) may store information for enabling the processing unit 884 ( Figure 8B ) instructions for executing one or more aspects of exemplary method 993.

[0106] As shown in step 994, exemplary method 993 may include receiving a respective signal from each of the one or more hydrogen sensors indicating a hydrogen concentration in a common vent defined by the conduit and in fluid communication between a respective headspace of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells and an outlet region defined by the conduit. For example, a respective signal from at least one of the one or more hydrogen sensors may indicate a hydrogen concentration in the common vent upstream of at least one fan relative to a direction of airflow through the at least one fan toward an outlet of the conduit. Additionally, or alternatively, a respective signal from at least one of the one or more hydrogen sensors indicates a hydrogen concentration in the common vent downstream of a fluid coupling from the headspace of the electrochemical cell to the common vent relative to a direction of airflow through the at least one fan toward an outlet of the conduit.

[0107] In certain embodiments, receiving respective signals from one or more hydrogen sensors may include determining whether each of the one or more hydrogen sensors is in operation. For example, a signal is not received from a given one of the one or more hydrogen sensors at a certain time, at which time such a signal may indicate that the given hydrogen sensor has stopped working and / or lost communication with the controller. If the sensor is determined to be not in operation, one or more corrective actions may be initiated to reduce the likelihood of an abnormal condition occurring when the given hydrogen sensor is not in operation. For example, at least one fan for moving air through a common vent of a duct may be controlled to operate at 100% (or another predetermined percentage) of the rated operating speed so that a high volume flow of air can continue to move through the common vent. Although this mode of operation of the fan is generally inefficient under normal operating conditions, it should be understood that the high-speed operation of the fan in this case is generally completed in a short period of time (e.g., until corrective action can be taken for the hydrogen sensor that is not in operation).

[0108] As shown in step 995, exemplary method 993 may include comparing a respective signal from each of the one or more hydrogen sensors to at least one predetermined threshold. For example, at least one predetermined threshold may correspond to a hydrogen concentration less than the lower flammability limit of hydrogen in air at a predetermined temperature and a predetermined pressure (e.g., at 25°C, atmospheric pressure). Although at least one predetermined threshold may be a single threshold in some cases, it should be understood that at least one predetermined threshold may include a first predetermined threshold and a second predetermined threshold, and the second predetermined threshold may be greater than the first predetermined threshold. For example, the first predetermined threshold and the second predetermined threshold may correspond to a window of hydrogen concentration below the lower flammability limit of hydrogen at a predetermined temperature and a predetermined pressure, so that the window may form the basis for closed-loop control of any one or more of the multiple different components of the gas management system described herein. For example, the first predetermined threshold may correspond to 12.5% ​​of the lower flammability limit of hydrogen in air at a predetermined temperature and a predetermined temperature, while the second predetermined threshold may correspond to 25% of the lower flammability limit of hydrogen in air under the same conditions. These values ​​provide a useful safety margin relative to the lower flammability limit so that one or more corrective actions can be taken preventively - ie, before the hydrogen concentration within the common vent becomes hazardous.

[0109] As shown in step 996, exemplary method 993 may include controlling at least one fan in fluid communication with the common vent and operable to move gas along the common vent and out of the conduit through the outlet based on a comparison of the respective signal of each of the one or more hydrogen sensors with the at least one predetermined threshold in step 995. For example, controlling the at least one fan may include creating a vacuum pressure in the common conduit, as this may be useful in reducing the likelihood of hydrogen in the common conduit leaking out of the conduit.

[0110] Returning to the example where the at least one predetermined threshold comprises a first predetermined threshold and a second predetermined threshold, controlling the at least one fan may include adjusting the operating speed of the at least one fan if the respective signal from any one of the hydrogen sensors is between the first predetermined threshold and the second predetermined threshold. In certain embodiments, adjusting the operating speed of the at least one fan may include gradually increasing (e.g., gradually increasing the speed over time) the operating speed of the at least one fan if the respective signal from any one of the one or more hydrogen sensors is between the first predetermined threshold and the second predetermined threshold. Continuing with this example, once the respective signal from each of the one or more hydrogen sensors indicates that the hydrogen concentration in the common vent is below the first predetermined threshold, the at least one fan may be turned off to reduce power consumption for gas management. Still continuing with this example, if the signal from the one or more hydrogen sensors indicates that the hydrogen concentration in the common vent is below the first predetermined threshold, and the at least one fan is turned off, controlling the at least one fan may include periodically starting the at least one fan at one or more predetermined intervals. Such periodic activation of the at least one fan may move any hydrogen out of the common vent and may further or alternatively provide a useful condition for periodically measuring the hydrogen concentration to determine whether additional fans need to be started. It will be appreciated that periodically activating the at least one fan during low hydrogen conditions consumes less power than continuously running the at least one fan.

[0111] While certain embodiments of gas management have been described, it should be understood that other embodiments of gas management are additionally or alternatively possible.

[0112] For example, while fans have been described as being arranged to draw air into the common vent through inlets in ducts defining the common vent, other fan arrangements are also possible, additionally or alternatively. Fig.10, the system 1072 may include at least one instance of a fan 1080 oriented relative to a common vent 1076 defined by the duct 1075 such that the at least one instance of the fan 1080 is operable to create a positive pressure in the common vent 1076 relative to the ambient pressure at an inlet region 1081 of the duct 1075. That is, the at least one instance of the fan 1080 is operable to push air through the common vent 1076 in a direction from the inlet region 1081 toward an outlet region defined by the duct 1075. In such an embodiment, the at least one instance of the fan 1080 is located upstream—relative to the direction in which air is pushed from the inlet region 1081 toward the outlet region 1077 in the common vent 1076—relative to a location associated with the accumulation of hydrogen in the common vent 1076. Thus, at least one instance of fan 1080 is less likely to be located near accumulated hydrogen, which can translate into cost savings in the type of fan used (eg, at least one instance of fan 1080 can be a fan type that is not explosion-proof rated).

[0113] Additionally or alternatively, although the conduit has been described as including a common vent defining an inlet and an outlet, other approaches are also possible, additionally or alternatively. For example, referring now to Fig.11 , system 1172 may include a conduit 1075 defining a common vent 1176, and the conduit 1075 may be a closed terminal along the common vent 1176 so that at least one instance of the fan 1080 draws gas through the common vent 1176 in a direction away from the fluid coupling of the plurality of electrochemical cells 1161 toward an outlet area 1177 defined by the common vent 1176.

[0114] In addition, or alternatively, although the system for gas management is described as discharging a hydrogen-oxygen mixture, it should be understood that, additionally or alternatively, other methods are possible. For example, oxygen and hydrogen can be discharged separately from each of the multiple electrochemical cells. After the oxygen and hydrogen are discharged separately, the possibility of hydrogen and oxygen / air forming a flammable mixture is reduced. However, compared with the hydrogen-oxygen mixture gas exhaust technology described herein, this arrangement requires additional hardware. For example, in order to discharge oxygen and hydrogen separately, each of the electrochemical cells can include a partition disposed between at least one air electrode and a metal electrode. The partition can divide the top space into a first part and a second part that are fluidically isolated from each other. The first part of the top space can be located above the metal electrode and is in fluid communication with the common vent of the pipeline. The second part of the top space can be located above the at least one air electrode and is in fluid communication with the oxygen vent discharged to the surrounding atmosphere.

[0115] The foregoing method description and process flow chart are provided as illustrative examples only and are not intended to require or imply that the steps of the multiple embodiments must be performed in the order presented. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the order of the steps in the foregoing embodiments may be performed in any order. For example, words such as "thereafter", "then", "next step" are not intended to limit the order of the steps; these words may simply be used to guide the reader through the description of the method. In addition, any reference to a claim element in the singular, such as using an article ("a", "an" or "said"), should not be construed as limiting the element to the singular. In this article, "about" may refer to a range of + / -5%.

[0116] In addition, any step of any embodiment described herein can be used in any other embodiment. The foregoing description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the claims. Various modifications to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be applied to other embodiments without departing from the scope of the claims. Therefore, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is given the widest scope consistent with the appended claims and the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A system for gas management of a metal-air battery, the system comprising: a plurality of electrochemical cells, each of the plurality of electrochemical cells comprising at least one air electrode, a metal electrode, a container, and a liquid electrolyte in the container between the at least one air electrode and the metal electrode, each of the plurality of electrochemical cells defining a respective headspace above the liquid electrolyte in the container; as well as A manifold includes a conduit defining a common vent and an outlet region, wherein a respective headspace of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells is fluidly coupled to the common vent and in fluid communication with the outlet region of the conduit.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of risers, wherein each of the plurality of risers defines a respective cell vent, and a respective headspace of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells is fluidly coupled to the common vent through at least one cell vent of the plurality of risers.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one fan in fluid communication with the common vent, wherein the at least one fan is operable to move gas along the common vent and out of the duct through the outlet region.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one fan is disposed in the common vent.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one fan is oriented relative to the common vent such that the at least one fan is operable to create a negative pressure in the common vent relative to the ambient air pressure at the outlet region of the duct.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one fan is explosion proof rated.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one fan comprises a first fan and a second fan.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first fan and the second fan are powered separately from each other.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein only one of the first fan and the second fan is operable at a time.

10. The system of claim 3, wherein the conduit is closed-terminal along the common vent and the at least one fan draws gas through the common vent toward the outlet region in a direction away from the fluid coupling of the plurality of electrochemical cells.

11. A system as described in claim 3, wherein the conduit defines an inlet area, the respective top space of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells is connected to the common vent fluid along the conduit between the inlet area and the outlet area, and the at least one fan is operable to move air into the common vent through the inlet area.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a filter disposed along the inlet region of the conduit.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one fan is oriented relative to the common vent such that the at least one fan is operable to create a positive pressure in the common vent relative to ambient pressure at the inlet region of the duct.

14. The system of claim 3, further comprising a controller and a first hydrogen sensor, wherein the controller is electrically connected to the at least one fan and the first hydrogen sensor, the first hydrogen sensor being arranged to sense hydrogen in the common vent, and the controller being configured to receive a first signal from the first hydrogen sensor and to control a speed of the at least one fan based on the first signal received from the first hydrogen sensor.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first hydrogen gas sensor is at least partially disposed in the common vent of the conduit between the outlet region of the conduit and a fluid coupling of a respective headspace of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells to the common vent of the conduit.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising a second hydrogen sensor in electrical communication with the controller, wherein the controller is further configured to receive a second signal from the second hydrogen sensor and control the speed of the at least one fan based on the first signal and the second signal.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising an enclosure defining an inlet, an exhaust, and a chamber, wherein the inlet and the exhaust are fluidically connected to each other through an environment of the chamber, the plurality of electrochemical cells and the manifold are at least partially disposed in the environment of the chamber, wherein the respective head spaces of each of the electrochemical cells and the common vent of the conduit are isolated from the ambient fluid of the enclosure, and the outlet region of the conduit is fluidly connected to an ambient environment outside the enclosure.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a cooling fan in fluid communication with the chamber environment and actuatable to draw air into the chamber environment through the air inlet and exhaust air from the chamber environment through the exhaust.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein: The atmosphere of the chamber environment changes for less than about 30 seconds with the cooling fan activated at maximum rated speed.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising a filter material supported along the air inlet of the enclosure.

21. The system of claim 17, further comprising an evaporative medium supported along the air inlet of the enclosure, wherein evaporative cooling of the evaporative medium is achieved by activating the cooling fan to draw air into the environment of the chamber.

22. The system of claim 18, further comprising a leak sensor arranged to sense hydrogen in the environment of the chamber, wherein the controller is in electrical communication with the leak sensor, and the controller is further configured to receive a third signal from the leak sensor and activate the cooling fan based on the third signal.

23. The system of claim 1, further comprising an event sensor, the event sensor comprising a housing, a membrane and a wire, wherein the housing defines a first opening, a second opening and a volume between the first opening and the second opening, the first opening being fluidly connected to the common vent of the pipeline, the membrane being disposed in the volume and fluidly isolating the first opening from the second opening in the volume, the wire being electrically connected to a power source and the membrane to form at least a portion of a closed loop, and the membrane being rupturable under a predetermined pressure difference across the membrane to switch the closed loop to an open loop.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the membrane has a burst pressure of about 0.35 atmospheres across the membrane.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrochemical cells comprises iron-air type battery cells, zinc-air type battery cells, lithium-air battery cells, or a combination thereof.

26. A method for gas management of a metal-air battery, the method comprising: receiving a respective signal from each of the one or more hydrogen gas sensors, the signal being indicative of a concentration of hydrogen gas in a common vent defined by the conduit and in fluid communication between a respective headspace of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells and an outlet region defined by the conduit; comparing a respective signal from each of the one or more hydrogen sensors to at least one predetermined threshold; as well as Based on the comparison of the respective signal of each of the one or more hydrogen sensors with the at least one predetermined threshold, at least one fan is controlled, the at least one fan being in fluid communication with the common vent and being operable to move gas along the common vent and out of the conduit through the outlet region.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the at least one predetermined threshold corresponds to a hydrogen concentration that is less than a lower flammability limit of hydrogen in air at a predetermined temperature and a predetermined pressure.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the at least one predetermined threshold comprises a first predetermined threshold and a second predetermined threshold, the second predetermined threshold being greater than the first predetermined threshold, and controlling the at least one fan comprises: If the respective signal from any one of the one or more hydrogen sensors is between the first predetermined threshold and the second predetermined threshold, the operating speed of the at least one fan is adjusted.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein adjusting the operating speed of the at least one fan comprises: If the respective signal from any one of the one or more hydrogen sensors is between the first predetermined threshold and the second predetermined threshold, the operating speed of the at least one fan is increased stepwise.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein controlling the at least one fan comprises periodically activating the at least one fan at one or more predetermined intervals.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the first predetermined threshold is 12.5% ​​of the lower flammability limit of hydrogen in air at the predetermined temperature and the predetermined pressure.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the second predetermined threshold is 25% of the lower flammability limit of hydrogen in air at the predetermined temperature and the predetermined pressure.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein the respective signal from at least one of the one or more hydrogen sensors is indicative of a concentration of hydrogen in the common vent upstream of the at least one fan relative to a direction of air flow through the at least one fan toward the outlet region of the duct.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein a respective signal from at least one of the one or more hydrogen sensors indicates a concentration of hydrogen in the common vent downstream of a fluid coupling from a head space of the electrochemical cell to the common vent relative to a direction of airflow through the at least one fan toward the outlet region of the duct.

35. The method of claim 26, wherein receiving respective signals from the one or more hydrogen sensors comprises determining whether each of the one or more hydrogen sensors is operating, and controlling the at least one fan comprises: If each of the one or more hydrogen sensors is determined to be not operating, operating the at least one fan at 100% of the rated operating speed.

36. The method of claim 26, wherein controlling the at least one fan comprises creating a vacuum pressure in the common vent of the duct.

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