| CPC C02F 1/4691 (2013.01) [C02F 2103/08 (2013.01); C02F 2201/46 (2013.01)] | 11 Claims |
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1. A method of activating a desalination battery working intercalation electrode, the method comprising:
providing a desalination battery including:
a working intercalation electrode and a counter intercalation electrode, each electrode arranged in a separate compartment including saline water solution with an elevated concentration of dissolved salts; and
an ion exchange membrane arranged between the compartments;
prior to operation of the battery, in a closed state with no water flow,
activating the desalination battery working intercalation electrode by applying a predetermined voltage to the working intercalation electrode to either (a) de-intercalate ions from the working intercalation electrode into a counter intercalation electrode compartment such that the working intercalation electrode's ion shuttling capacity increases or (b) intercalate ions to the working intercalation electrode from the counter intercalation electrode compartment to decrease an ion shuttling capacity of the working intercalation electrode; and
reducing or oxidizing a sacrificial compound to neutralize charge in one of the compartments during the activating, the sacrificial compound being consumable and excluding pure water, wherein the sacrificial compound comprises one or more non-recycled compounds that are consumed and removed from the desalination battery during the activation.
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