METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING WATER IMBALANCE IN AN ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL

A system and method of controlling water imbalance in an electrochemical cell is provided. The method includes determining a present water imbalance in the electrochemical cell by summing a waterand a waterless a water. Waterrepresents an amount of water introduced into the electrochemical cell by an oxidant feed gas; waterrepresents an amount of water created by the electrochemical cell from the electrochemical reaction; and waterrepresents an amount of water discharged from the electrochemical cell by an oxidant exhaust gas. The method includes tracking a cumulative water imbalance during operation of the electrochemical cell by repeatedly determining the present water imbalance and continuing to sum the results during operation. And, the method also includes adjusting a flow rate of the oxidant feed gas entering the electrochemical cell based on the cumulative water imbalance.