Abstract

In an electrochemical storage device such as a zinc-bromine or zinc-chlorine accumulator containing groups of electrochemical cells connected in series to a load, nonuniformly distributed deposits of the active electrochemical material on the electrodes are removed by a complete discharge of the cells. While the storage device energizes a principal load, the cell groups of the storage device are discharged in a cyclic sequence via an auxiliary load and disconnected from the series circuit of the cell groups no later than the time at which the respective cell group has attained its operational use limit. The disconnected discharging cell group is further discharged via the auxiliary load until the nonuniformly distributed deposits on the electrodes of the cell group are totally removed. The cell group is then recharged and reinserted into the series circuit of the cell groups or, alternatively, reconnected to the series circuit and then recharged. The method of operation enables the energization of a load by the storage device while the device is being regenerated.