Page 417 - Battery Reference Book

38/4 Lithium primary batteries

Table 38.1
Sanyo Duracell
Button Cylindrical Button Multicell
batteries
V nominal 3 3 3 6
6
Capacity nominal 35-500 160-5000 70-1300 160- 1300
(m.4 h)
Diameter (mm) 12.5-24.5 11.6-23 11.6-20 13-35
Height (mm) 1.6-5 10.8-60 1.6-34.5 25-36
Weight (g) 0.8-6.2 3.3-40 1.8-17 9.4-40

sonabuoys, fuzes, torpedoes, emergency power for are: memory back-up, calculators, cameras, watches,
crew rescue and space applications. (Suppliers: Eagle microprocessors, pace setters, electronic alarms,
Picher, Honeywell (US), Yardney (US), Philips USFA measuring instruments. (Memory back-up, watch and
BV, Power Conversion Ltd (UK), Silberkraft Gmbh camera applications together account for 75% of world
(Germany) and Sonnenschein GmbH (Germany.) production.)
The following types of battery available from man-
ufacturers are shown in Table 38.1.
38.4 Lithium -manganese dioxide Applications for these cells are now well estab-
lished. Advantages that they enjoy over conventional
With the microprocessor involvement in all kinds of primary cells are: high voltage and energy density,
applications, the lithium-manganese dioxide battery excellent discharge characteristics, good leak resist-
has become extensively used. Possible applications ance, good storage characteristics, wide operating tem-
include LCD watches, pocket calculators, CMOS perature range, stability and safety.
memory protection, measuring instruments, electronic More recent applications of lithium-manganese
alarms and pace setters. The cells may either provide cells include camera autowinding in fully automatic
back-up for memory retention in fixed installations cameras, shavers, interphones, fishing floats, hearing
or act as a side or part power source in portable aids, lamps, alarms and high alarm batteries strobes
equipment. and camera equipment. Envisaged future applications
SAFT supply a range of 3V button cells recom- include high performance lights, handy telephones,
mended for use in LCD watches, pocket calculators, transceivers and highly portable electronic equipment.
CMOS memory protection measuring instruments and
electronic alarms. These cells have an energy den- 38.5 Lithium-copper oxide
sity of 400-500Wh/dm3 (120-150Whkg) and an
annual self-discharge rate of 2-3%. The capacities The lithium-copper oxide battery has two special
vary from 200 mA h (type LM 2425) through 90 mA h characteristics. Its initial voltage is approximately 2 V,
(type LM 2020) to 50mAh (LM 2016). The tempera- but when fully loaded it drops to a flat 1.5 V. Thus
ture operating range is -20 to +SOT. it can be used as a direct replacement for carbon and
Varta also supply a range of 3 V lithium-manganese alkaline cells. (Most other lithium batteries have volt-
dioxide button cells ranging in capacity from 3 to ages from 2.8 to 3.5 V.) Lithium-copper oxide also has
1400 mA h. a wide temperature range, spanning -55 to +125"C.
Lithium-manganese dioxide cells are a strong con- Although it is not the highest performance lithium
tender for CMOS data retention applications. The main combination, its voltage and temperature characteris-
drawback of lithium-manganese dioxide cells is that tics permit applications in specific niches.
they are susceptible to damage from even small reverse The lithium-copper oxide battery has applications
currents and therefore require a more careful selection in power well lagging equipment, microprocessors,
of isolation diodes. One maker cautions that the isola- public address systems, high-temperature heat coun-
tion diodes must have less than 10 nA leakage. Because ters, CMOS memory protection, telex systems, high-
of the tight specification on the isolation-diode leak- temperature devices, and specialized industrial and
age and the limited temperature specifications for the military applications.
material, lithium-manganese dioxide is not an ideal Cells are supplied by SAFT (France) in bobbin
choice for high-temperature applications. cylindrical cell format and by Sanyo (Japan) in button
This battery was invented by Sanyo and is now construction. AA and 1AA cylindrical and bobbin
manufactured under licence by over ten companies constructions are also available. The AA cell has a
throughout the world. The major fields of application capacity of 3.7 Ah.