Page 361 - Lindens Handbook of Batteries

14.26 PriMAry BATTerieS

4. Do not inhibit cell vents in battery construction.
5. Do not use flammable materials in the construction of batteries.
6. Allow for release of vented gases.
7. incorporate resistor and switch to activate it to ensure complete depletion of active materials after
normal discharge. This allows disposal as nonhazardous waste.
8. in certain cases, a diode is placed in parallel with the cell to limit the voltage excursion in reversal.
Currently special procedures govern the transportation, shipment, and disposal of Li/SO bat-
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teries as well as other lithium batteries. 12–15 Procedures for the use, storage, and handling of these
batteries also have been recommended. The latest issue of these regulations should be consulted for
the most recent procedures.

14.5.6 Applications
The desirable characteristics of the Li/SO battery and its ability to deliver a high energy output and
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operate over a wide range of temperatures, discharge loads, and storage conditions have opened up
applications for this primary battery that heretofore were beyond the capability of primary battery
systems.
Major applications for the Li/SO battery are in military equipment, such as night-vision devices,
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radio transceivers, and portable surveillance devices, taking advantage of its light weight and wide-
temperature operation. Table 14.10 lists the most common types of military Li/SO and Li/MnO
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batteries, their characteristics and applications. These batteries are constructed to meet the require-
ments of MiL-PrF-49471 B (Cr) and the applicable specification sheets for the particular battery
type. Other military applications, such as sonobuoys and munitions, have long shelf-life require-
ments, and the active Li/SO primary battery can replace reserve batteries used earlier. Some indus-
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trial applications have developed, particularly to replace secondary batteries and eliminate the need
for recharging. Consumer applications have been limited to date because of restrictions in shipment
and transportation and concern with its hazardous components. 21

14.6 LITHIUM/THIONYL CHLORIDE (Li/SOCL ) BATTERIES
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The lithium/thionyl chloride (Li/SOCl ) battery has one of the highest cell voltages (nominal
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voltage 3.6 V) and energy densities of the practical battery systems. Specific energy and energy
densities range up to about 590 Wh/kg and 1100 Wh/L, the highest values being achieved with the
low-rate batteries. Figures 8.8, 8.9, and 14.2 illustrate some of the advantageous characteristics of
the Li/SOCl cell.
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Li/SOCl batteries have been fabricated in a variety of sizes and designs, ranging from wafer
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or coin cells with capacities as low as 420 mAh, cylindrical cells in bobbin and spirally wound
electrode structures, to large 10,000 Ah prismatic cells, plus a number of special sizes and configu-
rations to meet particular requirements. The thionyl chloride system originally suffered from safety
problems, especially on high-rate discharges and overdischarge, and a voltage delay that was most
evident on low-temperature discharges after high-temperature storage. 22
Low-rate batteries have been used commercially for many years for memory backup and other
applications requiring a long operating life, such as toll tags and rF transponders. The large pris-
matic batteries have been used in military applications as an emergency backup power source.
Medium- and high-rate batteries have also been developed as power sources for a variety of elec-
tric and electronic devices. Some of these batteries contain additives to the thionyl chloride and
other oxyhalide electrolytes to enhance certain performance characteristics. These are covered in
Sec. 14.7.