SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS TO LITHIUM RESERVE BATTERIES

A NOVEL APPROACH TO THE SAFETY OF RESERVE BATTERIES IS TAKEN, BASED ON A BATTERY DESIGN THAT ELIMINATES THE USE OF A SEPARATE RESERVOIR TO STORE THE ELECTROLYTE DURING INACTIVE LIFE OF THE BATTERY. CELLS WITHOUT THE ELECTROLYTE AND THE ELECTROLYTE ITSELF ARE SITUATED IN A BATTERY CONTAINER, STORED UNDER VACUUM. THE BATTERY IS ACTIVATED SIMPLY BY ADMITTING THE AIR INTO THE CONTAINER. THE AIR FORCES THE ELECTROLYTE INTO EACH CELL IN A BATTERY,CONNECTED IN SERIES OR IN PARALLEL. THE SAFETY FEATURE INCORPORATED IN THIS DESIGN IS BASED ON THE FACT THE CELLS UPON ACTIVATION REMAIN OPEN TO THE BATTERY CONTAINER, WHICH IS HERMETICALLY ISOLATED FROM THE ENVIRONMENT. THE ELECTROLYTE FILL TUBES SERVE AS VENTS, SO THAT ANY CELL UNDER ABUSE COULD DISCHARGE ITS ELECTROLYTE BACK INTO THE BATTERY CONTAINER AND AVOID THE INTERNAL PRESSURE BUILD-UP THAT SOMETIMES LEADS TO EXPLOSION. THE PHASE ONE OF THE PROGRAM WOULD BE DEDICATED TO THE STUDY OF SAFETY ASPECTS OF THIS NEW RESERVE BATTERY DESIGN.