| abstract |
An ambient temperature electric cell of primary and secondary nature, characterized by the use of the dithionite salt of an active (alkali or an alkaline earth) metal as the charging agent, and including processes for manufacturing and for operating the same. The dithionite salt is dissolved and suspended in an anhydrous electrolyte comprised of a suitable solvent, which may also contain another salt of the same active metal and may be saturated with sulfur dioxide. To form the cell, a sealed and evacuated enclosure having a negative electrode and a positive current gathering electrode is filled with the electrolyte and subjected to a charging current sufficient to plate the active metal onto the negative electrode, while the positive electrode is saturated with sulfur dioxide. In the case of a secondary cell, the dithionite produced upon discharge is available as a partially dissolved and suspended salt in the electrolyte. Such availability may be enhanced by a system for forced circulation of the electrolyte. In the case of a primary cell, the final cell potential and discharge characteristics may be enhanced by replacing the dithionite electrolyte with other anhydrous electrolyte solutions (e.g., sulfuryl chloride or thionyl chloride) once the lithium has been plated out. The cell is characterized by extremely low internal resistance, long shelf life and excellent performance over a wide temperature range. |