| abstract |
A high temperature battery of one or more cells is disclosed in which each cell is made by holding an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, of different metallic substances, together through a fused flux wetted to an electrode, which fused flux is an electrolyte, to make an anode-to-cathode contact, and the anode-to-cathode contact is heated, by a heat source, to a high temperature above a threshold temperature to generate voltaic voltage, in excess of any thermoelectric voltage; such batteries with electrodes of various configurations are disclosed. The heat-activated flux and electrolyte, such as borax, may have, vegetable-growth ashes or chemical constituents of ashes, such as lithium carbonate, added to the heat-activated flux and electrolyte to catalyze or improve the current-generating capability of the battery. The preferred anode substance is aluminum, and the preferred cathode substance is copper. With the preferred cathode and anode substances and a heat-activated flux and electrolyte of fused borax between the cathode and anode, the open circuit voltage generated per cell when heated increases from 0.05 volts at 304° C. to 1.3 volts at 651° C.; the threshold temperature in this case is 279° C. Also disclosed is means to move the anode metal with respect to the cathode metal, when the heat-activated flux and electrolyte is fluid, for changing the battery characteristics and for replacing depleted heat-activated flux and electrolyte. |