Volume I Part 9 (2/2)

In some forms of dry batteries, starch or other paste is added to improve the contact of the electrolyte with the zinc and promote a more even distribution of action throughout the electrolyte. Mercury, too, is often added to effect amalgamation of the zinc.

As in the ordinary wet type of LeClanche cell, the purpose of the manganese is to act as a depolarizer; the carbon or graphite being added to give conductivity to the manganese and to form a large electrode surface. It is important that the sal ammoniac, which is the active agent of the cell, should be free from lumps in order to mix properly with the manganese and carbon.

A small local action takes place in the dry cell, caused by the dissimilar metals necessarily employed in soldering up the zinc cup and in soldering the terminal rod of zinc to the zinc cup proper. This action, however, is slight in the better grades of cells. As a result of this, and also of the gradual drying out of the moisture within the cell, these cells gradually deteriorate even when not in use--this is commonly called _shelf-wear_. Shelf-wear is much more serious in the very small sizes of dry cells than in the larger ones.

Dry cells are made in a large number of shapes and sizes. The most useful form, however, is the ordinary cylindrical type. These are made in sizes varying from one and one-half inches high and three-quarters inch in diameter to eight inches high and three and three-quarters inches in diameter. The most used and standard size of dry cell is of cylindrical form six inches high and two and three-quarters inches in diameter. The dry cell when new and in good condition has an open-circuit voltage of from 1.5 to 1.6 volts. Perhaps 1.55 represents the usual average.

A cell of the two and three-quarters by six-inch size will give throughout its useful life probably thirty ampere hours as a maximum, but this varies greatly with the condition of use and the make of cell. Its effective voltage during its useful life averages about one volt, and if during this life it gives a total discharge of thirty ampere hours, the fair energy rating of the cell will be thirty watt-hours. This may not be taken as an accurate figure, however, as the watt-hour capacity of a cell depends very largely, not only on the make of the cell, but on the rate of its discharge.

An examination of Fig. 63 shows that the dry cell has all of the essential elements of the LeClanche cell. The materials of which the electrodes are made are the same and the porous cup of the disk LeClanche cell is represented in the dry cell by the blotting-paper cylinder, which separates the zinc from the carbon electrode. The positively charged electrode must not be considered as merely the carbon plate or rod alone, but rather the carbon rod with its surrounding mixture of peroxide of manganese and broken carbon. Such being the case, it is obvious that the separation between the electrodes is very small, while the surface presented by both electrodes is very large. As a result, the internal resistance of the cell is small and the current which it will give on a short circuit is correspondingly large. A good cell of the two and three-quarters by six-inch size will give eighteen or twenty amperes on short-circuit, when new.

As the action of the cell proceeds, zinc chloride and ammonia are formed, and there being insufficient water to dissolve the ammonia, there results the formation of double chlorides of zinc and ammonium.

These double chlorides are less soluble than the chlorides and finally occupy the pores of the paper lining between the electrolyte and the zinc and greatly increase the internal resistance of the cell. This increase of resistance is further contributed to by the gradual drying out of the cell as its age increases.

Within the last few years dry batteries have been so perfected mechanically, chemically, and electrically that they have far greater outputs and better recuperative power than any of the other types of LeClanche batteries, while in point of convenience and economy, resulting from their small size and non-breakable, non-spillable features and low cost, they leave no room for comparison.

_Closed-Circuit Cells_. Gravity-Cell:--Coming now to the consideration of closed-circuit or constant-current cells, the most important is the well-known gravity, or blue-stone, cell, devised by Daniell. It is largely used in telegraphy, and often in telephony in such cases as require a constantly flowing current of small quant.i.ty. Such a cell is shown in Fig. 64.

The elements of the gravity cell are electrodes of copper and zinc.

The solution in which the copper plate is immersed is primarily a solution of copper sulphate, commonly known as blue-stone, in water.

The zinc plate after the cell is in action is immersed in a solution of sulphate of zinc which is formed around it.

The gla.s.s jar is usually cylindrical, the standard sizes being 5 inches diameter and 7 inches deep; and also 6 inches diameter and 8 inches deep. The copper electrode is of sheet copper of the form shown, and it is partly covered with crystals of blue-stone or copper sulphate. Frequently, in later forms of cells, the copper electrode consists merely of a straight, thick, rectangular bar of copper laid horizontally, directly on top of the blue-stone crystals. In all cases a rubber-insulated wire is attached by riveting to the copper electrode, and pa.s.ses up through the electrolyte to form the positive terminal.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 64. Gravity Cell]

The zinc is, as a rule, of crowfoot form, as shown, whence this cell derives the commonly applied name of _crowfoot cell_. This is essentially a two-fluid cell, for in its action zinc sulphate is formed, and this being lighter than copper sulphate rises to the top of the jar and surrounds the zinc. Gravity, therefore, serves to keep the two fluids separate.

[Ill.u.s.tration: INTERIOR OF WAREHOUSE FOR TELEPHONE CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL]

In the action of the cell, when the external circuit is closed, sulphuric acid is formed which attacks the zinc to form sulphate of zinc and to liberate hydrogen, which follows its tendency to attach itself to the copper plate. But in so doing the hydrogen necessarily pa.s.ses through the solution of sulphate of copper surrounding the copper plate. The hydrogen immediately combines with the SO_{4} radical, forming therewith sulphuric acid, and liberating metallic copper. This sulphuric acid, being lighter than the copper sulphate, rises to the surface of the zinc and attacks the zinc, thus forming more sulphate of zinc. The metallic copper so formed is deposited on the copper plate, thereby keeping the surface bright and clean. Since hydrogen is thus diverted from the copper plate, polarization does not ensue.

The zinc sulphate being colorless, while the copper sulphate is of a dark blue color, the separating line of the two liquids is easily distinguishable. This line is called the _blue line_ and care should be taken that it does not reach the zinc and cause a deposit of copper to be placed thereon.

As has been stated, these two liquids do not mix readily, but they will eventually mingle unless the action of the cell is sufficient to use up the copper sulphate as speedily as it is dissolved. Thus it will be seen that while the cell is free from polarization and local action, there is, nevertheless, a deteriorating effect if the cell is allowed to remain long on open circuit. Therefore, it should be used when a constant current is required.

Prevention of Creeping:--Much trouble has been experienced in gravity cells due to the creeping of the salts over the edge of the jar.

Frequently the upper edges of the jars are coated by dipping in hot paraffin wax in the hope of preventing this. Sometimes oil is poured on top of the fluid in the jar to prevent the creeping of the salts and the evaporation of the electrolyte. The following account of experiments performed by Mr. William Reid, of Chicago, throws light on the relative advantages of these and other methods of preventing creeping.

The experiment was made with gravity cells having 5-inch by 7-inch gla.s.s jars. Four cells were made up and operated in a rather dry, warm place, although perhaps under no more severe local conditions than would be found in most telephone exchanges.

Cell No. 1 was a plain cell as ordinarily used. Cell No. 2 had the top of the rim of the jar treated with paraffin wax by dipping the rim to about one inch in depth in melted paraffin wax. Cell No. 3 had melted paraffin wax poured over the surface of the liquid forming a seal about 3/16 inch in thickness. After cooling, a few small holes were bored through the seal to let gases escape. Cell No. 4 had a layer of heavy paraffin oil nearly 1/2 inch in thickness (about 6 oz. being used) on top of the solutions.

These cells were all run on a load of .22 to .29 amperes for 15-1/2 hours per day for thirty days, after which the following results were noted:

(_a_) The plain cell, or cell No. 1, had to have 26 ounces of water added to it to replace that which had evaporated. The creeping of zinc sulphate salts was very bad.

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