Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] saltwater battery

["Finn Limseth" <limseth@online.no>]

Hello guys. I have been following this group for a while, but this is my first input.

I have been working with saltwater batteries professonally and I feel that some basic information can clearify this matter.

Saltwater batteries can only produce less than 2.0 V DC. You can not connect several cells in series, since the seawater ,(that is necessary for the process)  also will short circuit the battery if more than one cell is connected. 
What you need to do is to use a DC/DC converter to bring the low voltage up to required voltage. This is not straight forward since we are talking about very high currents at typically 1.2 V, to get any useable power. 

Seawater batteries are therefore not very useable for underwater vehicles, but excellent for extreme long lasting low power consumers.    


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Herve" <caribsub@coqui.net>
To: <personal_submersibles@psubs.org>
Sent: Tuesday, July 16, 2002 4:09 AM
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] saltwater battery


> that s an interesting idea, please forward your info.
> i know that some buoys are powered with such batteries
> Herve
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bob Decker" <bdecker@gci.com>
> To: <personal_submersibles@psubs.org>
> Sent: Monday, July 15, 2002 6:31 PM
> Subject: [PSUBS-MAILIST] saltwater battery
> 
> 
> > I was looking for rechargeable batteries and tripped over this idea.
> > Saltwater batteries, they are used currently for air delivered torpedo's.
> > After further research I found the idea in the patient office. basically
> > theres a plate of magnesium and a plate of  silver-chloride. saltwater is
> > the electrolyte the battery only works while it submerged, rinse it with
> > freshwater and it shuts off. the design projection I saw indicated that,
> if
> > fresh saltwater was flowing thru it, a battery would run until the plates
> > broke down. this could take day or week or months depending on battery
> > design. each cell delivers 1.7 volts a bank of 8 could yeild 12 volts. I'm
> > thinking of building a prototype diver assist unit with one of these
> > batteries as its power source.
> > If anyone wants info I can find the links.
> >
> > Bob D
> >
> >
> >
> 
> 
>