Selection Considerations for Lithium Thionyl Chloride Batteries
Known also as Li/SOCI2 or ER, lithium thionyl chloride batteries provide dependable DC power that has strong energy density and is long-lasting because of its extended shelf-life. They have many applications, ranging from aerospace and vehicle industries to the healthcare sector, because of their unique characteristics. With that said, these cells are all unique, and to find the ideal one that will meet your needs, you must consider the following:
Pack or cell level battery
Before committing to any purchases, decide whether to go for battery packs or single-cell batteries. Voltage, packaging, and reliability requirements may influence your decision. For example, ER cells generally are at 3.65V OCV and around 3.3V to 3.5V CCV at their nominal currents. Thus, if you have to power something lower, you should consider single cells. On the other hand, if you need something more, opt for battery packs instead.
Temperature range
Most Li/SOCI2 batteries tend to operate at varying ranges, from 0°C to over +80°C; however, some can operate at +200°C, making them ideal for those in need of the best battery for high temperature. Generally, ER cells are electromechanical devices, and operating temperatures can impact their potential to produce energy. Therefore, the warmer the temperature is, the more robust the battery can produce electrical current while maintaining its voltage.
Conversely, colder temperatures can result in less current generated to cover the load demand of the applications it supports. For this reason, you must ensure that the battery you choose can meet the application’s load needs. This is especially true if they’ll be running at colder temperatures.
Voltage
ER cells chemically possess 3.65V OCV and deliver an OCV of about 3.3V. As such, to get greater voltages, you’ll need to configure sets of cells that are connected negative to positive and so on. As previously mentioned, every cell step within the set will contribute 3.6OV of OCV into its battery pack. And this can be achieved by getting the batteries loaded into canisters and cell holders, ensuring contacts at the positive and negative ends of the batteries in the series string.
While this might be passable for consumer products, it’s unreliable when it comes to the continuity of industrial devices, wherein failure can lead to costly downtimes. In manufacturing and other industrial applications, it’s better to have multi-cell batteries built into battery packs, where permanent soldering and welds connect the inter-cell connections.
Capacity
As its name implies, the cell’s capacity will determine your application’s runtime before its power runs out. Different battery types will have varying capacities. Obviously, the larger ones will have more than their smaller counterparts because of the volume it has for all the active ingredients. So, if you need more power, be sure to opt for the more significant variants.
Conclusion
Choosing the right ER or Li/SOCI2 cells requires more careful thought and consideration than you might think. So be sure to consider all the factors above to get the suitable batteries you need and avoid spending on the wrong ones.