House of Batteries is a custom battery pack designer & assembler and a master distributor for every major battery manufacturer in every battery chemistry for every electronic application.
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House of Batteries manufactures custom lithium primary battery packs and assemblies for many applications. Our battery design team uses the latest mechanical and electronic design tools to optimize the reliability, safety and manufacturability of your custom battery packs.  This gives you the most cost effective and dependable lithium primary battery pack solution for your specific needs. View individual product specifications for individual Lithium Primary Batteries.

Custom Lithium Primary Battery Packs & Assemblies

Lithium's negative potential for battery packs is higher than any other metal. Lithium is also the lightest non-gaseous metal. Batteries and battery packs based on lithium chemistries have the highest specific energy (energy per unit weight) and energy density (energy per unit volume) of all types. Lithium cells have OCVs (open circuit voltages) of between 2.7 and 3.6 V. Most lithium primary cells, however, have a relatively high internal impedance which can limit them to mostly low drain applications.   There are specialty high rate discharge cells available for certain applications. 

Many Lithium primary batteries also have extended operating-temperature ranges. Some lithium-based systems, can operate at temperatures as low as -55º C and as high as +150 º C. While incineration or other exposure to very high temperatures can cause lithium batteries to under go catastrophic failure, other battery types can react the same way under similar circumstances.

In the category of primary lithium batteries, there are several chemical systems that have gained popularity. Each has its own set of performance and safety features. They are poly (carbon monofluoride) lithium, or (CF)X-Li; manganese dioxide lithium, or MnO2Li; thionyl chloride lithium, or SOCl2Li, and sulfur dioxide lithium, or SO2Li as well as other specialty chemistries.

Custom Lithium/ Manganese Dioxide Battery Packs & Assemblies

Manganese dioxide lithium cells are also available in many standard cylindrical and coin sizes. MnO2Li cells are similar to poly (carbon mono-fluoride) cells in terms of construction, energy density, safety and OCV, but can have only about half the service life. However, manganese dioxide-lithium cells are well-suited to applications having relatively high continuous- or pulse-current requirements, since the cell internal impedance is somewhat lower than for other types.

• Cell Voltage: 3.0V (nominal)
• Capacity: 30mAh to 5Ah
• Energy by Weight: Depending on cell configuration, up to 105 Wh/lb.
• Energy by Volume:(230 Wh/kg); 9.0 Wh/in.3 (550 Wh/l)
• Discharge Characteristics : Flat (stable voltage) discharge curves.
• Shelf Life:10+ years at 20° C
• Temperature Range: -20° C to +60° C
• Sizes:Various Coin & Round Cells
• Applications: General purpose in photographic and electronic applications requiring small, high power batteries, e.g., security transmitters, smoke alarms, computer peripherals, communications equipment, cameras, personal organizers, memory backup, lighting.

Typical Discharge at Various Temperatures for a Typical 20mm X 3.2mm LiMn02 Coin Cell	Voltage Vs. Discharge Load for a Typical 20mm X 3.2mm LiMn02 Coin Cell
Capacity Vs. Discharge Load for a Typical 20mm X 3.2mm LiMn02 Coin Cell	Discharge Characteristics for a Typical 17mm X 28mm LiMN02 Spiral Cylindrical Cell
Discharge Vs. Temperature for a Typical 17mm X 28mm LiMn02 Spiral Cylindrical Cell

Custom Lithium – Poly Carbon Monoflouride Battery Packs & Assemblies

Poly (carbon monofluoride) cells have an OCV of 3V and a fairly high energy density. These cells were developed by Matsushita in the 1970s and later made under license by Ray-O-Vac. Cylindrical types are manufactured with a spiral-shaped cathode and crimped elastomer seals. Though generally safe, under extreme conditions the elastomer seals can fail before the case fails, thus allowing the relatively reactive cell constituents to escape. The cells are available in all standard cylindrical sizes as well as coin types.
These cells are good choice for long term, low drain applications. 

• Cell Voltage: 3.0V (nominal)
• Capacity: 25mAh to 5000mAh
• Energy by Weight: Watt Hour/Kilogram
• Energy by Volume:
• Discharge Characteristics :
• Shelf Life: 10+ years at 20° C
• Temperature Range: Typical -20° C to +60° C and Specialty -40° C to +85° C
• Sizes: Various coin cells and round cells
• Applications: Calculators Cameras, Compact and low power consuming cordless applications, Electronic translators, Electronic watches (digital and analog), Memory back-up in all types of devices (with tab terminals).

Typical Discharge at Various Temperatures for a Typical 20mm X 3.2mm (BR) Coin Cell	Voltage Vs. Discharge Load for a Typical 20mm X 3.2mm (BR) Coin Cell
Capacity Vs. Discharge Load for a Typical 20mm X 3.2mm LiMn02 Coin Cell	Discharge Characteristics for a Typical 17mm X 28mm Li Spiral Cylindrical Cell
Long Term Discharge Characteristics for a Typical 17mm X 28mm Li Spiral Cylindrical Cell	Discharge Vs. Temperature for a Typical 17mm X 28mm Li Spiral Cylindrical Cell

Custom Lithium Thionyl Chloride Battery Packs & Assemblies

Thionyl chloride-lithium cells have the highest energy density of all lithium types and are manufactured in welded, hermetically sealed cases. Service life is an unmatched up to 20 years and holds for all case types---cylindrical and coin or wafer. The cells are best suited for applications having very low continuous-current and moderate pulse-current requirements. Their extremely long service life and low self-discharge rate make them ideal where physical access is limited, such as for remote sensing systems.
Lithium battery chemistries differ in several important characteristics. Remote wireless-sensing applications are also ideal for lithium primary batteries. For example, wireless passive infrared (PIR) sensors used in security systems typically draw very small currents (tens of uA) in quiescent mode and 7.5 mA to 10 mA when transmitting. Under those operating conditions, a thionyl chloride/lithium cell offers a service life up to 2-1/2 times longer than either a poly (carbon monofluoride) or manganese-dioxide lithium cell of the same size.

• Cell Voltage: 3.6V (nominal)
• Energy by Weight: 710 Watt Hour/Kilogram
• Energy by Volume: 1300 Watt Hour/Liter
• Discharge Characteristics : See graphs below
• Shelf Life: 9 years for spiral & 15-20 years for bobbin (to %80 capacity)
• Temperature Range: Typical -40° C to +85° C and specialty -55° C to +100° C
• Sizes: Various Cylidrical Sizes (No Coin Cells)
• Applications: Electronic Toll Tags, Tire Tags, GPS Emergency Locators / Roadside Assistance, Wireless Security Systems (PIR), Asset Tracking, Animal Tracking, Law Enforcement, Security / Emergency, Utilities and Metering, Telecommunications, Deep Hole Drilling, and Medical Devices.

Operating Voltage vs. Temperature and Discharge Current for a Typical Lithium Thionyl Chloride Bobbin AA Cell	Available Capacity vs. Temperature and Discharge Current for a Typical Lithium Thionyl Chloride Bobbin AA Cell

Custom Lithium/ Sulfur Dioxide Battery Packs & Assemblies

Sulfur dioxide-lithium cells are used almost exclusively in military/aerospace applications and have somewhat lower energy density than manganese dioxide-lithium or poly (carbon monofluoride) lithium cells. Their service life and energy density are less than half that of thionyl chloride-lithium cells. For safety, an "emergency" vent structure is required in the hermetically welded case.

• Cell Voltage: 3.0V (nominal) 0.8 (cut-off)
• Capacity: N/A
• Energy by Weight: 290 Watt Hour/Kilogram
• Energy by Volume: 500 Watt Hour/Liter
• Discharge Characteristics : N/A
• Shelf Life: 10 Years (to %80 capacity)
• Temperature Range: -60° C to +85° C
• Sizes: Larger round cells typically C & D
• Applications: Applications requiring high constant current output, high current pulses, long term storage and operation at low temperatures (as, for example, in many military applications).

 

Other Custom Primary Lithium Battery Systems

In addition to Li-SOCl2 and Li-SO2 cells, various other types of primary lithium cells are available on the market, with different technical characteristics and areas of application.

Lithium-iodine cells

Li-I2 cells exhibit outstanding performance (very low self-discharge rate, excellent reliability, very high hermeticity, etc.) but for a limited field of application, in particular for cardiac pacemakers.

Lithium-iron sulfide cells

Li-FeS2 cells are claimed to have a very low self-discharge rate and a very high pulse capability (up to 1.5 amps for AA size cells). They are designed for niche markets, such as camera flash systems.

Lithium-copper oxide cells

Lithium-copper oxide and lithium-copper oxyphosphate cells were produced until the mid-1990s, when production was stopped. This technology is now used only to a very limited extent.