Zamboni pile

The Zambonisäule, also Zambonische column is a dry cell battery was invented in 1812 by the Italian Catholic priest and physicist Giuseppe Zamboni.

Basic structure

The Zambonisäule consists of a very large number of successive specified paper sheets (a ) which are coated with alternating successive thin layers (b) of two different metals. In this case, the two different metals touch. The whole is enclosed in an airtight tube. The Zambonisäule based as well as the voltaic pile on the electrochemical series. In this case, the two different metals, which form the galvanic element, tin and copper bronze were each applied to paper as a dry cell. As an electrolyte, the remaining residual moisture in the paper is used.

Practical implementation

In a practical embodiment, for example, the two metals are tin and copper-bronze may be used. Thin and strong paper is coated on one side with either tin or bronze and layered with the metal sides of each other. Later versions came on, in which the other side of the paper were coated as in zinc -carbon batteries with a fine slurry of manganese dioxide. Discs are punched out with about 2 cm in diameter from the thus prepared paper, which are stacked in a 15 cm long glass or celluloid tube of the same diameter and compressed by a helical spring. The about 1200 paper disc each form an electrochemical element and provide - connected by stacking in series - a voltage of about 1000 volts. However, the capacity is very low and is in the nano- ampere range.

The column was known because it was used as a drive for an electrostatically driven pendulum that you " never have to draw up". Such Zambonische pendulum worked up to 147 years without a battery change. For this pendulum is a kind of electroscope was developed ( see Figure ): The lead wires c and d connect the horizontally lying Zambonisäule with the plates a and b.

Swell

• Giuseppe Zamboni: Letter on improvements which he has made to its electrical column. In 1816.
• Massimo Tinazzi: The correspondance in between Alessandro Volta and Giuseppe Zamboni about the realization of the "dry pile". In: Nuova Voltiana, Vol 5 (2003 ), pp. 91-103.
• Julius K. Yelin by: experiments and observations for a more detailed knowledge of the zambonischen dry column. Publisher Lentner, Munich 1820.
• Wireless technology, 24/1948.