Daniell Cell - Gravity Cell

Gravity Cell

Sometime during the 1860s, a Frenchman by the name of Callaud invented a variant of the Daniell cell which dispensed with the porous barrier. Instead, a layer of zinc sulfate sat on top of a layer of copper sulfate, the two liquids kept separate by their differing densities, often with a layer of oil added on top to prevent evaporation. This reduced the internal resistance of the system and thus the battery yielded a stronger current.

This variant, called a gravity cell, consisted of a glass jar in which a copper cathode sat on the bottom and a zinc anode was suspended beneath the rim in the zinc sulfate layer. Copper sulfate crystals would be scattered around the cathode and the jar would then be filled with distilled water. As the current was drawn, a layer of zinc sulfate solution would form at the top around the anode. This top layer was kept separate from the bottom copper sulfate layer by its lower density and by the polarity of the cell. A disadvantage of the gravity cell was that a current had to be continually drawn to keep the two solutions from mixing by diffusion, so it was unsuitable for intermittent use. In addition, it was vulnerable to loss of integrity if too much electric current was drawn, which would also cause the layers to mix.

Sometimes called the crowfoot cell due to the distinctive shape of the electrodes, this arrangement was less costly for large multicell batteries and it quickly became the battery of choice for the American and British telegraph networks. Even after most telegraph lines started being powered by motor-generators the gravity battery continued to be used in way stations to power the local circuit at least into the 1950s. In the telegraph industry, this battery was often assembled on site by the telegraph workers themselves, and when it ran down it could be renewed by replacing the consumed components. The zinc sulfate layer was clear in contrast to the deep blue copper sulfate layer, which allowed a technician to measure the battery life with a glance. On the other hand, this setup meant the battery could only be used in a stationary appliance, otherwise the solutions would mix or spill.