In some implementations, a metal air battery includes a body defined by a metal anode and a cathode, a first separator layer disposed on the metal anode, a second separator layer disposed on the cathode, and a plurality of beads disposed within the body. The beads may confine a liquid electrolyte, and may be configured to release the liquid electrolyte into interior portions of the battery in response to a compression of the cathode into the body of the battery.

A downhole on-demand power source system can include at least one first energy storage device located within a wellbore disposed in a subterranean formation in a first inactive state. The system can also include at least one first trigger that initiates the at least one first energy storage device from the first inactive state to a first active state. The at least one first energy storage device, once initiated, can provide a first power to an electrical load disposed in the wellbore proximate to the at least one first energy storage device. The at least one first energy storage device, when in the first inactive state, is incapable of providing the first power.

A solid-state thermal battery system is disclosed herein. The system includes a stationary thermal storage medium that can be charged by adding heat to the thermal storage medium. Actuated heat engines can be utilized to discharge the solid-state thermal battery, converting the heat stored in the thermal storage medium into electricity. The heat engines are actuated in a manner that reduces thermal gradients in the thermal storage medium to increase the efficiency of the system. In one embodiment, the thermal storage medium is contained in a main chamber of an insulated container. The heat engines are stored, when idle, in an ancillary chamber adjacent to the main chamber and moved into the main chamber by an actuation system to begin discharging the solid-state thermal battery. The heat engines follow a path during discharge to dynamically move between regions of the thermal storage medium to reduce thermal gradients induced therein.

A liquid reserve battery including: a collapsible storage unit having a collapsible cavity for storing a liquid electrolyte therein; and a battery cell in communication with an outlet of the collapsible storage unit, the battery cell having gaps dispersed therein. Wherein the collapsible storage unit includes: a top plate having three or more first sides; a bottom plate having three or more second sides, each of the three or more first sides being angularly offset from a corresponding one of the three or more second sides about a central axis, the top plate being linearly offset from the bottom plate in a longitudinal direction along the central axis; and for each of the three of more first sides, first and second triangular sidewalls connecting the top plate bottom plate and each other.

A liquid reserve battery including: a collapsible storage unit having a collapsible cavity for storing a liquid electrolyte therein; and a battery cell in communication with an outlet of the collapsible storage unit, the battery cell having gaps dispersed therein. Wherein the collapsible storage unit includes: a top plate having three or more first sides; a bottom plate having three or more second sides, each of the three or more first sides being angularly offset from a corresponding one of the three or more second sides about a central axis, the top plate being linearly offset from the bottom plate in a longitudinal direction along the central axis; and for each of the three of more first sides, first and second triangular sidewalls connecting the top plate bottom plate and each other.

An improved emergency power system is disclosed for providing electrical power to a load such as a blowout preventer of a petroleum drilling apparatus. The improved emergency power system comprises a thermal battery having an anode and a cathode with a separator containing an electrolyte disposed therebetween. An internal heat layer is located in proximity to the separator containing the electrolyte. A squib is provided for activating the internal heat layer. The thermal battery remains dormant until the squib is energized to ignite the squib enabling the heat layer to render the electrolyte molten thereby activating battery to provide electrical power to the load. The squib may be energized remotely, mechanically or electrically.

A liquid powered assembly including a housing; a removable bottom base; a seal; an electrolyte battery assembly; and, a liquid powered device is described. The housing includes an upper end portion and a lower end portion. The housing has a volume for containing an electrolyte solution. The lower end portion has a fluid inlet. The removable bottom base has a bottom surface for supporting the liquid powered assembly. A seal engages the housing and the removable bottom base to help contain the liquid. An electrolyte battery assembly is positioned within the housing. A liquid powered device is operably attached to the electrolyte battery assembly. To function, the housing and the removable bottom base are detached relative to each other and the housing is turned substantially upside down to allow filling of the housing via the inlet. The bottom base is then attached to the housing and the assembly is then inverted for use.

An activation mechanism for a battery for an electronic ignition mechanism contains an ampoule filled with an electrolyte. The mechanism for breaking has a snap spring element to which the ampoule is attached in a freely suspended manner. The snap spring element snaps from a first shape into a second shape when a force due to acceleration is applied, thereby severing the attachment of the ampoule.

An activation mechanism for a battery for an electronic ignition mechanism contains an ampoule filled with an electrolyte. The mechanism for breaking has a snap spring element to which the ampoule is attached in a freely suspended manner. The snap spring element snaps from a first shape into a second shape when a force due to acceleration is applied, thereby severing the attachment of the ampoule.

An activatable battery includes at least one cathode, at least one anode, at least one absorptive separator layer in contact with the anode and the cathode and a liquid electrolyte separated therefrom and provided in an apparatus which liberates the electrolyte in order to activate the battery in such a way that it comes into contact with the separator layer and penetrates through the latter at least to such an extent that the electrolyte electrically connects the anode and the cathode to one another. The anode is formed of lithium or a lithium-containing alloy and the cathode includes elemental carbon and is formed of an unsupported film including carbon nanotubes or of a film formed of carbon nanotubes. An electronic igniter, a process for producing an activatable battery and a method of using a film in a battery are also provided.