TheZamboni pile (also referred to as aDuluc Dry Pile[1]) is an early electricbattery, invented byGiuseppe Zamboni in 1812.
A Zamboni pile is an "electrostatic battery" and is constructed from discs of silver foil,zinc foil, and paper. Alternatively, discs of "silver paper" (paper with a thin layer of zinc on one side)gilded on one side or silver paper smeared withmanganese dioxide[2] andhoney might be used.[3] Discs of approximately 20 mm diameter are assembled in stacks, which may be several thousand discs thick, and then either compressed in a glass tube with end caps or stacked between three glass rods with wooden end plates and insulated by dipping in moltensulfur orpitch.[4]
Zamboni piles of more modern construction were manufactured as recently as the 1980s for providing the accelerating voltage forimage intensifier tubes, particularly in military use. Today such voltages are obtained fromflyback converters powered bylithium ion batteries.[5]
TheEMF per element is approximately 0.8 V; Zamboni piles can be made to have outputpotential differences in thekilovolt range, but current output in thenanoampere range.[2][6] The famousOxford Electric Bell, which has been ringing continuously since 1840, is thought to be powered by a pair of Zamboni piles.[7]
