Why aren't AA batteries square?

Is it cheaper to make batteries cylindrical or something? If they were square in crosssection, they wouldn't roll off the desk.

Reply to
James Wilkinson Sword
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A quick question to Mr. Google yielded some good answers. It's easier to make round containers through extruders. Round withstands internal pressure better than square. There were a few more.

Reply to
badgolferman

Yes. Maximum internal volume for minimum outer area of surface.

The container of the zinc?carbon dry cell is a zinc can. The can co ntains a layer of NH4Cl or ZnCl2 aqueous paste impregnating a paper layer t hat separates the zinc can from a mixture of powdered carbon (usually graph ite powder) and manganese (IV) oxide (MnO2) which is packed around a carbon rod.

Wikipedia and

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Owain

Reply to
spuorgelgoog

I see. I didn't think of asking Mr Google. There are some things that just aren't out there. I thought this was odd enough to not be in his memory banks.

On the subject of round, you know those 2 litre coke/lemonade bottles? Why do they have 5 "feet" instead of a continuous circle? Then they wouldn't fall over so easily.

Reply to
James Wilkinson Sword

And tanker trucks and tanker railroad cars are round also. Propane tanks and similar tanks holding pressure are round with curved ends.

Reply to
Dean Hoffman

Yes I understand that, but I thought AA batteries were dry and not under pressure. If you dismantle one it doesn't explode.

Reply to
James Wilkinson Sword

ust aren't out there. I thought this was odd enough to not be in his memor y banks.

hy do they have 5 "feet" instead of a continuous circle? Then they wouldn 't fall over so easily.

Probbaly something to do with the way they go along the belts in the factor ies. You seem to have problems with things falling over.... Anyway they have been and still are square batteries PP3s and most rechargb le camera batteries are squareish. Car batterise are squarish too.

cowboy says, "You tell your wife to get on the bed on all fours and then do it doggy style. Once things start to get under way and she's really enjoy ing it, lean forward, grab her by her hair and whisper in her ear, 'Your si ster likes this position too.' Then try to hang on for 8 seconds".

Reply to
whisky-dave

Even tanks that aren't under deliberately added pressure are mostly round. Liquid fertilizer storage tanks and fuel tanks for stationary engines are mostly round. Even grain storage is round for the most part.

Reply to
Dean Hoffman

...

Circular area maximizes volume/unit length at minimum surface area.

So, you get the most capacity for the least actual material and the reduced stress concentration at corners is a bonus...

Reply to
dpb

On Fri, 22 Sep 2017 14:07:40 +0100, Fredxxx, the resident smartass, smartassed again:

You'll NEVER learn NOT to smartass, eh? It REALLY seems to be genetic with you. LOL

Reply to
Peeler

I asked this some time ago. The answer is one of legacy. Old batteries sizes of most kinds wre round and the shapes they tend to fit in are also, so you continue to fit the same hole, basically. Arguably if it was square it would simply be called something else as many non standard batteries are already. One other issue is that its often a stronger battery at the seems if its round, like so many things. You don't see square rockets, do you? Brian for k

Reply to
Brian Gaff

Once they become a battery they are often rectangular - it's single cells that tend to be round.

Reply to
charles
[snip]

I used to live on a farm, and remember the propane tank (horizontal with rounded ends). We also had a gasoline tank about the same size. The most obvious difference was that the gasoline tank had flat ends rather than rounded ones.

Reply to
Mark Lloyd

They are round because tehy used to be made by rolling things up and stuffing in a tube

flat cells as in pp3s have never been much good.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher
[snip]

A round container has the greatest volume to surface ratio. That is, less wall material for its capacity. A square container is subject to unequal pressure from its contents, and will become round it it can (for example bulging gasoline cans).

BTW, I first discovered that as a child, playing in the mud.

OT: a local bank is collecting donations through the 28th, to be sent to Houston.

Reply to
Mark Lloyd

Sometimes it is for hygienic reasons. Circular tanks have fewer (no) places for bacteria to propagate easily.

Reply to
Pinnerite

If eggs were square or rectangular you could pack them into less space for transport. I think the hens might complain though.

Reply to
Andrew

Prick.

Reply to
Mr Pounder Esquire

Reminds me of the cowboy on his wedding night, who takes all his clothes off and stows them on a high shelf. On being asked by his bride why, he replies, "Well I ain't never done it with a woman before, but if it's anything like with a cow this place is going to be ass-high in shit."

Reply to
Max Demian

PP3 batteries are (or were) made of layers mostly composed of a carbon composite material which can easily be made (cast? pressed?) into rectangular shapes with round corners. Similarly with HT batteries for valve radios.

Car batterise are squarish too. There aren't pressures involved with lead acid batteries, and they need to be a shape that can conveniently be stowed in a car.

Reply to
Max Demian

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