Fuel Cells: Perfect Mobile Energy?

 

Fuel Cells: Perfect Mobile Energy?

Publication Date:07-October-2006
04:30 PM US Eastern Timezone
Source: Lance Ulanoff-PC Magazine
Lithium ion batteries' time is almost up. A moment of silence,
please.  This is not shocking news when you consider the history of
battery technology. Many of the battery types we use today were
invented at the dawn of the technology, but not all were commercially
viable options from the start. Typically, new options have supplanted
old in the marketplace. First, there were standard dry-cell batteries.
Then came alkaline, followed by nickel cadmium rechargeable, and,
eventually, lithium ion. Lithium ion batteries, in particular, pushed
out a whole generation of NiCds, but now, this relatively efficient
technology has reached its limit. Recent events shed a
none-too-flattering light on just how hard and far we've pushed the
technology.
 

Just when we thought the hysteria surrounding Dell's exploding laptop
batteries and Apple's (and Toshiba's) subsequent laptop battery recall
had subsided, Sony announced a recall of its battery packs, and some of
the aforementioned companies doubled their recalls. Is this all an
overreaction? After all, only a handful of Dell laptop batteries ever
ignited, and all that the Apple laptops reportedly did was get awfully
hot. (Come to think of it, those sexy portables still get mighty hot.)
On the other hand, the reasons cited were disturbing: crumbling metal,
contaminated battery connections, and spontaneous combustion.

However, what if the reasons offered by Dell, Apple-and, more
important, the company that made these batteries, Sony-are not even
true? Peng Lim, president and CEO of MTImicro Fuel Cells, has a
different take. Lithium ion technology, he says, can only go so far.
Dell, Apple, and other OEMs have been pushing manufacturers to make
longer-lasting lithium ion batteries. "It became a liability. They
tried to pump in too much energy."

I don't pretend to be a scientist or, more specifically, a chemist. So
I can't really say whether lithium ion batteries, which use a chemical
reaction to function, truly have that kind of limitation. But I have
reason to believe Lim. Not only does this former Palm VP of product
development have intimate knowledge of portable technologies, but his
current company, MTImicro, is on the forefront of the drive to bring a
naturally occurring, chemically based fuel source to our mobile
devices.

Lim says lithium ion technology can go no further. Fuel cells will be
the next major battery innovation to make it to consumer products. "Not
a question of if, it's a matter of when."

I've been around long enough to know that fuel-cell batteries are not
exactly a new idea. In fact, PC Magazine began talking about it in
"Future Technology" features stories almost a decade ago. The
fundamental science behind fuel cells is relatively simple. You take
methanol (sometimes known as wood alcohol and commonly used in
windshield wiper fluid) and water, then use the resulting chemical
reaction and a special membrane essentially to strip out the
energy-producing electrons, which then can flow out of the "cell" to
whatever needs electrical power. It's also a "green" energy: The only
byproducts of the chemical reaction are small amounts of water and
carbon dioxide. That's part of the reason that fuel cells are already
in space. As Lim tells it, they not only offer more energy for a
prolonged time at a lower per-battery weight, but they produce water,
which the astronauts can then drink. (I'm not sure why, but the only
thought that comes to mind is yuck.)-Continue reading...

Fuel-cell technology is also an attractive energy option because it's
more efficient than lithium ion power. According to Lim, lithium ions
will get you, on average, around 0.2 to 0.3 watts per cubic centimeter.
Fuel cells, by contrast, get you around 1.3 watts per cc. That's a
pretty large leap.

Genius scientists figured all this out years ago, but we have yet to
see one fuel cell-powered consumer product on the market. Lim told me
that that's all about to change. MTImicro is not alone in the fuel-cell
industry. Fujitsu, Toshiba, and numerous research laboratories are
working on it. Lim's company differs in that 1) it uses pure methanol,
instead of methanol and water, to start the reaction; and 2) the
company is primarily focused on delivering fuel cell energy to portable
technology. The company already has working prototypes-which its
representatives neglected to bring on their visit-and has inked an
exclusive deal with Samsung, perhaps the world's largest cell-phone
manufacturer.

MTImicro's other big client is the U.S. military. Today's soldier
typically goes out on a single-day tour. The army wants soldiers to go
out in the field for 72 hours. This means that all their portable
technology has to work that much longer. Soldiers typically rely on a
single portable, 1-liter BA5590 battery to power their equipment on a
one-day mission. Lim told me that the poor GIs would need nearly a
dozen such batteries to make it through 72 hours. That's 24 pounds of
dead weight on their already overburdened backs. Fuel cells providing
the same amount of energy would weigh less than 10 pounds total.

Fuel cells could even lighten the load for civilian travelers. You
could use them, for example, to replace all your common wall-wart plugs
and adapters. You'd simply carry a handful of fuel methanol packets
along with a fuel-cell adapter kit, and presto, you'd have portable,
renewable energy for all your roadworthy devices.

It's a rosy picture. Of course, there are hurdles-big ones. Lim tried
to soft-pedal them, but these are concerns that have dogged fuel cell
technology for years. Methanol is a form of alcohol, which means it's
volatile and is usually regulated and transported only in bulk. Lim
says that the United Nations still needs to step in and authorize
methanol for transport in small packages.

Likewise, the recent terrorist-suspect roundup in London and the
disclosure of their horrifying alleged plan to use liquid in water
bottles to blow up planes make it even less likely that airlines and
the Federal Aviation Administration will allow methanol on airplanes.
Lim, however, is undaunted; he told me that the amount of methanol in
mobile devices will be mere drops (which doesn't answer the question of
how to bring a backup supply of methanol packets with you for a long
trip).

He also told me that a first major hurdle has already been cleared. The
ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) recently gave methanol
the okay for airplanes. Now Lim says they're waiting for the Department
of Transportation to give its approval for U.S. flights. This,
obviously, is where things get sticky. The U.S. government is not even
allowing hand lotion on airplanes today. Letting methanol, even drops
of it, in the air seems unlikely.

Even so, I'm bullish on fuel cells. Our current high state of alert
will pass, and, with Dell and Apple laptops freshly in our minds, we'll
be looking for alternatives to lithium ion power. And, honestly, who
wouldn't get excited about a laptop battery that could last for days
instead of hours?  
  
 

 


Yes, probarbly


It seems like a reasonable asumption. When the electricity is
released, heat is produced. When a lot of heat is produced in a small
area, stuff tend to melt or burn.



Then please remember that the water you drink have been in poo and pee
many many times before you drink it.


This is a warning bell. If they have a product they are proud to show,
and takes a minimum of space, why would they forget to bring it?

There are a lot of "ready products" that are not for show simply
because they do not work properly yet.

Just as there are a lot products that you may order, but witch are not
realy ready for the market.

Even though I think that fuel cells will hit the market for celphones
and laptops pretty soon. I would not belive a firm without seeing the
actual product in function.


How long is a ine day mission? By the numbers given here, it would
have to be no more than 6 hours.


Would rather think that there will be some kind of standard nozzle/s,
just as on refillable lighters. Meaning that you would only have to
bring along a small bottle.


Just like Ethanol for your drinks? :-)
There are no reason why methanol should not be allowed to be
transported in small containers, just like ethanol and lighter gas.
There only needs to be a proper standard. Sutch a container would
probarbly be more secure than a bottle of booze,


In sutch a scenario, you would top up your laptop and mobile phones
before entering the plane. Even though you may not bring extra fuel, I
do not belive that they would outlaw the fuel that was already in the
unit.

At the destination, you would simply buy a small bottle of ethanol, or
maybee there will be small "filling stations".


Again, they allow booze. I am not quite familiar with the rules for
bringing booze onboard as hand luggage, but the airliner is alowed to
bring it onboard. They could simply have a refuling service onboard.


Hmm, beats me, who? (please tell.:-))


--
SEE YA !!!
Trygve Lillefosse
AKA - Malawi, The Fisher King