Samsung’s Tiny Fuel Cell

[Jerry Raia]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://us.gizmodo.com/gadgets/portable-media/well-believe-when-we-see-it-samsungs-tiny-fuel-cell-152330.php' target='_blank'>http://us.gizmodo.com/gadgets/portable-media/well-believe-when-we-see-it-samsungs-tiny-fuel-cell-152330.php</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Is it real? Samsung announced it has developed a prototype of a fuel cell that can be used in PDAs and portable multimedia players. This fuel cell technology works by converting methanol fuel into hydrogen which is combined with oxygen in a seemingly magic process that [insert miracle here] results in energy and heat, with water as a byproduct."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/Jerry-FC.jpg" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/> <br /><br />I've been hearing about these things for some time now. They seem to have a long way to go before they ever become practical. The recharging process appears to make the whole thing more trouble than its worth. Filling up something with more gas seems more primitive than just plugging it in for a few hours or carrying an extra battery. Ever fill a butane lighter? :lol:

[edgar]

I dunno - if the length between charges lasts for 3-5 days of normal use (10-15hrs?). Is that worth the trouble vs lugging extra batteries or cables on a 3 day conference or to a weekend out and about? Ansd don't forget, part of this is saving the environment, right? I suppose there is a couple tons of toxic battery waste dumping into the earth daily. I suspect these Generation 1 (or so) fuel cells will need some proofing and a couple hot pockets, literally, before they are perfected. 85o exhaust can get quite warm over time - much like setting a laptop on your leg for an hour can cause low level tissue damage/burns. I dunno where you keep your cell phone but gettng burned *there* doesn't sound too great. :twisted:

Of course, you can't take a butane refill cartridge on a plane either - carry on or check in. Is Methanol more stable?


-Edgar

[Rocco Augusto]

the good news is if you were stuck somewhere you would always have some extra water on you at lal times to sip on ;)

&lt;sarcasm>
New Windows Mobile 6. Music, Videos, Pictures and Water... all on the go. Why just listen to music with your iPod when you can have music and a cantine all in one!
&lt;/sarcasm>

[Kris Kumar]

Of course, you can't take a butane refill cartridge on a plane either - carry on or check in. Is Methanol more stable?


I had my doubts too, but looks like Methanol is okay on airplanes.

Micro Methanol Fuel Cells Get Approval for Airplane Use : Nov 7th 2005 (http://www.keepmedia.com/pubs/PRNewswire/2005/11/07/1076157)

[Jerry Raia]

That's in Canada. I don't think the FAA here in the states hasn't signed off on it. The TSA has to OK it also.

[Kris Kumar]

Oh I thought the International Civil Aviation Organization's Dangerous Goods Panel (ICAO DGP) works for the entire aviation industry, not just Canada.

[Jerry Raia]

Well it gets kinda fuzzy but the FAA still has the last word on American Carriers. When we fly international then we are subject to the ICAO rules. So when I fly into Canada I have to observe their airspace and operational rules which are slightly different. However if they allowed passengers to carry machine guns it doesn't mean they could be allowed on US Carriers flights. I'm no expert on all the details. I just know the stuff I need to know. :lol:

[Mike Temporale]

I'm interested in whatever can be done to increase the life of our devices. Traditional methods have failed us. When was the last time our traditional batteries improved enough for us to even notice?

It's time to look else where. Maybe this isn't the answer, but I welcome anyone willing to try something.

[Jerry Raia]

Yeah that is really the bottom line. Devices are lasting far less time on a charge as they get more powerful and small.

[Kirkaiya]

There are a couple of things to keep in mind here -

One is that alkaline battery technology (which is the most common tech used in the non-rechargable world) is a mature technology - we're just not going to see sudden "breakthrus" of tripling or quadrupling the life of a AA battery in a short period of time.

That said, there has been massive improvement - typical alkaline battries today put out more than 3 x the mAh of the same size batteries from 20 or 30 years ago, and there has been pretty constant incremental improvement. One problem is that our every new generation of electronic devices uses a little more power than the ones before, so we never seem to notice.

Another advance was the advent of AA lithium batteries (by "Everready" or "Energizer", whichever they're calling their company nowadays). Lithium AAs supposedly last "7 x longer" than a "leading alkaline" (see http://www.energizer.com/products/lithium/default.aspx)

So anywaze - battries have have been getting better, at about the same rate that stuff sucks juice more (sorta like how MS Windows has expanded to fill all the increased RAM our PCs ship with !!!)

Anyway - since portable-fuel cells have not been around anywhere near as long (the 1st battery was more than 200 years ago...), maybe there is hope that 2nd-gen or 3rd-gen fuel cells will be uber-safe, get 8000 mAh from a AA, and (of course) be disposable (lol). Anybody feel like working out the theoretical max energy storage of a AA-size fuel-cell, given the energy density of methane?

[edgar]

I'm still waiting for the home version of Doc Brown's Mr Fusion from "Back to the Future".

After the Super Bowl I have a number of cans with dregs/backwash at the bottom and some chicken wing/chips garbage that should supply a few gigawatts of power :D