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‘fuel-cell’ Stories

Sony demo hybrid fuel-cell concepts

Chris Davies, Feb 25th 2009 Discuss [0]

Sony has been demonstrating a number of fuel-cell concepts, ranging from portable power units to rechargers and even home speaker systems that have their own methanol power-source. Of most interest are the two devices seen here, which may look like retro radios but in fact combine a rechargeable Li-Ion battery with a methanol fuel-cell. Read The Full Story

Panasonic 5-hour Fuel-Cell notebook battery by 2012

Chris Davies, Oct 20th 2008 Discuss [1]

With the news last week that Toshiba could have a fuel cell powered device on the market by Christmas, today it's the turn of Panasonic to make some methanol promises. It won't be a fight for a spot underneath the tree between the two companies, though; Panasonic say they'll have fuel cells, capable of running a laptop computer for five hour, on the market by 2012. Read The Full Story

Fuel-cell powered Toshiba device could be on sale by Christmas?

Chris Davies, Oct 16th 2008 Discuss [0]

Toshiba has suggested that it may release a commercial product using a fuel-cell for power before Christmas 2008, ahead of the company's own March 2009 target for such a device reaching the market. In an interview with Register Hardware, Toshiba's European General Manager for Computer Systems Marketing and Business Development, Thomas Teckentrup, revealed that it should only be "a few more months before everything comes together". Read The Full Story

MTI Micro Mobion fuel-cell manages 2,700hrs continuous use

Chris Davies, Jul 11th 2008 Discuss [4]

MTI Micro have been putting their Mobion fuel cell through it's paces, in testing intended to demonstrate just how much improved the technology is over current Li-Ion power packs. A lab test version of the fuel-cell lasted 2,700 hours of continuous use, with further tests suggesting power degradation of less than 15-percent. Read The Full Story

Canon DSLR fuel-cell patent; is MTI Micro their hardware partner?

Chris Davies, May 19th 2008 Discuss [0]

Canon have filed a patent that describes a compact fuel-cell system primarily intended for DSLR cameras but that has potential for inclusion in other portable electronics. The filing details the company's solution to dealing with variances in load currents, an issue in applications such as DSLRs where sudden surges in power draw are frequent. It uses a number of individual fuel cells combined, with a DC-DC converter that combines the voltages as required. Read The Full Story

Sharp unveil highest-density methanol fuel-cell

Chris Davies, May 15th 2008 Discuss [0]

Sharp have announced the development of a prototype direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) that it claims achieves the world's highest power density. The cell is constructed of a stack of multiple reed-shaped thin cells, sandwiched together with similarly shaped porous spacers. That increases surface area and maximises air-flow (essential for the fuel cell to produce power), resulting in 0.3W/cc power density. Read The Full Story

Sony’s palm-sized fuel-cell

Chris Davies, May 5th 2008 Discuss [0]

Looks like MTI Micro have some big-name competition in the fuel-cell business. Sony have unveiled their own hybrid fuel-cell system, and while the concept might be big, the prototype isn't. In fact, it measures just 5 x 3cm, but is still capable of pumping out up to 3W of power. Read The Full Story

Fuel-cell powered GPS prototype promises 60hrs continuous use

Chris Davies, May 5th 2008 Discuss [0]

MTI Micro are demonstrating the latest version of their portable fuel-cell technology, in the shape of a GPS reference design prototype. Powered by the company's Mobion fuel-cell, which relies on easily exchangeable methanol packs, MTI Micro are claiming the system provides up to three times as much energy as in a typical GPS with four AA batteries. In the case of this particular design, one fuel-cell manages up to 60 hours of continuous use. Read The Full Story