Originally published May 24 2005
New alkaline fuel cell promises near-limitless power in future
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
University of Illinois researchers are developing a mini-fuel cell that can be recharged on the fly. This cell would work on an alkali-based chemical reaction, rather than the acidic-chemistry based power sources popular now, and would provide as much as 30 percent more power, according to UI chemical and bimolecular engineering Professor Paul Kenis. These cells don't run out of power for good, nor do they need to be recharged from a wall socket; they can run indefinitely if a ready source of oxidant and fuel, like oxygen and hydrogen respectively. Kenis says a production version of the battery is still in the future, but UI researchers want to release a 200-watt, non-alkaline version of the battery for the army around 2006.
A mini fuel cell with advantages of traditional alkaline batteries but longer life, and replenishable on the fly, could eventually be used in a variety of portable electronic devices such as laptop computers.
University of Illinois researchers who created and are working on commercializing the membraneless cell have improved it with the addition of the alkaline, as opposed to acidic, chemistry common in batteries popular for portable devices.
An alkaline fuel cell might provide 30 percent more electricity than the acidic chemistry-based variety, UI chemical and biomolecular engineering Professor Paul Kenis said recently.
In addition, byproducts from alkaline chemical reactions tend to clog the membranes separating the fuel from the oxidant that drives electricity generation in traditional fuel cells, which shortens the cells' life.
Run two streams of liquids through your plumbing at home, and they will mix because of turbulence.
That means two streams of liquids -- fuel and an oxidant, for example -- can run side by side without mixing, as if there were an invisible barrier between them.
The UI-developed system sends the streams down a tiny, Y-shaped channel where they converge, without mixing because of laminar flow, and pass between catalyst-covered electrodes to generate power.
Like a battery, fuel cells convert energy from a chemical reaction -- such as hydrogen and oxygen bonding to make water -- into electricity.
They can generate power as long as an oxidant, like readily available oxygen, and fuel -- say hydrogen in the popular conception of fuel cells to power cars, or methanol in the case of the UI-developed cells -- is supplied.
For instance, where a conventional power plant creates heat, to drive a turbine, to generate electricity, Kenis said a fuel cell basically uses one step -- create a chemical reaction liberating electrons and get power -- so there's less energy wasted in the process.
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