Originally published June 9 2005
Fuel cells offer many advantages over conventional batteries
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC) could offer many advantages over conventional batteries. Methanol, a cheap kind of alcohol found in windshield wiper fluid, is lighter than water and provides up to 10 times more charge than lithium-ion cells. A DMFC converts chemical energy into electricity via oxidation of methanol so when a charge is needed, you refill a fuel cell instead of plugging it in. DMFC technology is also improving rapidly. A more robust design called passive DMFC, which manages the water by-product of the reaction with much more efficiency, allows for a longer life and fewer components.
High-performance handheld electronic devices such as smart phones, video/music players, multi-functional PDAs and RFID tag readers require longer usage times than power sources currently provide.
Methanol, otherwise known as methyl alcohol or wood alcohol, is a colorless liquid commonly used in antifreeze for windshield washer fluid.
It is lighter than water and a cell weighs far less than a lithium-ion cell, making it a better option for portable electronics.
Mechanical parts like an inkhet printer head Fuel-cell power packs include a fuel refill, methanol-feed subsystem, fuel cell and electronics circuits.
The feed in a methanol-powered option might include a valve, pump, pipes, filters or orifices on a very small scale, much like one would find in a desktop inkjet print head.
Traditional DMFC systems, also known as active systems, include a condenser, fans, pumps and fluid-mixing circuits to dilute the methanol as it is fed to the anode side of the fuel cell.
When methanol is introduced into the cathode (entry) site of the DMFC, a chemical reaction occurs and the byproducts are CO2 and water.
Passive designs are simpler A passive design requires the DMFC platform to manage water in a way that obviates the need for condensing the vapor from the cathode exhaust, then storing and mixing it with methanol to maintain an accurate concentration of methanol and water at the anode.
By comparison, one cubic centimeter's worth of typical battery allows about 30 to 60 minutes of usage time.
Finally, with a better power pack and a spare fuel refill or two, there are no more AC cubes to pack and carry, no more international adapters to pack and carry, no more car chargers, no more searching for an electrical outlet and no more waiting for a charge.
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