Thursday, September 20, 2012

No. 619: Commercializing portable fuel cells (September 20, 2012)

Technology:
Rohm, Kyoto University, and Aquafairy that is a venture company in Kyoto will jointly commercialize portable fuel cells toward next spring. They developed a light, inexpensive, and safe hydrogen generator. They will launch a portable generator and a credit-card size charger by combining a fuel cell with the newly developed hydrogen generator. The output is 5 W. The fuel cell is 50 g, and the disposable cartridge that contains fuel is 23 g. Named “Mobile Aqua,” the portable fuel cell will be used for charging a smartphone as shown in the photo on the left and for an emergency power source.  

The left photo is the high output type called “High Power Aqua” that has an output of 200 W. The new technology is to react water with a sheet-like calcium compound mixed with resin and generate a large amount of hydrogen safely. The sheet-like calcium compound is combined with a small solid high-molecular form fuel cell. Because the new fuel celll does not contain toxic substances, it will be a burnable waste. 

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