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Fuel-Cell Power With Methanol

Posted by timothy on from the what-about-moonshine-power dept.

foaty writes: "It has been reported that Japanese electronics companies have developed prototypes for fuel-cell batteries that can power the smallest of electronic devices for long periods of time, and they only need refueling, not recharging! See the article at FutureEnergies.com." That article links to this piece at ZDNet; what's interesting is that instead of hydrogen, this article talks instead mostly about methanol-based fuel cells.

6 of 221 comments (clear)

  1. This Isn't New And It's Not Japanese... by cybrpnk · · Score: 5, Informative

    This isn't some new miracle pulled out of the hat by the Japanese. For example, an MIT Technology Review article on some American work on a methanol fuel cell is here. A whole bibliography on recent Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFCs) work is here.

  2. Re:Recharging? by cybrpnk · · Score: 5, Informative

    Actually, the "common" name for methanol is "wood alcohol". "Rubbing alcohol" generally refers to isopropyl alcohol. Methanol is actually fairly toxic and I don't think you'd want it routinely rubbed into your skin...

  3. Re:Methanol? How many will the Japanese blind? by RussGarrett · · Score: 5, Informative

    In case you don't know what inhaled methanol will do to you, expect liver failure, blindness and brain damage.

    I think you overreact a bit. If you spill a few millilitres of methanol and inhale the vapour, you're not going to come to harm, as long as you mop it up and ventilate the area. Also, you'd need to inhale a very large amount to get liver failure and brain damage. These symtoms are usually caused by ingestion.

    I for one prefer a nice safe, Ni-Cad or Lithium-Hydride battery, but then I'm pretty health conscious.

    As a chemist, I very much hope that was sarcasm. Cadmium is a cumulative poison (like lead but worse) which can cause lung and kidney damage.

    Lithium Hydride reacts very violently on contact with water to produce Hydrogen and clouds of hot Lithium Hydroxide solution vapour, which are highly irritating to the respiratory system, and generally not very nice.

    One has to take these things in perspective, and methanol fuel cells are no more dangerous that any other type of battery.

  4. Re:Please explain... by Monte · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why would refueling be preferable to recharging?

    Speed. Which is faster: filling your car's empty tank, or recharging you laptop's empty batteries?

  5. dangerous! by fcatanza · · Score: 5, Funny

    Oh, sounds so dangerous. It would never be possible. I mean, carrying a small amount of a highly flammable liquid in a small container so close to your body. The technological hurdles to make that safe are huge.
    Hang on, let me light a cigarette...
    oh wait...nevermind.

  6. This is nothing new by pclminion · · Score: 5, Informative
    The city of Portland, Oregon has had a large methanol fuel cell for a few years now. It produces about 150 kilowatts and runs off methanol converted from methane released from landfill gas. In the past the excess gas was flared off but it is now collected and used to power the cell.

    The interesting thing about this device is its incredibly small size.