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Toshiba Develops World's Smallest Fuel Cells

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the anti-freeze-power dept.

An anonymous reader writes "When you think of Toshiba, you might think of notebooks, but fuel cells? Never. Well, at least not until up to now. Toshiba claims to have made the world's smallest fuel cell to date. The direct methanol fuel cell can fit inside of the smallest of gadgets, ranging from MP3 Players to portal DVD Players. Most fuel cells require a pump that can mix the methanol and water, and a fan to help cool the pump. This makes installing fuel cells in smaller items out of the question. However, Toshiba's new fuel cell does not require a fan or a pump to operate, which means it's much smaller in size, and can be installed in almost any small device."

16 of 323 comments (clear)

  1. Not smallest by Oculus+Habent · · Score: 5, Informative

    Motorola designed this sort of thing in 2000, and it's smaller.

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  2. More effecient? by Peterl · · Score: 5, Insightful

    One would think that the lack of a pump and fan would improve the effeciency, as well.

  3. What we really need... by NIK282000 · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...Is a fule cell that produces 2 things, electricity for our gear and as a byproduct of the energy it makes some form of caffienated beverage.

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  4. Picture of fuel cell by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    DPReview has a pic of it.

    http://www.dpreview.com/news/0406/04062401toshib af uel.asp

  5. What About Refills? by artlu · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If the items are so small then how much energy can they realistically generate? Sure, I may get an extra five hours of my iPod, but if I have to go though the trouble of refilling the damn thing instead of just plugging it in, then I don't see the point.

    I like portable fuel cells for laptop use because you can get about 18 hours out of one cell, which is great for flights to India, but when else do you really need that much battery life?

    GroupShares Inc. - An Interactive Stock Market Community

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    1. Re:What About Refills? by FreeLinux · · Score: 5, Informative

      Perhaps a RTFA is in order.

      The tiny fuel cell uses 2cc of concentrated methanol to provide 20 hours of power at 100 milliwatts, max.

      With regard to refilling. This will be done with a can of compressed methanol. Simply plug the can into the cell for a few seconds and you're good to go for another 20 hours. This process will be very similar to the way that butane cigarette lighters are refilled and have been for more than 30 years. Just for the record, butane is much more flamable/explosive than methanol. Yet, when last did you read of a can of butane or a refillable cigarette lighter exploding?

    2. Re:What About Refills? by Jtheletter · · Score: 5, Funny
      Sure, I may get an extra five hours of my iPod, but if I have to go though the trouble of refilling the damn thing instead of just plugging it in, then I don't see the point.

      Ok, here's how you get the point. Both of us go camping in Maine with our iPods. We each rock out to our very hip playlists for a day or two until the batteries die. I will reach into my backpack and take out a 2 oz bottle of methanol that will last me for a week, while you attempt to plug your iPod into a tree.

      It may seem like outlets are ubiquitous, but they're not. The idea is that you can take a number of "recharges" with you and it takes up minimal space. Refilling the cell is also not going to be like pouring oil in your car with a funnel, it's more like refilling a butane lighter by pressing the spout of the fuel can up to the fuel port for a few seconds.

      OTOH though, I work with Methanol at my job, and it is some nasty shit. I'm not so sure how consumer friendly this particular fuel cell will be, in general it's a bad idea to be carrying around any amount of methanol. I'll wait for the cells that run off plain old alcohol so my iPod can booze up with me at the bar.

      "Bartender! Another round for me, and one for my little friend here!"

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  6. Re:A loud bang followed by death? by JesseL · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What, you think normal chemical batteries are safe? Between the highly caustic acids or alkalines, the heavy metals, lack of short circuit detection, propensity for exploding or shooting flames when overcharged, ordianary batteries are death machines if that's your way of thinking.

    I don't worry about it much.

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  7. Re:If you feel comfortable ... by Grant29 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yeah, any word on the safety of something like this? I'd hate to have an explosion in my pants.

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  8. Re:If you feel comfortable ... by drinkypoo · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Now we're cooking with gas!"

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    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  9. Portable Methane by platypibri · · Score: 5, Funny

    If you want true portable methane power, find a way to harness the awesome effects of my award winning Split Pea Soup! A small hose could be ran from the "back end" of the methane converter to a meriad of electronic devices. My wife can vouch for the consistent power output.

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    Yeah, I guess I'm funny like that.
  10. Re:If you feel comfortable ... by Bob+McCown · · Score: 5, Funny
    I'd hate to have an explosion in my pants.

    This guy can help with that.

  11. Fuel Cell Today - Good source of Fuel Cell news by MazTaim · · Score: 5, Informative

    Along with yet another article regarding Toshiba's new fuel cell, Fuel Cell Today has some other interesting news items regarding Fuel Cell technology worth reading.

  12. Re:If you feel comfortable ... by homer_ca · · Score: 5, Interesting

    People freak out when you talk about methanol fuel cells, but then forget the mini bottles of liquor on the airplane's drink cart have just an much alcohol. Those people probably wouldn't think twice about carrying around 1L bottles of 151 proof rum or 190 proof grain alcohol.

  13. Take that warning seriously! by Kiyooka · · Score: 5, Informative

    For the curious: don't try it. I used to work for a battery manufacturer. Suffice it to say that if one of the chemical tanks were to rupture, they would have had to evacuate most of that city immediately because of the toxic gas. And that's just one ingredient.

    Trust me, it's not worth it, even if you're curious. You might regret it for the rest of your (short?) life!

  14. FUD? by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Every time a fuelcell announcement is posted to Slashdot (and elsewhere), there are immediately panicked replies about fires and explosions. Of course prudence requires caution with any new, unprecedented technology. But have you ever noticed an *actual* fire or explosion problem with *any* fuelcell, at least in the last 5 years?

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