CMR Fuel Cells: Fuelcells Finally Hit The Big Time?
by Dominic Muren, Philadelphia, USA on 05.23.05
Fuelcells, fuelcells, fuelcells. Enough already. It seems like every day there's some new piece of news about how this technology is right on the edge of transforming the way we power our portable world. But every day the solution remains elusive. Today, CMR Fuel Cells claims to finally have what it takes...
CMR's design, called the Compact Mixed Reactant assembly (prototype shown above) has a number of advantages over current fuel cell designs. Most notably, it allows the fuel -- in this case, methanol -- and oxygen to be mixed as they are fed through the reaction system. This keeps cost down by eliminating a number of complex layers from the assembly. More importantly, however, it wipes out some seriously bulky parts needed to keep the fuel and air separate in current designs.
Smaller size means there finally may be a chance for integration into cellphones and computers. It also makes for some impressive specs:
5-10x increase in power density
greater power density
smaller size, weight
higher efficiency, less heat
enhanced durability
Overall, claims CMR, the thinner, more efficient design leads to an 80% cost savings. Which could all mean that we'll be able to see portable fuel cells at last. CMR plans to showcase a high performance prototype this summer, but final release plans haven't been set.
:: CMR's Fuel Cell Technology [by DM]
"claims to finally have what it takes..."
remember, my rule as an engineer and old-time tech watcher, is to ask for two things: introduction date, and price. if a mfgr can name those things, they are ready.
on the other hand:
"a high performance prototype this summer, but final release plans haven't been set."
means that customer introduction, and price, are probably a ways off ;-)
Good to analogize with path to Lithium rechargables. In space of less than a decade we went from NiCad to NiMH, to Lithium rechargeables. And we're still getting "overheat" recalls on the latter (a sign of still somewhat unstable technology). Toshiba's micro-fuel cell is set to go commercial in less than 2 years, which means that in less than a decade we could be burning methanol in our PC's...reliably.