Hitachi Methanol Fuel Cell for Portable Devices coming 2007
According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun Wednesday morning edition, Hitachi is supposed to sell methanol fuel cells for small electronic gadgets in 2007.
The new methanol fuel cells are designed to be used as external power packs to recharge portable devices.
Hitachi has setup a plant with 2,000-3,000 cells per month capacity. Hitachi showed their methanol fuel cell concept for devices already in 2003. In 2004 they showed a real life prototype. It is about time this thing comes on the market.
Hitachi, Ltd. has unveiled a prototype direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) to be used as an external recharger of mobile devices at “HITACHI uVALUE Convention 2006″ that is being held at Tokyo International Forum from July 26 to 27, 2006. Although a mobile phone handset manufactured by Hitachi was being recharged in the exhibition booth, a spokesperson explains that “the prototype has been designed for use in mobile devices that are rechargeable via the USB interface.”
The DMFC includes four units of power generation cells. The foldable main body can be spread into the shape of a left angle bracket (<) upon power generation. With the main body spread open, the four surfaces of the chassis work as the air electrodes for each of the power generation cells. The fuel cell is equipped with a control circuit and a capacitor that can store electricity before charging the mobile devices. This time, instead of using a detachable fuel cartridge, the company has adopted the so-called satellite structure in which methanol is injected into the fuel cell body.
