Fuel cell power for portable equipment

Tuesday, 05 August, 2003

Running a laptop or other electrical equipment causes a problem when there is no access to a mains supply.

If the battery runs out, where can you recharge it? This is a particularly thorny issue if, for example, your work takes you out on the road or involves spending lots of time on construction sites.

In the long run spare batteries do not provide an economic answer.

But the Mobile Power Box will - when it is introduced on the market in the coming year.

This membrane fuel cell system, supplying mains-free energy in the medium power range, was developed by research engineers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE working in co-operation with Masterflex.

It is almost ready for series production and with a very high degree of reliability the unit produces electricity from hydrogen released by replaceable metal-hydride tanks of various sizes.

"It has a higher power density than any of the prototypes presented so far," emphasises engineer and ISE project manager Marco Zobel.

"With the 300 W/h hydrogen storage a laptop can be run for up to 10 hours, which is five times longer than with a conventional battery.

At its present stage of development the unit is already achieving a continuous power of over 50 W and can handle peaks of over 100 W."

A higher power output is planned so that devices such as printers can be supplied with power for prolonged periods. The prototype of a fuel cell system for professional film and TV cameras has also been developed.

At present, camera-work carried out on location has to be continually interrupted to change the camera batteries. The compact system will put an end to this. Coupled to the camera it will supply a continuous output of 40 W.

The hydrogen accumulators have been designed so that the camera can run for an entire eight-hour day of filming.

This device also being developed by Fraunhofer engineers in co-operation with industrial partner Ambient Record in Munich, is hopefully the precursor to fully integrated tailor-made fuel cell systems.