Production Fuel Cells in 2nd Half of 2006?

MacRumors · Mar 3, 2006, 01:48 AM

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ExtremeTech reports that Antig Technology and AVC Corp. will be demoing production-ready fuel cell battery technology for laptops at CeBIT next week.

The fuel cells appear to be methanol-based and provide 45 watts of power, weigh 3.7 pounds and reportedly can power a laptop for eight hours with a single cartridge. The fuel cell is the size of a CD-Rom drive and is designed to fit into the media bay of a laptop PC. These fuel cells are reportedly going into production for late 2006. No details on cost or fuel refill information is yet available. A photo is shown here.

This is not the first time fuel cell technology has been promised. NEC was reportedly expecting them in to be production in 2004.

Back in 2003, Apple was rumored to be actively pursuing fuel cell technology for the PowerBook line. Fuel Cells promise long battery life but significant technical hurdles have limited their development.

revjay · Mar 3, 2006, 01:56 AM

There you go iGary...you no longer need to carry an extra battery...all you need is a 3.7 lb fuel cell half the size of a MacBook.

I suppose, once this type of tech. goes into production, size will possibly dwindle and efficiency climb?

bluedevil14 · Mar 3, 2006, 01:58 AM

3.7 lbs!!!!!!???? Who wants to carry that around? I think carrying around three normal batteries would definitely be lighter

EricNau · Mar 3, 2006, 02:01 AM

45 watts of power and 3.7 lbs... The current MacBook Pro battery is 60 watts, and I'm sure it weighs less than that.

Superdrive · Mar 3, 2006, 02:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluedevil14

3.7 lbs!!!!!!???? Who wants to carry that around? I think carrying around three normal batteries would definitely be lighter

And less expensive too!

Glad to see technology coming along. I'd still bet it is at least five years before we see any of this in a mainstream product.

Chundles · Mar 3, 2006, 02:04 AM

I hope it's one of those ones that gets the Hydrogen from alcohol - study time would be great. One for me, one for you, two for me, one for you. Glug glug glug.....

yoda13 · Mar 3, 2006, 02:08 AM

Time to hit the gym again so I can carry my laptop power supply around....

n8236 · Mar 3, 2006, 02:08 AM

i dunno how i feel about anything methanol near me when i'm on a flight altitude of 39,000 ft lol

EricNau · Mar 3, 2006, 02:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by n8236

i dunno how i feel about anything methanol near me when i'm on a flight altitude of 39,000 ft lol

It's perfectly safe... until you drop it!

pdpfilms · Mar 3, 2006, 02:12 AM

Hahahaha.

I just have to laugh. I'm sure they'll refine this enough to be usable one day, but i just think it's funny right now...

what if you dropped your laptop?

revjay · Mar 3, 2006, 02:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EricNau

It's perfectly safe... until your drop it!

Kaboom!
http://www.hiroshima-is.ac.jp/Hirosh...omb_scene2.jpg

darwen · Mar 3, 2006, 02:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdpfilms

what if you dropped your laptop?

If it fell on you? It would hurt. Lets hope that guy who did the Mag Safe test does not get ahold of one of these.

lord patton · Mar 3, 2006, 02:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by revjay

I suppose, once this type of tech. goes into production, size will possibly dwindle and efficiency climb?

no, that's not the least bit likely

tjwett · Mar 3, 2006, 02:49 AM

uh, "in the media bay..."? yeah, reeeal futurey.

macnews · Mar 3, 2006, 02:53 AM

I just can't see this working long term and seriously doubt Apple would deploy it. It needs to be lighter, thinner (yes, it say CD rom size but that is misleading given the picture on the site), and ideally use a better fuel source such as hydrogen fuel.

kenzbud · Mar 3, 2006, 02:56 AM

Blah.... Big and bulky.
Do you recharge it like a normal battery or does it have to be filled up with hydrogen?

CanadaRAM · Mar 3, 2006, 03:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenzbud

Blah.... Big and bulky.
Do you recharge it like a normal battery or does it have to be filled up with hydrogen?

Seriously -- did you read any of this before posting? A fuel cell generates electricity from catalyzing a hydrogen-rich, usually liquid fuel source like... the methanol mentioned in this thread, The cell is refuelled by putting in more methanol -- although practically we can expect self-contained fuel cartridges like disposable butane lighters.

Using methanol is less efficient than using pure hydrogen, but containment and recharging with pure hydrogen has some major logistical problems. The other challenge whatever the fuel is what to do with the waste heat from the process.

The point of a fuel cell is not high power, it is moderate power over a long period of time, and recharging with a chemical fuel source so you can be off the grid for days or weeks. It is not a battery replacement for desk to desk or even airline travel (and I'd like to see them answer the question of taking tiny 'jet engines' with methanol 'bombs' onto an aircraft...).

avus · Mar 3, 2006, 03:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by revjay

Kaboom!

Yet another insensitive person who still thinks nuclear weapons are just big bombs:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releas...-abs022306.php

Stridder44 · 04:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdpfilms

what if you dropped your laptop?

http://www.nikhef.nl/~h73/kn1c/ELSTAT/Explosion.jpg

Staffroomer · Mar 3, 2006, 04:52 AM

This sounds way better than the 4 hours on my current iBook

SeaFox · Mar 3, 2006, 04:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenzbud

Blah.... Big and bulky.
Do you recharge it like a normal battery or does it have to be filled up with hydrogen?

Well since it's not a "battery" I don't know how you would recharge it.

Actually the joke of this (if you read the article) is that they haven't designed them to be refilled by the user. So it's even worse than carrying a spare battery (besides the dismal runtime).

ScottB · Mar 3, 2006, 06:11 AM

Fuel cell? That sound very cool, but from the look of the specs it seems like it's not very useful. I guess we won't be seeing these in any practical laptop for a long while.

bigandy · Mar 3, 2006, 06:27 AM

i can't see this working for another decade at least.

plus they really do need to be able to be refilled by the user, or they're going to make more money selling dead badgers to shove in your battery bay.

*develops business plan*

Austin.xstone · Mar 3, 2006, 07:16 AM

As I see it, the battery is the one thing holding everything back, bigger brighter screens? 'Takes more battery'. The sooner that they create something that can replace a battery the better the world will be.

I’m sure that all humans are looking at holding power in little boxes to use later the wrong way – I’m sure that there must be a totally different system - Some one just needs to invent it... good luck on that one...

puuukeey · Mar 3, 2006, 07:21 AM

can't we just pee into it?

Mar 3, 2006, 01:48 AM	#1
MacRumors macrumors bot Join Date: Apr 2001	Production Fuel Cells in 2nd Half of 2006? http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif ExtremeTech reports that Antig Technology and AVC Corp. will be demoing production-ready fuel cell battery technology for laptops at CeBIT next week. The fuel cells appear to be methanol-based and provide 45 watts of power, weigh 3.7 pounds and reportedly can power a laptop for eight hours with a single cartridge. The fuel cell is the size of a CD-Rom drive and is designed to fit into the media bay of a laptop PC. These fuel cells are reportedly going into production for late 2006. No details on cost or fuel refill information is yet available. A photo is shown here. This is not the first time fuel cell technology has been promised. NEC was reportedly expecting them in to be production in 2004. Back in 2003, Apple was rumored to be actively pursuing fuel cell technology for the PowerBook line. Fuel Cells promise long battery life but significant technical hurdles have limited their development.

Mar 3, 2006, 01:56 AM	#2
revjay macrumors regular Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Beautiful Vancouver Island	All Our Problems Are Solved... There you go iGary...you no longer need to carry an extra battery...all you need is a 3.7 lb fuel cell half the size of a MacBook. I suppose, once this type of tech. goes into production, size will possibly dwindle and efficiency climb? __________________ "Sometimes I wish I were you just so I could be friends with me." 1.9 G5 imac; 2.2 MacBook

Mar 3, 2006, 01:58 AM	#3
bluedevil14 macrumors regular Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Washington, DC	thats pretty heavy 3.7 lbs!!!!!!???? Who wants to carry that around? I think carrying around three normal batteries would definitely be lighter __________________ iMac G4 17" gooseneck 1.25Ghz 512mb 80gb; iMac 2.4Ghz 2gb 250 gb; MB 2Ggz, 1gb, 80gb; MBP 2Ghz, 1gb, 80gb; PB 1ghz 40gb; iPhone 8gb

Mar 3, 2006, 02:01 AM	#4
EricNau macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Sacramento, CA	45 watts of power and 3.7 lbs... The current MacBook Pro battery is 60 watts, and I'm sure it weighs less than that. __________________ November is Pancreatic Caner Awareness Month www.PanCan.org \| Get Involved

Mar 3, 2006, 02:04 AM	#6
Chundles macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: The Gong, Australia	I hope it's one of those ones that gets the Hydrogen from alcohol - study time would be great. One for me, one for you, two for me, one for you. Glug glug glug..... __________________ This is going straight to the Pool Room

Mar 3, 2006, 02:08 AM	#7
yoda13 macrumors 65816 Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Texas	Time to hit the gym again so I can carry my laptop power supply around.... __________________ For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times, before the Empire.

Mar 3, 2006, 02:08 AM	#8
n8236 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Mar 2006	i dunno how i feel about anything methanol near me when i'm on a flight altitude of 39,000 ft lol

Mar 3, 2006, 02:12 AM	#10
pdpfilms macrumors 68020 Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Vermontana	Hahahaha. I just have to laugh. I'm sure they'll refine this enough to be usable one day, but i just think it's funny right now... what if you dropped your laptop?

Mar 3, 2006, 02:49 AM	#14
tjwett macrumors 68000 Join Date: May 2002 Location: Brooklyn, NYC	uh, "in the media bay..."? yeah, reeeal futurey. __________________ "The spice must flow..."

Mar 3, 2006, 02:53 AM	#15
macnews macrumors 6502 Join Date: May 2003 Location: Idaho	I just can't see this working long term and seriously doubt Apple would deploy it. It needs to be lighter, thinner (yes, it say CD rom size but that is misleading given the picture on the site), and ideally use a better fuel source such as hydrogen fuel.

Mar 3, 2006, 02:56 AM	#16
kenzbud macrumors member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Seattle, WA	Blah.... Big and bulky. Do you recharge it like a normal battery or does it have to be filled up with hydrogen?

Mar 3, 2006, 04:52 AM	#20
Staffroomer macrumors member Join Date: Oct 2005	This sounds way better than the 4 hours on my current iBook __________________ Come and check out The Staffroom. Get lots of FREE SOFTWARE for teachers. We're a non-profit site for TEACHERS

Mar 3, 2006, 06:11 AM	#22
ScottB macrumors regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Britain	Fuel cell? That sound very cool, but from the look of the specs it seems like it's not very useful. I guess we won't be seeing these in any practical laptop for a long while.

Mar 3, 2006, 06:27 AM	#23
bigandy macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Soho, London	i can't see this working for another decade at least. plus they really do need to be able to be refilled by the user, or they're going to make more money selling dead badgers to shove in your battery bay. develops business plan __________________ "any day that involves cat pee is a really bad day" - iBlue ǝןƃooɹɯ

Mar 3, 2006, 07:16 AM	#24
Austin.xstone macrumors member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: New Zealand - Ohh Yeah...	As I see it, the battery is the one thing holding everything back, bigger brighter screens? 'Takes more battery'. The sooner that they create something that can replace a battery the better the world will be. I’m sure that all humans are looking at holding power in little boxes to use later the wrong way – I’m sure that there must be a totally different system - Some one just needs to invent it... good luck on that one... __________________ iPod G5 30GB Video, 2.8 GHz 512MBWindows Laptop, 1.9 GHz 512MB PC, Watch this space... MacBook - I hope

Mar 3, 2006, 07:21 AM	#25
puuukeey macrumors 6502 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: tristate area	can't we just pee into it?

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