PolyFuel to demo methanol fuel cell laptop

Powering a laptop with a portable liquid fuel is getting closer to reality. But don't expect to buy one for your next birthday.

PolyFuel, a company that develops fuel cell membranes, said Wednesday it has developed a prototype laptop--a Lenovo T40 ThinkPad--that uses methanol cartridges and a fuel cell as a power source.

The company intends to show it off to consumer electronics and PC manufacturers in the coming weeks. PolyFuel, which was spun out of what is now called SRI International, has about 19 customers, including NEC and Sanyo.

The functioning prototype is a proof of concept, rather than a finished product. The methanol cartridges, which are about the size of a deck of cards, can be replaced without having to power down the machine.

The prototype uses a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) that converts methanol, also known as wood or methyl alcohol, to electricity to run the laptop. A single cartridge can provide 10 hours of battery life.

PolyFuel declined to provide an image of the prototype, but company President and CEO Jim Balcom described it to me.

He said the fuel cell power supply bulges out slightly more than the larger nine-cell battery on a Lenovo T40. It also raises the laptop a bit.

Despite the slightly larger size, Balcom said laptop manufacturers were keenly interested in the last prototype, because one power supply would provide as much run-time as about three lithium-ion batteries and would be substantially lighter.

Timing?
PolyFuel's strategy is to license its system design and to sell its membrane technology to manufacturers.

A number of consumer electronics makers have announced product development efforts on direct methanol fuel cells.

The advantage of direct methanol fuel cells is that the cartridges are portable and can provide longer running time, say backers.

MTI MicroFuel Cells, another direct methanol fuel cell company, said last week that its Mobion fuel cell lasted 2,700 continuous hours, hitting a Department of Energy target set for fuel-cell funding.

Manufacturers are keen to find ways to extend battery life so they can add more features to portable devices. Also, replaceable methanol cartridges would let people go all day without lugging around an AC adapter.

The U.S. Department of Transportation last year approved the transport of methanol fuel cells on airplanes, according to MTI and the Methanol Institute.

Then again, portable electronics powered by alternative fuels have been promised for years without any commercial products.

One of the main reasons is because the science for direct methanol fuel cells is quite difficult, particularly to make devices small enough, according to Balcom.

He said manufacturers estimate that these devices could fuel between 10 percent and 30 percent of laptops. Ten percent of laptops could be considered a niche market yet is still significant in size.

"We've never been on of the opinion that fuel cells are going to replace batteries wholesale. (Batteries) are great if you need a couple of hours," Balcom said.

He said that initial commercialization of fuel cell consumer electronics in two to three years is feasible.

"It's not a question of if, it's a question of when" fuel cells are used in devices, he said. "It's difficult to predict because the science is so challenging."

[peramica]

While I'm sure the science questions are difficult, I imagine the greater problem to surmount would be the infrastructure. Where does one get methanol?

[mlamonica]

Good point. The people I've talked to have made it sound as if distribution of these cartridges is doable through existing retail outlets.

[fredtheviking]

I still don't see the value proposition. I mean getting 10 hours on my laptop without a recharge is great, but the system would cost me a pretty penny. I would have to buy cartages (for how much? can't be cheaper than the electric power in battery). Then there is an environment concern with cartages, where do I dispose of them? Also, by the time this technology is available, battery technology will have improved, making the proposition even worse. Also, why is this in the green tech blog? this isn?t a green technology. If anything this will make CO2 problem worse, please explain how this is green.

[mlamonica]

Part of the charter of the Green Tech blog is to cover alternative fuels and this would qualify. How environmentally friendly (emissions, recyclabilty, etc) methanol fuel cells are is a good question. That's a topic I'll try to get more information on.

[ArtInvent]

People have been 'demoing' this concept for almost ten years now. Yes, we all know that there are nice lab kits that run cell phones and laptops on little methanol cartridges. Prototypes are very old news. And no one has ever really said why this would be much better than buying one or two extra lithium batteries and forget the hassle of trying to find a constant supply of methanol cartridges?

[fokkwp]

"Stanford Research Institute" - if you mean "SRI International", it hasn't been known as Stanford Research Institute for several decades.

[mlamonica]

OK, thanks. I changed the reference.

[k2dave]

I think the time for fuel cells in laptops has passed as battery power has improved, and recently heard of a prototype battery that may get 10x the run time of today's Li-ion one - but a prototype is a long way from a commercially viable product. I can see niche applications like running laptops in remote locations away from electricity, though in some cases solar panels can be used, fuel cells are a viable option, more reliable, smaller and less delicate. Perhaps if laptop power requirements go up substantially fuel cells will once again show a big advantage.

[rbrt7]

Could you take a fuel-cell laptop and extra cartridges along on a business trip? It's hard enough to get through security now. I don't see TSA allowing airline passengers to board with a laptop containing flammable liquids! And will the spare cartridge need to fit into your little plastic bag along with your toothpaste and mouthwash? I don't see this as realistic

[cleanenergy4me]

"Could you take a fuel-cell laptop and extra cartridges along on a business trip?"

Yes - See: http://www.mtimicrofuelcells.com/news/article.asp?id=324

and: http://www.usfcc.com/EM-ICAOPressRelease-07-021.pdf

[cleanenergy4me]

In September 2003, MTI Micro entered into a strategic alliance agreement with Gillette and its Duracell division. The agreement provides for a multi-year exclusive partnership for the design, development and commercialization of a low power direct methanol micro fuel cell power system and a compatible fuel refill system. As part of the strategic alliance, both MTI Micro and Gillette will share and license from each other certain intellectual property assets, and both have the ability to earn royalties. In addition, Gillette has made an initial $1 million investment in MTI Micro common stock, with the potential of an additional investment of $4 million subject to agreed milestones.
In October 2007, MTI Micro announced a continuing collaboration with Samsung Electronics. MTI Micro will prepare Mobion® MFC products for mobile phone applications leading to commercialization in 2009. MTI Micro will also share development updates with Samsung and loan them prototypes for evaluation. Samsung may also request changes to product specifications until December of 2008 and may purchase commercial DMFC samples as soon as they are available.
From: http://www.mtimicrofuelcells.com/faq/#q9