05:00
Mr. Asim Rajput
Transportable fuel cells have been billed as the final solution for several years now. Regrettably, early pioneers like Jadoo have had trouble achieving the little size & low cost needed to make their products ubiquitous. reason is that most current fuel cell products depend on hydrogen storage, often in refillable canisters. Direct hydrogen storage adds complexity & isn't practical for little units or truly remote applications.
Batteries & chargers are the bane of a high-tech lifestyle. For each new tool there is usually a new size battery, a new charger, & a new set of concerns about battery life. & then comes the quest for an AC power outlet to fire all of them up. For years the industry has been looking for some type of holy grail that would permit road warriors to travel freely without being slaves to power sockets & backup batteries. Solar was the first candidate, but transportable solar cells have limited power output, & naturally only work when the sun is shining.
Enter Signa Chemistry, which provides a smart way of using a powder, sodium silicide, and water, to generate hydrogen on the fly. The hydrogen is mixed with air in the fuel cell itself, combining to generate electricity & water. The hydrogen produced by SiGNa's fuel can be used to power a traditional fuel cell, from briefcase-sized models from Jadoo down to a small hand-held version from Swedish company MyFC. The hand-held model is being introduced to the US market this spring, under the name PowerTrekk & is designed for transportable re-charging of smartphones or other little electronic devices. The PowerTrekk can output up to watts, allowing it to directly power any smartphone, even if it's dead.
Batteries & chargers are the bane of a high-tech lifestyle. For each new tool there is usually a new size battery, a new charger, & a new set of concerns about battery life. & then comes the quest for an AC power outlet to fire all of them up. For years the industry has been looking for some type of holy grail that would permit road warriors to travel freely without being slaves to power sockets & backup batteries. Solar was the first candidate, but transportable solar cells have limited power output, & naturally only work when the sun is shining.
Enter Signa Chemistry, which provides a smart way of using a powder, sodium silicide, and water, to generate hydrogen on the fly. The hydrogen is mixed with air in the fuel cell itself, combining to generate electricity & water. The hydrogen produced by SiGNa's fuel can be used to power a traditional fuel cell, from briefcase-sized models from Jadoo down to a small hand-held version from Swedish company MyFC. The hand-held model is being introduced to the US market this spring, under the name PowerTrekk & is designed for transportable re-charging of smartphones or other little electronic devices. The PowerTrekk can output up to watts, allowing it to directly power any smartphone, even if it's dead.
The PowerTrekk will be obtainable from REI for $199 for the base unit. Fuel pucks will be sold in packages of for $12. Each PowerPukk has the equivalent power capacity of 6 AA batteries, at a similar cost but much higher power than alkaline cells. Compared to long-life rechargeable NiMH AA batteries that's not much of a saving, but compared to the throw-away high-power Lithium AA batteries needed as a power source for walking plenty of modern smartphones, it is a bargain.
In larger units, like its briefcase-sized DPS300, Signa can claim that its fuel cell-driven power supplies are more cost-effective than rechargeable Lithium batteries like those currently used to power computers & electric cars. They're also lighter. As an example, Signa provided this analysis of using its briefcase unit for 30 full charges:
In larger units, like its briefcase-sized DPS300, Signa can claim that its fuel cell-driven power supplies are more cost-effective than rechargeable Lithium batteries like those currently used to power computers & electric cars. They're also lighter. As an example, Signa provided this analysis of using its briefcase unit for 30 full charges:
For now, the PowerTrekk is clearly as much of a lifestyle product it comes in a choice of red, yellow or green as a practical alternative to rechargeable batteries. It'll take some improvements before it becomes a mainstream alternative although Apple has been reported to be taking a look at fuel cells to power future Mac models. But the DPS300 is already being ordered by organizations including USAID for vaccination clinics in remote areas. It is lighter & cheaper for it to make use of a DPS300 fuel cell & supply of sodium silicate than it is to drag along a generator & it is definitely more environmentally friendly.
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