Panasonic news and reviews

Panasonic revealed a new micro DMFC system for use with mobile devices and exhibited in ” Hydrogen Energy Advanced Technology Exhibition 2008″, October 22 to 24, Kita-Kyushu city. Two types of protocols are exhibited: one is a micro DMFC incorporated into a note PC and the other is a micro DMFC charger.
Features
A ratio of output power/(device) volume is remarkably increased.
The volume of the micro DMFC incorporated into the note PC is about 1/2 of that of the previous one manufactured by the company.
The size of the DMFC charger is approximately 105 mm x 148 mm.
The charger has two ports for the output terminals, and is capable of supplying electric power to different mobile devices concurrently.
Technological Features

The technologies on which the new micro DMFC systems are based are:
1) Fuel supply system
This technology is based on the following two technologies.
a) “Power-generation-amount feedback technology” which detects an output power of the stack and transfers necessary amounts of fuel to the fuel supply means, and b) “fuel supplying technology” for supplying necessary amounts of fuel to the stack under highly accurately control.
2) Small-size, high output lithium ion battery technology
3) Stack-size reducing technology
4) BOP of small size and power
The technologies 1) and 2) above are previously developed ones, and the technologies 3) and 4) are developed this time.
The portion of the stack, which had been used for fastening and had not contributed to the power generation in the previous fuel cell, was minimized, resulting in remarkable size reduction of the device.
BOP = Balance of Plant
Auxiliaries operable by small power were developed. For example, a micro fuel pump directly adjusts fuel to have a proper fuel concentration within the pump and supplies proper amounts of fuel to the respective cells in a real-time manner. Those auxiliaries enable necessary amounts of fuel to the fuel cell stack when required. As a result, electric power is efficiently generated.
Related patents
139 (including patent-pending applications)

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