Sharper Fuel Cells
Posted by Jason on
May 19, 2008
Sharp, in collaboration with MIT have announced an improved fuel cell technology that’s claimed to have the highest power density to date. Fuel cells have been around for yonks and basically convert chemical energy into electrical energy. It’s a sort of reverse electrolysis process (where water can be turned into hydrogen and oxygen by passing a current through it), using exotic materials that act as catalysts. In this case methanol is the fuel source. It’s a lot safer, cheaper and easier to transport than Hydrogen, which has been a popular choice with fuel cell developers in the past.
Sharp’s Direct to Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) prototypes are small enough to be used inside most gadgets, from mobile phones and GPS receivers to personal stereos and cameras and they say they’ll last around as long as lithium ion rechargeable batteries (3 – 5 years). Read More »
Reaction Engine A2 Powered by Hydrogen
Posted by Jason on
February 7, 2008
While the MPG per person is fairly good. People have been pointing their fingers towards the airline industry when it comes to pollution. Reaction Engine has a hydrogen-poweed A2 aircraft concept that would be capable of hitting Mach-5 - five times the speed of sound (3400 mph), making it somewhat the spiritual successor of the Concorde. Read More »
Cheap Rocket Jetpacks At Last
Posted by Jason on
February 1, 2008
Ever since James Bond strapped on that Bell Textron rocket belt in the opening segment of Thunderball I have wanted one. I was convinced back then (1965) that we’d all have one by now and I recall thinking it would be fun to take one on my annual holiday on the Moon…
The reality back then was jetpacks had a flight time of around 30 seconds, and were more or less guaranteed to kill anyone, other than a certified test pilot in all senses of the word stone dead on its first outing.
This spring I’ll be a little closer to realising that dream when Thunderbolt Aerosystems plan to market a Hydrogen Peroxide fuelled Thunderpack called TP-R2G, and it’ll be a snip at only £45,000, or thereabouts. A dual-fuel version (petrol and methanol) will be available later in the year for just £5,000 more. Read More »
