Eco Factor: Fuel-cell operable at 550°C.
Cutting down on the size and temperature requirements of fuel cells, The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) has developed a new fuel cell that’s just the size of a sugar cube. The SOFC, or solid-oxide fuel cell, has 25 needle-like modules, each with a diameter of 0.8mm, which are arranged in the shape of a sugar cube.
The fuel cell is reported to generate 3 watts of electricity and is operable of 550°C, which is definitely better than other SOFCs that can only work at temperatures ranging from 700 to 1000°C. Currently the fuel cells are intended for use by automotive APUs where the load change is small.
The Dark Side:
Fuel cells need to do more than just powering up APUs of cars. Moreover the operable temperature of 550°C is still much more than what will actually be required for other urgent uses.
Via: TechOn
