Experimental fuel cell reaches 10 hours

Producer Toshiba says the trial has erased everyone's doubts about fuel cell capabilities. So they will commercialize products for laptops next year, after solving the size, weight and noise problems.

Toshiba's simulated fuel cell model is too big.( Photo: BBC )

The Japanese electronics company has begun studying fuel cells four years ago. The version being tested looks like a square aluminum case with a capacity of one liter mounted on the back of the machine.

It is capable of operating continuously for 10 hours. An integrated program will display the amount of fuel left with much more accuracy than the battery icon and the percentage of energy on the laptop toolbar.

Tomoaki Arimura, a specialist in Toshiba's fuel cell division, said some people were concerned about the risk of methanol leakage while others liked to use it so much that they did not want to return it to the firm during the test period. finish.

Toshiba's later design will be smaller and slimmer.( Photo: BBC )

According to Arimura, the battery is designed to be quite slender but has a solid structure and durability comparable to that of a laptop. " We have released the product in contact with the ground by the front, back, and edges and found it to be really safe, " Arimura said. In addition, Toshiba's fuel cell is equipped with a sensor to automatically lock the battery every time a vibration hits.

New battery technology promises to supplement or replace batteries in current laptops. Recently, Hitachi, Fujitsu, Samsung, Sanyo and many other companies have also demonstrated simulation models to confirm that this technology is about to appear on the market.

PT