Sharp boosts power density of compact fuel cell

摘要

Sharp Corp of Japan has developed a compact fuel cell with a high power density for use in mobile devices.rnThe power density per unit volume of the new fuel cell is much higher than that of the existing products, the company says. By further developing this technology, it will be possible to produce a fuel cell thatrncan be continuously operated for a longer period of time with a "volume comparable to that of the existing lithium (Li)-ion rechargeable batteries, Sharp said.rnThe new fuel cell was unveiled at the 15th Fuel Cell Symposium, held in Tokyo, Japan, 15 May. It is a passive-type direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) which does not use a pump. Current passive DMFCs have a simple structure and can be downsized, but have the problem of low power density. Sharp says it has resolved this difficulty and drastically improved the power density in the cell with what is calls "three-dimensional highly integrated stack structure", which is arranged in the heart of the fuel cell.