Fuel Cell - Is this possible?

[turbobearcat]

Ok ok..from the title your thinking "WHat the heck?" but since I found out how easy it is to make a fuel cell,I just wonder could one power one of our subs and if so I wonder for how long?from what I have seen from the size per cell is about 2volts DC so I wonder if a larger cell produce enough juice
to power everything or just the motor?

Ok am I smoking too much crack or am I just alittle too far ahead of myself?

Mark

[turbobearcat]

]http://www.subcommittee.com/forum/icon_lol.gif

]http://www.subcommittee.com/forum/icon_lol.gif[/img]

[turbobearcat]

Ok I found Platinum coated

Ok I found Platinum coated Nickle wire for $10 foot, so maybe I can try building a cell and see what happens and could this be a possiblity to use a Fuel cell in a sub...

man I am bore tonight to post a reply to my own post

Mark

[safrole]

Apparently the wattage is directly

Apparently the wattage is directly proportional to the surface area of the catalyzing platinum, so you're buying power delivery with precious metal. (a recipe for expense!)

I would be very interested to see a DIY fuel cell on that kind of scale. (~100watts?)

Maybe you could name her Hindenberg just in case!

[turbobearcat]

Apparently the wattage is directly

Apparently the wattage is directly proportional to the surface area of the catalyzing platinum, so you're buying power delivery with precious metal. (a recipe for expense!)

I would be very interested to see a DIY fuel cell on that kind of scale. (~100watts?)

Maybe you could name her Hindenberg just in case!

[color=#0000FF]HAHHAHA!
Now that was funny, one spark and the sub would blow up underwater.. kinda like U-47.
Then again at $10 foot for Platinum wire your right about the cost of the cell and maybe enough power to make it operate.
]

[safrole]

Maybe you could use an

Maybe you could use an automotive catalytic converter? For your purpose they are convenient honeycombs of ceramic coated with platinum, palladium or rhodium. I don't believe you need platinum specifically. I don't know if the deposition of metal on the ceramic is heavy enough to ensure electrical continuity, but in any event the price is right. Hopefully you could solder right onto it and keep it in a jar of "fuel".

Yeah, you definitely wouldn't want it to share airspace with the electric motors or servos. Also the necessary volume to produce the required power could be excessive. Perhaps rethinking the shape of the "tank" could run it the length of the boat, in the bottom, with successive pieces of catalytic converter soldered in a chain. The issue is how much converter is necessary, and how do you hide the volume of lattice that carries it. I think you also need to transform the voltage. Run time might not be an issue, because the refills should be quick and easy. It's very interesting, even if it's ultimately unpractical.

I also read a bit about Maxwell's supercapacitors, where they put an electrolyte in between the plates to greatly increase the stored charge. They still don't carry enough energy to replace our batteries, but it's another Flash Gordon idea that's pretty intriguing.

[gunter]

Could this work?

http://www.physlink.com/estore....&SID=17

Could this work?

http://www.physlink.com/estore....&SID=17

[turbobearcat]

Could this work?

http://www.physlink.com/estore....&SID=17
I was looking

Could this work?

http://www.physlink.com/estore....&SID=17

I was looking at the same site last week!

maybe but for the price that would be a very big NO..

[drdave]

The Ceramic Monolith Catalytic converter

The Ceramic Monolith Catalytic converter coatsing are not dense enough to react to make the fuelcell work So far platinum is the Catalyste to make the fuel cell work Also the Polymer membrane material and reactor catalyst will be needed as well. There are test being done at the California Fuel Cell Partnership in Sacramento California that may suggest that possibly in a low amperage setting that Kevlar coated material may be use instead of the platinum but it is too early to know for sure. fuel cells are practicle on Submarines ( Dutch and Swedish are using fuel cells on their Stirling AIP systems) But for nwo the limited space available in a model may be a few years off. New materials and thoughts will bring a fuel cell to our hobby soon and at a far more less expense than it is now. Right now availability for a 2 amp setup would run about 120.00 but needs a little more space than a WTC 3.5 will handle. Dr Dave

[koeze]

( Dutch and Swedish are

( Dutch and Swedish are using fuel cells on their Stirling AIP systems)

According to Dutch submarines

- The subs will be refitted/modernized around 2009. AIP will be one of the possible improvements.

Swedes and I believe the Germans (U212 / U214) do.

EJK

[tsenecal]

Toshiba has announced that they

Toshiba has announced that they will be manufacturing laptops with fuel cells in the next two years.

Assuming that current laptops use a 5v/12v 1600 mah nimh/lipo setup...

[turbobearcat]

So I guess this was

So I guess this was worthy of bringing up to the group, a idea that could power our subs for the future..



Mark

[slats]

Mark,
not sure if this helps

Mark,
not sure if this helps but I recall an article in 2000 in the Subcommittee Report of the feasibility of using Fuel Cells in RC subs. Maybe you could get a back order of this through the membership chairman.
John