NEC Corporation a few days ago unveiled a prototype notebook PC with an internal fuel cell at a press conference to introduce its subsidiary company, NEC Personal Products Ltd. The new company, to be formed on July 1, discussed its business strategy and related technology trends at the conference.
NEC demonstrated a working notebook PC with an external fuel cell at Nano Tech 2003, an international nanotechnology exhibition, held from February 26 to 28 in Makuhari, Japan. The development of NEC's notebook PC with an internal fuel cell was enabled by improving the generating power of the fuel cell and developing peripheral technologies to install a fuel cell inside a PC.
The compact, high-powered prototype fuel cell boasts the world's best output density of 40mW/cm2, and achieves an average output of 14W and a maximum output of 24W. NEC aims to release a notebook PC with a built-in fuel cell on the market by end of 2004, and to make a notebook PC equipped with an internal fuel cell that has a battery life of 40 hours available within two years.
The development of the prototype was aided by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's project for developing technologies and products applying nano-carbon technology.
Details of the fuel cell include the following.
Average output (maximum output) : 14W (24W)
Voltage : 12V
Weight (weight of fuel) : 900g (300g)
Weight of PC with fuel cell : 2 kg
PC Dimensions : 288 x 280 x 40 (mm)
Operating time : Approximately 5 hours
(using 300cc of methanol fuel that
has concentration of approx. 10%)
For More Information:
http://www.nec.com
