Electric mobility has become obsolete, and not only because of the errors that this type of vehicle is presenting. During the last few years, a new fuel has been imposed, recovering combustion, but producing only water vapor. This is precisely what has just been achieved with this new hydrogen fuel cell, which is not only extremely small, but also very powerful.
This is the first “intelligent” hydrogen fuel cell: an advance in mobility
A lightweight hydrogen fuel cell of 157kW production power has been developed by Intelligent Energy that can generate power for a clean power technology company. The brand defined it in its presentation as a “commercially-viable, turnkey solution”, something we believe is promising for the sector.
The power density of that fuel-cell system is also innovating, and it is striking that it can still generate 157kW in a lightweight hydrogen fuel cell product. It’s what we see as a proposal to outperform EVs, with even better fuel, that needs, yes, a more ambitious and accessible network of hydrogen filling stations.
The fuel cell’s design and engineering were executed completely in the manufacturing premises by Intelligent Energy. Their special strategy involves optimizing all the elements of the system, from the membrane electrode assembly through to fuel cell stack and auxiliary facilities.
Through tapping into their well-established expertise in fuel cell technologies since the inception of their organization, Intelligent Energy has developed the most effective and efficient system which is also extremely light and light-weight. The fuel cell has the high energy density and the small area space requirements.
How this ultralight hydrogen fuell cell works: a new step towards zero-emissions
It was necessary to design a new water injection system, one of the systems you know we like to focus on. In the case of a PEMFC, a polymer electrolyte membrane is used on the anode and cathode sides to separate them. Fuel holds the hydrogen on the anode side, where it is fed into the cell.
The company states on its own website that “DRIVE’s heat exchanger is up to 30% smaller than its competitors at equal net power output”. In fact, you recall that the large size that other engines from other brands have is a problem we’ve talked about.
Besides, hydrogen fuel is also efficient at catalyzing the reactions at the electrochemical level. The smart energy system has a very low footprint and high output level. In fact, it only emits water vapor, which is why it is considered to be a zero-emission technology.
More powerful and compact than conventional hydrogen fuel cell
Nevertheless, Intelligent Energy’s newly developed fuel cell which is much compact and displays powerful output compared to the previous ones stands singular. What is the difference is that this type of facilities offer much more than the most common small fuel cells, which generate only a few kilowatts?
The added output of high power for a small fuel cell made it able to achieve the level of power-to-weight ratio typical of internal combustion engines that are installed in automobiles and generators. The brand wanted from the beginning to make it considerably simpler, proof of which is that the fuel cell does not need a humidifier.
Traditional fuel cells became less appealing since they couldn’t produce sufficient amount of power and were suitable only for devices with low power consumption, e.g. computers and mobile devices. This new concept is now almost equal to the internal combustion engine with the only difference being fuel cell’s energy density.
As you can see, this new hydrogen fuel cell demonstrates that power should not always be linked to engine size. The truth is that it was an idea that was theorized with the first electric vehicles, but that manufacturers overlooked and did not take up again until they innovated with hybrids. In any case, it is already too late, this new fuel is going to lead the roads in the short-medium term.