NZ firm building bus powered by renewable fuel (Mg-Air fuel cell)

jpak

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Sun Jun-04-06 02:56 PM
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NZ firm building bus powered by renewable fuel (Mg-Air fuel cell)

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10384945

Ashburton coachbuilding company Designline is building a prototype commuter bus powered by a chemical fuel cell using reusable, renewable materials.

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Alchemy's technology uses magnesium -- one of the most common minerals on earth -- as its catalyst material for a chemical reaction that generates electricity. Metal-air fuel cells (MAFC) generate use metal and oxygen to generate electricity, rather than combing hydrogen and oxygen as in a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell.
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The Alchemy fuel cell pumps an electrolytic liquid consisting of magnesium and salt water into the power cell, and when exposed to air, it generates electricity. When the electrolytic liquid is exhausted, it is pumped out of the power cell into a storage tank, and "recharged" to be pumped back into another fuel cell.

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Alchemy has predicted that its fuel cell will power a vehicle up to 800km before re-fuelling, with performance beating that of a conventional petrol-powered vehicle. Other American companies working with MAFC technology are Arotech and eVionyx, which are creating zinc-based metal-air fuel cells for use in cars.

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JohnWxy

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Mon Jun-05-06 02:23 PM
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1. Interesting they had to go to New Zealand to find a 'partner' in this

technology.

An American company, Alchemy Enterprises Ltd, is producing the magnesium-based fuel cell which will power the electric bus.

Alchemy has developed its fuel cell with the Nasa space agency and its Jet Propulsion Labs and Cal Tech in Pasadena, California, and Cal Tech is expected to take an 8 per cent stake in the company in return.

Alchemy will have exclusive worldwide rights to the patent rights related to the metal-air fuel cell developed by Nasa/JPL under the agreement.

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The fuel cells were first developed for long-range solar-powered unmanned aircraft flying for long times at extremely high altitudes, and have been further refined for use in heavy vehicles.

The company said it expected to be able to unveil a working prototype of the fuel cell by December this year and have it powering a bus by March 2007.

Alchemy has predicted that its fuel cell will power a vehicle up to 800km before re-fuelling, with performance beating that of a conventional petrol-powered vehicle. Other American companies working with MAFC technology are Arotech and eVionyx, which are creating zinc-based metal-air fuel cells for use in cars.

Don't expect to hear about this on the 'evening news' or anywhere in MSM!

(Recommended).

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