Scientists have produced a fuel cell that weighs only 30 grams and amazing twelve watt power supplies. It will in future unmanned mini-helicopters to drive, for example, in collapsed buildings looking for victims or contaminated area should explore.

This fuel cell has a sufficiently high performance, multiple cells must be in a row. Typically, the fuel cell stack manufacturers – several metal plates in a row-each with a channel for air and one for hydrogen. This structure makes the fuel cell stack difficult.

Lightweight and powerful
Jointly developed by researcher Robert Hahn, Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Micro Integration IZM and the Technical University (TU) Berlin is now the new miniature fuel cell that is easy and yet powerful enough to make a twenty centimeters large helicopters available. The high power density of 400 watts per kilogram achieved only much larger systems of several hundred grams

The system uses very thin fuel cells, in which lightweight plastic spacers from the metal plates to replace the weight and thus reduce the fuel cell. The rotor blades of the wind reaches directly into the air vents and ensure good ventilation. The hydrogen supply is carried out according to the scientists on a small reactor – similar to the aluminum beverage cans in miniature – in which solid sodium borohydride is located. Water is added to hydrogen.

Stable hydrogen production
Since a large part of the energy that is needed, the helicopter in the air to keep always the same amount of hydrogen produced: Would it be too little, the aircraft would crash, when over-production must be more “fuel” on board, which increases the weight .

A first prototype of the lightweight fuel cell, researchers have already developed – only slightly larger than a matchbox. Later this year will be the helicopters, with their power to stand out. In a further step, the scientists from the hydrogen production to regulate and even for a fluctuating energy interpretation. Then would the application of the fuel cell system significantly expand, such as for charging laptops and cell phones.