At 12:01 PM 10/28/02 -0800, Tim May wrote: >It's going to be interesting to see how airlines and other security >narcs deal with fuel cells. The energy content of a small >canister/container of the fuel can be high. Given that butane lighters >are now banned...
Based on personal experience (e.g., last month), I don't think so re butane. Something like a disposable lighter is ok. A refilling-canister is not. Flammable liquids (e.g., 150 proof rum, explicitly mentioned in places) are not. >And if these fuel cells are banned on airlines, there goes 90% of the >market. Tourists and business travelers just won't buy fuel cell-based >laptops and camcorders if they can't carry them in airports, into >Disneyland, in public buildings, etc. Suppose the fuel cartridges were cheap, like nail clippers. You could sell them at airport exits. In flight, up-scale planes supply AC jacks to passengers. You get off, get your bags, and buy a cartridge so you can power up in the taxi. Or, since sealed cartridges are 'safe', your own supply could travel in your checked bag, much like an unloaded gun. Also, Fuel cells may have integral batteries eg for dealing with transient heavy loads. (Some cell phones use supercaps in the same way. Drain the Li cell at the rate it prefers, but the RF power amp has access to the Coulombs stored in the Farads.) The batteries could carry you between fuel cartridges for those times when you can't have open ones.
