In recent days, Barnett, a professor at Northwestern University developed a new solid oxide fuel cell. The batteries used in the iso-octane fuel for energy conversion efficiency is expected to reach 50%. Usually the energy conversion efficiency of internal combustion engines of not more than 15% of the existing hydrogen fuel cell efficiency is 29%-to-date hybrid vehicle but also the efficiency of 32%, the dell Latitude C640 batteries come out of effectively improving the energy conversion rate.
Professor Barnett believes that the existing hydrogen fuel cell disadvantage is the need for a large number of new hydrogen plant will purify hydrocarbons in the extraction of hydrogen, if used in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles need a lot of new "hydrogen refueling station . " Hydrogen purification, transportation and preservation of all the special needs of technology, has greatly increased the costs of the application. On the other hand, using iso-octane new type of solid oxide fuel cell, hydrogen is equivalent to the purification plant of "compression" in a small device, and iso-octane belong to the straight-chain hydrocarbons, and gasoline is very similar, does not need new Infrastructure, so the prospect of substantial fuel cells.
The new fuel cell, after more tests can be widely used in automobiles, aircraft, and even many families.