5 things to know: Battery charger runs on water

5 things to know: Battery charger runs on water

myFC’s Powertrekk offers a unique solution to providing power without electricity grid

BY JEFFREY BAUSCH

Powertrekk, a portable, water-powered fuel-cell charger, offers a futuristic solution to a fairly common, modern-day problem: finding a way to charge a device when no power source is available.

Powertrekk made quite the splash at the CES in Las Vegas.

It was first introduced last year at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, but a much-improved, updated version was just shown at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Maybe this is your first time hearing about it, so here are a few things to know about this fascinating technology.

1. What is it?

Powertrekk is a device that allows anyone to charge a gadget, whether it’s a smartphone, camera, GPS device, etc., while away from an electricity grid.

Quickly and easily charge your pone with the Powertrekk.

Powertrekk is light and easy to carry around; it’s actually no bigger than a few phones stacked atop one another. It comes with two USB ports (micro and standard), fuel-cell assembly, and a chamber for fuel-cell pucks (more on that shortly).

Powertrekk’s exterior assembly.

2. The technology behind Powertrekk

Powertrekk is a 2-in-1 solution that is both a portable battery pack and fuel cell. The portable battery pack can be used on its own as a source of power or as a storage buffer for the fuel cell. It gets charged the old-fashioned way, and can provide power to gadgets just like an external battery, with a current of 1,500 mA over one hour.

But a rechargeable battery is not what makes this a story. It’s the alternative fuel cell method that the device uses. You see, there’s a small hockey puck-like insert in the device that is filled with sodium silicide. When put in contact with water, it has a chemical reaction that creates a tiny hydrogen fuel cell. The power created is equivalent to 4 AA batteries, and it can be used to directly charge devices as well as the Powertrekk’s rechargeable battery.

Powertrekk’s interior assembly.

3. The FuelCellSticker factor

Powertrekk’s ability to convert hydrogen into electricity can largely be attributed to myFC’s patented FuelCellSticker technology. myFC is a Swedish fuel cell technology company that develops and industrializes solutions for powering portable electronics. They’re the brains behind the Powertrekk.

The FuelCellSticker is made from foils and adhesives, forming a flexible assembly a little under 2.75 mm thick. It converts hydrogen into electricity by way of its Proton Exchange Membrane, also known as a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC), which is sandwiched between a cathode and an anode. At the anode, upon reaction with the catalyst, the hydrogen gas separates into protons and electrons. The protons are conducted to the cathode (via the membrane), while the electrons travel along a circuit, thus producing an electrical current.

The PEMFC is key here because it only allows positive hydrogen ions to pass through, while obstructing the negatively charged electrons (the device would short-circuit if free electrons could get through). At the cathode, the hydrogen ions and electrons combine with oxygen to form water vapor.

This whole process is very eco-friendly. The fuel cell charger is electronic waste and will be part of an industry program for recycling. The fuel pack, meanwhile, is already part of an industry program for reusing materials, as it’s made of coated can materials that prevent corrosion and leakage.

4. User-friendly

The puck slots into one half of an outer container. On the other half is a tiny water tank that you pour the water into. The water should be approximately one tablespoon’s worth, and it can be any type of water, whether from a bottle, ocean, or puddle, just so long as it’s mostly free and clear of dirt and sediment. Once the lid is sealed, the chemical reaction begins. Reattach the tray system into the charger and connect your power-depleted device to the Powertrekk using a USB-A connector. Charging will begin immediately.

The Powertrekk is simple and easy to use.

If you don’t want to lug around the pucks and fuel system, just charge the Powertrekk’s rechargeable battery and you can leave everything else behind.

5. What it works with and how you can get one

Powertrekk will work with any device that can be charged via a USB port. Keep in mind, though, that there are devices out there that can be powered via USB but are not considered to be universally USB-compatible. If your device requires more power than the Powertrekk’s rated output, charging is not possible.

Sales of the device are expected to start in Europe, the U.S., and Japan this spring. Information on an exact date, as well as a listing of retailers that offer the device, will be available on the product’s website in the coming weeks.

The Powertrekk device will retail for $229, while the pucks will be sold for $12 per 3-pack.

Learn more at Powertrekk.com ■