Apple Patents Fuel Cell Battery Tech

One need only look at a working iPhone 6 prototype announced this month that runs on a hyrdogen-powered battery developed by British firm Intelligent Energy.

The patent envisions a system consisting of a fuel cell, which converts fuel to electrical power, an interface to the portable computing device (e.g. smartphone) and a controller that monitors the state of the fuel cell and controls it.

Apple has filed a renewed patent for a fuel cell battery that could power its devices “for days or even weeks”, a potential step on the way to ending battery life issues.

The newest patent explains the existence of a fuel cell stack that generates power as well as cartridge systems and several connectors. In its patent application, the iPhone maker describes the use of Sodium borohydride and water, sodium silicate and water, Magnesium hydride and water as potential full sources. Hydrogen fuel cells produce only small amounts of water and heat as waste. As it is, no specific fuel source was mentioned for the proposed fuel cell system, and the application leaves the door open by highlighting more than a dozen possible fuels. Fuel cells work by mixing a fuel, such a hydrogen, with an oxidising agent, such as water or oxygen. Apple usually files such patents to protect an idea, nothing more, nothing less.

“This is a major step because if you are moving to a new technology you have to give people a path they are comfortable with”, he told The Telegraph.

“This battery technology could potentially enable continued operation of portable electronic devices for days or even weeks without refueling” but the patent notes that it is now “extremely challenging” to design portable, cost-efficient fuel cell systems.

It is also worth mentioning that only a tiny portion of Apple’s patents make it into actual products, and majority are patented in order to stop the competing companies from getting their hands on certain technologies.