[rescue] SCRAPPLE

[Dave McGuire]

On November 13, Joshua D Boyd wrote:
> >   GE has a neat thing that Mike N turned me on to, if memory serves.
> > It's a natural-gas-driven fuel cell backup generator intended for home
> > use.  It seems rather neat.  It pleases me to see fuel cell technology
> > being pushed into the consumer market.
> 
> What are fuel cells?  I've seen them mentioned in reference to cars of the 
> future before, and also wrt laptops.

  Fascinating devices that go back many years, used primarily aboard
spacecraft, including the shuttle fleet.  They convert a fuel DIRECTLY
to electricity using a catalyst.  Most fuel cells in common use
produce heat and very pure water as exhaust...as a matter of fact, the
astronauts' drinking water aboard the space shuttles is a byproduct of
the operation of the fuel cells used to create the orbiter's
electrical power.

  They're really, really cool devices and I'm a big fan of them.
Everyone should know more about them!

  See the excellent description on the NFCRC's web site:
http://www.nfcrc.uci.edu/fuelcellinfo_index.htm.

     -Dave

-- 
Dave McGuire
St. Petersburg, FL