Small fuel cells fabricated using these techniques have flexible form factors, are simpler, lighter and less expensive to make than conventional fuel cells. These are operated by dry hydrogen and air at ambient pressure in order to eliminate the bulky supporting systems such as compressors or humidifiers. These fuel cells are designed for completely passive operation. They run on dry, low pressure, hydrogen and atmospheric pressure air without the need for humidification modules or rotating components. No auxiliaries such as pumps, compressors, fans or blowers are used, resulting in completely quiet operation.
Fuel cells can use various sources of hydrogen, including a simple tank of compressed gas.
But methanol, a liquid usually produced from natural gas, is a much more efficient way to store hydrogen. Marsh envisions fuel cells in lawn mowers, snow-blowers, jet skis and other mobile devices which now contribute to noise and air pollution, and which don't run well on batteries. A lap-top computer, for instance, could work much longer on a tiny fuel cell than on rechargeable batteries. Cars with methanol fuel cells would do little to change the regular routine of consumers at the filling station. This is why Marsh hopes to introduce consumers to fuel cells through other toys.