Could the Bloom Box be a viable alternative energy source?

[mheslep]

Ah, Topher's ~right. I was focused on hydrogen fueled http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proton_exchange_membrane_fuel_cell" fuel cells in which the reformer, if used, is a separate system. SOFC's like Bloom's directly process light hydrocarbons because the anode has two roles: i) oxidization of hydrogen using oxygen ions diffusing through the stack, and also ii) catalytic reforming of light hydrocarbons into hydrogen, i.e. a catalytic reformer is intrinsic to an SOFC.

 

[robert_13]

In one includes the reformer, I believe that's high by 10-15%.

In this interview with the inventor, K.R. Sridhar, he says there is no need for a reformer in his fuel cell. He does a crystal clear job of answering many of the issues brought up here. It can apparently also run on pure hydrogen. The interview is on youtube at the following address:

youtube.com/watch?v=uVZAT3U_Jls&feature=player_embedded

 

[mheslep]

In this interview with the inventor, K.R. Sridhar, he says there is no need for a reformer in his fuel cell. He does a crystal clear job of answering many of the issues brought up here. It can apparently also run on pure hydrogen. The interview is on youtube at the following address:

youtube.com/watch?v=uVZAT3U_Jls&feature=player_embedded

I've seen it. Sridhar says there is no need for an *external* reformer. When the fuel is methane, he states that internal to the device "methane and water react" to form syngas, which is called methane reforming.