NEW FUEL CELL

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28983, 26 August 1959, Page 13

NEW FUEL CELL

Invention In Britain

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, August 24. A new form of power—a “magic battery”—which did not store power but made it, was today demonstrated in the hangar of Cambridge airfield, the “Evening Standard” reported. More than 100 reporters, senior officers of the services. Government representatives, and industrial experts watched the demonstration.

Scientists, according to the newspaper, believed that the battery could bring cars which ran without petrol, oil, gearbox or clutch, electric trains which needed no live rail, and transmitting aids for space research. The “magic battery” stood on a trolley behind white curtains, and power from it was carried down cables to the next room. The power set a circular saw whirring and it chewed through a chunk of mahogany. The newspaper quoted its inventor—Mr Thomas Bacon, aged 54, as saying: “This is just a symbol of things to come. “I believe that if we get enough money to back this project properly we could have earth satellite batteries operating within a year, trains and submarines using them within two years, and vehicles running within five.” Mr Bacon said.

The battery worked by mixing hydrogen and oxygen gas in a chamber containing nickel plate, swimming in strong caustic soda The chemical action gave off heat, which became electricity at the battery terminals. "Hie newspaper said that all the driver of a vehicle powered by such a battery would need would be an accelerator and steering wheel. “Refuelling” would simply mean changing gas cylinders. Mr Bacon added that there might be snags ahead, but it was now mainly a matter of refining the design to make it 100 per cent, reliable.