High Temperature Fuel Cells

Basics

• Fuel Cells that operate beyond SOC (usually in the 100s of Degrees Celcius)
• This adds some challenges in overal designs, but unlike Proton-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells they can use fuels other than Hydrogen
  • Typically Syngas or Methane , but some more "exotic" designs exist
• The main types are:
  • Alkaline Fuel Cells (AFC)
  • Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells (MCFC)
  • Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells (PAFC)
  • Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC)
• Despite the alarming operating temperature, they can be comprable to Internal Combustion Engines to a degree (and ICEs using Catalytic Converters are essentially these! (granted typically only the ultra-high temp when running VERY rich, and this often isn't by design) )

Internal Links

• Catalytic Converter
• Fuel Cell
• High Temperature Fuel Cell Combined Cycle
• Integrated Gasification Fuel Cell Cycle