Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell

A molten carbonate fuel cell, or MCFC, is a high temperature fuel cell that runs at about 650 degrees Celsius or higher, using a molten carbonate salt mixture held in a ceramic matrix as its electrolyte. Its high operating temperature lets it use inexpensive non precious metal catalysts and reform energy dense fuels like natural gas into hydrogen internally, without the external reformer other fuel cell types need, and its resistance to carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide poisoning makes it well suited to fuels derived from coal. MCFCs were developed for natural gas, biogas and coal based power plants serving utility, industrial and military users, with individual units producing 0.3 to 3 megawatts; efficiency runs 60 to 70 percent, and can reach 85 percent when waste heat is captured, well above the 37 to 42 percent typical of phosphoric acid fuel cells. The technology main drawback is durability, since its high temperature and corrosive electrolyte accelerate wear on its components.