phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC)
The name of the phosphoric acid fuel cell is based on the electrolyte phosphoric acid, Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell (PACF), and can be operated with gases containing carbon dioxide as fuel gas.
The PACF fuel cell is one of the fuel cells that operate in the medium temperature range at around 200 °C. It is suitable for stationary use. It is suitable for stationary use in combined heat and power plants and has a relatively low efficiency of about 40 %. The power range is around 200 kW and can extend to several megawatts.
The PACF fuel cell is operated with hydrogen and atmospheric oxygen, but also with liquid hydrocarbons. In contrast to the AFC fuel cell, in the PAFC fuel cell the phosphoric acid is not pumped through the fuel cell as a liquid, but is absorbed by the porous plastic fleece between the electrodes. The electrodes themselves are made of carbon material coated with precious metal particles.