PHILOSOPHIES AND EXPERIENCES OF PAFC FIELD TRIALS

The development of phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFCs) accelerated in the 1980s to the point that various demonstration tests of facilities, ranging from small capacity units for on-site use to large capacity units in use for dispersed power generation, have been carried out. These demonstration tests have led to rapid advancement in the technology, though it must also be noted that there still remain many problems prior to commercialization, such as reliability, durability and cost. This paper presents an overview of the status of demonstration tests on PAFC plants and attempts to evaluate the current technology, as well as introducing philosophies for the demonstration tests. In addition, it also includes a discussion of the extent to which the merits of fuel cells have been realized.