A 10 kWe experimental plant operated by the Central Research Institute of the Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI) has been in operation for over 10 000 continuous hours using molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC).
The plant was built and is being jointly operated by CRIEPI, Chubu Electric Power, and Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries.
With most MCFC fuel cells, after operating for 10 000 hours, the electrodes start to dissolve, nickel begins to precipitate out, and the power output capacity drops dramatically.
The three companies solved this problem by developing a new kind of lithium-sodium electrolyte.
The next steps are to run experiments using waste heat from the system and to address the issue of safety after long-term continuous operation.
