Purchasing fuel cell units

If you are not going to build your own fuel cell units, you can purchase a new or used one. New units are costly but have the advantage of warranty and customer service. 

Used units need to be carefully considered before purchasing. Research the unit and find out what the runtime life is for that particular model. Then, enquire about how many runtime hours the unit has on it. 

Be sure to get the manual with the unit. If the unit doesn t come with the manual, check to see if you can get one from the manufacturer or other secondary source. I do not recommend buying a unit without having access to the operator s manual. 

Some fuel cell units are quite simple and consist of a simple stack with few attendant fittings. Others have complicated electronics and can be configured in a variety of different ways. It is a burden and can become a safety issue if your knowledge does not match the sophistication of the device. Newer models of the same series often have different operating parameters, so do not depend on an operating manual for a newer model of the same series being applicable for an older model. 

As an example, I have an older unit that has been superseded by a newer model. The newer model has very nearly the same readouts and functions as the older model. However, there are a few differences, for instance, the gas supply pressure requirements. If I were to use the newer manual to operate the older model, I would apply far too much gas pressure to the unit. This could blow out a few MEAs, which would destroy part of the unit, leading to costly repairs, and downtime. 

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Of course, you can purchase a stack and then build the rest of the system around that, or purchase other system components as well. Fuel Cells 2000 has an excellent web site with a list of available fuel cell units with photos, specifications, and prices (access URL via Resources page). Stacks can also be purchased on the surplus sales market. 

The 200 kW phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC) was introduced into the market in 1991 by International Fuel Cells/ ONSI, now called UTC Fuel Cells. It is the only commercialized fuel cell technology. PAFC units have been installed in various applications—commercial, small industrial, landfill, and military—and some are used for cooling, heating, and power. To date there have been 250 units sold, at roughly 4500/kW. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has cost-shared the purchase of three-quarters of the units sold to date. The units have performed well they have operated at 95 to 98 percent availability and 99.99 to 99.9999 percent reliability and have served 4 million customers and accumulated 4 million hours of operation. The cost of PAFC units has not decreased and in fact has increased from 3500/... 

For fuel cells to be offered at reasonable prices, there must be sufficient production volume with which to drive down the costs. This implies a market large enough to support the purchase of thousands or tens of thousands of units per year at a minimum. Although the automotive market holds the ultimate promise of high volume with tens of millions of units per year, the backup power market offers a significant opportunity for fuel cell commercialization in its own right. 

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