JP2939978B2 - Alcohol fuel cell and method of operating the same - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an alcohol fuel cell using alcohol as a liquid fuel and using air and oxygen as an oxidant, and an improvement in an operation method thereof.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, alcohol fuel cells include an alkaline type using an aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide as an electrolyte and an acid type using an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid, but carbon dioxide gas, which is a reaction product of alcohol fuel, does not react with the electrolyte. Many studies have been made on acidic alcohol fuel cells. To supply the alcohol fuel to the acidic alcohol fuel cell, a fuel-dissolved electrolyte (anolyte) is circulated through each liquid chamber of the alcohol fuel cell, and the fuel-dissolved electrolyte tank connected to the fuel is consumed from the alcohol fuel tank. A fuel-dissolved electrolyte circulating system that supplies alcohol fuel according to the amount and a fuel-dissolved electrolyte (anolyte) are filled in each liquid chamber of an alcohol fuel cell. There is a fuel-dissolved electrolyte stationary type that is supplied directly into the battery fluid chamber. In the former, a sulfuric acid aqueous solution is used as the electrolytic solution. Therefore, when each unit cell is stacked, a liquid short circuit occurs through a fuel-dissolving electrolytic solution supply passage provided at a lower part in each unit cell, and the performance of the fuel cell is degraded. Wake up. In addition, there is a problem that the electrolyte is highly corrosive, the electrolyte circulation pump often breaks down, and the fuel cell is seriously damaged. In the latter, since each cell is assembled independently, short circuit development by the electrolyte can be prevented, but the alcohol fuel consumption of each cell is not the same, and alcohol fuel is supplied uniformly to each cell liquid chamber. It is difficult to operate the alcohol fuel cell for a long time in a stable state.

In order to solve this problem, the fuel-dissolved electrolyte (anolyte) is circulated for each unit cell by the lift effect of the generated gas at the fuel electrode, and the alcohol-soluble cell is used for the fuel-dissolved electrolyte (anolyte) for each unit cell. Has been proposed to be independent and to prevent a short circuit caused by an electrolyte (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
-271753). Further, a fuel dissolving electrolyte (anolyte) reservoir is provided in the fuel cell, and the fuel concentration in the fuel dissolving electrolyte (anolyte) is detected to supply an appropriate amount of alcohol fuel into the fuel dissolving electrolyte (anolyte). Although there is a proposal to agitate and supply into each unit cell, it is considered that a complicated operation is required (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-229770).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In such a conventional configuration, since the alcohol fuel-dissolving electrolyte solution (alcohol-dissolving sulfuric acid aqueous solution) in each cell fluid chamber of the alcohol fuel cell is circulated by the reaction product gas, a highly corrosive sulfuric acid is used. The aqueous solution may be exposed or scattered to the outside, which poses a problem in terms of safety and corrosion of other devices. In addition, the rate of rise of the reaction product gas is not always fast due to the concentration (specific gravity) of the aqueous sulfuric acid solution in each cell chamber of the alcohol fuel cell. A battery is generated, shortening the life of the fuel cell.

On the other hand, in order to supply the electrolyte in which the alcohol fuel is dissolved so as to contact the catalyst of the fuel electrode in the fuel cell liquid chamber, the alcohol fuel also contacts the air (oxygen) electrode, and the potential of the air (oxygen) electrode is reduced. It acts in a downward direction, and the performance of the air (oxygen) electrode decreases as the amount increases. Therefore, there is also a problem that very accurate control of the alcohol fuel concentration is required, and a complicated alcohol fuel supply system is added, leading to an increase in cost.

Therefore, paying attention to circulating only a highly safe aqueous alcohol fuel solution by the reaction product gas without corrosiveness, the structure of the fuel electrode 3 is composed of a catalyst layer and a water repellent layer, and the reaction product gas is made water repellent. The fuel gas is released from the layer side, and the alcohol fuel flows and circulates in each fuel electrode chamber of the fuel cell by the rising action of the reaction product gas. Auxiliary means for further promoting the rising action of the reaction product gas It is an object of the present invention to provide an alcohol fuel cell having excellent characteristics and high safety by continuously and intermittently operating a gas supply device and an alcohol fuel aqueous solution supply device, and an operation method thereof. .

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve this problem, the present invention relates to an alcohol fuel cell in which an air (oxygen) electrode 2 and a fuel electrode 3 are arranged to face each other via a cation exchange membrane 1. It comprises a catalyst layer 18 for storing an electrolyte and a water-repellent layer 17 for discharging a reaction product gas. The catalyst layer 18 is in contact with the cation exchange membrane 1 side, and the water-repellent layer 17 is disposed on the alcohol fuel aqueous solution 7 side. An alcohol fuel aqueous solution container 8 is provided so that the alcohol fuel aqueous solution 7 can circulate through the fuel electrode solution chamber 10 through an external flow path (in the direction of the arrow). The structure for circulating through the fuel electrode liquid chamber 8 and the operation method thereof are obtained.

Along with this, the tip opening, which is the outlet 11 of the aqueous alcohol fuel solution 7, is disposed above the discharge surface 12 so that the product gas 9 reacted at the fuel electrode 3 easily rises inside the fuel electrode chamber 10. In addition, a gas supply device 23 having a function of assisting the circulation of the alcohol fuel aqueous solution 7 and a method of operating the gas supply device 23 are obtained.

As the next invention, an alcohol fuel aqueous solution supply device 24 is provided in series or in parallel between the alcohol fuel cell body and the alcohol fuel aqueous solution container 8 in order to raise the reaction product gas 9 in the fuel electrode liquid chamber 10 and And a method of operating the forced circulation operation.

Operation With this configuration and operating method, only the alcohol fuel aqueous solution containing no electrolyte is circulated and supplied into the fuel chamber of the fuel electrode. Therefore, even if the liquid leaks to the outside, the peripheral equipment may be damaged (corrosion by the electrolyte). And the safety during operation is very high.

Further, since the specific gravity of the alcohol fuel aqueous solution is smaller than that of the acidic electrolyte (anolyte), the effect of increasing the reaction product gas is large, and the alcohol fuel is supplied with a uniform distribution according to the load.

In the fuel electrode, since the alcohol fuel is supplied to the water-repellent layer side of the fuel electrode, it is not necessary to restrict the alcohol concentration strictly, so that the adjustment of the fuel concentration becomes very easy. In particular, when a high load is taken out, an air pump, a liquid supply pump, or the like is provided as an auxiliary means for supplying the alcohol fuel, so that the supply of the alcohol fuel proceeds more efficiently. Even when the load is high, the alcohol fuel is uniformly supplied to each unit cell, so that the cell characteristics and the battery life when the fuel cells are stacked are extended.

Auxiliary equipment that operates continuously or intermittently with an auxiliary device in combination with the natural circulation supply system consumes less power, and can reduce fuel consumption medical care and improve battery performance and reliability. Becomes

Examples Hereinafter, examples will be described in more detail.

Example 1 A fuel electrode and an air electrode constituting an alcohol fuel cell were manufactured with reference to Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-115794 as an example. FIG. 1 shows a configuration of an alcohol fuel cell using the air electrode and the fuel electrode via a cation exchange membrane (Napion membrane manufactured by DuPont). FIG. 2 shows an enlarged constituent part of the fuel electrode. In FIG. 1, an air electrode 2 and a fuel electrode 3 are arranged via a cation exchange membrane 1, and air as an oxidant is supplied from an air supply port 4. It enters, passes through the gas chamber 5, and is discharged from the air discharge port 6. On the other hand, alcohol fuel as a reducing agent is mixed with water and stored in an alcohol fuel aqueous solution container 8 as an alcohol fuel aqueous solution 7, and a gas (mainly carbon dioxide gas) 9 generated by the reaction of the alcohol fuel is a fuel electrode solution chamber. 10 rises inside and discharges the alcohol fuel aqueous solution 7
This is discharged together with the alcohol fuel aqueous solution 7. A tip opening, which is a discharge port 11, is disposed above a discharge liquid surface 12 so that the reaction product gas 9 easily rises in the fuel electrode liquid chamber 10. The alcohol fuel aqueous solution coming out of the outlet is returned to the alcohol fuel aqueous solution container 8 again. The alcohol fuel is supplied from the alcohol fuel injection port 13 according to the consumption amount. The air electrode 2 has a terminal 14 attached thereto, and the fuel electrode 3 has a terminal 15 attached thereto. Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the air electrode 2 is made of a platinum catalyst-carrying material that has been subjected to a water-repellent treatment through a conductive porous (carbon paper) 16, and the fuel electrode 3 has a water-repellent layer 17 and a catalyst. Layer 18 and the catalyst layer 18
Is made of a carbon material carrying a platinum-ruthenium catalyst and is in close contact with the cation exchange membrane 1 side. The water repellent layer 17 of the fuel electrode 3 is disposed on the alcohol fuel aqueous solution 7 side.
With such a configuration, the alcohol fuel and the oxygen (air) in the gas chamber 5 are circulated in the alcohol fuel aqueous solution container 8 communicating with the fuel electrode solution chamber 10 of the alcohol fuel cell in the direction of the arrow. ) Causes an electrochemical reaction and can generate power according to the following reaction formula. In this embodiment, methanol was used as the alcohol fuel.

Air _{^{electrode; 6H + + 3 / 2O 2}} + 6e - → 3H 2 O ...... (1) _{anode: CH 3 OH + H 2 O} → CO 2 + 6H + + 6e - ...... (2) Total _{reaction: CH 3 OH + 3 / 2O} 2 → CO ₂ + 2H ₂ O (3) As can be seen from equations (2) and (3), the reaction product carbon dioxide gas passes through the water-repellent layer 17 of the fuel electrode 13 to form a bubble 9
When the carbon dioxide gas in the bubble state 9 rises and is released into the alcohol fuel aqueous solution 7, the alcohol fuel also moves, and the alcohol fuel can be circulated according to the load. In particular, since the fuel solution is in an alcohol fuel aqueous solution having a small specific gravity, it can be circulated in the fuel electrode solution chamber 10 with a uniform distribution and at a high ascending speed.

Example 2 The concept of a stacked structure of an alcohol fuel cell using an air electrode 2 and a fuel electrode 3 by the same manufacturing method as in Example 1 and having a cation exchange membrane 1 (DuPont Nafion membrane) interposed between both electrodes. The figure is shown in FIG. FIG. 4 shows an enlarged structural portion of the laminated battery. In FIG. 3, an alcohol fuel aqueous solution container 8 for storing an alcohol fuel aqueous solution 7 containing an alcohol fuel as a reducing agent is provided with each single cell fuel electrode solution chamber 10 of the stacked fuel cell main body 19 and the alcohol fuel aqueous solution distribution port 20.
And the outlet opening 11 of each cell so that the alcohol fuel can easily circulate through the inside of each cell fuel electrode solution chamber 10 by the rising action of the reaction product gas 9. The part is disposed above the discharge level 12. The alcohol fuel aqueous solution 7 coming out of the outlet 11 is returned to the alcohol fuel aqueous solution container 8 again. The alcohol fuel is supplied through the liquid inlet 13 according to the consumption amount of the alcohol fuel. The air as the oxidizing agent was supplied from the side window of the fuel cell and discharged from the side window and the top window on the opposite side. Next, as shown in FIG.
The cation exchange membrane 1, the fuel electrode 3, the liquid chamber 10, the separation plate 12, the gas (air) chamber 6, the air electrode, and the cation exchange membrane 1 are integrated in this order. With such a configuration, the alcohol fuel in the alcohol fuel aqueous solution container 8 (for example, a U-shaped container) communicating with each single cell fuel electrode solution chamber 10 of the stacked alcohol fuel cell circulates between the two in the direction of the arrow. While the alcohol fuel and the air (oxygen) in the gas chamber 5 cause an electrochemical reaction, the load can be continuously taken out.

Example 3 FIG. 5 shows a stacked alcohol fuel cell comprising an air electrode 2 and a fuel electrode 3 manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1 and a cation exchange membrane 1 (Napion membrane manufactured by DuPont) interposed between both electrodes. Shown in As shown in FIG. 5, air bubbles 24 are supplied to the fuel electrode liquid chamber 10 of the stacked alcohol fuel cell in order to supply the air bubbles 24 into each cell fuel electrode liquid chamber 10 by driving the gas supply device (air supply pump) 23. A branch pipe 22 having a supply port is provided near the bottom of the U-shaped alcohol fuel aqueous solution container 8, and is used together with the bubbles 9 as a reaction product gas to form the fuel cell solution chambers 10 for each cell.
It is a configuration and an operation method of supplying the alcohol fuel aqueous solution 7 to the inside. Except for this configuration and operation method,
This is due to the same configuration as.

Example 4 Using the air electrode 2 and the fuel electrode according to the same manufacturing method as in Example 1,
A stacked alcohol fuel cell having a cation exchange membrane 1 (Napion membrane manufactured by DuPont) interposed between both electrodes is referred to as a sixth alcohol fuel cell.
Shown in the figure. As shown in FIG. 6, the alcohol fuel aqueous solution supply device 25 (liquid pump) is arranged in series between two containers near the lower part of the U-shaped alcohol fuel aqueous solution container 8.
With this configuration, the alcoholic aqueous solution 7 is circulated in each of the unit cell fuel cells 10 by using the rising action of the bubbles 9 as the reaction product gas in the fuel electrode liquid chamber 10 and the circulating action of the alcohol fuel aqueous solution 7 by driving the liquid pump 25. The configuration and operation method for supplying the aqueous fuel solution 7 are described. Except for this configuration and operation method, all are the same as the second embodiment.

Example 5 FIG. 7 shows a stacked alcohol fuel cell comprising an air electrode 2 and a fuel electrode 3 manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1 and a cation exchange membrane 1 (Napion membrane manufactured by DuPont) interposed between both electrodes. Shown in As shown in FIG. 7, an alcohol fuel aqueous solution supply pump 25 as the same supply device is arranged in parallel with an alcohol fuel aqueous solution flow path 26 in a container divided into two near the lower part of the U-shaped alcohol fuel aqueous solution container 8.

With this configuration, the action of raising the bubbles 9 as the reaction product gas in the fuel electrode liquid chamber 10 and the alcohol fuel aqueous solution supply pump 25
The structure and operation method of supplying the alcohol fuel aqueous solution 7 into each single cell fuel electrode solution chamber 10 by the combined use of the alcohol fuel aqueous solution 7 by the driving of the fuel cell or by sole use.

When the load to be taken out of the fuel cell is large, the driving of the alcohol fuel aqueous solution supply pump 25 is particularly used in combination to increase the supply amount of the alcohol fuel. Reduce power consumption. Alcohol fuel aqueous solution supply pump
Instead of 25, a vane type rotary drive as shown in FIG.
Except for the configuration and the operation method, the same effects can be obtained even with a device like 25 '.

Although a U-shaped alcohol fuel aqueous solution container as described in the drawings with respect to Examples 2 to 5 is used, a structure in which alcohol fuel easily circulates in the fuel electrode chamber of the alcohol fuel cell is preferable. . The flow path of the alcohol fuel supplied to the fuel cell from the lower part in the fuel electrode chamber 10 may be inside the fuel cell body. That is, a branched alcohol fuel aqueous solution distribution pipe may be used.

Comparative Example FIG. 9 shows a conventional fuel cell as a comparative example. FIG. 10 shows an aa 'cross section of FIG. In FIG. 9, anolyte channels 29, 29 'are interposed between fuel cell main body 27 and partition walls 28, 28'.
The anolyte flows from the lower surface of the battery frame 30 in the direction of the arrow, is discharged from the anolyte discharge hole 31, the discharge hole 31 is disposed at a position higher than the anolyte liquid surface 32, and the alcohol fuel is supplied to the fuel supply passages 33, 33. ′ To the fuel cell liquid chamber. The anolyte is configured to supply alcohol fuel to the fuel electrode while being circulated in the direction of the arrow.

In FIG. 10, the battery frame has a liquid chamber 34, a fuel electrode 35, a cation exchange membrane 36, and an air electrode 37. The fuel electrode has a structure in which a platinum catalyst is supported on carbon powder, and the air electrode has a structure in which carbon powder supporting a platinum catalyst and a water repellent are mixed and integrated under pressure.

Table 1 shows the characteristics of the alcohol fuel cell according to the configuration and operation method of the present embodiment. As a measurement condition, an aqueous solution having a methanol concentration of 3 M was used, and the catalyst layer was impregnated with 1.5 M sulfuric acid. The measurement temperature was 60 ° C and the amount of air was at least 5 times the theoretical value.
As a comparative example, a 3M sulfuric acid solution (anolyte) having a methanol concentration of 3M was used.
And the same. The terminal voltage at each current density was compared between the embodiment and the conventional example.

By operating the fuel cell of the present invention, Examples 1 to
5, the average cell voltage at various currents was a current density of 30 ma / cm ² : 0.55 to 0.57 V, and a current density of 60 ma / cm ² : 0.39 to 0.41
V, current density 100 ma / cm ² : 0.33 to 0.366 V, Examples 1 to
The voltage differences at 5 gradually increased to 0.02 V, 0.03 V, and 0.035 V, respectively, but no large difference was observed. In contrast, in the conventional fuel cell of the comparative example, the current density was 30
ma / cm ^2: 0.01~0.03V, current density 60ma / cm ^2: 0.01~0.03V, current density 100 ma / cm ^2: Voltage compared to fuel cell 0.03~0.065V as the present invention is Na' Ku low . In particular, the higher the current density, the greater the tendency. The voltage is higher by about 0.01 to 0.03 V depending on the current density than the fuel cell of the second embodiment. The reason for this is that due to the difference in specific gravity between the electrolyte and water, water having a lower specific gravity has apparently greater buoyancy of the reaction product gas (carbon dioxide gas). It is considered that the fuel electrode potential was improved and a difference in the cell voltage was exhibited. This tendency is particularly strong at high current densities.

In this embodiment, even when the unit cell and the stacked cell are compared, the conductivity of the anolyte is smaller than that of the alcohol fuel aqueous solution, so that the battery voltage due to the liquid short circuit is very small. This can be clearly understood from the first and second embodiments. Therefore, self-power consumption due to stacking is very small, which is a great advantage in practical use. In this stacked fuel cell, a large voltage difference is not recognized at a low current density, but at a high current density, the circulation of alcohol fuel becomes insufficient only by the rising action of the reaction product gas alone. That is, the supply of the alcohol fuel to the fuel electrode according to the load is insufficient. In order to eliminate this phenomenon, if air bubbles are additionally supplied into the liquid chamber 8 of the fuel electrode by an air supply pump, circulation of the alcohol fuel aqueous solution is assisted, and improvement in the fuel cell voltage is recognized. Further, when the alcohol fuel aqueous solution supply pump assists the circulation of the alcohol fuel aqueous solution, the voltage of the fuel cell is improved at a high current density. In this way, by using an air supply pump or an alcohol fuel aqueous solution supply pump in an auxiliary manner according to the load, a long-life, high-performance fuel cell can be obtained without damaging the fuel cell. The air supply pump can be driven continuously or intermittently as needed to drive the alcohol fuel aqueous solution supply pump, thereby reducing the current consumption of the auxiliary device and increasing the power generation efficiency of the alcohol fuel cell system.

In addition, the fuel cell of the present invention uses alcohol (methanol).
Since only water and water are circulated, even if the liquid leaks to the outside, the equipment will not be damaged.However, in conventional fuel cells, the sulfuric acid aqueous solution is used for the anolyte, which greatly damages the equipment and causes corrosiveness. The fuel cell of the present invention is also excellent in this respect.

In this embodiment, an air supply pump is used as the gas supply device. However, the same effect can be obtained with any compressed gas or other gas generation device. Further, although the alcohol fuel aqueous solution supply pump is used as the alcohol fuel aqueous solution supply device, any generally used liquid supply device may be used.
In this embodiment, air is used as the oxidizing agent. However, when oxygen gas is used, an alcohol fuel cell having higher performance can be obtained although the economic efficiency is reduced.

Although methanol was used as the reducing agent, other alcohol fuels such as ethyl alcohol may be used, but methanol has the best characteristics.

Although the air serving as the oxidant is supplied from the side of the fuel cell and discharged from the opposite side or the upper surface, the air may be supplied from the bottom of the fuel cell and discharged from the upper surface. In addition, by disposing the tip opening, which is the outlet of the alcohol fuel aqueous solution, above the level of the discharged liquid, the alcohol fuel aqueous solution in the fuel electrode chamber can be more efficiently circulated by the reaction product gas. Bubbles were accumulated inside the fuel electrode liquid chamber, and the state in which the distribution of alcohol fuel became uneven was eliminated. Therefore, since the alcohol fuel is uniformly supplied, the life of the fuel cell is prolonged, and the reliability is also improved.

Effect of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the alcohol fuel aqueous solution is circulated with high safety, maintains a high voltage even at a high current density, consumes little power of auxiliary equipment, and generates power for a long time with high efficiency. However, there is an effect that it is possible to provide an alcohol fuel cell and an operation method with a small decrease in cell performance.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing a configuration of an alcohol fuel cell, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a part of the fuel electrode of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a view showing a stacked configuration of the alcohol fuel cell, FIG. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a part of the stacked battery of FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a view showing a configuration of a stacked alcohol fuel cell provided with a gas supply device, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration of a stacked alcohol fuel cell provided with the fuel cell, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration of a stacked alcohol fuel cell provided with an alcohol fuel aqueous solution supply pump in parallel with a flow path, and FIG. FIG. 9 is a view showing another example of the apparatus, FIG. 9 is a view showing the configuration of a conventional alcohol fuel cell, and FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along aa 'of FIG. 1 ... Cation exchange membrane, 3 ... Fuel electrode, 7 ... Alcohol fuel aqueous solution, 8 ... Alcohol fuel aqueous solution container, 9 ...
… Reaction product gas (bubble state), 10… Fuel electrode chamber, 11…
... discharge port, 12 ... discharge liquid level, 17 ... water repellent layer, 18 ... catalyst layer, 22 ... branch pipe, 23 ... air supply pump, 24 ... air bubbles supplied by air supply pump, 25 ... ... Alcohol fuel aqueous solution supply pump, 26 ... Alcohol fuel aqueous solution flow path.

Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Mieko Tanabe 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-58-165267 (JP, A) JP-A-63-202861 (JP , A) (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H01M 8/02 H01M 8/04 H01M 8/24

Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] 1. An alcohol fuel cell comprising an air (oxygen) electrode 2 and a fuel electrode 3 opposed to each other via a cation exchange membrane 1, wherein the fuel electrode 3 comprises a catalyst layer 18 for storing an electrolyte and a reaction product gas. The catalyst layer 18 is in contact with the cation exchange membrane 1 side, the water repellent layer 17 is disposed on the alcohol fuel aqueous solution 7 side, and the alcohol fuel aqueous solution 7 is in the fuel electrode liquid chamber 10. And an alcohol fuel container 8 communicating with the fuel cell so that the alcohol fuel can be circulated through an external flow path. An alcohol fuel cell, comprising: 2. In the alcohol fuel container 8, which is communicable with the fuel electrode chamber 10 so as to be circulated through an external flow path, the product gas 9 reacted at the fuel electrode 3 easily rises in the fuel electrode chamber 10. 2. The alcohol fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the opening at the distal end, which is the outlet 11 of the alcohol fuel aqueous solution 7, is disposed above the liquid level 12. 3. A gas 24 is supplied from the outside of the fuel cell body to the fuel electrode chamber 10 in a bubble state, together with the rising action of the gas 9 produced by the reaction at the fuel electrode 3 in the fuel electrode chamber 10, 2. The alcohol fuel cell according to claim 1, further comprising a gas supply device for promoting circulation of the alcohol fuel aqueous solution. 4. An alcohol fuel cell in which an air (oxygen) electrode 2 and a fuel electrode 3 are arranged opposite to each other via a cation exchange membrane 1, wherein the fuel electrode 3 comprises a catalyst layer 18 for storing an electrolyte and a reaction product gas. And a water-repellent layer 17 for discharging the catalyst layer 9.
Is in contact with the cation exchange membrane 1 side, the water-repellent layer 17 is disposed on the alcohol fuel aqueous solution 7 side, and the alcohol fuel aqueous solution communicates so that the alcohol fuel aqueous solution 7 can circulate through the external flow path with the fuel electrode solution chamber 10. A container 8 is further provided. An alcohol fuel aqueous solution supply device 25 is provided in series or in parallel between the alcohol fuel cell main body and the alcohol fuel aqueous solution container 8, and the alcohol fuel is forcedly circulated together with the alcohol fuel. An alcohol fuel cell characterized in that it is configured to be supplied into the anolyte chamber 10. 5. An operation method of an alcohol fuel cell in which an air (oxygen) electrode 2 and a fuel electrode 3 are arranged opposite to each other via a cation exchange membrane 1, wherein the fuel electrode 3 is a catalyst layer for storing an electrolyte.
18 and a water-repellent layer 17 for discharging a reaction product gas. The water-repellent layer 17 is located on the alcohol fuel aqueous solution 7 side. The alcohol fuel aqueous solution 7 is circulated by the rising action of the gaseous reaction product gas 9 to supply alcohol fuel into each single cell fuel electrode solution chamber 10. . 6. The function of the gas 9 generated by the reaction of alcohol fuel at the fuel electrode 3 to rise in the fuel electrode chamber 10 and the gas from the outside of the fuel cell body to the gas state in the fuel electrode chamber 10
The alcohol fuel cell according to claim 5, wherein the alcohol fuel aqueous solution is supplied into the fuel electrode solution chamber (10) of each cell together with the action of promoting the circulation of the alcohol fuel aqueous solution (7). How it works. 7. An operation method of an alcohol fuel cell in which an air (oxygen) electrode 2 and a fuel electrode 3 are arranged to face each other via a cation exchange membrane 1, wherein the fuel electrode 3 is a catalyst layer for storing an electrolyte.
18 and a water-repellent layer 17 for discharging a reaction product gas. The water-repellent layer 17 is located on the alcohol fuel aqueous solution 7 side. And the rising action of the reaction product gas 9 in the fuel electrode liquid chamber 10 and the alcohol fuel aqueous solution supply device arranged in series or parallel between the fuel cell main body and the alcohol fuel aqueous solution container 8 are continuously or intermittently operated. A method for operating an alcohol fuel cell, characterized in that alcohol fuel is supplied into each unit cell fuel electrode solution chamber 10 in combination with the circulation operation of an alcohol fuel aqueous solution 7 to be operated.