FUEL CELL SYSTEM
Disclosed is a fuel cell system that is capable of improved power generating performance and reduced size, and furthermore, is very safe. The system includes a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), a fuel tank, a liquid collecting tank, a two-liquid-joining unit, a first fuel supply unit, a second fuel supply unit, and a fuel filter. The fuel tank stores a liquid fuel. The liquid collecting tank stores a liquid discharged from at least one of an anode or a cathode in the MEA, as a collected liquid. The two-liquid-joining unit prepares a diluted fuel by mixing the liquid fuel and the collected liquid. The first fuel supply unit supplies the liquid fuel to the two-liquid-joining unit. The second fuel supply unit supplies the diluted fuel to the anode. The fuel filter, disposed between the two-liquid-joining unit and the anode, removes impurities in the diluted fuel.
1 . A fuel cell system comprising:
a membrane electrode assembly including an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte membrane interposed between the anode and the cathode;
a fuel tank which stores a liquid fuel;
a liquid collecting tank which stores a liquid discharged from at least one of the anode and the cathode, as a collected liquid;
a two-liquid-joining unit which prepares a diluted fuel by mixing the liquid fuel supplied from the fuel tank and the collected liquid supplied from the liquid collecting tank;
a first fuel supply unit which supplies the liquid fuel to the two-liquid-joining unit;
a second fuel supply unit which supplies the diluted fuel to the anode; and
a fuel filter which removes impurities in the diluted fuel, the filter disposed between the two-liquid-joining unit and the anode.
2 . The fuel cell system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the fuel filter contains an ion exchange resin in the form of powder or granules.
3 . The fuel cell system in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the ion exchange resin is a cation exchange resin.
4 . The fuel cell system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the diluted fuel has a fuel concentration equal to or lower than ½ of, and equal to or higher than 1/30 of a fuel concentration in the liquid fuel in the fuel tank.
5 . The fuel cell system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the two-liquid-joining unit is a three-way pipe that is Y-shaped or T-shaped.
6 . The fuel cell system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the second fuel supply unit is disposed between the two-liquid-joining unit and the anode.
7 . The fuel cell in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the liquid fuel contains at least one fuel selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, formaldehyde, formic acid, dimethylether, ethylene glycol, and low molecular weight polymers thereof.