Liquid-fuel fuel cell, operation monitoring method for monitoring operation thereof, and operation monitoring device

A liquid-fuel feed fuel cell, having at least a unit cell comprising:

• an anode having a Pt—Ru catalyst and a cathode having a Pt catalyst, opposed with each other;
• and a proton conductive polymer electrolyte interposed between said anode and said cathode, said anode being supplied a liquid-fuel of at least a member of a group consisting of methanol aqueous solution, isopropanol aqueous solution, and dimethylethel-water mixture, and the cathode being supplied an oxidant gas, said fuel cell further comprising:
• detecting means for detecting a positive level of a potential of said anode in comparison with a potential of said cathode so as to detect a potential reversal between the anode potential and the cathode potential occurring;
• and
• means for performing at least one of functions of increasing a supply of the liquid-fuel or the oxidant gas, raising an alarm, decreasing an output current of said fuel cell, and stopping an operation of said fuel cell, upon detecting said positive level, for preventing a Ru elution from said anode to said liquid-fuel.

An operation monitoring device of a liquid-fuel feed fuel cell having at least a unit cell comprising:

• an anode having a Pt—Ru catalyst and a cathode having a Pt catalyst, opposed with each other;
• and a proton conductive polymer electrolyte interposed between said anode and said cathode, said anode being supplied a liquid-fuel of at least a member of a group consisting of methanol aqueous solution, isopropanol aqueous solution, and dimethylethel-water mixture, and the cathode being supplied an oxidant gas, said device comprising:
• detecting means for detecting a positive level of a potential of said anode in comparison with a potential of said cathode so as to detect a potential reversal between the anode potential and the cathode potential occurring;
• and
• means for performing at least one of functions of increasing a supply of the liquid-fuel or the oxidant gas, raising an alarm, decreasing an output current of said fuel cell, and stopping an operation of said fuel cell, upon detecting said positive level, for preventing a Ru elution from said anode to said liquid-fuel.