Liquid fuel mixing apparatus and direct liquid feed fuel cell having the same

A direct liquid feed fuel cell, comprising:

• a fuel cell stack having at least two membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) , wherein each MEA comprises an electrolyte membrane having an anode on a first face and a cathode on a second face;
• at least a conductive inter plate that contacts an anode of the adjacent MEA and contacts a cathode of a different MEA, interposed between the stack;
• conductive end plates placed in uppermost and lowermost positions of the fuel stack contacting the facing MEAs, respectively;
• a flow channel, formed inner face of the plates that contact each electrode, throughwhich fuel flows;
• a plurality of fuel inlet/outlet holes, each hole forming a fuel supply or withdrawal communicating with the corresponding flow channel, perforated vertically to the plates;
• a liquid fuel tank;
• a water tank;
• and
• a liquid fuel mixer located to contact the liquid fuel in the liquid fuel tank, wherein the liquid fuel mixer mixes the liquid fuel supplied from the liquid fuel tank and the liquid supplied from the water tank, and then supplies a mixture of liquid fuel and water to the flow channel, the liquid fuel mixer comprising:
• a water channel through which the liquid supplied from the water tank flows;
• and
• a liquid fuel permeable membrane between the water channel and the liquid fuel in the liquid fuel tank, wherein the liquid fuel permeable membrane allows the liquid fuel to penetrate therethrough to the water channel but does not allow water in the water channel to penetrate therethrough to the liquid fuel tank.