Patent ID: 7465511

Claim:
A direct liquid feed fuel cell, comprising: a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) comprising an electrolyte membrane having an anode on a first face and a cathode on a second face; a first conductive plate that contacts the anode of the MEA, having flow channels to supply liquid fuel to the anode; a second conductive plate to supply air the cathode; 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.