SUPPLY OF PHOSPHORIC ACID ELECTROLYTE TO FUEL CELL

PURPOSE:To make 2 carrier gas contain phosphoric acid electrolyte at a relatively high density, for enabling a supply of electrolyte to a fuel cell under favorable conditions for the operation of the cell by bringing a carrier gas humidified in advance into contact with an electrolyte in liquid or in solution. CONSTITUTION:A mist generator 30, with porous plates 32 arranged in parallel to each other within a casing 31 and holding phosphoric acid as an electrolyte in itself, atomizes the electrolyte to make a carrier gas contain it by flowing the carrier gas through the gaps between the opposing plates. An inert gas as the carrier gas is, after humidified by a humidifier 22 to a saturation vapor pressure, for example, at about 50 deg.C, further humidified by another humidifier 23 to the operational temperature of the cell, for example, 180 deg.C and then, after introduced into the mist generator 30 to contain the electrolyte, the gas is led into a channel 4a in the cell through switching valve 27 and an inlet port 11a. Since a fuel gas electrode layer 2 is exposed in the channel 4a, the mist-like or gaseous electrolyte sticks to or condenses on the surface or surfaces of the electrode 2 and then moves into a matrix layer 1.