We propose thermally regenerative fuel cell operated by solar thermal energy. Based on 2-propanol/acetone/hydrogen system, it consists of 2-propanol &hydrogenation at negative electrode and acetone hydrogenation at positive electrode by using the principle of fuel cell. As the first step of this research, we investigated acetone hydrogenation. Activity of ruthenium and platinum composite catalyst (3 wt%) supported on carbon in the form of plate for the reaction was much higher at 90°C than that of ruthenium catalyst or platinum catalyst. Activity of ruthenium and platinum composite catalyst was much higher when it was supported on carbon felt or cloth than plate. We adopted ruthenium and platinum composite catalyst supported on carbon cloth as electrodes of the cell and examined its characteristics. At first we used molecular hydrogen instead of 2-propanol as proton source. Open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current were 104.6 mV and 8.98 mA, respectively. As loading of the catalyst becomes higher, short-circuit current also became larger. Short-circuit currents were 11.5 and 26.7 mA when loading of the catalyst was 5 and 30 wt%, respectively. Then we used 2-propanol as proton source. Open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current became larger as 2-propanol concentration increases. When loading of the catalyst was 30 wt% and concentrations of 2-propanol were 10, 20 and 50%, open-circuit voltage was 7.6, 10.8 and 21.3 mV, respectively, and short-circuit currents were 1.1, 1.4 and 2.1 mA, respectively.
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