Method of operating fuel cell with electrolyte containing quinones or dyes

Claim 1

IN A METHOD OF OPERATING A FUEL CELL COMPRISING AN ANODE, AN ANOLYTE COMPARTMENT CONTAINING AN AQUEOUS ANOLYTE, A CATHODE COMPARTMENT CONTAINING AN AQUEOUS CATHOLYTE, FUEL TRANSFER MEANS FOR INTRODUCING A FLUID FUEL INTO DUAL CONTACT WITH SAID ANODE AND SAID ANOLYTE, AND OXIDANT TRANSFER MEANS FOR ADMITTING A FLUID OXYGEN CONRAINING OXIDANT INTO SAID CATHOLYTE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES INTRODUCING A FLUID FUEL INTO DUAL CONTACT WITH SAID ANODE AND SAID ANOLYTE, ADMITTING AN OXYGEN CONTAINING OXIDANT INTO SAID CATHOLYTE, AND ADDING TO SAID CATHOLYTE A CATHOLYTE-SOLUBLE ORGANIC COMPOUND HAVING AN OXIDIZED FORM ADMITTING OF ELECTROCHEMCIAL REDUCTION UPON RECEIVING ELECTRONS FROM THE CATHODE AND A REDUCED FORM ADMITTING OF CHEMICAL OXIDATION BY SAID OXIDANT TO SAID OXIDIED FORM, SAID CATHOLYTE-SOLUBLE ORGANIC COMPOUND BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF QUINONES, QUINONE-IMINES, QUINONE-DIAMINES, INDOPHENOL DYES, INDAMINE DYES, OXAZINE DYES, THIAZINE DYES AND INDIGOID DYES.