(WO9517773-A1)      Process for the generation of electrical energy in a bio-fuel powered fuel cell comprises the following steps: (1) bio-fuel is added to a first reactor in the negative charge half of the fuel cell and reacted with a first acidic metal soln. in the presence of a first catalyst so that the bio-fuel oxidised to carbon dioxide; (2) obtd. carbon dioxide is removed from the first reactor whilst the first acid salt soln. of reduced metal is directed to an anode in an electrochemical cell for oxidising the metal, the metal salt soln. thereafter being recirculated to the first reactor; (3) an oxidising agent is added to a second reactor in the positive charge half of the fuel cell and reacted in the presence of a second catalyst with a second acid metal salt soln. so that the metal is oxidised; (4) the obtd. by-prod. is removed from the reactor whilst the second acidic metal soln. is directed to a cathode in the electrochemical cell so that the metal is reduced, the salt soln. thereafter being recirculated to the second reactor, electrical energy being generated by the passage of hydrogen ions from the cathode to the anode through a hydrogen ion-permeable membrane separating the cathode from the anode.    The process is characterised by the use, in the first metal soln., of metals forming a redox pair with a standard potential of -0.12 to +0.7V, and, in the second metal soln., of metals forming a redox pair with a standard potential of +0.7 to +1.3V, both of the metals pref. being vanadium such that vanadium (IV)/(III) and vanadium (V)/(IV) redox pairs are used, respectively.    The bio-fuel is pref. a carbohydrate, esp. saccharose, glucose, maltose, xylose, arabinose, cellulose, starch, mylose (sic) or molasses or a hydrolysis prod. thereof, and is added in an amt. of up to ca. 0.1 (0.003)M. The acid in the first and second acidic metal solns. is pref. 0.05-5.0M sulphuric or phosphoric acid. The second catalyst may be sol. or insol. and pref. has a redox potential of 0.8-1.2, whilst the second catalyst is pref. nitrous/nitric acid. The temp. generated by the cell is pref. max. 150 (90-105) C. The first and second metal salt solns. pref. contain vanadium (IV) sulphate which is reduced to vanadium (II) in the negative charge half of the cell, in addn. to molybdenum, tungsten or iron salts.    USE -   Useful as an alternative to fossil fuel power, e.g. for vehicle engines and as the d.c batteries for use in the electrochemical industry, e.g. alkali chloride prodn..    ADVANTAGE -   Cell is powered by renewable, natural prod. fuel.    (JP9507605-W)      Process for the generation of electrical energy in a bio-fuel powered fuel cell comprises the following steps: (1) bio-fuel is added to a first reactor in the negative charge half of the fuel cell and reacted with a first acidic metal soln. in the presence of a first catalyst so that the bio-fuel oxidised to carbon dioxide; (2) obtd. carbon dioxide is removed from the first reactor whilst the first acid salt soln. of reduced metal is directed to an anode in an electrochemical cell for oxidising the metal, the metal salt soln. thereafter being recirculated to the first reactor; (3) an oxidising agent is added to a second reactor in the positive charge half of the fuel cell and reacted in the presence of a second catalyst with a second acid metal salt soln. so that the metal is oxidised; (4) the obtd. by-prod. is removed from the reactor whilst the second acidic metal soln. is directed to a cathode in the electrochemical cell so that the metal is reduced, the salt soln. thereafter being recirculated to the second reactor, electrical energy being generated by the passage of hydrogen ions from the cathode to the anode through a hydrogen ion-permeable membrane separating the cathode from the anode.    The process is characterised by the use, in the first metal soln., of metals forming a redox pair with a standard potential of -0.12 to +0.7V, and, in the second metal soln., of metals forming a redox pair with a standard potential of +0.7 to +1.3V, both of the metals pref. being vanadium such that vanadium (IV)/(III) and vanadium (V)/(IV) redox pairs are used, respectively.    The bio-fuel is pref. a carbohydrate, esp. saccharose, glucose, maltose, xylose, arabinose, cellulose, starch, mylose (sic) or molasses or a hydrolysis prod. thereof, and is added in an amt. of up to ca. 0.1 (0.003)M. The acid in the first and second acidic metal solns. is pref. 0.05-5.0M sulphuric or phosphoric acid. The second catalyst may be sol. or insol. and pref. has a redox potential of 0.8-1.2, whilst the second catalyst is pref. nitrous/nitric acid. The temp. generated by the cell is pref. max. 150 (90-105) C. The first and second metal salt solns. pref. contain vanadium (IV) sulphate which is reduced to vanadium (II) in the negative charge half of the cell, in addn. to molybdenum, tungsten or iron salts.    USE -   Useful as an alternative to fossil fuel power, e.g. for vehicle engines and as the d.c batteries for use in the electrochemical industry, e.g. alkali chloride prodn..    ADVANTAGE -   Cell is powered by renewable, natural prod. fuel.    (EP799503-B1)      Process for the generation of electrical energy in a bio-fuel powered fuel cell comprises the following steps: (1) bio-fuel is added to a first reactor in the negative charge half of the fuel cell and reacted with a first acidic metal soln. in the presence of a first catalyst so that the bio-fuel oxidised to carbon dioxide; (2) obtd. carbon dioxide is removed from the first reactor whilst the first acid salt soln. of reduced metal is directed to an anode in an electrochemical cell for oxidising the metal, the metal salt soln. thereafter being recirculated to the first reactor; (3) an oxidising agent is added to a second reactor in the positive charge half of the fuel cell and reacted in the presence of a second catalyst with a second acid metal salt soln. so that the metal is oxidised; (4) the obtd. by-prod. is removed from the reactor whilst the second acidic metal soln. is directed to a cathode in the electrochemical cell so that the metal is reduced, the salt soln. thereafter being recirculated to the second reactor, electrical energy being generated by the passage of hydrogen ions from the cathode to the anode through a hydrogen ion-permeable membrane separating the cathode from the anode.    The process is characterised by the use, in the first metal soln., of metals forming a redox pair with a standard potential of -0.12 to +0.7V, and, in the second metal soln., of metals forming a redox pair with a standard potential of +0.7 to +1.3V, both of the metals pref. being vanadium such that vanadium (IV)/(III) and vanadium (V)/(IV) redox pairs are used, respectively.    The bio-fuel is pref. a carbohydrate, esp. saccharose, glucose, maltose, xylose, arabinose, cellulose, starch, mylose (sic) or molasses or a hydrolysis prod. thereof, and is added in an amt. of up to ca. 0.1 (0.003)M. The acid in the first and second acidic metal solns. is pref. 0.05-5.0M sulphuric or phosphoric acid. The second catalyst may be sol. or insol. and pref. has a redox potential of 0.8-1.2, whilst the second catalyst is pref. nitrous/nitric acid. The temp. generated by the cell is pref. max. 150 (90-105) C. The first and second metal salt solns. pref. contain vanadium (IV) sulphate which is reduced to vanadium (II) in the negative charge half of the cell, in addn. to molybdenum, tungsten or iron salts.    USE -   Useful as an alternative to fossil fuel power, e.g. for vehicle engines and as the d.c batteries for use in the electrochemical industry, e.g. alkali chloride prodn..    ADVANTAGE -   Cell is powered by renewable, natural prod. fuel.