NOVELTY - Direct-current electrical energy is formed by operating fuel cell (6) to electrochemically combine externally supplied oxygen, with hydrogen to produce direct-current electrical energy and water as a reaction product; directing the water through hydrogen-containing fuel (1) that reacts with the water to produce hydrogen; and directing the hydrogen to cell (6) to sustain operation of cell (6).    USE - For production of direct-current electrical energy useful for portable electronic device, such as laptop computers and mobile phones.    ADVANTAGE - The fuel cell system only requires an external supply of oxygen or air, and has a higher specific energy density than a fuel cell system that requires a separate or additional source of water. It is lighter in weight and smaller in volume by the amount of water that is not needed, which for sodium borohydride, amounts to a weight and volume savings of approximately 2/3. The invention improves the performance, control, and safety of a fuel cell system, in which a fuel cell is coupled to the fuel supply. It efficiently and safely controls the rate of hydrogen generation by controlling water supply to the chemical hydride. Solid hydrogen-containing fuel effectively absorbs product water from the fuel cell, thus avoiding wetness and flooding in the vicinity of the outlet from an operating fuel cell.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is also include for a fuel cell system for producing direct-current electrical energy, comprising: an enclosure (5) having an oxygen inlet (7), a hydrogen inlet (8), and a water outlet (9); a fuel cell disposed within the enclosure for electrochemically combining oxygen gas introduced through the oxygen inlet, with hydrogen gas introduced through the hydrogen inlet, to produce direct-current electrical energy and water as a reaction product; a hydrogen-containing fuel in communication with the water outlet for reacting with water discharged through the water outlet, to produce hydrogen gas; and a conduit (11) interconnecting the fuel cell and the hydrogen inlet for directing the hydrogen gas produced by the hydrogen-containing fuel to the fuel cell, to sustain operation of the fuel cell.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure is a simplified diagrammatic representation of a fuel cell system.    Hydrogen-containing fuel (1)    Enclosure (5)    Fuel cell (6)    Oxygen inlet (7)    Hydrogen inlet (8)    Water outlet (9)    Conduit (11)